Who Introduced You?

[Factor]

Older Brother (James) was a mechanic, had a Mobil servo and was a Fiat Dealer. He built a couple of 128s for some local guys and we went servicing. I was about 12 or 13. I loved it. started naviguessing at 14 and/or did a control on any rally within 500kms where I could get a lift to it. Tried driving for one season and was okay but one stage quick the next really slow, and I really enjoyed the silly seat so went back to navigating.

Been very fortunate to have called the corners for a lot of good safe quick drivers, particularly JW.

40 yesars or so of fun - and people wonder why I hate watching my sport be stuffed over.

[chris warwick]

My introduction to the sport came when i was down in Canberra visiting my three cousins and one of them said "Were doing a car rally tonight".Little did i know what i was in for.As it turned out they were servicing for Jon Waterhouse and his brother Geoff "that combination will ring a few bells amongst old BMSC members." I thought a car rally was like a touring assembly"on sealed roads around Canberra in a nice warm car. HMMM big mistake. Arrived at the service park "what i thought was the start" somewhere up in the Brindabellas in nothing more than a tee shirt and shorts in the middle of winter to be told this is it for the rest of the night Well after that i swore that I'd never come back to that God forsaken,wretched sport again.

It took nearly 12 months of arm twisting to convince me to come back this time as a spectator at one of the first Castrol Rallies. The rest is now history. Joined Hills in 81/82 raced speedway 77/80.

Chris Warwick. Red Back Rally Team

[Dweller]

Originally Posted by chris warwick

" I thought a car rally was like a touring assembly"on sealed roads around Canberra in a nice warm car. HMMM big mistake.

Saturday night Bugden Avenue special stages mmmmmmmm.

[vkdude]

joined Newcastle Branch of Mini Car Club because school mates all ran minis and were trying to rip off the Monaro I was running at the time, they talked me into joining and I beat them at a Hillclimb out the back of warragamba (will remember it later closed ages ago) they sulked I kept going, introduced then future brother in law.


Got married, got out, had kids, kids grew up and wanted to teach them to drive before they got there "L"s so joined a club and found was having more fun in the dirt, stumbled across this site while trawling the internet. bought a car, work changed my roster and a few family problems screwed the chance of me rallying, guys coming to have another look a the car tomorrow.


EDIT: thanks Dave it was Silverdale, couldnt find my pic I have somewhere, should also add while I beat my friends in their mini's, the properly built ones from Sydney soundly beat me.

[Dave Kelly]

Originally Posted by vkdude

... I beat them at a Hillclimb out the back of warragamba (will remember it later closed ages ago) ....

That would be Silverdale! IIRC it closed sometime in the late eighties.

Cheers

David

Edit:

Pic added as found on the interwebthingy

[brann]

A friend of ours, Mick Collins, brought his rally car up one day and took me for a blat through the Watagans. Then invited us out to Oran Park for a motorkhana, we dragged our son our of Hospital on day release to visit. Next was an invite to run his car at the end of year khanacross. Ended up joining Hills District Car Club that event as I had a ball.

Started Naving for Mick for AMSAG then following year and then for Woody the year after in the NSW state series. Now I'm driving a wagon!

My kids have no hope !!

Cheers,
Adam.

[scully]

Was born into the Mini Car Club. Did my first road closure when I was about 3 years old. Had no choice in the matter. I do have a choice now, which is why I play golf.

[daewoo]

Well, my Dad, and my Uncle were founding members of the Killer Mullet Rallye Team... Dad used to sweep all of the major rallys in NSW, and then started taking me along...

First memory of rallying is raiding the coins in the ashtray to buy McDonaldland Cookies when Rally HQ for the 2GO was Wyong Maccas.

Next memory is when Dick Johnson was trying to rally... the stage start was delayed, and 'cause he couldn't drive a greasy stick up a pigs ar5e with a frying pan, he was about car 70 on the road... so he is at our control (typical Mullet Control with everyone dressed up in military uniforms or something) with 140 minutes to sit in his car... I got the autograph of every driver and co-driver in the event, except DICK was too busy... DICK by name...

Joined Mini Car Club, because it used to be a good club for motorsport... now it is pretty 5hit for motorsport, but great if you want to compare tweed jackets with leather sleave patches...

