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I hope I didn't make Rob look/sound like an ogre, that's not what I was saying! I think that if you have no experience, then you should pay entry fee - which roughly equates to about one third of the cost of entering a rally. I do ask my nav to pitch in for the entry fees cos she's new. Plus I wouldn't be able to drive in rallies without her monetary contribution! I would also argue that the driver does have HEAPS more fun - although navigating is enormously enjoyable too. I wondered why Rob hadn't told me just how much more fun driving was? Maybe he was scared I'd give it a try myself and stop navigating for him! Letting me drive Redwarf in KCF 3 rallsprint last year was the most kindest, sacrificing and unselfish thing a person could have done. I still can't get over his generosity in this respect! Motorsport-wise, I would be nothing without Redwarf!!

Fook, I agree, there is benefit in knowing lots of people and being around and making the right noises when the opportunity becomes available. Apparently the reason I was accepted into the Targa team was because I was drinking and being generally rowdy with the boys after the Cooloola Classic rally - they decided I fitted in just fine!! And what's unfair? Have I missed something? Great article Haikal!!

that's after 3 years of navigating for Rob though - it just doesn't land in your lap! It's hard work sometimes but eventually people need navigators and they think of ones with experience. There aren't that many. I paid for my training and experience with Rob with 3 years worth of entry fees - believe me it wasn't cheap! Now, I'm lucky enough to grab the occassional great free (or cheap) rides and more expensive machinery. I'm definitely not complaining but it gets to be a bit of a conflict sometimes.... ie, do I accept an awesome free nav (and the pressures that go with it) or do I drive and pay big $$$? At the moment I'm lucky I don't have to make that choice because the datto is being repaired. I guess what I'm trying to say is - it might seem like I'm lucky and fluke great rides but I feel like I'm in this position because of the hard work and money I invested over time. But when I get a free ride, I'm being paid to do a 'job' so I have to take it much more seriously. Hence the big nerves for Saturday and sometimes I'm not much fun! I am pleased that Dave thought I did a good enough job to have me back again. Although, having said that, I never co-drove for Rob ever thinking I would get to do Targa - I just wanted to have a blast!! and we did so I guess I'm doubly lucky in that respect.

Yep, it's Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th August. REALLY looking forward to it!!

Warning, big rave below!! An absolutely FAT day, really well organised, GREAT super special stages, quite a different flavour to previous years. I noted a lack of race tracks, just mostly super special road stages on normal roads. Fook, I absolutely agree with you, that Toowoomba stage was AWESOME and spectacular (great views, but for navs only!). As for the ride in the Swift.... man, it has simply stupid amounts of power. Dave spends most of his time trying to keep it on the road! Consequently doesn't feel as smooth as other rides I've had, but it's hell quick. We think we did okay on the speed tests - no major errors- but we have no idea how we went compared to the major horsepower + traction behind us (read: WRXs). We hopefully clean sheeted the questions but missed a VRC in the morning and 1 minute late time. Bugger. So I hope we land somewhere within the top 5. My top tips for an outright win are GlenWesener/Larisa Skyring (Torana) and Mark Neary/Tony Best (XR6). They are the only people that I heard got the full number of VRCs. Perhaps Craig Hornibrook/Brant Rayment (Commodore)? Harry Doling/Tim Gepp apparently did not have a good event!! :-( But, as predicted, the competition is absolutely fierce, and I bet it's extremely close. Like I said, bloody brilliant event - I wonder if Marc is accepting entries for next year?!! :) The upshot is that I didn't annoy Dave within an inch of his life!! and I have accepted a return invitation to the nav seat for the Kilcoy Canter (bitumen rallysprint). That's if we can get in!!

Wow, no Mick Jones?? the event won't be the same without Mick & Harald. That is a HUGE deal, haven't they've won the event a couple of times now? My tip will be one of those WRXs to win - perhaps Allan Kelly? Harry and Tim are obvious HOT contenders and that Fiat looks fat too. But if you go by my (biased) theory that the winner almost always comes down to the nav, I think that Mark Neary/Tony Best (XR6 ute) could be a dark horse. Then there's always Craig Hornibrook and Brant Rayment (Commodore) - they've come 2nd and 3rd a couple of times. Not to mention Glen Wesener and Larisa Skyring (Torana) who have a couple of podium finishes previously too. Should be a GREAT and highly competitive event. As for Dave and I - the car has huge mumbo, the driver is bloody awesome ... gawd, my stomach is in knots just thinking about it.... *vision blurres* :) I'm more nervous about this than I was for Rocky!! feeling the pressure.... ... feeling sick!! :D

You guys have to turn every thread into a quote competition?!!! :) To be honest, I've only ever watched one epidsode of the show - not cos I don't like it, but just never got around to it.

