Round 3 KCF Rallysport Short Course Wrap Up

The third and final round of the KCF Rallysport Short Course Rally Series was held on Saturday in Imbil, Queensland.  A strong field of 28 teams from southeast and central Qld started the event on a very hot October day.  It was a pace noted competition running three passes over two 10km stages.  The forestry roads selected for the event were a balanced mix of fast and smooth combined with twisty and challenging keeping all competitors happy.

The classes were simple, Four Wheel Drive, Front Wheel Drive and Rear Wheel Drive.

The outright rally placings for the top three was also the Four Wheel Drive class placings.  Winning the Short Course Rally was Erik Johnsson and Matt Van Tuinen (Viking Excavations) in their 2003 Subaru WRX Sti.  They set four fastest stage times for the day.  Setting the other two fastest stage times and having an epic battle with Johnsson/Van Tuinen were the Rallycars.com.au Team of Paul Bergmann and Larisa Biggar in their 1992 Subaru Legacy.  Third place was the Living Here Wilston Team of Gerard Mc Conkey and Ian Swinbourne in a 1999 Subaru WRX.

It was a solid dice for position between the three place getters.  After the first loop of two stages only 3s separated the top 3, 12m26s Bergmann/Biggar, 12m27s Johnsson/Van Tuinen and 12m29s McConkey/Swinbourne.  Johnsson/Van Tuinen suffering a deflating tyre near the end of the stage.   After the second loop it was a tie for first between Bergmann/Biggar and Johnsson/Van Tuinen with McConkey/Swinbourne  only 22s behind.  For the final loop Johnsson/Van Tuinen pulled out something extra out of the bag to finish 10s in front of Bergmann/Biggar and 34s ahead of third place McConkey/Swinbourne.

The fastest Front Wheel Drive was the Kilbride Family Team in their 1986 Toyota Corolla AE111 Levin steered by Jeff Kilbride with daughter Holly calling the notes.  The Kilbrides finished fastest in every stage for their class despite having an exhaust fall off mid stage.  Second  Front Wheel Drive was the Huxton Motorsport Team (another family team) in their 1996 Mitsubishi Mirage, Rodney Reid driving with son Nick co-driving, convincing mum Belinda to relinquish her seat for his first rally.  Third Front Wheel Drive was young gun Ryan Williams in “Lucky” the 1998 Hyundai Excel and another Kilbride family member Meeka calling the notes.

In the Rear Wheel Drive classes in was still a family affair.  First was the Evolution Electrical Team of Brad Hurford and daughter Rachel in their ‘built for big skids’ 1995 Ford Faclon XR6.  Also showing spectators how to have fun in a big car was second in class Team Cosgrove, Jamie and Michelle Lawson in their 1992 Holden Commodore VS Ute.  Third for Rear Wheel Drive was the Competition Fabrication Team of Dave Feron and Catriona Kelly in their faithful 1981 Datsun 160J.

All place getters thanked the event organisers, Brisbane Sporting Car Club, the volunteers, Mary Valley Show Society (Imbil) and sponsor Keith Fackrell of KCF Rallysport who was also the sweep car.  This event now concludes the three event series for 2018.

This article was a press release supplied to the QLD Rally Panel  from a competitor.