Global motorsport legend Lightning McQueen has left the dusty fields of Radiator Springs and is headed to the Victorian town of Avoca for the Leech’s Mitsubishi Pyrenees Rush scheduled to run on Sunday, August 28.
Showing McQueen the local roads and in for the ride will be Melbourne fabrication expert, Peter Van Waart, and co-driver Matthew Harriott. The event will be Van Waart’s first rally, after successfully racing in the Victorian Club Autocross in recent years, which included second in his class championship.
Prior to the dirt circuit, Van Waart had spent several years racing go-karts and Formula Ford, which included his last race at Bathurst's Mt Panorama, so the speed of McQueen will be no surprise!
“I’ve built so many rally cars, and I was having so much fun building!” Van Waart said.
After spending 10 years building V8 Supercars, the Melbourne resident relocated to Europe where he specialised in building World Rally Cars for drivers such as 2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg.
Upon returning to Australia, he started his own fabrication business, and has done work for former Australian Rally Champion Justin Dowel, RalliArt Australia, and most recently was vital in the build of the BT50 run by national motoring journalist Toby Hagon at the 2016 Fink Desert Race.
When asked about why he decided upon the Lightning McQueen livery, Van Waart had a quick and simple reply,
“My three boys just love Lightning McQueen, and they reckon he’s going to win, but I also got told not to get him dirty! I just want to get through the first rally, gain some experience and get to the end!”
The Leech’s Mitsubishi Pyrenees Rush is the third round of the Focus on Furniture & Bedding Victorian Rally Championship, and the first round of the Victorian Note Rally Series.
Commencing at the Avoca Riverside Markets, joined by the Pyrenees Historic Vehicle Club with a range of classic and vintage vehicles on display, the first of the rally cars will depart the Markets from 9am.
For more information on the event, visit and like us at www.facebook.com/PyreneesRush
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