Desert Rat Rally Team

We finally got our first CARS Club event for 2026, a little Khanacross to start the season. Nice to get the Silly Car out even if it still bares it's Alpine 2025 Livery and Battle Scars!! Finally after a Year of drama it is running on it's own ECU and not a borrowed one, it got well tested living on the limiter in this tight event LOL. such a great car, so easy to set up on the road and place it in corners. The DRRT Team pulled off a 1, 2 in Open 2wd Class, Chris Celica 1st, Deb in the Magna 2nd. We couldn't catch Scotty Anderson in the super quick EVO, he's driving that car super well, congrats to him, I pushed as much as I could, was hoping for a mistake that never came. Thanks to Michael Robertson for the video footage, hope you enjoyed the ride 😃😃

Christmas present fitted and completed, Debra McCormack ☺️ just need it in the car now 😀

What a fantastic initiative for us lady drivers…. never ever, have I had the privilege of competing against so many talented and fast female drivers including our own Taylah McDowell who took out our class win, and 5th outright overall…. I hope she is very proud of herself….she drove accurately and fast in every run. This was not an easy event for us two…. I think it’s the most challenging, nerve wracking, exhilarating event I have done in a very long time… part of that is jumping into a vehicle both of us had never driven before…. for myself, having only driven my own car for the last 10 years that has lots of oomph (3.5 ltrs of it) to this little 1.8 with buggar all oomph was certainly a big challenge against WRX’s and Impreza’s ….how do we get this around the track as fast as we possibly can with the limited power we had… it was quite a frustrating task , but with much perseverance we got there, and started to see our times greatly improved over the 9 runs…the last run was both Taylah and mine best times, with hers the 7th fastest time of the whole day, and mine the 4th fastest…. that’s the fastest times over everyone else’s times for the whole day….. 40 competitors by 9 runs each… !!!
But of course it’s the final results that count, and it was certainly Taylah’s day…. she won our class, and took out 5th outright… how good is that… !! myself, unfortunately I got too close to a cone which refused to stand upright, and copped a 5 second penalty, and that was the end of any great result for me, bringing me in at 6th place outright.. just behind Taylah…
There’s so much more to this story but I’ve rattled on long enough… but such a big thankyou to Jamie Lawson for suggesting we do this in the first place…, he took us under his wing and organised everything including the donor car, and encouraged us all the way…. all our friends and family, our CARS family, our partners…, and especially Leonie who came along and supported us, sitting in the car as passenger on most of our runs with great encouragement and laughter… we cannot do these events without you all and we thankyou with great sincerity ..

Deb

So here is food for thought for us older Gentlemen that like our Red Wine, Food and Coffee and love Rallying. I did my Medical for my MA Licence, passed no worries, had an ECG, blood and Urine test all the bells and whistles as per the form, then I get this email back this morning,
I guess I am to fat to race :( I would love to loses 16kg MA but really !!!, can I identify as skinny, seems to work for other things

Dear Christopher

Thanks for submitting your licence renewal and medical examination.

We sent your medical examination to our Medical Assessor who advised us that we require you to undertake a further medical review.

This is mainly due to the increased cardiac risk factors indicated within your medical results (in relation to your BMI).

In accordance with section 2.2 (a)(ii) of our National Medical Standards: “an individual with a BMI over 30 is UNFIT to compete unless approved by Motorsport Australia”.

Motorsport Australia can issue your licence upon receival of a relevant clearance letter provided by a Cardiologist, Specialist or your treating General Practitioner, whose report must include the following:

Mention that regardless of your BMI score, your health is not at risk currently and you have no imminent cardiac concerns.
Their opinion of your fitness to compete in Motorsport.
Any effects that your condition may have on your body.
The clearance letter can be emailed to [email protected]

Once received, we will be able to forward it onto our Medical Assessor for approval.

After being approved, we will finalise processing of your licence application.

We've been here before🧐 Evan and Cody.. But I am confident the engine oil surge issue has been solved. It's time to get the beast back together for the CARS Rallysprint on the 23rd of June, this will be the first time I have driven this car on NT Soil since it's debut in the 2019 Alpine Rally!! And only about the 6th time I have driven the car at all in 5 years LOL... I am so looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of this beast, let the learning begin, and bring on the Alpine Rally for 2025.. 😁

Our 2023 RBR rally is about to start.