Huge crowd, great weather, spectacular action

A record crowd of around 5000 people turned out to catch all the spectacular action in this year’s Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge.
The day was held on organiser Dan Cowper’s farm property at Turakina. A course of terraformed obstacles carved out of the hillsides tested every competitor and there were a number of rollovers and tip-overs on the day.
“Beautiful weather, awesome crowd, all the drivers put on a really good show and there were a few whoopsies; couldn’t ask for more really,” he said
“A bit of carnage, a few rollovers but everyone finished the event.”
The competition went right to the wire, requiring a run-off to decide second and third.
Cowper builds specialised 4WD trials vehicles based around a full space frame (tube) chassis and roll cage and high output V8 engines producing up to 450kW (600bhp).
There was an added bonus for Cowper: this year, one of his trucks won the event for the first time in seven years.
The event has been running for eight years, and arose from Dan’s vision for a one-off challenge that brought out the best drivers in the sport to compete on a carefully designed course that would challenge all their off-road skills.
“We had a piece of land here with a spectator area in the middle and could put courses all around the outside. A natural amphitheatre. That meant we could create a perfect spectator event and a great bit of TV.”
The latter brought Suzuki on board as main sponsor, and created compelling motorsport TV that screens every year on Three’s CRC Motorsport show.
Whanganui’s Kevin Hermansen and co-driver Nick Hamilton were outright winners, with the run-off for second between Sam Thomsen and Scott Biggs proving the highlight of the day for many in the crowd. Thomsen said the day went ‘pretty smoothly’ with minimal errors which proved the difference for himself and co-driver Mitch Caldow.
“We were dropping in and out of the lead all day so that was cool and then we were a bit unlucky with the tape on the last course which put us to second equal. Then in the shoot-off with Scott Biggs we managed to take second.”
Scott Biggs was well pleased with the battle.
“We came from behind today and I can hardly believe the result. One of the hardest days of competition ever. The truck performed really well.”
Biggs said the run-off was unexected.
“You couldn’t have scripted what happened in those last few courses.”
Vocal support from the massive crowd made a huge impression.
“The crowd makes all the difference when you’re out on the course and it makes a great day of competition.”
Biggs and co-driver Jamie Taylor had been prevented from mounting a full 2022 defence of their national 4WD Trials title by Covid lockdowns and the ‘bubble’ imposed on Auckland, but won the final national round before heading to the Suzuki Extreme event.
Cowper is planning to hold the next event in May 2023, returning it to its usual date after the Covid ‘traffic light’ system derailed timings this year.

Watch some V8-powered action from this year’s event here:
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=it8Ow30igds
TV3 has the coverage in its Ondemand service.
And SKY Speed also carries the coverage.
CowperTrucks Facebook page has full CRC Motorsport coverage and more.