WA rally driver Nicholas Box has been caught up in the trail of destruction at the Snake Racing Coffs Coast Forest Rally at the weekend.
Competitors fell like flies on the first day of the event which was round five of the 2012 Bosch Australian Rally Championship.
Box, competing in Coffs Harbour for the first time, said the roads were slipperier than he expected.
He was caught off-guard on stage two of the rally when his Mitsubishi Evo IX slid wide and clipped a tree. Disappointed, Box and co-driver Ash Ridden were forced to call it a day.
The pair had high hopes for heat two of the Snake Racing Coffs Coast Forest Rally after their Allstar Garage team worked for 10 hours to get them to the Sunday start line. Their mammoth effort included repairing bodywork and changing the gearbox.
Despite the service crew’s hard work, Box’s car suffered a blown transfer case just five kilometres into the first stage of the second heat.
Box said the most disappointing thing about not finishing the rally was that he didn’t get to practise for the 2013 World Rally Championship event that will be run over a similar course next September.
“I wanted the experience for Rally Australia next year,” he said.
The Snake Racing Coffs Coast Forest Rally was won by home-state hero Michael Boaden in an Evo VI. He also sealed the 2012 ARC 4WD title.
Meanwhile the 2WD competition was a tough battle between the Evans brothers from Victoria. Eli Evans took the win in his Honda Jazz G2 over older sibling Simon who had WA’s Ben Searcy in the co-driver’s seat.
The sixth and final round of the ARC is Rally Victoria on November 16 and 17.
Box said he wouldn’t compete in the event but planned to travel to the east to spectate. Plans are also in the works for a big 2013 with the recent announcement he’ll next year be part of an Allstar Garage and DWRacing two-car team with him and Danny Williamson competing in brand new Nissan 370Zs.
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