The Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge is certainly one of the most entertaining motorsport events in New Zealand, if not Australasia. Here NZ4WD’s Ashley Lucas kicks off our comprehensive coverage of the 2021 event.
Held for the 6th time, the Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge is the brainchild of Dan Cowper and is held at his property at Turakina, a venue that offers good access and viewing of the whole event for spectators which this year seemed to break all previous records for numbers. The event is also filmed for TV and centres around providing challenges for the best of the best teams in NZ as well as close up action for spectators. Despite rain in the days leading up to the event the weather was fine and sunny making it a great day out for all.
For obvious Covid reasons, the event was postponed last year, so for 2021 it combined the top 10 finishers from the 2020 and 2021 NXZ 4x4 Trials Championships, culminating in 13 competitors lining up to battle for the honour of being the “Top Gun’ for 2021.
Scott Biggs from Auckland was once again the overall winner of the 2021 NZ 4x4 Trials Championship trials season and was out to repeat his double from 2019 but he would not have it all his own way. Bridesmaid at the Suzuki Extreme event more times than he cares to remember, Hamish Auret (with Paul Barnes alongside in the 222 Racing CowperTruck) were looking to knock the Nitro Customs boys down a peg and were hungry for a win, especially as this would be Hamish’s “swansong” as he bowed out of the sport. Also, out to make a showing was Kevin Hermansen and Nick Hamilton in “The Gambler” the new totally independent suspension with rear wheel steer CowperTruck fitted with the latest tyres from Mickey Thompson, the Baja Pro X.
Simple format
The format is simple, they participate over the 12 purpose-built courses, each with 10 ‘gates’ worth 100 points each (maximum 1000 per course) and the winner is the one who accrues the most points during the day. The starting order is predetermined and rotates ensuring that every competitor had a chance at being first and last on a course. They must run in the same order throughout the day or are penalised half points if out of running order. Competitors are not allowed to touch the course boundary tape and new for 2021 was that they were allowed to stop and back up but they had to complete the course within a 60 second time limit. If they backed up and touched a peg, even after clearing it, they lost those points.
Philip Walton and Brendan Austin in “The Avenger” were still coming to grips with the major changes that had been made to the vehicle in the Nitro workshops. Gone was the triple airbag suspension in favour of the ORI Shocks and the vehicle was now slightly longer, running longer suspension arms.
Mt Egmont’s Wayne Buckthought and daughter Rachel were newcomers to the Suzuki Extreme in their Howat Built vehicle and so were South Waikato’s Phil Cameron and Beau Taylor in another LS2 powered Nitro Customs built vehicle. With six CowperTrucks and six Nitro Customs (or Nitro modified) vehicles in the field it was an even split as to which constructors would be on the podium at the end of the day.
This is how the day started out:
Course 1 Banks Cranes “Up for the Challenge” Consisted of a very steep ridge to cross on side of bank with the last gates up the top of a steep climb. Greg McDell was first up and he quickly became bellied and stuck only getting 200 points. Jarred Biggs rolled off the top hitting the tape but still managed 700 points and 12th place on the course. This first course has never been kind to Derek Smyth and today was no exception. He had a good run and even managed plenty of air to get over the top but landed hard on uneven ground causing the body to touch when the suspension fully compressed and he injured his back. Ambulance staff were on hand and he was taken to hospital. Kevin “Hermy” Hermansen in The Gambler broke his accelerator on landing the big jump and failed to clear the last gate. Philip Walton, Neville Mather, Dave McKie, Hamish Auret and Russell Luders all cleared the course and came away with 1000 points each.
Course 2 BB Construction “No Time for Smoko”; A speed course around a yellow peg and back. Both Philip Walton and Stuart Earle hit the tape on the first corner and were given points based on slowest time, shared with Dave McKie who hit the tape as he finished. Jarred Biggs rolled again and also hit the tape. Phil Cameron got a lot of air under the front due to a broken front arm digging in and flipping him backwards off the hill. Hamish Auret had the perfect run for top points putting him in an overall lead of just 50 points ahead of Neville Mather who was second quickest. Russell Luders picked up 800 points to put himself in third place so far.
Course 3 BNT “Make it or Break it” Starts with a steep hill then winds back down for a stepped climb to the top. The field was reduced to just nine competitors with Hermy, Phil Cameron and Wayne Buckthought out for repairs. Wayne was having power steer issues so was swapping out the pump. The course was not easy to complete within the 60 seconds time limit with most who did only managed scores of 600-700 points. Seems the course improved as the last two to attempt it were Greg McDell and Scott Biggs who both came away with 900 points each. Hamish only managed 700 point and whilst he still held the overall lead with 2700 he now had both Neville Mather and Scott Biggs only 50 points behind on 2650.
Course 4 Mickey Thompson Tires “Send it like a Boss” This was the infamous larger tyres course which they had to drive over and this year had to also get back over again to finish. Philip Walton was first up and managed to get around to the tyres losing points on gates 1,3 and 5 however he got over the tyres with too much pace and rolled out of the course only getting 500 points leaving him in 4th place. Scott Biggs also rolled off the tyres on his second pass reducing his points tally.
Stuart Earle was too enthusiasts at the first set of tyres and flew into the hollow straight after hurting his back as well which would see him out for the rest of the day. Hermy was back but again broke the plastic accelerator pedal after jumping the big tyres and Phil Cameron was back after repairing his breakages on course 2 but was out of order and only got half points. Hamish Auret was once again king of the tyres with a perfect run claiming 1000 points extending his slender lead over Neville Mather to 250 points.
Course 5 Optimo “Heavy Duty Grime Time”; Super steep off camber start with a splash through the man-made water hole followed by a steep and greasy climb up the bank to the finish. Hermy Hermansen and Phil Cameron were back but running out of order thus receiving only half points. Neville Mather was first up and started clearing the first seven gates into the water hole but couldn’t get up the bank on first attempt and backed into the tape so came away with only 700 points. Hamish’s engine didn’t like the water and cut out ending his good run to that point and only got 500 points. Greg McDell, Jarred Biggs and Philip Walton all managed to get 900 points whilst the course win went to Scott Biggs with maximum points putting him 2nd equal with Neville Mather and reducing Hamish’s lead to just 50 points.
Course 6 Broadway Accounting Solutions “Collateral damage” Started off with a jump and then into a series of deep and off camber hollows and humps which proved tricky for a few. The humps and hollows would be the undoing of Hermy Hermansen and independent suspension of The Gambler when he took one hump too slow and was bellied with no traction at gate 6. Wayne ‘Bucky’ Buckthought provided a few moments of drama when he caught fire midway through the course. Fire extinguishers quickly put it out which was caused by power steer fluid leaking from his troublesome steering pump that continued to give him grief.
Hamish would complete the course with 800 points after missing two gates whilst Neville only missed one giving him 900 points. Greg McDell and Jarred Biggs also finished with 900 points but it was Phil Cameron followed by Scott Biggs that would both pick up 1000 points each improving their respective positions.
This meant at the halfway point of the day 650 points separated the top five places. Scott Biggs had taken the lead with 5150 points with Neville Mather second on 5050 relegating Hamish Auret to third with 5000 points. Greg McDell was holding fourth on 4700, Jarred Biggs fifth with 4500 points.
Next month we will look at the second half and see how the pressure to win began to take its toll on the vehicles with even bigger airtime, more breakages and plenty more action.
Side note: Stuart Earle was back that evening for prize giving and his back injury would recover quickly. Derek Smyth on the other hand spent a couple of days in hospital with several vertebrae cracked or compressed but he will come through okay, declaring he should have recovered sufficiently for the start of the 2021/2022 season later this year.