Thank you Grim now back to business Redwarf the car (scantily clad or otherwise) is already half repaired thanks to Redwarf the man. It will be making an appearance at the Qld Challenge on Saturday! Yay!!!

OOops, did I just post that?! Just joking, really meant to say *EWWWWWWWWWW* (easy to get mixed up)

Scantily-clad Jamie *Mmmmmm*

Hmmm, yes, it will go along side the clauses about getting a backrub at the end of each stage, lots of chocolates (although not after feeling that sick!), and having scantily clad boys with palm fronds cooling me down... .... mmmmm scantily clad boys with palm fronds cooling me down ... *ahem* woops, sorry Right! Yes, ofCOURSE I will get back in the car with you Redwarf!!

Rob seems a little better today which is good for all concerned. I think we got a bit tired and consequently some strong words, but hey, that's what rally teams are about!! It's remarkable how much cussing you can do in a car and still be best mates at the end of the day!!

I have started a new thread, check it out to read the woes!!!

Warning - long post below! The Rally in Rocky was easily the WORST rally I have ever competed in. It started with the accelerator cable clamp kept coming loose and we had to stop in FRONT of channel 9 camera man, maybe we made it on telly?!! I looked like a BIG dork sprinting to put out triangles, Rob call me back once fixed, jump in the car, starter motor not working, get out, push start the car (puff pant). Repeat 9 times in 8 stages during the event (maybe more, can't remember). Then bang clang knock clunk from rear, stop to look, missing 3 wheel nuts on the rear passenger wheel, get a nut of 3 other tyres, get going again. Driving along in next stage, double caution dip, DOUBLE caution dip, DOUBLE CAUTION DIP!! BANG!!! Rob my terratrip is speaking Russian, Rob Rob can you hear me?! Um, what the damn sign language for my terratrip is cactus, scream at each other for a bit, oh look terratrip back, need to recalibrate, ooops Russian again. 200 right at crossroads, 100 right at crossroads, go under bunting straight ahead - DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME!!! YES I DID!! We scream at each other, turn right but it's very wrong, needed to turn left, do a 624-point turn to eventually find our way. End Stage. Steam seeping from our ears, daggers flying from eyes. Find battery shorted out on brackets, Rob tightens as best as possible. Lining up at start of next stage - look rim completely bent, but tyre is staying up? do a lightning quick tyre change before sprinting down the road to book in at control. Go through stage, probably stopped gob loads of times to fix cable, learnt new swear words again. Into service, found battery dangling down around the sump guard but remarkably working! Put car back together with help of lovely service crew. We LOVE service crew. Complete one stage free of hassle - yippee, hooray, call the presses! Next stage we lose accelerator cable again. Curse of the thousand blasting bad swearing words from Rob. He kicks Redwarf, I worry about his foot. Fix problem but can't push start car, there was simply not enough energy between the two of us. We try, oh, at least 12 times. We're exhausted, resigned to a non-finish. We sweatily cry into our Gatorades and curse this damned rally. Our friends Davey and Moisty come up and push car, we love them big time, finish stage, limp to the next one, just make it to the start control but used all of our late time. Yep, we're out of rally, but we haven't gone this far for them to kick us out. Stuff 'em we'll keep going until they kick us out. Get slotted into the back of the field for the rest of the staegs, it's getting dark and dust is BAD. Rob is trying super hard out of sheer aggro. Remind him we have nothing to gain, everything to lose. We drift off the road with arse hanging out into grass many times and this datgirl has visions of logs and stumps and us turning over. The next time, we overshoot I get a very good look at a post and lookie there, yep Rob we got it! White post imprint found on back of redwarf at next service. Last stage is night time, caught completely in dust behind slower car, can't drive in these conditions for *&^%. Rob does anyway, this datgirl scared for the first time in a long time cos she can't see what redwarf sees. I also feel the most carsick I have felt in a looong time, nearly throws up. End of stage. We finish, hell and damnation it's over. We flop like black stinking Labradors into our respective beds, race boots, dirt and all. Service crew wakes us up for presentation dinner and we marvel and the dirt imprints we left on our beds. We are utterly astonished to hear our names called out at the presentation dinner. We weren't out of late time after all. And we the only competitors in class. Rob tells everyone that it was a great event and we'll be back. Like f***k we will!!

Redwarf will definitely need your help after such a HUGE weekend and massive wear and tear on the car....

