DOWN BUT NO T OUT
“STRAIGHT ROADS ARE FOR FAST CARS; TURNS ARE FOR FAST DRIVERS” —COL I NM C RA E
“It’s been an awesome battle; I’ve really, really loved it. I honestly wouldn’t mind if we had come second or first. It doesn’t matter; it was just the battle, eh,” a delighted Mark Kirk-burnnand said at the finish in Queenstown. “It was perfect. Derek [Ayson] did such a good job.”
First-time tarmac rally challengers from Eastern Southland Ayson and Mcdermott came to the Targa with a reputation for doing it rather well on gravel and the potential to create an upset in the class. The scene was set for an entertaining event.
Second in the HW Richardson Classic 2WD class also meant a 10th overall in the Targa New Zealand for Ayson and Mcdermott in their Ford Escort MKII.
Day one: drama and then more What transpired over five days was something nobody could have scripted. The southern crew of Ayson and Mcdermott headed a dedicated bunch of volunteers, all of whom rose to the challenge of a frustrating run of mechanical issues. Having co-driver Mcdermott, along with his skills as a
mechanic, would prove invaluable for what was to unfold.
The dramas started on day one, with the newly installed Holbay Ford 2.4-litre engine in the Ford Escort emitting some worrying noises. With high revs being used for long periods, an alternator bracket had snapped. After some frantic crew work, the car was just eight minutes late out of the service park and back in the battle.
Day two: electrics and fuel! The day dawned with the Escort’s engine failing to start. The fault was traced to a small component in the distributor. A spare was sourced, and the car was under way only to experience severe fuel starvation in left turns at speed — a test of driving skill. Adjustments to the carburettor fuel floats helped alleviate the problem a little, according to Derek.
“It’s very different to rallying events; I don’t think I’ve used full lock yet!” he laughed. “The crew has been awesome, the roads are good, and we are still in second position behind Mark Kirk-burnnand.”
Derek’s final observation for the day was, “I think Gavin has spent more time fixing the car today than he has co-driving.” Day three: rain, rain, and more
rain! The third day of the Targa would prove to be the crucial point of the rally for many, with off-road excursions for some, including the overall leader Haydn Mackenzie. The steady rain made conditions difficult for all competitors. Mackenzie’s team rebuilt his car in Dunedin overnight after it lost its complete back suspension.
It was at this point that Derek and his team made up some valuable time on the class leader, as the little BMW was not quite as quick in the wet.
Day four: nothing changes For the fourth day, it was back to the old dramas as the alternator bracket broke once again, and the crew welded another plate and brace to the block.
“Mark is flying, and has taken the lead back by 25 seconds,” Derek said.
Day five: making up time Off to Highlands Motorsport Park and a further two special stages, including the Crown Range, before returning to Highlands, and it was over — with 44.8 seconds separating Derek from the winning Kirk-burnnand BMW.
“It was a great event for our first-ever tarmac rally, and one we were stoked to finish after all our mechanical issues,” Derek said.
“We had a blast, and really enjoyed a great battle with multiple Targa Classic champion Mark Kirk-burnnand in his rapid BMW, swapping stage wins all event.”
If a couple of stages had not been cancelled, and, with the Escort’s pace in the wet, the result may have even been different.