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	<title>Rally &#8211; Gripshiftslide</title>
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		<title>Strap In &#038; Buckle Up :: AP4 Spec Turbo Yaris</title>
		<link>https://gripshiftslide.com/2017/09/19/strap-in-buckle-up-ap4-spec-turbo-yaris/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Grant]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Sep 2017 06:52:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Rally]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toyota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gwyn Morgan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Harry Bates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Neal Bates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yaris]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gripshiftslide.com/?p=6250</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[“Yaris, Neal Bates Motorsport &#38; the Barossa Valley… Are you interested?” Our buddies from Toyota Australia gave us an unexpected call a couple of weeks ago, inviting us to yet another event. We replied with an over enthusiastic “YES!”, before having the chance to pause and think, why all this fuss over a Toyota Yaris? [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/1.jpg" alt=""><br />
“Yaris, Neal Bates Motorsport &amp; the Barossa Valley… Are you interested?” Our buddies from Toyota Australia gave us an unexpected call a couple of weeks ago, inviting us to yet another event. We replied with an over enthusiastic “YES!”, before having the chance to pause and think, why all this fuss over a Toyota Yaris?<br />
<span id="more-6250"></span><br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/2.jpg" alt=""><br />
Rest assured, once we arrived in South Australia all our questions were quickly answered, just in time for the 2017 Lightforce Rally SA event.<br />
We had been invited to witness the shakedown of the brand new AP4 Spec Toyota Yaris built by Neal Bates Motorsport. The owner and name behind the company is of course former Australian Rally champion Neal Bates. This car is set to replace the highly successful S2000 spec Toyota Corolla which the team had been campaigning over the past decade.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/3.jpg" alt=""><br />
Unfortunately, the current generation of Corollas were not suitable to replace the now retired S2000 spec car for the team; manufacturers have been constantly increasing the sizes of their staple models. This meant the only car fit for the cause was the little Yaris.<br />
Yes, we know the Yaris does not strike as an obvious contender for an Australian Rally Championship (ARC), but Neal Bates Motorsport has spared no expense in transforming the little hatch into a title winning rally car.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/4.jpg" alt=""><br />
Harry Bates (Neal’s son) has been given the task in piloting this far from standard Yaris. He has proved himself by taking to the sport like a duck to water, Harry has shown extraordinary talent behind the wheel. Currently with a 3-point lead in the 2017 ARC, it truly is a make or break with the new car as it makes its debut at the Lightforce Rally round.<br />
Neal and the rest of the Bates family think Harry has what it takes to compete overseas, so while building the Yaris they decided early on that it would be best to use a left-hand drive car for the build.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/4B.jpg" alt=""><br />
This posed a glaring problem for Harry and the rest of the Bates family. How do&nbsp;you&nbsp;practice for the switch to a left-hand drive car before it’s even built? Buy an ex Toyota team car of course! This 1994 GT-Four Celica has been the perfect test mule for Harry to get in as much seat time before the maiden race for the new car.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/5.jpg" alt=""><br />
Now it was all eyes on Harry and the new Yaris. Toyota and the team had set up a base camp for the big day and invited various journalists along, because of course testing a brand-new car in private isn’t stressful enough! Harry took us out one by one for some hot laps around the mini rally stage during the day.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/6.jpg" alt=""><br />
Once the track marshal gave the green light, Harry was off for a few quick laps with his co-driver (John) to ensure everything was nice and tight. The car didn’t skip a beat and is a true testament to the work carried out by the Neal Bates Motorsport team.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/7.jpg" alt=""><br />
This car looks like a factory built WRC car, but everything was built in house by the team in Canberra from the roll cage right down to the wiring. Once a 3-door Yaris hatch, it is now a snarling, angry and very wide looking rally car.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/8.jpg" alt=""><br />
The car uses a 1.6l engine just like the WRC spec Toyota Yaris, albeit with less power due to regulations. The team actually used a 2ZZ-GE, found in locally delivered Celica’s and the Corolla Sportivo’s. Originally being a 1.8l power plant the team had to de-stroke the engine to comply with the series rules.<br />
The now turbocharged 1.6l Yaris made all sorts of wonderful noises which echoed through the forest, with each crackle and pop almost sounding like gun fire. A&nbsp;far cry from the standard engine noise the car used to make.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/9.jpg" alt=""><br />
After a handful of laps the team retired the car back to the makeshift garage. The pristine paint was now caked in mud and debris from the short course. Officially christening the car.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/10.jpg" alt=""><br />
With all the dirt there was no way the team was getting away with clean hands while working on the car.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/11.jpg" alt=""><br />
Watching the team work in unison was an amazing sight. With Harry&#8217;s first laps done and dusted this was now the first real world practice for the team responsible for keeping the car running. There wasn&#8217;t a single hesitation or pause from anyone during the whole day. Just like the car they performed flawlessly.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/12.jpg" alt=""><br />
Lying by the side of the car,&nbsp;the essential tools were sprawled out across the ground. I personally own most if not all the tools you see here at home&#8230; I however could not maintain a world class rally car. The knowledge each person brings to the team is&nbsp;key to both Harry and the cars success.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/13.jpg" alt=""><br />
No team can succeed without a leader and&nbsp;Darryl Bush has been absolutely integral to Neal Bates Motorsport. Working alongside Neal for over 30 years his knowledge of all things rally is truly incredible.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/14.jpg" alt=""><br />
