Tubus Racing

Liz Swanton ger dagliga rapporter direkt ifrån Garland Motor Sports/Tubus racing team.

Tävlingsstart sön 24 augusti

GARLAND MOTOR SPORT UPDATE: AUSTRALASIAN SAFARI DAY ONE: SUNDAY, August 24, 2008  

It may have been an early start for the Garland Motor Sport/Tubus Racing team on Day One of the 2008 Australasian Safari, but it was well worth the effort. After three competitive stages totaling 298.65km in a loop around the West Australian gold mining city of Kalgoorlie, Pelle Wallentheim and Olle Ohlsson (Isuzu VehiCross) are in fourth outright and Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki (Isuzu D-MAX) are in fifth outright. 

Both Bruce and Pelle are competing in the A5 category of the event, for unlimited 4WD recreational vehicles and Extreme 4WD vehicles. Pelle’s VehiCross is in Category A5.1 for modified 4WD vehicles up to 3500cc.Bruce’s D-MAX is in Category A5.2, for modified 4WD vehicles over 3500cc.  

While the D-MAX engine is 2999cc, because it is turbo-charged the rules state that all diesel engines with forced induction will have their capacity multiplied by a factor of 1.5 (by 1.7 if petrol) as per the current CAMS Cross-Country Technical Regulations. 

At the top of the field is Steve Riley in a Mitsubishi Pajero (A5.2), ahead by nearly 12 minutes despite a number of problems. Reg Owen is running second in a Nissan Patrol (A2.2) with Des Harrington (A5.2) third in his Nissan Patrol, another minute behind. Pelle is less than 15 seconds behind Harrington and Bruce just under eight minutes further back. 

Reigning champion John Hederics is out of the event after rolling his new Holden Colorado on the first stage. Structural damage to the roll cage forced his retirement. 

Bruce says both he and Pelle are very happy with their results for Day One with both cars running like clockwork, although he described the 300km leg as tiring. Conditions were tight and twisty and it was hard to stay on track. 

Tomorrow, Monday, the crews leave Kalgoorlie; tomorrow night’s stop will be at Sandstone (see map sent earlier). There are four competitive stages covering 381.34km. 

Due to some technical issues in Kalgoorlie, we don’t yet have photos of today’s competitive stages but hope to remedy the situation tomorrow. 

Garland and Wallentheim are competing in the 2008 Australasian Safari as the first stage of their attack on the 2009 Dakar Rally in Argentina. After WA, the two crews will take two Isuzu D-MAX utes built by Garland Motor Sports to contest the UAE Desert Challenge in late October.  

Liz Swanton

Journalism // PR0417

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