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The Taranaki
Tarmac rally has a bit of a reputation as a car killer, with it's
extremely fast straights, tight twisty corners and changeable weather,
it is a real challenge to driver and co-driver. It was with that
in mind that Dylan and Sara set off on Saturday morning to start
stage 1.
"We started
off a little nervous, as we have never done tarmac in this car,
so we had to spend a bit of time on the first stage to dial ourselves
into the car", commented Dylan.
Even so the
pairing still set a time 14sec behind the eventual winner, Marty
Roestenburg, so it wasn't that much of a nervous start.
Stage 2 was
identical to stage 1, in that it was fast and flowing. Again the
team took it cautiously, still getting to grips with the cars ability
on tarmac.
A bad start
on stage 3 where the the car stalled off the start line cost them
10sec trying to restart it.
Dylan explains
- "We weren't using launch control, and I didn't want to rev
it too much, and it stalled as I let out the clutch to take off.
It then took me about 10-12sec to get the car fired up and on it's
way. That was pretty embarrassing".
Stage 4 was
the next test, the 28km stage that winds around the base of Mt Taranaki.
A known car killer with slippery corners and tight, twisty sections,
it was to be the final stage for the team.
"At about
14.4km into the stage, on a 5Left tightens we slid wide and hit
the bank front-on. That unfortunately split the oil line into the
oil cooler, and it was game over for the day. Up until then we had
been having a great stage, but hey, that rallying" said Dylan
after the rally.
The car will
be repaired in time for the Greg Todd Memorial Rally on June 15th.
"I would
like to thank Pete and Chicken at Prestige Motorsports for their
work before the rally, and Ian from AB Panel and Paint, as it will
be his task to repair the car for the next event" said Dylan.
Dylan, Sara
and the rest of the team would also like to thank - LJ Hooker, AB
Panel and Paint, Prestige Motorsport, South Pacific Racewear, Chiropractic
& Sport, and Kempy's Bitza Mitzy's.
Til next time.
Sara & Dylan
Turner
Motorsport
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