The R&G/OzTruck/Commodore Boys Finke Diary

Wolf · Rehab Dropout...

RE: The R&G/OzTruck/Commodore Boys Finke Diary

Di_405 · Forum Addict

you'd be heart broken. poor Brad

Di_405 · Forum Addict

car 196 rollover

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u978LQC_h0

-- Edited by Di_405 on Thursday 11th of June 2009 05:47:16 PM

Wolf · Rehab Dropout...

ouch.... I wanna say a HUGE thanks to the guy at the base who slowed us - we may not have made it down, but it would have been devestating to go out at that point with major damage.

I found out at pres that it was Darren Wells son who slowed us, much to the dissapointment of the crowd watching... idiots.

If anyone is in contact with him please pass on my thanks, and the thanks from other competitors whom he kept in the event.

Stingray 2212 · Rehab Dropout...

I have watched the youtube vids & I am disgusted. It's no surprise that it was Darren Wells that slowed you, a former national champion that I have no doubt would have also been disgusted at the mob cheering at peoples expensive cars been destroyed.

Can you tell me if there was a danger or caution sign at this place or was this where the signs were removed.

I have to say that if my car was written off because some scumbag removed a sign to make their day more interesting, I would hunt them down & drag them through every court in the land.

This is very serious stuff, peoples lives are at stake.

Wolf · Rehab Dropout...

Hey mate, cant say I recall a danger sign there or not, but the large group of people standing around the dune was a danger sign in itself. We backed right off whenever there was a large group, but even though we backed off even more for that dune thanks to be being waved down it still kicked us hard over the top.

I heard that it was Darren Wells' son that waved us down, not Darren. If anyone has his contact details could you please PM them to me.

The locals were great, they warned us the day before that its been known to happen. We spent some time under the 'tree of knowledge' at the 41km mark with them after we went out and they were very carefull about where they were seated, making sure no kids got close to the track etc. If signs were taken down/booby traps laid you could bank on it not being anyone from alice - It'd be the ringins that come into town for the race.

The spot where we went bush was on a flat straight stretch with a 10foot wide dip in the road. We hit it flat out and went vertical, this was at the 45odd km mark. We were wondering if there was supposed to be a caution there or not, but we dont know. We'll know better for next time!

Wolf · Rehab Dropout...

Well, now that Im back at work I suppose now is as good a time as any to wrap up this blog.

The push to get there was mad to say the least, and we might'nt have made it far down the track but we're so glad we went.

We learnt heaps about what we need to do next time to do it properly and loved the atmosphere on and off the track, meeting the guys from the Alice offroad club was a real highlight too.

The car isnt too badly damaged, floor got peeled back a bit (actually, it got peeled back far enough that you can stick your fist into the cockpit!) the top arm will be replaced, and there is a bit of chassis damage, but nothing too major. Its just time, steel and mig wire to fix it.

We have been planning to upgrade the front end for a while, but at the moment... naaa... We'll just fix what we've got and go racing! Not sure of next event at the moment, need to refill the coffers after a rather expensive roadtrip.

As I said in the buildup page we couldnt have made it to the event without the help of Number One Engineering and the commodore boys. Paul, Mark-Paul, Fay, Ash, Kev, Chris and Brad; cheers guys, we really appreciate it. Now it'll be all hands on deck to finish the Hilux for Warialda!

goanna · Forum Junkie

Wolf, i was up at Finke with Car 810, XJ Jeep Think we saw you guys at Marla on the way home.

Where you guys crashed out sounds very similar to where our car suffered some serious damage, pretty much an unmarked creek bed on the new section of track before deep wells. We have it on tape from the Cars DVR so might put it up, they hit it hard, neally end for end rolled it. Blew a rear tyre and bent the diff. Ill try and work out about where it was. Muz felt the spot they hit should have been marked. We took two cars down that section on the wednesday and did not pick it up as a danger....i guess things change a bit when speed is added!

Wolf · Rehab Dropout...

Hey Goanna, yeah, that was us! Yours was the mickey thomson jeep wasnt it? Sorry about the shunt in the nav's door when we went past you! It wasnt intentional!!!!

It sounds like the spot alright. If theres a big hole in the fence on the right hand side and a buttload of downed trees thats the spot alright! It was not long before the first fuel stop I think.

We had a cracking time, cant wait to do it again!