Between laps we were thrown the keys to this Toyota Kluger to get around the track. The 4WD actually came in handy with all the unsealed roads and deep water around the track.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/15B.jpg" alt=""><br />
I&#8217;ve personally been enjoying all the latest designs from Toyota. I can&#8217;t remember giving a Kluger a second look&nbsp;before this model but I&#8217;m a big fan of the rear window profile, gloss black pillars and the interior is a nice place to be. Especially on cold South Australian day!<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/16.jpg" alt=""><br />
Getting close to the end of the day it was time to jump in for my own lap around the circuit. First things first I&#8217;ve been in all sorts of track cars, never have I been in a rally car or even a passenger on the right hand side&#8230; Wow! Everything about it felt strange but at the same time the car felt smooth and precise.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/17.jpg" alt=""><br />
The amount of grip the car had on the loose surface is out of this world. Braking is much later than I had anticipated, the car is also very dynamic and seems to use it&#8217;s weight/aero very well along with some passive rear steering.<br />
Flying into the corner with&nbsp;a solid long press of the brakes, the front end of the car digs itself into road. Then a sharp turn on the steering wheel, the front tyres pull the car around while the rear seems to&nbsp;step out ever so slightly and before you know it Harry is reaching for the sequential gear lever and you&#8217;re pushed back into the seat ready for the next turn.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/18.jpg" alt=""><br />
The best way to summarise the experience is &#8220;Controlled Chaos&#8221;. Between the trees blurring past the windows, the barrage of noises from the engine, gearbox and exhaust to the force from the acceleration. It really is an all out assault on the senses.<br />
Meanwhile&nbsp;I look over at Harry and see the calm focused look on his face&nbsp;and then I look ahead to see a jump in the road and I brace myself for the worst. In the blink of an eye we&#8217;re a few hundred meters passed it without any reaction from Harry or the car. The suspension really soaks up anything that gets thrown at it.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/19.jpg" alt=""><br />
All in all I am certain this will be the most extreme Toyota Yaris I will ever sit in. With 224kw of power and weighing only 1230kgs it is an extremely agile little car.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/20.jpg" alt=""><br />
One thing that surprised me is that the car has equal sized brakes on the front and the rear!&nbsp;On all four corners are 300mm slotted discs with four-piston AP Racing calipers. The steering and handbrake are all hydraulic units which means every input from Harry is almost instant.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/21.jpg" alt=""><br />
Comparing the built Yaris side by side to the standard road car highlights just how much the team at Neal Bates Motorsport have done to achieve the end result.<br />
Sporting an engine swap, turbocharger, 6 speed sequential gearbox, all wheel drive-train and a plethora of performance parts from the likes of Sadev, Garrett and MCA.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/22.jpg" alt=""><br />
It&nbsp;is a completely&nbsp;different car now,&nbsp;all while utilizing factory items. It still shares so many original panels and lights with the road car that it&#8217;s easily recognizable and most importantly that it&#8217;s still relevant to the public. With so many fiberglassed chassis&#8217; in motorsport with fake headlight stickers and models not even offered for sale it&#8217;s great to see something that resembles the road car so closely.<br />
I look forward to&nbsp;watching the future of this little Yarris unfold&nbsp;along with Harry&#8217;s career.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="alignnone" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/YARISRALLY/23.jpg" alt=""><br />
A massive thank you to the team at Toyota for inviting us along and a very big thank you the Bates family for being so&nbsp;welcoming. I feel that the rally bug is starting to bite!<br />
Thanks for reading,<br />
Gwyn.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6250</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>CCRMIT :: Haunted Hills Christmas Break Up 2013</title>
		<link>https://gripshiftslide.com/2013/12/20/ccrmit-haunted-hills-christmas-break-up-2013/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Grant]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Dec 2013 09:45:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Ford]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hillclimb]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nissan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rally]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toyota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Track Day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ccrmit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Club]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[haunted hills]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gripshiftslide.com/?p=4305</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s that time of year again when I find myself at my favorite track watching a group of true racing enthusiast. Track time is hard to get and what better Christmas present than to push your car to its limits around a killer track. I arrived early to find only a couple of cars in [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" class="top" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3247.jpg" alt="haunted hills race track moe"><br />
It&#8217;s that time of year again when I find myself at my favorite track watching a group of true racing enthusiast. Track time is hard to get and what better Christmas present than to push your car to its limits around a killer track. I arrived early to find only a couple of cars in attendance. This worried me and to pass the time I decided to take a few pics on the track before the cars got out there. <span id="more-4305"></span><br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3354.jpg" alt="rally car gold wheels"><br />
CCRMIT is primarily a gravel rally discipline based club but every once in a while they hit the bitumen track. Haunted Hills is just the track to end the year with. Both amateurs and pros love this track because it has so much variety.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3341.jpg" alt="ccrmit rally cars"><br />
