If you want to go Car Rallying read on.
Remember; "Playstation is not an extreme sport" :-)
Car Auctions Sydney Lithgow - Gravel Rally Australia
Held May 2007 - Datsun 1200 Coupe 1971 (Engine A12)
How do you hit a tree on stage three and still have a great time? We
Did!
Firstly, a huge thanks to my family who sat around at the start for
hours and then followed us out to watch our first start, at our first
rally. There can only be one first. Of course Jilly, for her amazing and
continuing support and enthusiasm.
A special thanks to my brilliant navigator Kristy. The calm voice in the
background “7L then 3R, tidy”. She’s a natural.
Another huge thanks to Carl Stewart, for the preparation before the
rally (weeks before), on the day and the constant encouragement. Thanks
also to Michelle for giving up Carl’s time. Darren Gillis and Martins
Engine Reconditioning for a top job and speedy turnaround.
I concur with all that was said above, re the event, the organisers and
team of helpers out there in the forest. Thanks to all.
The event. The upside that no one mentions about the recce is that even
if you put it off on stage three you have at least completed the rally
once anyway. So it doesn’t feel so bad.
We weren’t going to go for pace notes on our first event but Heather,
then Dale & Coral talked us into it. We were so glad they did. Kristy
slotted straight into the groove and it was clear after stage 1 recce
that this was the way we wanted to go.
Stage 1 – I had said that I would go slow. There was no way I was going
to break the car or put it off on the first stage of our first rally. I
must admit though that is was embarrassingly slow (even by my
standards). But a good time was had and we made it through. Spotted the
guys in the Excel with a soft off and gave them a wave.
Stage 2 was heaps of fun and we were cracking along at a comfortable but
much faster pace. Came up on the Lada on it’s side, but they got going
again. “Go the Lada”. Then on a 3L gutter, the accelerator cable jumped
out. The road closure guys were brilliant. They pushed us quickly off
the road and then helped diagnose and sort out the problem. Thanks
again. If you are going to break down. Do it on a corner that happened
to have a resident mechanic. Lost about 5-10mins and watched the Excel
and to our surprise the Lada zoom by.
Stage 3 After a delay, it was night time. We got going at a good pace
and then about 4km in on a downhill 8R I touch the brakes started to
plane a bit. So what did I do? “KEPT MY FOOT FIRMLY ON THOSE BRAKES”. 
Idiot!!
I thought I would know better, but no. Classic rookie mistake. Skidded
straight into a pine tree and crushed the lights and radiator (see
photos). End off rally for us.
Sweep turned up. A great guy who I still owe a beer. Yanked us off the
tree and we rolled to the bottom of the hill and did some spectating in
the barmy 6degrees of Lithgow.
We will be back at Bay Stages. We might even make it to stage 4. It was
great to meet the P1 crew and back runners, shame none of us finished
(P1 that is). But it certainly is the social end of the field.
A general thanks to the SKDAC crew who make it all allot more fun.