Round 3 ARB XWC at Landcruiser Mountain Park

[XTREME MMM]

Entries now open.

Date:- 22nd - 23rd September 2012

Venue:- Landcruiser Mountain Park (Where it all started all those years ago)

Entry fee:- $380 (no meals included)

If you are entering the Exedy XI - RFC Australia, Round 3 of the ARB XWC is automatic and is free.

Round 3 this year will be run during and on the same SS as the first 10SS of the Exedy XI - RFC Australia. It will commence on Saturday morning with 5SS and finish after you complete 5SS on the Sunday. Saturday night will be the midway presentation for the ARB XWC.

All inquires to David Metcalfe - info@xtreme4x4sport.com.au or 0418 745 830

Cheers
David

[XTREME MMM]

I would like to welcome:-

Andrew McFairlane & Mark Calder driving a Defender #201.

They will now join the other 15 Teams for the ARB XWC.

So get your entries in now if you are planing to do the ARB XWC

Cheers
David Metcalfe
Competition Manager
ARB XWC

[XTREME MMM]

I will be heading to the Park on the 13th September. If all goes well will have internet access by the 14th.

ARB XWC Base will be at Trekka Terrace.

Food will be available all weekend.

Looking forward to this one.

Cheers
David

[XTREME MMM]

Entries are still open and is looking to be a great weekend.

Starts Saturday & finishes Sunday afternoon. 10SS in total.

I will be on site from Thursday 13th and will have internet up & running Friday afternoon.

Cheers
David

[XTREME MMM]

Well I am now at ARB XWC Base.

Also a big thanks to Telstra Bigpond for giving the ARB XWC and Exedy XI - RFC Base internet access. With their support I will be able to give daily updates during set up.

During the event daily updates will be posted which will include:- Points, Photos & Story.

All for now from ARB XWC and Exedy XI - RFC Australia Base, Day 1, Landcruiser Mountain Park.

David Metcalfe
Competition Manager
ARB XWC and Exedy XI - RFC

[XTREME MMM]

Day 1 done & dusted, only 5 more SS to go.

Points can be found at http://www.xtreme4x4sport.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers
David

[XTREME MMM]

Here is Day 1 report of the ARB XWC & Exedy XI - RFC Australia. Written by Ashley Lucas:-

ARB Xtreme Winch Challenge & Exedy XI-RFC Australia.
Day one summary.

10 competitors were at the early morning briefing including new comers to the event, Andrew McFairlane and Mark Lauder in the British Off Road Land Rover Defender V8.

Competition got under way, after team profile photos were taken, with all doing stage 1. This was a long stage with vehicles climbing over logs in a creek bed, steep up hill winch followed by a run through to a gully with a small bog hole. Once out of this it was a short winch out of the gully and back to the original hill and a reverse winch down to the creek followed by a short run back to the finish.
Fastest time was 10.35 by Rod Rathbone in his V8 FJ40 but Andrew and Mark were less than a minute behind with 11.22.
Unfortunately for 4 competitors they did not finish within the time. Shane Harris and Alex Driscoll suffered winch problems, while Kevin Gorick and Scott Archer abused the body panels on the 60 Series Toyota when the got hooked up on a tree on the reverse winch and ran out of time. Earlier they had got stuck in the first water hole and Scott couldn’t get out his side so promptly walked over Kevin and out the drivers door. Chris Woods suffered winch problems in the bog and then engine once out the engine overheated and boiled. Chris was to spend the rest of the day replacing the head gasket on the highly modified 2.8 GU Nissan.

The all female team of Emily Taylor and Katie Ireland also ran out of time but were spectacular when they tipped on to their side in a water hole leading up to the bog. Katie was right their and had the winch out and they quickly recovered themselves.

Stages 2 and 3 ran together with stage 3 running smoothly with no mishaps. However it was Aaron Ward and Steve O’Donnell that provide the best save of the day and only a couple of people were witness to the skillful driving by Aaron. Having to sneak past a tree with an off camber, most used the winch to get through. Aaron was slowly getting passed when the rear slipped downhill, Aaron got on the gas and the front lifted completely off the ground as it slide backwards and then he managed to drive back up and stop on the ridge. It all happened so quickly that even Aaron was shocked, but it was probably more scared of damaging his wife’s car!

Col Wareneken and Cam Gale were having a good run winning 2 stages outright until they broken a CV on Stage 5 and withdrew to repair it before doing stage 4, and taking out the fastest time for the stage.

Dave Burrows and Pat Burrows in the grey FJ40 had a middle of the road sort of a day finishing all stages and even getting second fastest time on Stage 3 but unfortunately suffered 40 penalty points putting down the order.

Christian Trusz and Terry Kane have had a good day winning 2 stages outright and now lead the field on 444 points followed closely by Andrew McFairlane and Mark Lauder in the V8 Defender.

Sunday will start with a run up the 2.8 Test Track along Diaper Creek followed by another 4 stages which will include a creek with a bit of water in it. For those doing the XI-RFC there will also be GPS night run.

Regards
Ashley Lucas
Roving Reporter
NZ4WD

[XTREME MMM]

Points total can now be found at http://www.xtreme4x4sport.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; just scroll down the home page.

