Story and photo by Andrew Gee
Anticipation is the word of the moment, the eighth season of the Central Zone Club Truck Challenge (CTC) is due to start imminently.
We finished last season with really close results and battle is due to recommence with many of the same combatants returning for another year. Mark Smith has pulled out all the stops to modify his Jeep Wrangler for better suspension performance but will that be enough?
Marty Green has been the king of the modified class for the last three years in the Stone Age Land Cruiser but Hintzy has a very tidy Nissan Patrol with LS1 power that storms hills and bogs with the guidance of his co-driver Grace.
Judith Hintz was awarded the McMinn trophy by the NZFWDA at this year's conference to celebrate her continued participation in 4WD club events, including the CTC, and the amazing generosity of the Hintz family.
Our event at their farm last year was brilliant on all accounts: terrain, barby, accommodation and hospitality. Our furthest foray North will be put on by the Desert Defenders club again near Ohakune and they can be relied on to organize a good weekend away.
Last season sixteen people had scores from three or more rounds to put them in the running for overall series positions. Only seven points separated Marty, Mark, Dave MacGinnity and Andrew Gee at the end of the five rounds
Mark Watchorn has been working hard to put together a calendar for this coming season and has four events so far, starting on October 27 in Taranaki, followed by Feilding on November 18. Into 2019 we will go to Ohakune in February and Capital Cruisers Club intend to bring the competition to Wellington.
Information including the vehicle requirements can be found at www.czctc.org.nz. Any questions can be posted to the Events forum on the NZFWDA website.
To read the full story in the October 2018 issue of NZ4WD go to Zinio.com (September 14) or purchase your own hard copy at the Adrenalin store.