The cars soon arrived and the excitement started to build. There was a good selection of front wheel drive and rear wheel drive cars which meant the competition would be good.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3351.jpg" alt="ccrmit cars ready to go"><br />
From the old four cylinder banger to the current one; all of the cars were getting ready to hit the track! Tyre changes, oil changes, suspension adjustments and many other setup changes were happening before the drivers got their chance to get their cars on the track.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3423.jpg" alt="corolla red hill corner"><br />
Thankfully there were no early crashes, although many competitors first runs on the track were massively aggressive! Lots of wheel spin and brake lock ups represented each competitors excitement to be navigating this awesome track.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3923.jpg" alt="toyota 86 white racing victoria"><br />
One of the most modern cars on the track was this Toyota 86. Not everyone has the confidence to push a brand new car around a track at silly speeds but true drivers do.</p>
<div id="cf"><img decoding="async" class="bottom" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A4605.jpg" alt="impressa"> <img decoding="async" class="top" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A4049.jpg" alt="impressa subaru rally car"></div>
<p>This Impreza rally car was lucky to only just clip the orange cone on the inside of the corner and not take out the lot of them. Taking that inside line with enough power to get up the hill is a tricky one. Often people would take too much speed into this corner and occasionally drop a wheel on the exit.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3621.jpg" alt="lantra hyandai 3 wheels"><br />
That infamous Hyundai Lantra! &#8220;Yeah its three wheeling&#8221; aggressive in style and like a bull in a china shop Christopher smashes times on the track.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3713.jpg" alt="toyota levin"><br />
Exactly one year ago this Levin was at the very same event and in 2013 the car does not look any different. Although this is a front wheel drive Levin it was getting around the track very smoothly with little under steer.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A4289.jpg" alt="lantra rally car"><br />
There are some people on the track that are not afraid to use their handbrake on the tarmac and Christopher is one of them. Keeping up momentum on this track can be hard especially when your pushing a small four cylinder up lots of hills.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3366.jpg" alt="ford esscort rally car"><br />
Upon arrival this Escort had a 4 wheel swap over from rally dirt tyres to a smaller diameter set of slicks. I couldn&#8217;t believe how small these wheels were; they looked like go kart wheels!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A4559.jpg" alt="ford esscort on 3 wheels"><br />
With smaller wheels on John&#8217;s Escort he had some extra pep in the acceleration department. This combined with soft suspension makes for some wicked corner speed and wheel stands!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3974.jpg" alt="ford esscort on 3 wheels on track"><br />
Launching out of corners like a ballistic missile this Escort was making light work of this track. With a talented rally driver behind the wheel it was easy to see that this car was putting down some fast lap times.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A4301.jpg" alt="toyota celica castrol livery"><br />
This Celica hit the track later in the day and with its GT4 castrol WRC livery everyone was watching it go round.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A4511.jpg" alt="toyota levin"><br />
Haunted Hills has many interesting corners. This downhill section can often catch people out because it s easy to carry too much speed into it and run off.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A4014_3.jpg" alt="toyota celica old school mustang type"><br />
Another car that was at last years Christmas break up was &#8230;. Celica. It&#8217;s always a joy to see this car pumping around the track. I would like to see more of these on the track but sadly this is the only one I have ever seen on a track.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A4117.jpg" alt="vh commodore"><br />
This VH Commodore was very unpredictable. Every third or forth lap it would bust out a full noise drift style lap. With smoke and wild throws into corners I&#8217;m surprised this old girl didn&#8217;t flip.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A4216.jpg" alt="old corolla"><br />
Talk about a smile! It&#8217;s not what you drive it&#8217;s how you drive it! This little ke20 had plenty of battle scars and by the looks of things had also done some serious kilometres.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/alllancer.jpg" alt="chrysler lancer"><br />
The Chrysler Lancer is not your everyday Lancer. Although this looks similar to the 2000 gt lift back Celica it was made two years after the Celica and had considerably less styling than the Celica of the time.</p>
<div id="cf"><img decoding="async" class="bottom" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3298.jpg" alt="lancer 1975 interior"><img decoding="async" class="top" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3317.jpg" alt="lancer 1975 interior"></div>
<p>My favorite thing about this car is the horse emblem on the steering wheel. It is so pimp! Not to mention the crazy array of sunken dials right across the dash.</p>
<div id="cf"><img decoding="async" class="bottom" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3547.jpg" alt="race recall excel"><img decoding="async" class="top" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A3540.jpg" alt="race recall excel"></div>
<p>It&#8217;s great to see more women on the track these days even if they are scaring the shit out of their mothers.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A4367.jpg" alt="esscort ford rally car blue"><br />
Surprisingly there were two ford esscorts at the track and both were pushing it all day long. Although these<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ccrmit_xmas_2013/1J7A4809.jpg" alt="mx5 red"><br />
It was great to see the CCRMIT club again they definitely have not lost their passion for racing. Apparently this will be the last time the CCRMIT Christmas break up will be held at the haunted hills race track and that makes me sad because it is one of those events i look forward to every year.<br />
Thanks for reading,<br />
Grant</p>
<p><a href="http://gripshiftslide.photoshelter.com/gallery/CCRMIT-Haunted-Hills-Christmas-Break-Up-2013/G0000ud7sPKLBPrI"><img decoding="async" src="http://www.gripshiftslide.com/other/want_more.jpg" alt="buy gripshiftslide photos"></a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4305</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Vic Rally :: Lardner Park, into the forest and out of the rain</title>
