SPORT 45
FRIDAY JUNE 10 2016
Chinese gets Aussie taster
Steve Menzies
FINKE DESERT RACE
Member of Guangdong club buys truck, joins Finke
THE iconic Centralian event
the Tatts Finke Desert race is
making further inroads into
China.
For the first time a member
of the Guangdong Wolf Pack
Motor Club, Baojun Yang, has
bought an Australian-made
trophy truck, built specifically
for the Finke, and will take it
back to China after he races
this weekend.
The motor club has more
than 30,000 members and is
based in China’s most-populous province, with an estimated 110 million people, on the
mainland coast just north of
Hong Kong,
Alice Springs Mayor Dam-
ien Ryan said this was an unbelievable coup for the Finke
and for Alice Springs at the
event’s launch in Todd Mall on
Wednesday.
Mr Yang has not been to
Central Australia before but
has seen and heard about the
Finke from club members who
have been coming for years.
“I have seen the track and it
is very challenging,” he said
through a translator.
“I will run the trophy truck
fast – but I won’t crash.
“The power is the main difference to these vehicles and
the ones we have in China.”
Mr Yang had his first drive
in vehicle yesterday with co-
driver Ross Bohlin who has
formed a close association with
the Chinese club and was instrumental in their interest in
the race.
Mr Ryan said Mr Yang was
one of hundreds of interesting
competitors in the event.
“There will be someone on
every line,” he said.
“Among them are four-time
winner Toby Price who is the
current Dakar champion,
multi Australian motocross
champion Megan Rutledge
who is here for the first time
and three-time bike winner
Phil Lovett who will be driving
an UTV about as fast as he was
riding his bike in the 1980s.
“I would like the thank
Toby for creating so much interest in the race.”
Rev up for
the return
of hot car
show later
this year
RED CENTRENATS
Tom Hagon will be racing in his first Tatts Finke Desert Race in an almost standard Mazda BT-50.
Picture: CRISTIAN BRUNELLI
Ute be surprised by what Hagon’s driving
Steve Menzies
FINKE DESERT RACE
THERE will be an almost
standard family car among
the high-performance off-road
racing vehicles in the 2016
Tatts Finke Desert Race.
Toby Hagon, the son of
ABC motorsport identity Will
Hagon, who has covered about
10 Finkes, will be driving a
Mazda BT-50.
It is his first start in the classic Centralian event.
He said the only modifications to the standard vehicle
available from Mazda caryards
is the cage and rollbars and
the slightly modified shock
absorbers.
“The idea was to do as little
modification as possible to
keep it close to a standard vehicle,” Hagon, a journalist for
Wheels magazine, said.
“The standard engine that
we have kept in the car will not
be the most powerful in the
race but it will be the most fuel
efficient.
“Wheels will run a feature
on Finke with a difference –
from the inside.
“It will be a very different
experience for me.
“I like outback driving and
have driven across the Simpson Desert five times, but my
only race experience has been
the Rally of Tasmania about 15
years ago.
“Three years ago I was at
the Finke and watched the vehicles come in and I thought
then it looked like something
interesting to drive.
“I have head many good
things about Finke. It is a fantastic event.”
Hagon is entered in the
smallest class in the category
with the smallest field – the
production 4WD not exceeding 6000cc (p) or 7200 (D).
There are five entrants in
the class including motorsport
legend Geoff Pickering.
Hagon returned to Sydney
a week ago after driving a Nissan GT-R, “the fastest Japanese car ever made”, around
the Spa Formula 1 racetrack.
He reached speeds of
280km/h on the autobahn and
only a few kilometres slower
on the racetrack.
Hagon arrived in Alice
Springs on Wednesday afternoon and had a quick look at
the track. He took a longer
look yesterday.
He will be relying on notes
from his support team about
the track.
“Driving the Finke track
will be an extremely different
experience from the Formula 1
track at Spa,” Hagon said.
“I can't wait.
“What started out as an
enormous challenge has continued to develop.
“I am under no illusions
about what is ahead of me.”
ENTRIES are open for the
second Red CentreNATS to be
held in Alice Springs later this
year.
It is Australia’s newest automotive lifestyle festival – a
family friendly motor show for
those who love all things cars.
Red CentreNATS will return to showcase some of the
best street machines, elite
show cars, hot rods, classics,
exotics and supercars.
The inaugural event last
year attracted entries from
around Australia and New
Zealand and a local contingent.
All automotive enthusiasts
will be invited to bring along
their pride and joy as the event
celebrates and embraces cars
of all shapes and sizes.
Action packed events and
activities over the four days
will include precision driving,
street cruising, show and shine,
judged competitions, and an
official
Burnout
Masters
Qualifier.
The opportunity to cruise
the streets of Alice Springs will
also be available for entrants.
The Red CentreNATS is
presented by the NT Government in association with the
team from Australia’s favourite horsepower party – the
Summernats.
Entries can be made to red
centrenats.com.au
The Red CentreNATS will
be held from September 2-4.
Random draw evens score in annual team event
KARTING
THE annual team prize day
was held with a round 5 points
meeting at the Alice Springs
Karting Club on Sunday.
For the prize day competitors from every class are drawn
randomly into teams of three.
After the four heats all
points are calculated for each
team with prizes to fourth
and last.
V1 - CAVE01Z01MA
The generosity of local businesses enabled prizes of $1800
value to be offered.
New members and juniors
were encouraged by seasoned
racers in their team as it was
important to finish every race.
After the four heats it was
Steven
Howell,
Wayne
McClean and Junior Rachael
Holmes claiming first and taking home new tyres and a
Sporties restaurant voucher.
The Junior Light class has a
field of young drivers all capable of good results at the NT
Titles in July.
Mitchell Sanders displayed
experience winning three
heats, with every heat won by
narrow margins.
Angus Laherty placed second, by one point, ahead of
Jack Wade for third.
Jaidyn Griffiths won the
day in the Junior heavy class.
Ricky Joseph showed the
inheritance of speedway blood
was starting to show claiming second with Ryan Sanders third.
Sharali Mahomet, racing
three karts on the day, put the
KT Heavy class on notice.
Wayne McClean finished
second and Mike Thompson
was third, left wondering
what could have been after a
non-finish in heat one.
The 125cc class was dominated by Steven Howell winning all four heats.
Wayne McClean pushed
hard for second with first season driver Lenny Cole third.
Sharali Mahomet, racing as
a probationary driver in the
200cc open class, has adapted
to power and finished on top of
the list.
Brenton Joy won three
heats to finish second with
Tony Connor running a KT
Twin third.
The KT Mediums put on a
show with intense racing, Steven Howell claimed his second
class win for the day but was
made to work hard for the result as Wade Beaton in second
and Craig Schier third had
consistent results.
Karl White is in good form
to head into the NT Titles
next month.