NZ 4x4 TRIALS CHAMPS RND 1
The Biggs brothers have enjoyed a winning start to the National 4x4 Trials Series season. Ashleigh Bowers was at Whatawhata in the Waikato to cover the action.
It was a wet, wild and exciting day out at Karakariki Road, Whatawhata, for the opening round of the Porter Group NZ National 4x4 Trials Series organised by the Waikato Four Wheel Drive Club on Saturday November 12.
With 41 trucks entered and plenty of rain the day was set to be a success. Taking out the overall win was Scott Biggs and brother Jarred from the Counties club in their Nitrous-Oxide-sniffing Class D 6.0litre/ 600hp Chevrolet LS2–powered truck.
A great afternoon
“The first round of the season is always hard,” said Scott. “It took us the morning to get back into form then we had a great afternoon in the truck. The conditions were very harsh and slippery which suited horsepower.” Second on the day was former national champion Hamish Auret and navigator Paul Barnes in Auret’s 7.0 litre Corvettepower Class D Truck with Class C winner Kevin Hermansen and co-driver Nicholas Hamilton third.
Head-turner
A head-turner on the day and currently the lightest Trials Truck in the field, weighing just 878kg, was the Class C Tom-built Nissan R20vet of Shayne Towers and navi Tony Hadland from the Eastern Bays club. The distinctive, low-slung lo-rider runs a custom-built Nissan transmission, Hilux chromoly crown wheel and pinions and three piece alloys with internal bead locks on 35x12.5x15 Kumho tyres.
Father/daughter
Father/daughter team Phil Hobart and navigator, Brittany Hobart from South Waikato Club were also back for more in their home-built Class D truck with a L67 Buick in it. They finished 14th in class at Whatawhata. Another series regular is Stuart Earle with navigator David Price from the Manawatu Club in ‘ The Phantom’ who finished 11th in class.
This is their third season in the V8 Lexuspowered D Class truck sponsored by Broadway Accounting Solutions Limited.