		<link>https://gripshiftslide.com/2013/12/02/vic-rally-lardner-park-into-the-forest-out-of-the-rain/</link>
					<comments>https://gripshiftslide.com/2013/12/02/vic-rally-lardner-park-into-the-forest-out-of-the-rain/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Grant]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Dec 2013 10:10:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Honda]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nissan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rally]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DFA rally team]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gravel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GSS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lardner park]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Race Recall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rally vic]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gripshiftslide.com/?p=4217</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[It has been a year since we last visited a rally and that is too long! I arrived with not much sleep and my gear all a mess then made my first step into the mud. With only sneakers on I put on my brave face realizing that I would inevitably end up with wet [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" class="bottom" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2176.jpg"><br />
It has been a year since we last visited a rally and that is too long! I arrived with not much sleep and my gear all a mess then made my first step into the mud.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="top" alt="rally 240z australia" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2091.jpg"><br />
With only sneakers on I put on my brave face realizing that I would inevitably end up with wet feet for the rest of the day.<span id="more-4217"></span><br />
<img decoding="async" alt="hawk eye wrx rally car" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2015.jpg"><br />
From early reports the drivers had been saying that the super special stage was like a swimming pool. Many drivers were preparing themselves for a day full of difficult conditions.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/QS3I1090.jpg"><br />
The right tyres and setup can make all the difference in a rally. You do not want your tyres to wear down early into a stage and loose grip. Consequently if the car does not feel right it can weigh heavy on your mind and affect your performance.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="hyandai rally interior" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/QS3I1088.jpg"><br />
This was the second rally for the <a href="http://www.racerecall.com.au">Race Recall</a> Team in the &#8220;Hyundai Getz&#8221; and it was time to get serious. Even though their previous car was an Excel they are both very different cars.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="getz rally car race recall" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2212.jpg"><br />
The &#8220;Getz&#8221; is much taller meaning the centre of gravity is completely different and getting used to a new car often takes time. With all this in mind Jonathan was ready to drive the wheels off this little Hyundai. What the car lacked in show it made up with consistent speed and focused driving.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="Renault Sport Rally Team" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2077.jpg"><br />
The Renault Sport Rally Team is one to watch! These boys are animals! The R3 Clio does not look like a fast hatchback but wow can these things move! With a young team at the wheel one thing is for sure, the current dominance of Eli Evans in the Honda backed team will not last for long.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A1974_1.jpg"><br />
Tom Wilde, alongside co-driver Bill Hayes really push the limit! Several times I saw the car nearly up on 3 wheels! Both cars in the Renault Sport Rally Team have a great aggressive driving style that really makes the team stand out among the crowd.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A1996.jpg"><br />
Jazz power! &#8220;I mean K20 power&#8221; Having such a grunty engine helps when you are trying to dig holes while winning rally stages. The super special stage had its good spots and bad spots.  In this flat area there were only hay bales to worry about hitting and this caused everyone to excel in this part of the track.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2095.jpg"><br />
The BDA Escort of Grant Walker Parts is one very impressive classic rally car. Not only does it look legit it also has an equally impressive sound to match.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2086.jpg"><br />
Not everyone was lucky enough to have a marquee at the service park yet this Corolla had only just been finished off the night before and this was to be its first run in a long time.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/QS3I1071.jpg"><br />
This is an unlikely pair with only about fifty years between these two cars. From a quick observation it looks like modernization brings square lines and added width!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2046.jpg"><br />
Nothing says secure like a high tension cable and a couple of locks attached to a tree. This N12 Silvia wasn&#8217;t risking being stolen before hitting the stage.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/QS3I1122.jpg"><br />
Even though the track was still wet it surprised me how much rock spray was coming off some of these cars.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2237_1.jpg"><br />
When you hear that anti-lag in the distance you know that a serious rally car is coming your way. Standing on a precarious corner I watched the cars come directly at me then quickly grab grip and power through the corner. This particular WRX was shooting a bit of flame and I think it had suffered a ruptured exhaust because with every gear change it was dropping small clouds just behind the engine.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2117.jpg"><br />
At the spectator point sat a rather large hairpin where many cars would bogdown and struggle to get the power on to exit. That wasn&#8217;t a problem for Tostevin and Adams.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2107_1.jpg"><br />
Our very own gripshiftslide sponsored rally team, Wal Lee and David Lethlean, had made some major suspension adjustment for this rally and although their car looks like it&#8217;s running chopped springs at the rear it isn&#8217;t. The high front and low rear combination was helping to get more grip and weight into the rear end in the wet conditions.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A21523.jpg"><br />
Constant speed is the only way I can describe Eli Evens driving style. His pace through corners is exceptional!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2242.jpg"><br />
