Exedy XI-RFC Australia.
Day Four summary.
It has been a quite day for the XI-RFC competitors today with only two GPS stages this morning, both based at the Hunters Camp. A simple one lane in and loop out system was taped up with vehicles to come in at a slow walking pace to the control area. Competitors then swap out the GPS points they have for a new one.
The idea is to get as many points as they can within the DNF time of 1 & ½ hours, one at a time, with a total of 20 to collect. At each GPS point there is an orientation punch that they must punch there card with. Each punch has a different pin hole pattern.
The second GPS stage is where they are given a list of 20 GPS points all at once and they have to go out for 1.5 hours maximum and get as many as they can. Again orientation punches are used and they punch their card with the appropriate corresponding number.
Generally it was straight forward but a couple of competitors tried to short the drive in system by having the navi run in. The bad news for them is MMM has deemed this to be “failure to follow course instructions” and possible penalties are pending.
For Dave Burrows and Howard Crossley (Jumbo) it was definitely not a smooth run. They had problems with the engine misfiring and cutting out. As they got back to control each time they would have the bonnet up trying to trace the problem. They would think it was right again and head out only to suffer the problem yet again. Pat Burrows was at control and even he was beaten as to the cause.
With still 15 minutes to go Dave said “he was sick of it” and called time and began seriously pulling the vehicle apart. Some one then mentioned “where’s the ECU computer” to which Dave replied in the glove box. It was in a box in there and when they pulled it out it rattled. Further investigation revealed the source of the problem; not a 5 cent part but actually a 5 cent piece. It had got into the box and with the bouncing cross country it would occasionally short the computer.
It was all over but 1.30pm and competitors headed back to camp for a rest and service before tonight’s sprint run along the 2.8 Test track again (in opposite direction) and then two more GPS stages, again from the hunters camp.
Most competitors took the chance to check over the vehicle with Aaron Ward and Steve O’Donnell changing the rear brake pads which were worn to metal. This would have been why they were having poor braking problems the previous day.
Why the competitors were busy on the GPS, MMM lead a team of officials to the head of the Brisbane River to finish setting the stages for Wednesday. 4 more stages were pegged out, a couple with an interesting twist which should be entertaining for competitors and spectators alike. Mick Garner even went beyond the call of duty and put his Suzuki on the line, and he found out that Suzuki’s do not float!
Later on MMM even went for a walk along Cowah Creek checking for deep water holes and possible Stages. All went well until he found a hole and ended up neck deep in the water.
At 5.30pm competitors had their briefing and then were lead out for the sprint stage back along 2.8km Test Track to the hunter’s camp and the start of the two night GPS stages. These stages would follow the same format as the ones earlier in the day but with different points to find.
I headed out with Mean Mister Metcalfe (MMM) to the start of the sprint stage and tried to get a couple of photos of competitors with their lights on.
On the way back MMM got geographically embarrassed missing the turn off to come back down the Tarago Trail. When we got back to the top of Tarago Trail, he turned the indicator on to turn, despite there being no one else around.
The night stages are still in progress as so results are not available by the time this report was written. Results are available at
http://www.xtreme4x4sport.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and competition is close with a tie for second place and the next only a further 13 points adrift.
Finally the most bizarre statement for the day; “Anything to do with winching, … I hate!”
Cheers
Ashley Lucas
NZ4WD
David Metcalfe, runs Xtreme 4X4 Sport which is the home of ARB Xtreme Winch Challenge Series, Xtreme International & 4WD Angel Adventure supporting Angel Flight Australia
