Despite the winter date, our Khanacross at the end of the July dawned as a clear Sunday morning. Similar to our June event, rain was forecast. Heavy weather had hit Perth on Saturday evening however we hadn’t received any.
Training to be a clerk of course, Neil Trethowen took over the reins for our third club event of the year. He chose to use a couple of the well established tracks combined with a brand new test we constructed the day before.
The Race
22 drivers got ready to race and were split into two groups. This format allowed two tests to run at the same time. As the racing got underway, drivers found that even though the tests were dry, they were slippery. With recent rains all of the tests had greasy patches. Some drivers would find this more than others as they raced the clock. Tests one and three saw a few wayward markers and tyres as the drivers found the limits of traction (and skill). Before we’d finished running the first couple of tests, a shower of rain passed over. It wasn’t torrential however it was enough to make the now loosened surface a little extra slippery.
With the first four tests run the weather cleared during the lunch time break. We hoped the strong (and cold) wind would help to dry the roads a little for the afternoon tests. It was also interesting to note that no rear wheel drive cars were entered this event. There were two four wheel drive cars and everyone was using a front wheel drive.
The 2nd Half
Out onto the flats for the next four tests, Neil had used his creative flair with cones. Tests five and seven were set out on the lower area and weaved around some big puddles. There was plenty of opportunity to hang the tail out if you wanted to hone drifting skills too! Tests six and eight followed one of our popular tracks, however there was some wet patches to negotiate. One little dog leg caught out a few, even some experienced competitors. The intermittent falling rain also added wipers and a couple of fogging windscreens to the mix.
The Top Ten
With the cold and periodically wet conditions, we called it a day after eight tests. Whilst trailers were loaded and cones plucked from the mud, the results were sorted.
Brad Nowell brought his green Excel to tenth place. Used to his WRX rally car, Brad found the Excel didn’t quite have the power and traction he’s grown accustomed to. Karen Russell steered her Purple Excel to ninth place and first lady. Neal Johnson (Hyundai Lantra) lost a chunk of time in test five which dropped him to eighth. Cam Puzey (Subaru Legacy RS) had a measured drive in the conditions taking seventh place and first junior. Rohan Keltie pulled a blinder in test 6 setting the fastest time. He took his shared Mazda Eunos to a well deserved sixth place with some consistent driving.
The next three places were close. Bob Percival took his green Excel to fifth just 0.99 seconds behind Jace Van saar Loos in fourth. Sharing the Eunos with Rohan, Jace was only 0.37 seconds behind Andrew Percival in third. Finding a couple of tyres in test seven added an extra ten seconds to Andrew’s tally. In his Honda Civic he held onto the podium by the edge of his finger nails.
Top spots
In only his second competition in a front wheel drive, Dave Thomas (Ford Laser) bagged second place. Perhaps the slippery conditions made a difference, however at the end of the event he commented that he was surprised “how sideways front wheel drive cars go.” For Craig Puzey it was a case of third time lucky. At the half way point Andrew led by just under a second. It was tests five and seven where Craig used his Legacy’s four wheel drive to best effect, catapulting into the lead. His winning margin by the end of the event was nearly 18 seconds.
There’s one more Khanacross in the LCC championship this year. It’s a twilight event on the 20th of August and entries are now open. Click Here for more info and to enter.
Karl Drummond.
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