There is nothing like the thrill of rocks being shot at you from a machine gun or be it a 4wd rally car! Even when you you think you have found a safe place the sudden onset of rock spray means you have to take the shot or duck and hide like a little girl&#8230;I did both!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/DSC_0694.jpg"><br />
There was plenty of action on the Saturday with some decent jumps and better weather. This VH Commodore has not seen this much air since jumping train tracks in the 80&#8217;s.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/DSC_0494.jpg"><br />
Such a classic rally car! This WRX was flying and not only making good time but also entertaining the crowd.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/DSC_0629.jpg"><br />
The unstoppable team of Neil Bates and Taylor were at it again! Winning seems to be in Neil&#8217;s DNA.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2246.jpg"><br />
The sound of this Mitsubishi Evo was truly terrifying! imagine a dragon that has just been attacked by a bunch of savages with swords! The sound was something like that, with added missile like stones being sprayed at the same time.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2311_1.jpg"><br />
Polaris and Can-Am is growing force within rally. It is one of the easiest ways to get into rallying, these vehicles are under $30,00 ready to race!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2308.jpg"><br />
The only thing i do not like about the Polaris is their sound. With a sound that can only be likened to an angry vacuum cleaner! this not the sound i was expecting from these buggy like rally cars.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/vic_rally_lardner/1J7A2230.jpg"><br />
Rally Victoria always puts on a great show at Lardner park! For the full results of the event<a href="http://www.rallyresults.com.au/arc/2013/vic/showStaget.asp?paramVal4=1&amp;paramVal3=2&amp;paramVal2=5&amp;rVal=5248&amp;paramVal1=4">&lt; Click here &gt;</a> You can follow up on our official GripShiftSlide sponsored driver (Wal Lee) and the whole <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DFARallyTeam">DFA rally team</a> via their facebook page. We hope to cover more rally events in 2014 plus driver profiles coming soon! So keep your eyes on the blog.<br />
Thanks for reading,<br />
Grant<br />
Extra Photos courtesy of James Rooke | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mini-Finger-Productionz/137289026358022">Mini Finger Productionz</a> (&lt; Check him out on Facebook!)</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4217</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Haunted Hills :: CCRMIT Christmas Break Up</title>
		<link>https://gripshiftslide.com/2012/12/27/haunted-hills-ccrmit-christmas-break-up/</link>
					<comments>https://gripshiftslide.com/2012/12/27/haunted-hills-ccrmit-christmas-break-up/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Grant]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 27 Dec 2012 10:45:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Hillclimb]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rally]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Track Day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Datsun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[haunted hills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nissan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[track day]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gripshiftslide.com/?p=3078</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[It is&#160;Christmas break up time of year again and the CCRMIT club was lucky enough to score the haunted hills hill climb track for their end of year &#8216;come and race&#8217; fun day. With a less than desirable weather forecast, things did not look promising. On the drive out to the track&#160;I drove though several [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" class="top" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/IMG_0807.jpg" alt=""><br />
It is&nbsp;Christmas break up time of year again and the CCRMIT club was lucky enough to score the haunted hills hill climb track for their end of year &#8216;come and race&#8217; fun day. With a less than desirable weather forecast, things did not look promising.<span id="more-3078"></span><br />
<img decoding="async" class="bottom" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/IMG_0817.jpg" alt=""><br />
On the drive out to the track&nbsp;I drove though several storms. Thinking all the rain and bad weather was behind me,&nbsp;I was confident that day would turn out just fine.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/IMG_0798.jpg" alt=""><br />
I&nbsp;had only been at the track 10 minutes when a great big cloud moved over the top of us all. Driver briefing was hurried up&nbsp;due to the pending rain. Someone from the crowd started a count down and yelled 30 seconds! 10 seconds! 5 seconds!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/IMG_0801.jpg" alt=""><br />
Bang! The rain hit like a crazy tropical storm and with the&nbsp;temperature&nbsp;at 35 degrees and drops of rain&nbsp;the size of 50 cent pieces it quickly got pretty humid. The rain didn&#8217;t stop for a good 20 minutes.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8561.jpg" alt=""><br />
Once the rain cleared, a huge line formed as&nbsp;everybody wanted to get out on the track! Even&nbsp;though it was still really wet nobody wanted to waste a minute of precious track time.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8516_2.jpg" alt=""><br />
Zac&nbsp;in his KE20 Corolla didn&#8217;t mind that the track was damp. He launched the car as if it were a dry day and didn&#8217;t hold back.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8527.jpg" alt=""><br />
Many different cars were lining up to take this track on, including this Christmas modified Corolla. The mix of serious track cars and daily drives was impressive.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8689.jpg" alt=""><br />
With an advan inspired paint job, this rare Levin was a real surprise to see on track. It was by no means the normal type of&nbsp;Levin you would see on the streets.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8739.jpg" alt=""><br />
Haunted Hills is a truly beautiful track with long sweeping corners, perched on the side of a hill, this track has it all.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="bottom" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8504.jpg" alt=""><br />
<img decoding="async" class="top" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8806.jpg" alt=""><br />
Out on track were a few Datsuns. This one was in great condition and&nbsp;I couldn&#8217;t believe how straight all of the classic cars were for being weekend track cars, they were all very impressive.<br />
