Bencubbin 300 #766 Race Report
For the first
time in 2009 the WAORC would head to Bencubbin for the Miluc Civil
Bencubbin 300. For Flat Out Off Road Racing Team we would only be
running one car (the Production Class Patrol) as work commitments kept
the 80 Series from racing. With rumours around that there had been some
rain in the Bencubbin area the decision was made to use the 80 Series
Simex Centipedes. Whilst this was a tyre size up from the normal tyres
run on the Pootrol if it was a wet race the gamble would pay off.
Production 4WD continued to grow with 4 vehicles entered, but still no
“state champion” Ted Schutlz.
After Recon of
the track everyone was in agreement that this was going to be a very
fast and very fun track. Prologue was a very short blast and a little
mistake at the turn near the railway lines meant that I was very happy
to still be 2nd in class. At the beginning of section 1 it
was still dry and I was thinking that maybe the tyres would be a bit of
a disadvantage and that I might change them to the tyres that I’d been
running at the previous events which had been brought up as spares. We
had a reasonably good run in the first section despite the power
steering belt coming off just before the start of the second lap and we
were sitting 2nd in class overnight.
Fortunately we
awoke on Sunday morning to the sound of some light rain which was good
news in that there would be little or no dust, a nice change compared to
Hyden! Lap 1 of section 2 would not go to plan however with a big off
moment in the first run along the railway line resulting in a trip
through some trees, and a very smashed windscreen. We had to slowly
drive until we found a clear spot to stop as the drivers side windscreen
wiper had broken and we needed to stop and swap it for the navigators
side windscreen wiper. After doing this we were at the back of the pack
and needed to push to make up time, but in doing so hit a marker and we
were left in 4th in class at the end of the section.
In the 3rd
and final 4 lap section we needed to make up a lot of time to catch the
Jeep boys with the other Patrols probably too far ahead to catch. After
pushing hard on the first lap which included catching the ailing
sootchucker, (I certainly know how it got its name after following it)
and getting by the jeep at the end of the first lap I found that the
brake pedal was going straight to the floor, not a good feeling at the
end of a long straight!!! With 3 laps to go I tried to stay off the
brakes and they came back a little, but after a big stop the pedal would
go to the floor again. After completing the section in good time 3rd
in class would be a good result considering the dramas of the past 2
days.
Thanks to Raw
4x4 and FJG Engineering, a big thankyou to Lee Coupe for navigating,
helping out with the car and even soldiering on after the moment amongst
the trees left him with a scratch on his eye. Thanks also must go to Dad
for the help with the prep of the car and mum for bringing the trailer
and spares for the weekend. Congratulations to all the winners and
WAORRA for running such a successful first up event. I will certainly be
marking the Bencubbin event on my calendar for the next few years to
come.
See you at
Mogumber
Cheers, Jason