Daewoo

[sparko]

Originally Posted by legend

I have to have words to Pete Ewing.

I went to school with Damien Long. Used to service (tag along and ask dumb man-child questions) for John and Damian in their escort. I was about 14.

Geez, I didn't know Damien was that old...

I was considering buying a club car with my cousin to do dirt circuits, hill climbs etc and this gentleman at work, Steve Owers, convinced me that I really wanted to go rallying. He was a nav and a gun at building dattos. Steve helped me out a lot in the early days building my car. Over 30 years on I still can't work out whether he did me a favour...

Yes, of course he did me a favour. In 1979 a young lady joined the car club who had motorsport in her blood - her father raced motor bikes at Mt Druitt, Terrey Hills, Mt Panorama, etc in the 1940s. Carol and her Dad built a datto for her to drive and we navved for each other during the 80s - been together ever since. She's lost the bug somewhat but still tolerates the obsession.

[Drew]

Born into it!

Drew

[Jimmy]

Mate at school (Bernard Corbett). His father navigated and I met lots of people like Phil Morley, Peter Houghton, Kevin Mason, Revs Rowney, Wayne Bell, Dave Boddy, Paul Bramble, Steve Tapner etc around Newcastle at the time and through the MGCC Newcastle. Lots of club nights, spectating as a boy then doing controls and route checks (remember them), then TA's and map reading nights. Started to navigate properly around 1978/79 and been involved ever since.

[Mickb83]

Born into it..... Kinda...

My mum met my future step father Mick Bramble around 1988, i was 4 or 5 years old, Mick was competing back then in various rounds and series in a Toyota Corolla.

I went along to every event and was the chief Windscreen washer and tailight wiper (what other job to you give to an annoying 5 year old in a service park that won't leave you alone )

I put my decision to compete down to a single moment that will never be lived down for the people involved....

It was 1989 IIRC, Bega Valley Rally service park at Upper Kiah, F**king Freezing cold and i was whinging as always because i was tired and cold.
Myself, my mum and one of my dad's friends, John Heap, were servicing for Mick, as we mum and John were packing up the service ute, John lent the jack up against teh side of the car, i was standing there complaining when all of a sudden the jack handle slipped and fell, hitting me square in the middle of my forehead, i obviously started crying to which John and mum turned around to tell me to shut up, only to find me standing there with the jack handle resting on my head.

John still apologizes for it to this day.


Later in the early to mid 90's mum decided to get in the silly seat with Mick, and again i was there servicing and spectating, they had some success in the same sort of car that i compete in nowadays with my cousin Mark Bramble.

Mark is the son of Paul Bramble who competed for a number of years in various cars in the heydays of rallying.

When Mark and i weren't at rallies we were mucking about in various billy carts and the like with his younger brothers.

Around 2001-2002 Mark and I decided to enter our first rally, the AMSAG Rally of Port Macquarie. Mark was going to drive and i was going to navigate (i again put that down to being hit in thead by a jack handle nearly 20 years prior). The friday night before the event our hotel room was broken into and all of our stuff except for the helmets and Mark's wallet were stolen, great start!

We started car 46, finished about 21st and we were hooked, we have been competing together ever since and last year we finished 2nd on the AMSAG Classic Championship.

Rallying is in our blood and we love it.

Mick Bannon

[smee]

The significant other.

Was really intrigued as to how she could leave my place in shorts and t-shirt, yet come home in a bikini covered in dust......

First event I attended was Esanda as a road closure.

It just progressed from there I suppose.
And, as it was her that introduced me to the sport we just have decent discussions about spending money on vehicle components.

Has also enabled some better than standard vehicles to sit in the driveway.
We await our XR5 Focus........

[mrbob]

Originally Posted by smee

We await our XR5 Focus........

Oh, you'll like that.

[mal sinfield]

I took a day off work to see the cars finish The London to Sydney Marathon at Warrick Farm Racecourse in 1969, but i was a neighbour to John Arters wife, and John organised o/seas competitors for the Old Southern Cross Rallies
my dad worked for the Road Safety Council (now RTA) and thats why i got involved in maps.
Now im just an Old Fart but the interest is still there.


Cheers Mal Sinfield .......................