<img decoding="async" class="bottom" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8992.jpg" alt=""><br />
<img decoding="async" class="top" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8994.jpg" alt=""><br />
This Chrysler Lancer was thumping around the track and the boys were loving it! Not only is this car unique, it was the only car rocking the retro &#8216;poo brown&#8217; colour scheme. I&#8217;m not sure if this was the 2.0 litre version but it certainly went like one.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/IMG_1022.jpg" alt=""><br />
A full rally spec Hyundai Elantra. This thing was flat out&nbsp;crazy with&nbsp;the driver entering corners at speeds that I didn&#8217;t think were possible on such a track! There was some serious skill behind the wheel.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/crash.jpg" alt=""><br />
After walking through lots of tall grass I&nbsp;found a spot to shoot from. It was just near a rise coming&nbsp;into a sweeping corner. Not 5 minutes after getting to this spot I&nbsp;see a Volvo coming over the hill and think to myself that he&nbsp;was going a little fast. Within a couple of seconds the car was on its&#8217; side and it gently fell back down on all for wheels!&nbsp;I helped to push it out of the embankment and back on to the track.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8679.jpg" alt=""><br />
Not everybody could keep their cars on the track in these challenging wet conditions, but I did see many spectacular saves that averted disaster on some hairy parts of the track.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8725.jpg" alt=""><br />
Because Nissan! That is why there was some good drift action going on at the track that day.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8922.jpg" alt=""><br />
Yet another clean S series Nissan&nbsp;running around the track.&nbsp;I was glad to see some of the more popular car types doing some track time rather than hard parking time.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I9018.jpg" alt=""><br />
A rally modified Stanza was cutting some clean lines around the track and always seemed in control.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I9019.jpg" alt=""><br />
After the crash, the Volvo made its&#8217; way back to the pits. Tools were soon sourced to pull the radiator out and clean the clay blockages that had inundated the whole front of the car.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I9037.jpg" alt=""><br />
The line continued all day and the track was never empty. Some people didn&#8217;t even stop to eat lunch, taking every possible chance to get in some solid track time.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I9057.jpg" alt=""><br />
There were not many 4wd&nbsp;cars on track but this&nbsp;wrx was a great clean example of the perfect weekend track car.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8960_1.jpg" alt=""><br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I9065.jpg" alt=""><br />
There were a few rally style Hyundai Excels buzzing around the track. They are probably one of the cheapest and most fun ways to get into rallying and track events, with such cheap parts and&nbsp;being very easy to drive. This <a href="http://www.iontheaction.com.au">Ion</a> sponsored Excel was one of the fastest and most daring of the bunch.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I9070.jpg" alt=""><br />
The best thing about the <a href="http://www.ccrmit.com/">CCRMIT</a> Christmas breakup, was the &#8216;come try&#8217; aspect of racing. Some families were sharing a car between&nbsp;three siblings and pushing each other for faster times.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8593_1.jpg" alt=""><br />
This very customized CRX&nbsp;had one of the best brake&nbsp;setups&nbsp;I had seen all day and the owner took good care of this car, both&nbsp;on and off the track.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8745.jpg" alt=""><br />
Another standout driver of the day was Michael in his Datsun. He was linking corners and drifting with great speed and precision.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/haunted_hills/QS3I8604.jpg" alt=""><br />
These very passionate club members live and breathe&nbsp;racing and rallying. From the track open to track close, not a moment was wasted. The enthusiasm and drive behind this club is very strong and&nbsp;I will definitely be attending more CCRMIT events in the future.<br />
Thanks for looking,<br />
Grant</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3078</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>ARC Rally Victoria :: Lardner Park</title>
		<link>https://gripshiftslide.com/2012/11/22/arc-rally-victoria-lardner-park/</link>
					<comments>https://gripshiftslide.com/2012/11/22/arc-rally-victoria-lardner-park/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Grant]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Nov 2012 07:06:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Honda]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nissan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rally]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Subaru]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toyota]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gripshiftslide.com/?p=2904</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[It was that time of year again when the Bosch Australia Rally Championship rolls into town, this year bringing with it some new cars, like this FWD Mazda 2. With upcoming changes about to hit the Australian rally world next year, this was to be the last time we would see the 4wd warriors battle [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" class="bottom" alt="mazda 2 2wd rally car 2012" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7514.jpg"><br />
It was that time of year again when the Bosch Australia Rally Championship rolls into town, this year bringing with it some new cars, like this FWD Mazda 2. With upcoming changes about to hit the Australian rally world next year, this was to be the last time we would see the 4wd warriors battle it out because of the move towards the two wheel drive formula.<br />
<span id="more-2904"></span><br />
<img decoding="async" alt="mitsubishi evo rally car arc" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7518.jpg"><br />
The new rally formula is more focused on the 2wd category, but&nbsp;this is going to make the competition more interesting!<br />
These integrated jack stands make it&nbsp;far safer to work under the car&nbsp;but not all of&nbsp;the teams had such a&nbsp;luxury.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="Evo with defusser" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7511.jpg"><br />
Back on four wheels and ready to go! Gerald and Barkley were excited to get on the stage.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="rally" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/IMG_0727.jpg"><br />
