The magnificent Silver Fern Rally of New Zealand crossed 3000 kms of beautiful South Island Mountain passes, hills, forest tracks and fast gravel countryside roads, to finally finish back in Christchurch after seven hard days and 43 competitive special stages.
In a major test of endurance for crews and rally cars, the NET-HERO team of Tony Jardine (UK) and Warwick Martin (NZ) had risen to seventh place by Leg four, the Bryce Biggs run team continually welding a broken exhaust manifold until a new system was fitted at the Dunedin halt to keep the crew in contention.
With 1845 kms run and two special stages left of Leg five, the Historic class 1985 1600 cc Twin Cam Toyota Corolla dramatically slewed sideways to a halt. It was jammed in gear after parts of a failed bearing dropped into the transmission savaging the flywheel on the appropriately named 12 km Cannibal Bay Road stage.
The team had to miss four special stages, including the early part of Leg 6 as an alternative gearbox was sourced late at night in Invercargill and fitted by 3.00 am with the final parts grabbed from a Toyota dealer as it opened its doors at 8.00 am. After a frantic rendezvous between Jardine, Martin and crew with the refreshed car, the team then dashed across country to re-join the rally taking the time penalties which dropped them down the order.
Second place finisher and experienced Kiwi rally driver Jeff Judd, who had ‘last minute’ loaned the team his Toyota after their original car failed, told Tony Jardine; “ It is such a big challenge and there are so many variables, you just don’t know what’s going to hit you next.” Indeed it did, on the final day, Leg seven, leaving service the panhard rod holding the rear suspension in place snapped in two. More anxious moments as the team lashed a makeshift strap across the axle and sent Jardine wobbling on his way whilst they went on the hunt for a welder.
Midday service in Methven with welded rod back in place, Tony Jardine and Warwick Martin set two top five times before finally arriving back relieved and happy for the finish at Riccarton Park race course in Christchurch taking tenth place overall and winning the 1600 cc class.
Tony Jardine commented; “It was touch and go at times whether we would get back in, I was definitely feeling anxious – but Bryce Biggs and his crew were incredibly resourceful and diligent and found fixes where I thought none was possible! I have long held the ambition of driving in the Silver Fern Rally and finally despite the ‘heart stopping’ moments of car changes, broken manifolds and gearboxes, my dream of finishing the event has come true –and in the top ten!
A massive thanks to Bryce Biggs and Ultimate Rally Group boss Peter Martin who with his team runs such a brilliant rally across the best rally roads in the world, and my New Zealand co driver Warwick Martin who put up with me. I am also proud that that we have totally offset our carbon exhaust emissions from the Toyota in this rally via NET-HERO, an important part for motor sport to play in the future and beyond.
