2004 Ulladulla Classic Forest Rally

[grahamthompson]

I am rather surprised that there is nothing here about Ulladulla some 22 hours after the event. So for the curious I offer the following from memory.

1st Nunn/Vardos Evo3 by about 2 minutes.
2nd Slade Toyota GT4
3rd Gibbons in Rob's old VR4
4th Clinton Croker in Gavin's 180B
5th Tony Porter Datsun P510
6th Mike Batten Gemini
7th Mel Mazzai/Graham Ellul VR4
8th Richard Leitis Escort
10th The Mees in the Mazda BMFR
11th Brett Walther Charade
13th Spac in the RX7

Gavin Croker in the Evo 3 set a cracking pace reducing his standing record time for SS1 Wheelbarrow Rd from 2:35 to 2:27, at an average for the faint hearted of 138 kmph. His little brother Clinton was second at 2:38, with Brett Wright and Inall in the V8 Commodore only 1 second back. Gavin set fastest time on SS2 and SS4 both by embarrassing margins, while Rob Nunn grabbed SS3 Murramurang, which judging by the excellent video footage shown at the end, was very tight with big trees only inches off the right line, and Gavin had probably not practiced on it. Inall retired with a blown gearbox on SS3 (to add to his woes of being robbed of his wheels, tools and fuel the night before), Brett Wright slowly rolled the 180B over the side and a couple of corners later Jason McInerney fired off going OLT, but returning to finish the rally. Geoff Stewart/Lizzie Ferme also went off in the Celica losing a few minutes and a possible top placing.

Although holding about a one minute lead Gavin Croker continued at record pace stripping about 2 seconds a k off Rob Nunn but paid the price on SS5 Lyons Rd when he hit a wash-away sideways at high speed and (I think) busted a strut. Rob and Nick then made fastest time on the final four stages for a comprehensive win. Geoff Stewart nailed the longest stage Western Distributor for 2nd fastest time probably making his event. Liz was all smiles. Pete Ewing and Jeremy Farnham fired off on SS5 and went OLT. Tony Porter has 3rd wrapped up until he punctured on SS7. Mel Mazzei had 5th in his grasp until he alhad so punctured on SS7 and blew 3rd and 4th out of the gearbox on SS8 and then another puncture crawling to the finish on three wheels.

Big improvements were noted from Slade in the GT4, Steve Mee as his confidence grows in his new rocket, Simon Gibbons in Rob Nunn's old Vr4 who actually pipped Rob on SS2 and SS4, and Russ Battison who impressed in the 1600 Lancer.

Please feel free to correct any of the foregoing.

[Bogan]

Thanks for the info Graham. Russ B finished 12th outright to fill in one of your blanks. Croker's EVO stopped shortly after our road closure and they joined us spectating for the rest of the field. His brother was certainly fastest through that corner, I don't think you could cut it much more without getting waaaay out of shape.

T.

[beanpole]

Errrrrr, GT- Smee's car is definately no BFMR....... GTX/ GTR cross.



Kev

[Eco-velocity therapy]

Where to start

- we got some video
- we got some photos
- we finished the rally

My service crew actually got the pics and vid. Main highlight in their work was me breaking the reputation of being boring to watch. My story is that I needed an action photo of the car that showed the sponsors' logos!

The very shaded forest led to a few camera dramas, so sorry, we did not get all cars, but you can check them out at the usual place


links to photos

We started the rally with a conservative mindset, and did not really get stuck into it until dark. Loved the last 3 stages (but a 3min dust gap does not help with smoke!). Tried a more aggresive driving style, but the time sheets tell me it did not work - back to clean and boring...

Some thanks...

David Miller - new navigator - great job (lost his place on Stage 3 when the book flew out of his hands on some rough stuff, otherwise a great 1st up effort)

The service crew - led by Paul McPherson (also the photographer), others are too many to list - it was another trouble free run so what can I say other than tanks to them all [not a typo - I mean 'tanks', as in fuel tank....not to be forgoten!!]

The family - my son has a new name for our team, building on navigators name - "Dad and Dave Rally Team"

[raybak]

We had a pretty good rally, a good battle with Russell B over the first 4 stages, only 8 seconds in it.

Stage 3 was a mongrel of a stage, sorted out the men from the boys. Not much room for error.

Car came through the event with no major issues. 2nd P2, 2nd ACT clubman and 2nd Silver Cup driver, 1st Silver Cup co-driver.

Not a bad event and I finally got to finish Western Distributor after the last failed attempt a few years back.

I have a set of results herewww.bakermotorsport.net

Ray 8)

[Ben Wilson]

Touching wood, it looks like Richard has got it all coming together nicely now. He was saying afterwards that he didn't feel even close to going off anywhere in the event and the car was quick and easy to drive all the way.

The car was even reliable, with the only real problem being a broken remote pedal for the terratrip.

