Sunshine Coast Gymkhana

29 April - 1 May 2000

This year the Sunshine Coast Club moved the Gymkhana from Connondale to an 85 acre property at Yandina, where it will be for many years to come. But the move was not enough to keep the rain away. My weekend got off to a great start. By 5.30pm I had just finished working on the car. By the time I packed all my gear and tools and spares and had dinner, it was 7.30pm and I was ready to go. Just a bit late, as I was trying to get there in daylight. Well it seems nothing was meant to go right for me that day, I had an inner CV joint problem that I thought I had fixed earlier that day. But on leaving I still had problems, so after two trips back to the shed and not being able to fix the problem, it was now after 9.00pm. I thought ‘Bugger this’, I’ll whack in a dummy shaft. Go and spectate and knock down some Gold’s and tell all the Subie’s to GO HARD. Upon getting to the venue it was raining again, so I drove in slowly. Not knowing where everything was I thought I’ll just follow the wheel tracks. I could see some camps close by. But as I got close I did not think being in rear wheel drive that I’d be able to leave the track. Looking ahead, the track went down hill into a gully, with camp sites on the other side of the gully.  Backwards was not an option so I continued on and got stuck in the muddy causeway. After being towed over and up the hill I was told that a double diff locked cruiser had been stuck in the same spot, which made me feel a bit better. All on the hill were from the Sunshine Coast 4x4 Club, some of them I know from past Gymkhanas, so the rest of the night was spent drinking beer and between showers, putting up the tent. By the time Camo got there things were not so bad, but there was no way with the camper on that he could get to where I was camped without getting bogged, so he camped on the other side of the gully.

By midday things got underway starting with the Gymkhana course, the sun came out and it had not rained for about 4.50 hours. By this time Doug Tilley and Peter Kallenbach were also there, Doug was not going to camp as his girlfriend didn’t want to camp in the rain and Peter lives in Yandina so he didn’t camp either. He said I could drive the Brumby as he was entering himself. I had already walked around the track that morning and knew it was going to be a good course, with about 8 hills, 2 gullies with water in the bottom and 2 streams. The first stream was a little downhill, the second uphill that began from a 2 foot drop in off the bank into a hole full of water, finishing with a very rough climb out. This hole claimed a few cars including P.K. The gymkhana course went all afternoon. About 1 pm Jason from the Moreton Club in his blue turbo Brumby got some major air off the first little hill which became a jump and everyone tried to get as high as the Brumby. As far as I know, nobody did. P.K. was itching to have a go, and took along the Riksta so that I could tell him where to go. He tried to jump higher than Jason’s Brumby but didn’t, tried to get over the 3 hills on the back straight cleanly but didn’t, he tried the uphill water stream, but got stuck in the big hole (wet ignition) and got towed out. Continued on and got stuck in the last gully (wet ignition again), could see the finish line but could not get up the hill, and got towed again.

I had my run a bit later and, without wanting to upset P.K., I had seen all the things that he had done wrong and could see a faster line in other sections, so I went and lined up. I left the start line well (still slippery). The straight before the jump has a bend in it, I got the back out too much then tried to get it straight and almost did. But as the jump got closer I thought “this is not going to work!” so I put the foot down and went hard over the jump (Editor’s comment – SURPRISE, SURPRISE!!) On landing, it was back on the go pedal.

Well there was a lot more on top of the go pedal and pointing the wheels this way and that and trying to remember the best line through everything. And all the time saying to myself “Got to beat Peter, can’t get stuck!”

I was a bit worried about the exit of the uphill stream as it was getting very chopped up, but before I knew it we were at the finish and I had achieved a respectable time.

Way to Go! I felt good, and that is something P.K. will never forget.

The rest of the day we watched others doing silly things to their cars. P.K. had a go at the quiets race but drowned the car again. After that, Peter said that he had had enough and was going home. At this stage they had opened the tiny race and Cam, who had been quiet all day, said “ Ill have a go at that”. So off he went to get his car. And that’s when it happened. For the first time since about 10 am, it started to rain. Well, we watched Camo line up with the others starters and then when the starter said go, Camo didn’t. The motor had stopped. The others finished and Camo was still attempting to start his. He eventually go it started and had his run about three races later.

Well that was it for the day. The rain had stopped and it did not rain again that night.  A good night was had by all. (I think.) The next day it showered all day. Camo had his go at the gymkhana course, the bit of rain had made the mud thinner than the day before, and Camo had a very good run with no problems. But the jump was not working today because it was too wet to get enough speed, although everyone tried. P.K. came back, upset with his last run in the gymkhana. He wanted to go again, so he paid another $10, even though his time wouldn’t count. He had his run and finished without any problems. As the day went on the showers got worse and the activities ended early with most people trying to find some place warm and dry - some found that in a bottle of Jack Daniels. The Monday was supposed to be a top 10 shootout of the Gymkhana and then the mud run, followed by the trophy presentation. The top 10 didn’t happen as the course was too wet. The mud run was good at first, but it got too bad for anyone to get through it. It rained again so we left to go and pack up camp, and find someone who could tow me out. This had to be the wettest Gymkhana yet, maybe next year will be better.

Rik Close SC328