Rookie Queensland driver Andrew Dillon along with his father and navigator Adrian Dillon have taken out the 2011 Performance Patios & Decks Queensland Excel Rally Series. Demonstrating reliability throughout the year while continuing to build there speed the pair have shown they have what it takes to win. The series in Queensland is starting to show its potential as a great place for newcomers and experienced competitors alike to demonstrate their skill.
For 2011 the Excel Series was fought out between five crews over five rounds. With the rounds stretching from northern New South Wales to the Central Coast of Queensland. The crews experienced a huge variety of road and driving conditions over the season with reliability proving to be the key to success.
Round one the Border Ranges Rally was taken out by the rapid Matt Bailey and Andrew Lade in their first rally together in the Excel. The roads of Northern New South Wales are beautifully smooth, flowing, high speed making it a rally where confidence is extremely important. Rounds two and three were run in conjunction with the International Rally of Queensland. It was vital for crews to finish these rounds with no turn around time in between the two rounds. After the Queensland floods the roads were extremely rough in places taking there toll on three of the four entered Excels crews. The father and son duo of Andrew and Adrian Dillon took out a maximum points haul of 20 points for the weekend.
Round four the Capricorn Rally was another big drive for the competing crews. With two crews making the long haul up the coast. Jason Van Passeen and Dirk Van Holst Pelikaan came away with the victory after fighting hard with Al Rennika over the challenging roads. Round five saw the introduction of a new rally to the 2011 Queensland calender. “The Good Night Rally” based in the township of Jimna Northeast of Brisbane. This would be where the series was to be decided. The area proved to be a fitting location to end the series with many years of Queensland rally history in these forests.
Seven hours of competition drew to a close in the wee hours of the morning, wrapping up the last round of 2011 Performance Patios and Decks Queensland Excel Series. Once again Matt Bailey and Andrew Lade came out firing in their bright yellow Excel taking a convincing win over the Father and Son team of Andrew and Adrian Dillon. The rally was a great mix of roads with sections of testing rougher roads through to beautiful flowing second and third gear roads in the Excels.
Andrew Dillon took out the series in a great first year in the drivers seat. “We haven’t been the fastest car this year but we have managed to keep it on the road and continually learn. I would really like to thank my Dad. Not only has he guided me this year from the left hand side of the car but he also prepares my car before each event. And with no DNF’s all year I know I can hop in and just go for it. Rallying really is a family occasion for me. Getting out into the forests with my Dad, Mum, brothers and sister is just heaven. I would also like to thank my sponsor, Tim’s Urgent Repair and Drainage Systems, thanks for the assistance."
The 2011 Queensland Excel competitors would like to thank the series sponsors Performance Patios and Decks and GSL Rallysport for their continued support of the series. 2012 is promising to be an even stronger year with potentially more cars competing in the series. For anybody wishing to find out further information on the series, visit www.excelrally.com.au
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