A 60 minute service break in Bairnsdale saw the team move to 8th place from their 12th place on the seeding grid and allowed crews time to fully service and change tyres on their machines ready to tackle the two long night stages that made up Heat 2.
The Gnfc.com.au Rally Team headed back out into the forest determined to stay in the top 10 or better. On the final 28km stage, the team sparred with some large sharp rocks and suffered a flat front tyre only 4km into the stage. After some discussion on whether to stop and change it, David decided to continue on with Jenna calling the distance to the finish as they continued. Steering left was difficult until the side wall disintegrated, and then had turning grip on the rim. Once the team had reached the stage finish they changed the wheel and drove back to parc ferme.
Final placing had the team in 8th outright. And now Tenth year to date in the Victorian Rally Championship series ( VRC).
“We must have done well in the first night stage to maintain an eighth position overall, as we lost several minutes by driving on the rim in the last stage and it was a bit hairy, pulling fourth gear sometimes and braking early,” said driver, David Nutter. “There was actually a little bit of rubber left, have a look at the photo.”
“It was very exciting to see the tyre disintegrate as we were flying along on the rim at 100kmph!’ said Kelley. “What a fantastic event. It was so much fun!”
Round 4 of the Exedy VRC now heads to the New South Wales town of Eden over the Queens Birthday long weekend.
This year’s Bega Valley Rally features eight competitive stages over two heats and three service stops. The event will still see a dramatic reduction in transport distance compared to the 2011 event, reduced by 43% (150 kms this year compared to 265 kms in 2011), competitive distance has increased by 17kms and overall distance is down nearly 100kms or 22%.
All of the event’s ten special stages, totaling 190+ competitive kilometers, are different, including 3 completely new stages and there are no repeat stages, nor reversing of stages. Both of the two VRC heats will run over 5 stages and 95 km competitive each, guaranteeing reat spectator viewing. The event is all set to run on its traditional date over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June, starting at 7:30am on Sunday 10 June from the picturesque Snug Cove Wharf at Twofold Bay in Eden. This will be a cleaner, less dusty & noisy way for spectators to get up closer to the cars than the great vantage positions in the forest. The event will finish at the Eden Fishermen’s Club, with the first crew arriving at about 1530. Based on a 60 car field, all cars will complete the course in daylight.
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