Auto club revs up at tip

PAKENHAM Auto Club ran its second motorsport event for 2005 when Cardinia Council granted a oneday permit to use the old tip site in Five Mile Road, Nar Nar Goon.
A huge amount of work was required to prepare the area, especially for a onceoff event motorkhana.
However young club members have been deprived of their sport for too long. In fact some members have left the club for other sports that offer events more often than only one in six months.
The area had to be levelled and an access road formed, then motorkhana equipment, a club car and a portable toilet moved in.
The usual paperwork involved in running a motorkhana had to be done in the open, as there are no facilities at the tip. Keith Fish, ‘Food for Film’, provided catering and power was supplied in the form of a generator provided by CGE Hire.
A good field of 33 competitors tackled the makeshift road up to the competition area.
Due to heavy rain the night before, some competitors had to unload their cars, as they were unable to get trailers up the slippery slope.
The Wallis family, in their Peugeot 205, performed well on the day. Graham was first outright and his daughter Kathryn was first junior lady.
The conditions obviously suited the Peugeots as Phil Torode, also in a Peugeot 205, was second outright and Ros King, driving the same car, was first lady.
It was a day for the European cars, with the Alfa Alfetta of Greg Wyatt finishing third outright.
John White, in a Mazda RX7, was only three seconds behind Greg.
Sean O’Sullivan driving a Honda was the highestplaced junior, finishing sixth outright, closely followed by Rebecca Sharlott, who was junior champion in 2004,
Rebecca is now competing in the ladies class and was second in that class.
Nick Wright competed in Greg’s Alfa. Having never driven that car before, he did extremely well to finish only 15 seconds behind Greg.
Ian Williams, driving a Gemini, had some stiff competition from the Alfa and Mazda and could only manage fourth in class.
Peter Lowe, competing in his first motorkhana, won D class in his Commodore.
Daniel Sharlott, following in his sister Rebecca’s footsteps, finished in the top half of the field and won his class. A class win also went to Blake Schrieber in the under14 age group.
Spectators at the event included Cardinia councillors Helen Ward, Leonora Cox and Doug Hamilton.
A spokesperson for the club said the councillors were impressed with the organisation of the event and in particular the driving skills of the junior club members.
For further information about the Pakenham Auto Club or coming events contact the secretary Sue McCready 59674326.