The Central zone Club Truck Challenge (CTC) slides into history for the 2021 season, here is a round-up of the people who competed in at least three of the rounds this season
They say history never repeats, yet Crowded House has reformed and are touring again. Meanwhile the Unruly Tourists have been the death of opera in this country... though I’d say opera killed opera in this country. So just like Sol3Mio you have to make your own history.
Since the start, Series convenor Mark Watchorn has insisted on not calling an overall champion each year but to emphasise the four different class winners so that you feel that there is an even playing field. He said, “When I look at the overall results, it rams it home to me that it doesn’t matter how capable your truck is, it ends up being how well you drive and that is what the series is about. You may not win on the day, but the more rounds you do, the better you may do in the series.”
Class 1 (No traction aids)
Chris Mason took out the Standard class in his Suzuki Jimny. He has competed at CTC rounds in the past and this year he was one of several Wairarapa 4WD club members who competed in most of the season.
The lure of a Perspex trophy was all that was needed to get Chris to hobble out for the final round at Taihape despite injuring his knee the day before. He packed his family, including his Mum and Dad off to Taihape for the last round and he was rewarded with first place in the unmodified Class 1.
Judith Hintz is like the ever-perennial Frankie Valli who hits the high notes and hangs in there with a string of singalong hits. Like a rolling ball of thunder, what a lady and what a season, Judith put on typically clean performances and always finishes in her Suzuki Vitara putting her in second place in Class 1.
Class 2 (Auto traction aids)
Brendan Watchorn is the only person to have been to every round of the CTC ever held so firstly, I guess he likes it and secondly, he’s not too bad at doing it. This year he has emerged first in Class 2, but watch out Brendan, there are people nipping at your heels.
The Gen 3 Mitsubishi Pajero is a popular mount in most clubs these days and is the vehicle that all the place getters in Class 2 had beneath them.
Dave Smithson joined the series this year and had a barrel of fun by the looks of it. He was the king of “sending it” and the Pajero was almost strong enough to stand up to his abuse for a full day. He was second in class this year but when he finds a CV joint strong enough for his use, he could be unbeatable.
Natasha Smithson is our version of Lorde from her crazy helmet, pink hair to her boundless enthusiasm, she is a breath of fresh air to the competition. Natasha was only just in third place behind her Dad and he should be worried next season because she can be fast and furious.
Class 3 (Manual traction aids)
Steve Stewart took the honours this year in his diesel Nissan Patrol ably assisted by his sons in the co-driver’s seat. Steve is our gravel voiced Willie Nelson, if there’s a cloud of smoke out on the course its Steve or his coal burning Nissan.
Andrew Gee, the maestro, is like a largely misunderstood Jack White, a guitar virtuoso with all the special effects but what is he actually trying to say? After his first ever DNF in Taihape, every result became important with no chance to drop a poor result and that left him in second place for 2021.
Peter and Shirley Pope came third in their Jeep JK Wrangler, their do-everything truck and it trucks along nicely. Peter has been a member of Wairarapa Club longer than Elvis, with no signs of leaving the building just yet. Peter made the choice not to buy the Rubicon model because he felt its extra low gearing limited the use of the Jeep, he could be right because he does well without using the extreme tyres that everyone else uses.
Class 4 (Adjustable traction aids)
Dave Hintz narrowly squeaked into first place this year ahead of a strong showing by Brent Ward in the early part of the year. It came down to either of them having to win the last round on the day. Dave has been competing in all sorts of motorsport for years and in the early days he loved the P76 4.4 litre engine running it both in his rally car and his trials Land Rover. Nowadays he embraces the LS 1 in his Club Truck and Trials buggy.
Brent Ward was in the running for first place right up to the last round in Taihape but came away with second in Class 4. He keeps his eye by competing in National trials and this year Brent and his son Mike were the champions in K class. That class doesn’t allow the use of locking diffs and Brent felt that it helped them to carefully chose the line through the hazard to maintain traction.
Dave Seymour joined the series this year and put on good results to come in third in Class 4 in his Chev 350-powered Series1 Land Rover. His machine is so wide on offset rims that it doesn’t easily fit onto a trailer, but it makes for a nicely stable rig on sidlings.
These classes are defined in the series rules which can be found on the internet at www.sporty.co.nz/czctc/The-Rules-Hosting-a-round. But to build a vehicle to the rules is missing the point of the series, run what you bring and concentrate on driving and doing as many of the events as you can.
The 2022 season of CTC is due to start in October at a yet to be decided location so keep an ear out. The Tararua Club is also keen to put on an event at a new site (to us) near Tokomaru in the Manawatu that will be something new to our regular competitors as well.
