Australian Tarmac Challenge 2010: Day 2

The second day of competition at the first round of the 2010 Australian Tarmac Challenge (ATC) began with an early departure from parc ferme in Shepparton on what turned out to be a bitterly cold April morning...

Check out day one's wrap of the first round of the 2010 ATC if you missed it, which explains how Team Carsales fared in the hard-charging Nissan 370Z.

Despite the overcast weather and early morning wind chill, all drivers (except a couple of competitors who had unfortunately blown clutches), were keen to get out there and set some quick times. Here's how the day went down:

SUNDAY APRIL 11

6:12am: Rise and shine... Everyone looked a bit worse for wear and there was nary an engine being revved to wake everyone up. The festivities of the night before may have played a part in the pallid mood.

But after a quick shower we're on the road, heading towards Strath Creek near Flowerdale for a quick brekky.

6:44am: The day started dry but by the time we'd cruised through Seymour towards our destination the rains had started. Nevertheless, the winding roads were good practice for the wet track work that would ensue.

7:25am: We arrive at Strath Creek town hall for a hearty breakfast of bacon and egg muffins, fresh fruit and orange juice. There's also a lot of coffee being consumed. Appetites sated, and after some brief discussions on tactics and tyre heat, the 90-odd drivers begin filing out of Strath Creek towards Broadford, where the first round of the ATC would be decided.

8:53am: As we roll into the Broadford Motorcycle complex, there was another event going on, the Australian Classic Motocross Championship, which added even more atmosphere to proceedings. As we crested the hill and got our first glimpse at the Broadford race track, we were lined up in number order and being number 70, well, we had to wait. And wait some more...

10:01am: Finally we were waved onto the track by the marshals and I gave the 370Z a bootfull, slamming through first and second gears heading toward the first corner at the end of the main straight, a sweeping uphill right-hander that is awesome in the dry, but fearsome in the wet.

After some nervous tail-end twitching through the first corner of the smooth circuit the 370Z began to settle down as heat worked its way into the tyres, the rest of the flowing track allowing the car to really get up to speed. Generating 245kW at 7000rpm from its 3.7-litre V6, the Nissan was nothing if not quick and before long I was closing in on the car in front.

Getting the power down became less of a problem after the first lap and the Nissan was firing out of corners with a satisfying level of aggression, enough to put me third on the podium in the Street class, behind a remarkably good drive from Terry Proud in his tricked-up 2003 Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo in second place and John Wood who came first in a 2008 BMW 135i.

Broadford was arguably the most enjoyable event of the whole weekend, and having only ridden the track on the back of super sport motorcycles before, I was surprised at how much fun it was to navigate in a sports car. The flowing nature of the track made for some great driving and with confidence building it was possible to punch out a couple of gratifying powerslides. Sure, it's not the fastest way around a corner, but it is the most enjoyable!

It was also interesting to note that the top four vehicles were rear-wheel driven -- not bad considering the rain-soaked conditions. The top ten times for the Street Class are as follows:

1. John Wood 1:17.09 (2008 BMW 135i)
2. Terry Proud 1:18.28 (2003 FORD XR6T)
3. Feann Torr 1:18.89 3 (2010 NISSAN 370Z)
4. David Boucher 1:19.45 4 (2008 PORSCHE CAYMAN S)
5. Rodney Saunders 1:20.45 5 (1996 NISSAN SKYLINE)
6. Andrew McKay 1:20.48 6 (2001 AUDI RS4)
7. Mark Homer 1:21.12 7 (1989 PORSCHE 944 S2)
8. Andrew Irwin 1:21.17 8 (2009 VW R36 PASSAT)
9. Hartley Sutcliffe 1:21.62 9 (2001 AUDI RS4)
10. Glen Chamberlain 1:22.00 10 (2009 VW R36 PASSAT)

11:10am: Having completed our allocated competition laps, we sat back and watched some of the cars from the Motorsport Class compete. The 1976 Torana and 1965 Mustang were the highlights, belting our jaw-dropping powerslides every other corner in the wet conditions. Intentional or not, it made for excellent spectating.

11:24am: After leaving the racetrack on a high, we headed to the Broadford pub on the main street to compete in the final event, a super tight motorkhana course surrounded by locals who were out to watch the action, of which there was plenty.

11:35am: Watching the Motorsport boys, and eventual outright winner (and 2008 Targa Tasmania victor) Steve Glenney, crack out perfect runs was very impressive to say the least. The way some of the Mitsubishi Evolutions completed the tricky 450-degree pirouette in such a confined space -- rear wheels spinning, rear end flailing -- was incredible.

11:57am: My first run after waiting in line finally came and I totally botched it. I was supposed to go left around the first cone, but with the AM radio and footy talkback commanding my concentration (true story), I went right, and subsequently got a penalty, virtually voiding my first run.

12:12pm: Frustrated with my lapse of concentration but confident of making amends on my final run of the Australian Tarmac Challenge, the flag was held steady. "Three, two, one," said the marshal, then it was all on. The 370Z fired forward as I crushed the accelerator pedal and nailed the launch, and this time I didn't screw the pooch -- though try as I might I didn't have the gumption to attempt a tyre-frying pirouette round the most technical part of the course. Nevertheless, I managed the fifth fastest time out of 28 drivers in the Street Class (though admittedly six of those 28 failed to turn up).

12:30pm: With all the driver challenges completed, it was time make a quick getaway. Though it would have been great to hang around for the official awards ceremony, Sunday April 11 on 2010 also happened to be my first wedding anniversary. I love motor racing, it's one of the best sports out there, but as I'm reliably informed: happy wife, happy life.

Conclusion: As my second Australian Tarmac Challenge, I must say that the wet weather was a concern, but at the end of the event I felt exhilarated. The icing on the cake was that we didn't come dead last, but ultimately this event is about having fun and being able to push your vehicle to its limit without legal repercussions, rather than winning. Check out the ATC results page for more info on how the 90 or so drivers fared.

The social aspect of the event is almost as good as the driving elements; everyone is just stoked to be there and the tales that get told over a cold brewsky and a hot meal are as amusing as they are poignant.

In summing up, I had an absolute ball. I can't recommend this event enough, as anyone can enter with almost any machine, new or old, fast or slow. It's about participating, spinning yarns and getting to drive not just on race tracks but also challenging slow speed courses. Many of the motorkhana events don't need anything above first gear, and it was impressive how fast some of the stock standard cars were, such as the Volkswagen Passat R36 wagon. Despite it's family car looks, it humbled a number of more fancied vehicles at a couple of events.

I'd just like to say a big thank you to Nissan for providing the car, which didn't miss a beat and performed incredibly well in the conditions, and also to the ATC organisers, Mossy, Annie, Kurt, all the volunteers who donated their time, and of course to my wife who didn't wring my neck for almost missing our anniversary.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi