The National Final of the 2020/2021 NZ 4x4 Trials Championship was held over ANZAC weekend by the Hawke’s Bay 4WD Club, at Argyll in Central Hawke’s Bay.

The trial was located 15 minutes inland over hill country from the main road and quickly turned into a showdown between the two Biggs brothers, Scott and Jarred, who were the only two in contention for the NZ#1 plate, after last season’s champs, Greg and Chris McDell, pulled out due to injury.

Three out of four

Then with Jarred Biggs and Fleche Crawford out in the afternoon due to a loss of oil pressure, Scott Biggs and Sam Thomsen pushed hard to win the day along with first in D Class and first Overall for the season, Scott’s third title in four years.

In second place Derek Smyth and Paul Chapman enjoyed a strong afternoon to score their best result of the season, with Philip Walton and Brendan Austin finishing third along with claiming the NZ#3 spot for the season.

In C Class Rhys O’Brien and Clarrie Vazey had to finish several places ahead of Nathan Fogden and Dan Cowper for an outside chance at class honours for the year. However, they could only manage fourth on the day, behind Nathan and Dan, Mitchell Caldow and Jamie Elms, and Marcus Thomsen and Caleb Adlam.

Nathan Fogden and Mitchell Caldow enjoyed a strong day to both finish in the Top 10 with 6th and 10th respectably. This left Nathan Fogden and Mike Gibbons class champs once more, followed by Rhys O’Brien and Clarrie Vazey, and Shayne Towers and Tony Hadleigh.

Son of a gun!

E Class saw the second generation of Nathan Fogden’s ‘Zook-Sport’ make its debut, with son Cody Fogden at the wheel of Nathan’s 2014 class winning Suzuki SJ413, and former E Class champ Glenn D’Ath sitting alongside.

Despite Cody’s relative inexperience, together the pair managed to finish only 40 points shy of the nearest K Class truck (their closest competition). In comparison, E Class champs for the season Daniel Howat and Cole Stockler could only manage 150 points at best during their campaign.

Sean Cushing and Blair Leitch enjoyed a trouble-free day in their ‘Dirty Evo’ J Class buggy, finishing the day in first which enabled them to equalise J Class honours for the year along with Hayden McGill and Barry Williams.

In K Class Brent and Michael Ward duly won again in a now three season-long winning streak, claiming the K Class title for a fourth time. Daniel Whiting and Willow Eayrs, like many, were caught out getting bellied on the day, finishing second in Class on the day and for the year.

The first round of the 2021-2022 season is to be held in the Whakatane region by the E.B.T.D.C., during Labour Weekend in October.