Driver: Greg Smith
Navigator: Karen Smith
The car: 1964 Ford Falcon XM Ute
SUMMARY – 2013
Australia Classic rally
43 cars have completed the challenges of Australia Classic 2013 Cairns, the precision classic car rally that concluded on 24th of June. The Awards Gala dinner was held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Cairns with competitors, marshals, sponsors and their guests attending.
A couple driving and navigating a 49-year-old Ford Falcon has won the second Australia Classic rally, covering 600 kms on the region’s roads over two days.
Mr Smith and his navigator-wife Karen scored the least with 1,772 points followed by the last year’s winner car 44, an AC Cobra replica driven by Andrew Chand and Luke Olholm with 1,926 points and car 32, a Porsche 930 Turbo driven by Les and Dane Forrester, were third with 2,231 points.
Mr Smith said he did not know how he won:
“I guess we understood it a lot more this year. I think it’s fantastic! I’m not really a car show type but we’ve made a lot of friends, who have good heads on their shoulders, they are not just petrol heads.It’s a really professional event and we had a really good time. My wife and I didn’t fight once.”
Competitors were required to follow a roadbook sign by sign, for 600 kms. In between the legs of the journey challenges were completed to the 100th of a second accuracy. Organiser Zoltan Vandulek said that aside from the precision required by the drivers and navigators, everyone brought a little silliness to the classic rally competition.
“Some dressed up to match the era of their vehicle while others had their name and team embroidered on their uniform and highlighted by decals on their car.
NEWS FROM 2013