Thank you!! AS of 11:55am Tuesday 13th July, we're up to 248 signatures! If you are a part of other forums (as I know lots of you are), I would really appreciate it if you could take up the issue there too... only if you want to ofcourse!! ps. har har re the pun! I am collecting a dollar for every time I hear that joke - so that'll be $1 please!! I am up to about $251 now :)

Recently an appalling decision was made to force Australian rallying competitors to include co-driver names in a MUCH smaller (microscopic) font on the side of rally cars. As both a driver and co-driver, I am outraged at how this belittles the navigators' contribution to the team. They are extremely valuable and should be equally recognised on the side of the car (in my opinion!). Mike Cains from Victoria is leading the issue of co-driver recognition in Australian rallying. He has developed an online petition and is accessible via http://www.vicrally.com.au/petition.php Using this petition, Mike wants ensure that ARCOM get the strongest possible message. Mike is looking for a minimum of 1000 signatures Australia wide, so feel free to promote this via other means you may have access to get signatories! It only takes two minutes and you are required to fill in all fields, please join us in adding your name to the petition! datgirl Co-driver (pilot) Redwarf Motorsport

Hey Craig! I didn't know you were on this forum?! I was trying to convince some Qld rally gods (John Spencer, Paul Bergmann) into the event and thus keeping myself free just in case. They fell through but am super excited to be lucky enough to secure a ride with David Homer in the Suzuki Swift. Yes, THE David Homer (insert Simpsons joke here, everyone else does) who currently holds 5 class records at the Mount Cotton Hillclimb. Yeeeharr! :) Craig, you'll run for BSCC in the Interclub Challenge, right? We've got enough for 3 teams but we definitely need you! From what I can tell, the only other clubs that can put together one team each are Holden Sporting (Fook, Peter Stanford, Craig, Glen + ?) and the WRX club. The WRX club are my tip for the ones to beat, they are unreal in this type of event. BSCC is lucky enough to have 2 really high quality teams, the third a bit of "pot luck" with lots of enthusiastic newbies. I'm really enjoy putting together our teams, everyone is soooo keen to get that title from HSCCQ!!! :) ... or maybe that's just me! :)

Very mature and intelligent coversation boys! :dry: See what I mean covergirl? The difference is that older guys are probably thinking it, whereas younger guys just say it! :) But then again, I shouldn't be so harsh, some chicks dig that kind of talk. Horses for courses and all that! :) Now, about that Jamboree thing - I agree with Super Jamie. It is well worth getting up at stupid o'clock just to watch machinery just get to the events! I have seen some wicked things on the way to many a motorkhana or autocross. Plus the cold air is pretty nice free horsepower for the cars. The flip side is that the datto is a bugger to start on a cold morning (no choke)!

Sorry, didn't mean to spin this thread off into "wierdness"!

Actually, I don't mind being this "old"! I feel way cooler than I did 11 years ago.... back then I had a bomby car, a job I hated (cafe chick) and got paid crap. I had to live with my parents (uck), study all of the time (uck) and had no money to go out. I wasn't navigating either so I didn't have the contacts or the experience to do things like Targa Tas. And I realise more and more that there is SO much to be said for older guys! :) So I actually don't see any benefit to being 11 years younger! No offence, but I can honestly say that I love being 28 - life is really really good!! :)

I'll dob Redwarf in - he's 30! I had to say that cos it makes me seem less old somehow: 28. But then again, you can't expect a boy to be a legend, it takes years of work to be as good as Redwarf!

I know how much you guys hate tangents, but here goes anyway: Yesterday I managed to catch the tail end of a program about Simon Evans and his recovery from that shocking crash in the ARC Rally of Tas round last weekend. It was really awful watching the footage of how distressed Sue was and the mangled car. Simon told this story - from his hospital bed mind you - about how the paramedics were going to cut him from the wreckage of his Corolla (his seat was squashed, which is why his pelvis was broken - yeeeouch). He said that there was NO WAY they were going to cut into HIS car and he'd rather get out himself. And so he did. Pull himself out of his car with a broken pelvis AND leg (I think) just to save his Corolla. Even though it belongs to Toyota and isn't actually his, he still did not want them to cut into the car. You just knew it had to hurt in a major way - and yet he grinned the whole time. What a hero. datgirl

A few things pop into mind: 1. PHWOAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2. must get a helmet that looks less gumby-ish 3. Boy, I was having FUN!! (and the grin proves it!) 4. PHWOAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*shakes head* I haven't heard of half these, think you all spent too much time on your computers as kids. Get outside and play - all of you!! Go on, git!!