Tarmac tango on Lake Mountain

Gary HillElgee Words and Pictures

The Lake Mountain Tango, to be held over the Australia Day long weekend, is the latest tarmac rally event to be organised by Peter Washington, the man behind the very successful Mt Buller Sprint.

Last year he added the Lake Mountain Sprint, which like the Mt Buller event, used the access road to a ski resort, this one just outside Marysville in Victoria.

Both these three-day events consist of a number of special stage runs up the mountain road with drivers and navigators descending the hill in a parade between runs.

When a number of competitors at Lake Mountain commented that it would be great to race down the 10km course, Washington came up with the Tango, giving competitors just what they wanted, a race up and down the hill.

Competitors also have the chance to compete for a series championship by entering all three events this year.

Jason and John White won the Mt Buller and Lake Mountain events last year in their Lamborghini Gallardo and are keen to do the same in the Tango but they have some keen competition from gravel rally champions Cody Crocker and Ben Atkinson who took a close second at Buller in the Les Walkden Rallying Subaru STI.

Tarmac rally experts Jim Richards and Barry Oliver in a Porsche will be out to add another trophy to their collection while Jim's son, FPR V8 Supercar star Steven will be competing in his Cosworth BDG powered Ford Escort, it's worth attending just to hear it.

The 40-plus competitors will also include George Leamey driving the only Saker Sports car in Australia and Glenn Ridge in his Mazda RX7 while the all-female team of Samantha Stevens and Simone Bachman will compete in a Mazda 6.

Event organiser Peter Washington will get a first hand view of the competition as he competes in a Saleen S7 Supercar, but will he hang on to the prize  money if he wins?

Spectators just pay the normal $10 per day for entry to park and will have safe viewing areas at Kelly's Paddock, Arnolds Gap and Snowy Hills as well as the start and finish points.

For details contact event coordinator Tim McNeilly on 0401905777 or visit www.mountainmotorsports.com.au