[tortfeaser]

I did a road closure in SS5 trying to get some video for DD. Was the most boring RC ever, on a ~300m long straight after a R5 into a R5. Was also dusk into night, so video is fo *****.

Nothing of note - Gibbons, 2WD Croker, some early Gemini and Walther were up it, everyone else was soft, Spac softest of all Roads were great, although dust hung around a bit. Really bummed Fro and I didn't have a run.

Got a flat - up Clyde Mountain with 15psi in the spare on the rear wasn't fun. Got home in time to see the last 10 mins of the Super 12 1st half. Nice work those Brumbies.

[Spac]

Yep, I sucked arts. Was hoping to maintain the momentum from RoC, but did the opposite. There's a whole stack of small contributing factors, but the two real reasons were:
A) I suck, and;
B) Car had an appaulling lack of front end grip. Someone with talent and/or bravado would probably have been able to compensate, but I sure don't have either.

We got a flat in the last stage, and backed off (yes, even more), which allowed Russ B to beat us home, which was kinda annoying, but I *should* have been miles in front, so I figure he deserves it.

Drive of the event would have been either Russ or Phil Boyd, IMO - certainly all the spectators were commenting on how hard they were going, and their results confirmed it. Nice work guys!

But we won P4! Lol...

Thanks to Simey and Mark for servicing, and to Frinky, Matty and Klaus for their help during the event, and to Paulie with his help with the car before the event.

Bad luck to Fatty and Porbsy for killing a rear CV in the second stage and DNFing...

[grahamthompson]

Some minor amendments to my lead report. Gavin Mosher, not Gavin Croker was quickest on SS1 in 2002 at 2:35. Clinton Croker was fastest (by 3 seconds) on SS7, not Rob Nunn.

Curiously whereas Gavin Croker whipped the field on SS2 Flat Rock with a 2:47 and the next best (Gibbons) was 3:00, in 2002 Croker and Mosher were equal fastest at 2:52 and but 12 other crews cracked the 3 minute mark!

On SS4 Old Highway Gavin Croker blitzed his 2002 FTD of 7:21 in the 180B with a 6:57 in the Evo3! Tony Porter was second quickest with 7:29, much faster than his 2002 time of 7:57. Pete Ewing made a similar improvement, suggesting the stage was somewhat faster or shorter. However at 7:34 Rob Nunn was 9 seconds slower than his 2002 time in the VR4.

Full credit must go to Rob and Nick for finding exactly the right pace to win

[Brett Wright]

Well there goes my year down the tubes!

SS1 Extremely fast bit of road, big moment near the end when I went to shift back from 4th to third aproaching a right hander but I selected 5th. When I stood on the load pedal to get out of a bit of trouble there was nothin there! Anyway managed to select 3rd while winding on the opposite lock. I was surprised to see the times at the end of the stage, we took 3 sec off Rob Nunn but Gav Crocker! WOW!

SS2 Was very slippery/dusty due to recent logging / truck movements but again we managed to take a couple of more seconds off Car 2.

SS3 I managed to spin the car at the spectator point near the start and so undid the good work in the first 2 stages. Most of the stage was very narrow and twisty. About 7 km in the bonnet stay fell out of its clip and was swinging around the front of the car. On a right hander it swung over to the left and then on the following left hander it hit a tree and was ripped out.

SS4 The old highway was in top condition and I was having a big go! I was really struggling for grip though and so about 6 or 7 km in I thought I'd slow down a bit and fit new tyres at the 2nd service.
Then it all went pear shaped. I braked a bit late for a right hander which tightened around a hill and when the back of the car started to come around I just couldn't catch it.
I guess you could say I ran out of talent then ran out of road. When the back wheels went of the edge the sill hit the ground and over it went. The front right gaurd hit a tree while we were upside down and it came to rest a bit further down the slope on its lid.
As we were going off the road (backwards) I saw there was a whole family there watching from inside of the corner. They later told me that they go there every year as someone always sticks it off and proceded to tell me about all the crashes in recent years. I spoilt their spectating though and they decide to move on as our triangles were slowing evryone down.
A bit later on car 37 went off a couple of corners further down so we went to see if we could help them but they were well and trully stuck. So I enlisted their help and a couple of other spectators to come up and roll my car back over.
Thanks to Jason McInerney and John Clark for your help.

It is comforting to know that I am not the first to go off on this corner though, But the moral to the story is you can't do good times on shyte tires!!

Thanks to John lockeridge and all his team form putting on the event. Well done to everyone who finished.

[Spac]

Brett, was that the corner Emanulle Mazzei stuck it off last time, when his car was white and blue?
I thought it was, but nobody else seemed to think so.

And don't feel bad about spinning at the speccie point - there were very few people who got through there 'properly' - lots of guys spun (Clinton Croker and yourself), and others just went slow (Peter E and me).

