Red Coast to Gold Coast Trial

80 cars built prior to 1986 will set out next week from Alice Springs, on an 11-day journey to reach Queensland's Gold Coast. The vehicles will be taking part in the 2008 Red Centre to Gold Coast Trial, commencing from Wednesday, September 10.

Organisers have mapped out a 7600km route ranging north as well as east and passing through points such as: Mount Isa, Normanton, Cairns, Townsville, Longreach, Birdsville, Tibooburra, Bourke and Goondiwindi. The leading vehicles are expected to arrive at Broadbeach Mall on the afternoon of Saturday, September 20.

Reading like a 'who's who' and 'what's that' of club rallying over the past 20 or 30 years, the field contains 13 Datsuns, nine Peugeots, eight Commodores and a host of exotics and curiosities, such as a 1969 Lancia Fulvia HF 1600 and a 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Sports (Pagoda-roof model). There are also a couple of Leyland P76s, which isn't as odd as it may seem, since a P76 driven by Evan Green came 13th and won the Targa Florio section of the 1974 London-to-Munich World Cup Rally.

Among the name crews for the Red Centre to Gold Coast Trial are Graham Wallis, Gerry Bashford and husband and wife team David and Kate Officer. A two-times veteran of previous long-distance trials, Wallis and his co-driver Richard Davies are competing in a Peugeot 203 (pictured in yellow), a vehicle much like the one driven by Ken Tubman to first place in the 1953 REDeX Trial.

"Our aim is to complete the course without having to work on the car every night and to enjoy ourselves," says Wallis. "However, if it's sandy, we will be as fast as anyone -- including the Range-Rover that's entered!"

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