I was lucky enough to be invited as a guest of ION into the VIP tent and let me tell you,&nbsp;once I was&nbsp;inside&nbsp;I didn&#8217;t waste any time. I&nbsp;found the nearest food source and started grazing. The VIP tent was fully set up, complete with plasma screens and some very impressive footage being displayed. The <a href="http://www.iontheaction.com.au">ION Cameras</a> were impressing everyone with their crisp picture and detailed sound straight off the camera&#8217;s with no editing or processing!<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="ION air pro camera, eye on the action" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7531.jpg"><br />
With so many Mitsubishi Evo&#8217;s around it was great to see some Subaru&#8217;s offering up some stiff competition even&nbsp;if it was only in the looks department.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="green wrx rally car arc" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7659.jpg"><br />
Claiming the best view on the hill was Penhall and Middleton&#8217;s Subaru WRX. The view must have inspired them to drive faster, as they were&nbsp;managing to keep with the top four VRC leaders over the course of the rally.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="wrx rally car arc with a view" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7671.jpg"><br />
Pedder and Ryan&#8217;s car receiving some attention before it was scheduled to get on track, if only the crew had attached a turbo, living in Evens and Westons shadow cannot be easy.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="rally" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7679.jpg"><br />
After scrutineering, the cars were able to&nbsp;get on the public road and drive to the stage. It was common to see many of the rally cars on the road while driving to the spectator view points. This was interesting because many of them would go pretty hard on the road almost as if there were competing in a tarmac stage!<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="honda rally Jazz in the pits" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7681.jpg"><br />
I do wonder if the guys who are scrutineers are also parking inspectors? These guys would mark the tyre with serious speed.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="evo rally car lardner park" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7509.jpg"><br />
This is the first time&nbsp;I have seen an import LHD M3 and&nbsp;damn, I&nbsp;want one! This thing was fully legit with a nice set of BBS rims to match.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="rally tyre marking" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7535.jpg"><br />
The classic rally car series is one of the best things to happen&nbsp;to rally in 2012 and this Datsun 1600 is just one example of the calibre of cars within this series.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="m3 BMW" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7516.jpg"><br />
It&#8217;s a bit hard to see but this car is sporting some little aero components, that&nbsp;is something I&nbsp;haven&#8217;t really seen on many rally cars.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="rally jump sideways corner" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/IMG_0748.jpg"><br />
Pulling sideways and trying to not go off the track after this jump was challenging, however&nbsp;this wrx took it all in its&#8217; stride. If you look closely you can see the little ION Air Pro&#8217;s doing it&#8217;s thing on the roof. It was great to be able to see what the driver and passenger were experiencing around the track.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="wrx subaru black" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7562.jpg"><br />
If you have ever been to a rally event before you will know about flying rocks but of course the danger is all part of the fun!<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="rally" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7540.jpg"><br />
The long straight on the special stage soon followed into a sharp 90 degree turn which almost caught out a few of the drivers.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="rally" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/IMG_0763.jpg"><br />
Nissan&#8217;s are not only used for drift but this photo shows it is hard to stop an S14 going sideways whether it is on dirt or tarmac.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="rally" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7586.jpg"><br />
One of the great things about rally is how close you can get to the action when you have a media pass! Unfortunately&nbsp;I didn&#8217;t get time to apply for one and had to shoot from the fence. This keen media personality from 7tune got nice and close to the action.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="rally" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7701.jpg"><br />
Classic rally cars are probably my favorite class in rally to date and&nbsp;it is&nbsp;crazy to see cars that where dominating on the track back&nbsp;in the eighty&#8217;s, getting&nbsp;back on the track and going hard as ever.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="rally" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7719.jpg"><br />
This little Ford Fiesta was going off tap! Not that you can see from this photo but he lost half his front bar in the forest stage!<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="rally" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7729.jpg"><br />
This photo totally reminds me of playing Colin Mcrae on Playstation and the Australian forest stages, where it was easy to get out of control on the dirt if you hit a corner to hot.<br />
<img decoding="async" alt="rally" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/ral_vic2012/QS3I7693.jpg"><br />
It was great to catch some rally action, it is&nbsp;a shame that big rally events like this really only come once or twice a year to Victoria. It would be good to see more grass roots rally action much like the Excel rally series. This was the last event on the Bosch ARC Rally calender and Eli Evans / Michael Boaden have taken out the series in there maiden debut, talk about a good preformance!<br />
For full results: <a href="http://www.rallyresults.com.au/arc/2012/vic/"> &gt; click here &lt; </a><br />
And if you would like learn more about <a href="http://iontheaction.com.au/">ION Cameras shoot and share</a><br />
Thanks for looking,<br />
Grant.</p>
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		<title>ECB Rally Calder :: Shakedown</title>
