For the first time in their rally careers Gavin Morgan (Driver) and Chris Parish (navigator) had drawn car one on the road for the last State Rally Championship Round this year.
On a blind rally with no opportunity to pace note the course before the event both crew members had concerns with the task of sweeping the road for the chasing pack.
Their concerns we highlighted on the first stage when an impact on a loose rock smashed the drivers front wheel, they slowed down until they could find a safe place to change the wheel.
This is were their dramas started, the rim on impact and the following drive to find a safe place to change the wheel had bent the rims inner edge trapping it against the brake system.
What should have taken a few minutes to change the rim and tyre lasted for nearly 10, it was only when they pulled the car off its jack in their struggles that they had success. This impact jarred the rim free allowing them to complete the tyre change.
They finished stage one in virtual last place in the rally nearly ten minutes adrift of the leaders. Luckily they still came into service as car 1 on the road.
A quick inspection showed that the alignment was out and that three of the cars tyres were damaged beyond further use.
The crew returned to the bush to undertake the drive of their motor sport careers, by the end of the event they had set 2, 2nd fastest stage times and one outright stage win.
By destroying 3 tyres so early on the fastest stage time was set with tyres that had already had two front to rear tyre swaps.
To finish 7th outright after the problems of stage one was a brilliant result.
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