[Brett Wright]

I am not sure if it was that corner. The people in the grand stand there were talking about someone in a Charade? at the last event. I am not sure who it was though.
One guy that was there was taking photo and rekons he will have a good shot of the car on its way over.

By the way does anyone out there have a rear screen for a 180b SSS ??

BW

[Ric Cary]

Snozza, Ive still got it .............you know you really really want it now

[Buerckner]

Ulladulla 2004 Event Report
Russell Battisson - Driver
Andrew Buerckner – Navigator
LB Lancer 1600 P2 RWD

Our last event was Narooma Booma 2004. Since then the engine was stripped, we freshened the rings and bearing, flow benched the head and revised port and valve shapes. Friction was reduced wherever possible. Both the inlet and exhaust manifolds were doweled and port matched, just doing little things that all add up to more torque, more top end and better driveability.
The rear shocks proved themselves not up to the job at Narooma and were also replaced.

At Oberon we performed road closure duties, there was lots of dust, surprise.
We practised our camera skills and kept the road closed.

Scrutineering. Turned up early, 1st in. Russell was advised about the headlight reflectivity.

The drive down was mainly uneventful, turning the trailer handbrake off at Braidwood helped uphills. Many thanks to the Tastics, Anna and Bogan for the use of their trailer for the event. We stayed at Merry Beach Caravan Park and reduced the alcohol quota for the service crew, which put us in better stead come the morn.
Thanks to Dave & Rob for their skills with the Lancer and Toni & Shelley for making sure we were all looked after.

Safety check and doco. done, we headed to the forest.

Stage One, Wheelbarrow rd.
Comp. dist. 5.64km
Time 2:55
The advise from officials was “Wind it up to 190km/h and hold it flat”, so that’s what we tried. The average speed was over 120km/h and top speed of around 160km/h very fast and flowing. More time could have been had if we didn’t lift for crests. The custom-built rear shocks worked great straight off the lathe but can still be improved with further tuning. Thanks to Errol at Richardson Motorsport for his unbelievable knowledge base and advise.

Stage Two, Flat Rock
Comp. dist. 5.1km
Time 3:16
Fast and short, we’ve repressed any other memories (or just forgot)

Stage Three, Murramarang
Comp. dist. 10.35km
Time 9:03
The concentration level was intense for a short stage and we scared the trees in most places. I was advised not to look up, but did anyway, and managed to stay calm… just. Some of those trees were huge.

Stage Four, Old Highway
Comp. dist. 10.29km
Time 8:04
The road was wider, smoother, flowing and faster. More distance between calls gave me a chance to look around. We checked out the undercarriage of No. 3, they were ok. Had it not been for their triangles we would have been in the same position.


Stage Five, Lyons Rd
Comp. dist. 22.03km
Time 17:20
The first night stage, pockets of dust and minor lighting issues slowed us down. One push off with no damage.

Stage Six, Western Distributor
Comp. dist. 29km
Time 22:18
Really fast, with the engine still purring and running on only two lights. Our biggest problem is dust, the heart rates skyrocketed after a 130km/h drift through a sweeping right into a wall of dust, and visibility was down to nothing.
4.61km into stage we pushed off after the bridge and stalled. We lost only time. With a tight transport time frame we were happy to book in just on time with only vapours left in the tank.

Stage Seven, BarkShed
Comp. dist. 10.32km
Time 8:53
Now with a revised starting position, 3 min gaps, and all lights dust was not a problem but the smoke was.
We had a clean run with not much to say.

Stage Eight, Clyde Ridge
Comp. dist. 19.44km
Time 15:02
I missed the call 3.84km in to THR at TJ, Russell locked up the fronts, picked first and went right.
When the road started getting slippery we slowed to bring it home, that plan went to hell on the last 600m of rough track. At full noise we bounced around a lot, rode the inside bank on a left-hander and then held it flat until after control. We found that we had bent the drag link and now had 64mm toe out.
The tar roads on the transport home produced some howling noises from the front. Russell says it was interesting to steer with the wheel upside down and a quarter turn before the car would respond to input.
We handed in our card and ended the event with beer.

We would like to thank the SKDAC, organisers, volunteers and sponsors of the 2004 Ulladulla Classic Forest Rally for hosting a great event and all our sponsors for enabling us to compete.
Carco Exhaust and Automotive – for everything
Richardson Motorsport
Bold and Beautiful Hair Design
NSW Bearing Supplies
And our crew, without everyone’s assistance we could not have had these results.
1st ACT Novice
3rd P2 class
12th Outright time 1:26:51

Andrew Buerckner
Russell Battisson

[Simon Gibbons]

Bad luck Brett. That is a sucker corner though. You approach it down a bit of a straight and it is a lot tighter than it first appears. It never has a call on it. The spectators are right - someone always goes off. I remember the charade (not sure who tho), Sid Sparkes and Ben Barker just after he got the Evo 3 all went off there.

Simon (who was fairly happy with the run in the tractor!!)