		<link>https://gripshiftslide.com/2012/03/08/ecb-rally-calder-shakedown/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Grant]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Mar 2012 05:50:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Rally]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ARC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[calder park raceway]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forum Battle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grant salter]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gripshiftslide.com/?p=1487</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ARC Rally Calder, the first event on the 2012 rally calendar. With so many new cars, teams and classes it was hard to know what to focus on! The first thing that caught my eye was the polaris All-Terrain vehicles. Yes you may have noticed they are a little dirty! after heavy rain on thursday [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://gripshiftslide.com/2012/03/08/ecb-rally-calder-shakedown/"><img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5141.jpg" alt="rally line up of cars melbourne calder"></a><br />
ARC Rally Calder, the first event on the 2012 rally calendar. With so many new cars, teams and classes it was hard to know what to focus on! The first thing that caught my eye was the polaris All-Terrain vehicles. <span id="more-1487"></span><br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5137.jpg" alt="polaris muddy muddy muddy"><br />
Yes you may have noticed they are a little dirty! after heavy rain on thursday the tunnel had to be pumped out because of flooding and the rest of dirt track was looking like a swamp.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_4049.jpg" alt="Calder grandstand condition, need attention"><br />
By Friday the sun was back out and it was time to get the cars on the track , it was a pity that the grandstands had not received the maintenance that had been planned.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_3918.jpg" alt="rally calder, ford escort"><br />
The Legendary ford escort, a classic rally car back in action!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_4084.jpg" alt="rally, inside car switches, fuel pump "><br />
Check out the array of switches, not sure which one launches the missile?<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_4087.jpg" alt="Calder, Porsche and escort"><br />
Jeffrey David was one of the exciting guys to watch in his wild Porsche 911, this car was allways thumpin!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_4088.jpg" alt="Honda jazz rally car 2012"><br />
Honda pulled out all the stops with their brand new Honda Jazz rally team, Eli Evens and Mark Pedder are the lucky men who get to drive these angry little machines.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_4120.jpg" alt="aston martin rally car"><br />
A rally Aston Martin V8 Vantage? the sound of this car was amazing! unfortunately this very expensive rally car had a meeting with a barrier late in the rally. <a href="http://youtu.be/86AKZ8O7zeY">See Video</a><br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_4142.jpg" alt="neil bates new toyota celica"><br />
This replica model of the RA40 celica took Neil Bates and his team 18 months to build. Inspired by Ove Andersson and Henry Liddon RA40 driven in the World Rally Championship during the early 1980s.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_4966.jpg" alt="porsche on calder banked turn"><br />
Overall 2nd in the classic rally division.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5030.jpg" alt="Mitsi Evo red fast speed"><br />
A consistent force during all the stages of the rally the powerful Evo of the Knowles team.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5081.jpg" alt="Holden rally ute, with air tunnel"><br />
Strange choice of rally car but i do like the aerodynamic tunnel on the back.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5117.jpg" alt="Full 2012 arc rally line up at presentation"><br />
Presentation line up! check out all those cars!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5128.jpg" alt="polaris muddy as fuck"><br />
More dirty polaris!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5191.jpg" alt="triumph v8 rally car"><br />
I still cant believe these things are V8, what a crazy old school machine!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5202.jpg" alt="ARC mascot"><br />
Mascots rock! they are a rare creature that today have almost become extinct in Australia.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5204.jpg" alt="polaris champions 2012"><br />
Nathan Chivers, Les Chivers coming in 2nd driving the Polaris RZR 900 XP<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5213.jpg" alt="polaris champions winner 2012"><br />
Cody Crocker, Greg Foletta winners of the Side x Side Rally Challenge.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5225.jpg" alt="Neil Bates ARC Rally Calder Champion"><br />
A well known name in rally! Neil bates win&#8217;s with a new car, being out of rally game for a few years this is an extremely good effort!<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5256.jpg" alt="honda jazz arc calder winners"><br />
Another debut and another win, Eli Evens, Glen Weston take out the 2WD Championship<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_5264.jpg" alt="steve jackobson - kenny, the poo cleaner rally driver"><br />
Steve Jakobson, rally driver, movie start, co-host of aus top gear was helping promote rally school this weekend.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_3901.jpg" alt="neil bates on the track"><br />
Check out the width of the track! originally designed for racing NASCAR, the track is now used for all different types of racing.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_3914.jpg" alt="Renault clio mud falling off"><br />
Technical problems plagued this team and they were only able to compete in the first round heat.<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_4020.jpg" alt="FD rx7 rally winners"><br />
One of only two Evo 10&#8217;s at the event, Tom Wilde managed to win the ARC 4WD Championship<br />
<img decoding="async" src="http://photos.gripshiftslide.com/arc_calder/IMG_6415.jpg" alt="FD rx7 rally winners"><br />
One of the hardest working RX7 on the track this yellow fire breathing dragon managed third in the 2WD Championship.<br />
With an extremely wet track and unpredictable weather all competitors pulled through the 4 day event without to much carnage.<br />
Despite the conditions spectators still showed their support for ARC, for the results <a href="http://d.rallylive.com.au/">Click here</a> or you can download the full list of results as a pdf <a href="http://www.rallyresults.com.au/arc/2012/calder/Final_Reports.pdf">here</a>. If you have never attended a rally event its one of those things you really should do! more support means more competitors which results in a better overall competition and atmosphere.<br />
-Grant</p>
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