Series winners were Dave & Pat Burrows followed by Col Warneken & Cam Gale and 3rd was Rod & Russell Rathbone. Emily Taylor & Katie Ireland also were the other full Series Team.

Emily & katie were awarded the "Team Spirit Award" during this round.

Times will be posted tomorrow night on my web site.

Photos will be posted on my Facebook site.

Cheers
David

Story will be posted soon.

[XTREME MMM]

ARB Xtreme Winch Challenge & Exedy XI-RFC Australia.
Day two summary.

Another eventful day at the ARB Xtreme Winch Challenge and XI-RFC Australia at Landcruiser Mountain Park, in Jimna. The day started a with briefing at 7.15am and then by 7.45 competitors were lead out to the bottom of the 2.8km Test Track that runs along Diaper Creek. Unsure how the repairs were going with Chris Wood and Chris Brame and the 2.8 twin turboed GU but they failed to start any stages again today. Reports were Chris was changing the head gasket and another was that he was fitting a new engine.

The remaining 9 competitors, including Emily Taylor and Katie Ireland who managed to fix the winch overnight, would start a 4 minute intervals and drive to the top where it meets Iron Pot Road. Most came through with no problems with some quick times. Fastest was Christian Trusz and Terry Kane with 9.29.9 minutes followed by Aaron ward and Steve O’Donnell with 10.01.6 minutes and Col Warneken and Cam Gale with 10.29.3.

Shane Harris had a stand in co-driver after Alex Driscoll had to return to town, in the form of Troy Wilmot. Unfortunately they broke a rear axle inside the diff head and finished the stage with only front wheel drive. They had to winch a few times through the course and even winched through the ‘flying’ finish gate.

The already battered 60 Series of Kevin Gorick and Scott Archer got a further beating during the stage with Scott in the driver’s seat. They were being slowed with steering problems, and when Scott went to turn into a left hand corner the vehicle went straight ahead up the back falling back on the left hand side. The last competitors were Emily and Katie who had already caught them up and stopped to assist and check on the two boys. Kevin and Scott, who were unhurt, said for them to sneak past and continue but they chose to stay and help get the vehicle upright and then shepherded them to the finish. For this selfless act they were presented with the Team Spirit Award at presentation.

Stages 8 followed which was a short run along the creek bed, over a small log to a rock wall for a winch up and then drop back down and return the same way to the finish. First competitor was Rod and Russell Rathbone in the Toyota. They broke a CV and did most of the stage in 2WD which also meant they had to do and extra winch up the sand bank that no one else had to, not even the 60 Series. Fastest time went to Andrew McFairlane and Mark Calder in the V8 powered Land Rover Defender with 3.26 minutes, a whole 4 seconds faster than the next vehicle.

Stage 7 was another short and fast stage with a short creek drive, and then up through small trees before looping back across the creek and heading back across the creek again where there was a drop off into the water. As they dropped in here several vehicles leaned over heavily to the right then they had to head back along the creek to a sharp left turn and steep uphill winch to the finish box. Andrew McFarlane and Andrew Calder were very quick in the first part but it all came undone when they put the Land Rover onto its side trying to drive the front up the bank. They were quick and efficient in recovering and winch up the hill but did loose time and eventually got 4th fastest on the stage.

Not to be out done the 60 series nearly rolled at the drop off point into the creek but did also manage to roll onto the right hand side at the winch hill. The lads reckoned they needed to have the right side the same as the left.

Dave Burrows and son Pat Burrows in the FJ40 got hooked up on the rocks as the dropped into the creek and stalled. Restarting they managed to back just enough to drive through and managed to get third fastest time with 4.34 minutes.

Stages 9 and 10 were back in gullies and the predictable ‘enter gully, exit gully to left, enter gully, exit …..” and no significant problems apart from The Land Rover Defender breaking a steering box on Stage 9, their last stage of the day. Team Petticoat (anyone remember Petticoat Junction?) of Emily Taylor and Katie Ireland retired with further winch problems.

The competition finished by 1.30pm and everyone made their way back to camper at Trakka Terrace for presentation of the ARB XWC competition.

3rd Andrew McFairlane and Mark Calder 806 points
2nd Rod Rathbone and Russell Rathbone 832 points
1st Christian Trusz and Terry Kane 929 points.

For the overall series
1st Dave Burrows and Pat Burrows
2nd Col Warneken and Cam Gale
3rd Rod Rathbone and Russell Rathbone.

Tonight Shane Harris was still replacing the rear diff and axles under his vehicle, after Alex Driscoll returned with the complete rear end out of mate’s vehicle that had been left at Shane’s place. Moral never leave your vehicle at a mates place.

The XI-RFC Australia continues for another 6 days with some interesting stages planned over the next few days. The Sunday GPS night stage was postponed and instead we enjoyed sponsors nibbles from Aliant Food Services while event organiser briefed the remaining competitors for the next 6 days of competition and introduced his team of officials.

Thanks to Ashley Lucas for another informative story.

[tuf355]

well done to Dave & Pat !!!!!!!!!!