The 18th-19th April will see GORBA represented at the running of the 20th CROOKWELL GRAVEL PIT CHALLENGE in the Southern Tablelands of NSW.
Car 724 with Ken Tocock driving and Mark Hubbard navigating.
Looking to have a good weekend on what looks to be a tight challenging track.
Diary Entry: Monday 20th April, 2015
Made it to the end very muddy and rough on our way home.
Not sure of outright placing yet.
More to follow,
Hubba
SUMMARY OF THE WEEKEND..........
FRIDAY
LEFT AVENEL 7AM
MORNING TEA AT HOLBROOK PIE SHOP
ARRIVED AT TRACK ABOUT THREE PM
SET UP CAMP / STILL DRY
TRIP INTO CROOKWELL ABOUT FIVE KM TO GET LAST MINUTE SUPPLIES
TALKED TO EVENT WORKERS AND VIEWED START FINISH AREA
WE HAD WATCHED LAPS ON U TUBE BUT THE REAL THING IS DIFFERENT WHEN YOUR THERE
STEEP HILLS / SLIPPERY CLAY AND MUD HOLES / NARROW TREE LINED AREAS
HEAPS OF ROCKS AND A FAST FLOWING SECTION IN THE PADDOCK
GOOD PERMANENT FACILITIES / TOILETS / SHOWERS / COOKING AND OFFICE COMPLEX
BACK TO THE TENT AND A CHAT AROUND THE FIRE WITH SOME FELLOW RACERS
THEN THE HEAVENS OPENED AND THE WIND BLEW
SATURDAY
AFTER A WILD NIGHT OF WEATHER RECONNAISSANCE
IT BECAME APPARENT STRAIGHT AWAY THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE INTERESTING
VERY SLIPPERY AND WET
CAUTION WOULD BE THE ORDER OF THE DAY
PROLOGUE WENT OK NO DAMAGE
SIX HEATS DURING THE DAY THREE FOR THE FAST CARS / THREE FOR THE REST
APPROX 80 KM FOR THE DAY
SOUNDS EASY BUT IT WASN’T EVEN THOUGH THE TRACK DRIED LATER THERE
WERE STILL QUITE A FEW WET SPOTS TO CATCH YOU OUT ADD TO THAT THE NARROWNESS
AND ROUGHNESS MADE FOR A CHALLENGING DAY
WE FINISHED THE DAY 16TH OUTRIGHT FROM 23 STARTERS
THEN THE HEAVENS OPENED AGAIN THIS TIME THE CAMPFIRES STRUGGLED
BY 7PM HUBBA WAS IN BED FOLLOWED BY ME AT 730
BIG SATURDAY NIGHT OUT
SUNDAY
TWO HEATS ONE OF THREE LAPS AND ONE OF TEN LAPS
PART OF THE TRACK HAD BECOME IMPASSABLE AND HAD BEEN DIVERTED
THE MAIN AIM WAS STILL TO GET TO THE BIG HEAT
THE FIRST HEAT IN VERY TRICKY CONDITIONS SAW US UP TO TO 14TH OUTRIGHT
THE SECOND HEAT SAW US HELD UP FOR A COUPLE MINUTES ON THE FIRST LAP BY
A BUGGY THAT HAD BROKEN DOWN WITH NO ROOM TO GET AROUND
THE REST OF THE RACE WAS GOOD / CAR WHEN OK NO PROBLEMS
TRIED A FEW DIFFERENT LINES THROUGH CORNERS WHICH IMPROVED LAP TIMES
AT THE FINISH HUBBA WAS HEARD TO SAY GLAD I WASN’T IN THE BUGGY
LUNCH BREAK
AND THEN THE HEAVENS OPENED / NO SUNNY SUNDAY
WE WATCHED THE FAST CARS DO THEIR LONG HEAT
INTERESTING TO SEE HOW QUICK THE “GOLF CART CLASS ARE IN THESE CONDITIONS”
TWO MORE LAPS AND THEY WOULD HAVE CLEANED UP FIRST AND SECOND OUTRIGHT
PRESENTATIONS
WE “CLEANED UP “ PRO 4WD AND FINISHED TENTH OUTRIGHT PRETTY HAPPY WITH THAT
FULL RESULTS AND REPORT AT OFFROAD RACING .COM
LOADED UP WE HEADED SOUTH STOPPING AT THE AUSTRALIA HOTEL IN YASS FOR THE NIGHT
FANTASTIC MEALS AND PLENTY OF COLD BEER
MONDAY
THE HEAVENS OPENED
BREKKY AT GUNDAGAI
INTO VICTORIA AND THE SUN CAME OUT AT LAST
BACK IN AVENEL ABOUT 1 PM
UNLOADED AND STARTED REMOVING MUD
GREAT LITTLE TRIP AND A TRUE OFF ROAD TRACK AND RACE
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED IF YOU GET THE CHANCE GO THERE
SEE YOU AT AVALON
KEN AND HUBBA
For more photos, go to the
Gallery
For Results,
Click Here