When we left the Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge last month the action was building up with lead changes and only 150 points separating the top three crews. In this, the second instalment of Ashley Lucas’s blow-by-blow coverage of this popular 4x4 Trials event we look at how it was won – and lost!
And so, effectively at the halfway point in the day-long comp, recently crowned NZ#1 Scott Biggs had taken the lead off local hero Hamish Auret (relegating him to third in fact) with Neville Mather holding second as they headed into the second half of the courses. Greg McDell was fourth, Jarred Biggs fifth.
Whilst the first six courses had been revised versions of previous years with the mud sections deleted showing environmental responsibility, the following six courses were a little different. In addition, vehicles were being pushed to their limits with most getting plenty of ‘air,’ and some, some particularly hard landings so finishing would be a matter of ‘driving to survive.’ ‘To finish first, first you have to finish,’ is how the saying goes.
Simple is as simple does
Remember, the format was simple. Each pair 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. They also only have 60 seconds to complete each course so the pressure is always there.
Let’s see how they did, who broke and who would fall off the leader’s board with those breakages.
Course 7 Fast Lane Spares “Time Attack”; another speed section with a jump at the start and then around the loop to a ditch. Crossing it would be quicker, going around will be slower. First up was Kevin “Hermy” Hermansen in the Gambler. He chose to try and cross the ditch but broke a front lower suspension arm and had to be recovered out. Next up was Wayne and Rachel Buckthought who opted to go the long way around the drain and finished with a time of 1.03.02 which eventually proved to be the slowest time on the course.
Hamish Auret was next and successfully crossed the ditch to finish in 35.76 seconds. Thereafter, all managed to drive the ditch with Jarred Biggs taking maximum points with a time of 25.43 and Neville Mather second with a time of 28.75 seconds. Phil Cameron hit the tape early on so only got 600 points based on slowest time. Phil Walton was still out doing repairs missing the course and getting no points. Scott Biggs was fourth fastest getting 800 points but now lost his overall lead to Neville Mather who now had 6000 points overall. Hamish Auret still held third place on 5700 points and Greg McDell fourth with 5600 points.
Course 8 Hermansen Contracting “If in Doubt Flat Out”; consisted of a twisty set of humps before getting to the big hill which they needed the ’full gas’ treatment if any of the crews were to get over the top. The father and daughter team of Wayne and Rachel Buckthought were first up hitting a couple of gates and then failing the hill climb. Hamish Auret was next and while he successfully made the hill, he had hit gate four losing a valuable 100 points from his total. Russell Luders didn’t make the hill and only came away with 600 points. Phil Cameron was next, but he broke his rear driveshaft on the hill after getting some good air in the first part of the climb.
The strain was beginning to show with Scott Biggs the next victim, coming out of gate 4 when a front upper link broke and the diff rolled up under the vehicle. Greg McDell took two attempts at the hill and came back down taking out pegs on the way leaving him with only 500 points.
Jarred Biggs was the first to get over the top for maximum points followed by Neville Mather and ‘Hermy’ Hermansen, who wasn’t going to be shown up on his own sponsored course. Philip Walton was back but found the top two gates a step too far getting 800 points leaving him in 8th place.
Neville Mather now had the lead with 7000 points but there was something wrong with the front diff as it seemed to skip half a turn and the clunking could be clearly heard, meaning it was doubtful he would get to finish. Hamish Auret, meanwhile, held second with 6600 points from Jarred Biggs in third place on 6500 points.
Course 9 Explorer Motorhomes “Off the Grid”; A series of sharp banks both up and down with a sidling around the hill to the finish. This course proved very difficult and tricky for everyone except Scott Biggs who was the only one to clear all gates but as he was running out of order after repairing the damage from the previous course he only got half points. Phil Cameron also only got half points after his repairs.
Most others either missed gates in order to finish or hit gates in their attempts to get through and seven would tie for 700 points on the course, including Philip Walton, Hermy Hermansen, Greg McDell, Dave McKie, Hamish Auret, Wayne Buckthought and Russell Luders.
Neville Mathers nursing that damaged diff came away with 600 points and still led overall with 7600 points from Hamish Auret on 7300 and Jarred Biggs still held on to third place 150 points ahead of brother Scott on 6850 in fourth.
Course 10 4WD Bits “Race to the Sky”; This was the third and final timed speed course around some tight pegs and cornering, then a climb to the end with a tempting jump across the track. Jumping would definitely be quicker but it has its perils. Phil Cameron was first up and took on the jump at the end but on landing clipped the last course tape and peg so would get lowest score of 550 points.
Next up was Greg McDell who chose to drive the hill resulting in a time of 30.83 resulting in 8th for the course. Scott Biggs was next, and he literally flew over the hill through the finish with a time of 27.60 only to do forward cartwheel end-over-end roll before finally landing on all four wheels.
However he had bent both rear arms and split open the front axle housing. Very quickly the team was at work bringing a support truck up with crane, welders, generators, etc. Jarred Biggs didn’t shy away even after watching Scott’s roll and actually had the exact same time resulting in them both sharing third fastest time.
Philip Walton meanwhile made an uncharacteristic error on the last tight corner and went into the tape, also only getting 550 points, leaving Hermy Hermansen in The Gambler flying through the finish in 27.72 for fourth place.
Though still nursing his buggy’s damaged front diff Neville Mathers also took the jump (and in doing so set the fastest time with 25.62 and 1000 points slightly extending his overall lead over Hamish Auret who also took the jump finishing with 27.13 for second place.
Third overall was Jarred Biggs with 7900 maintaining that 150 points lead over Scott in fourth place.
Course 11 Biggs Construction “King of the Hammers”; This course was a series of big dugouts making it as rough as possible to drive between the pegs. It would be easy to belly out on the mounds or break gear on the way through. All eyes were on Neville Mather and how that diff would hold up but first in was Phil Cameron who struggled in the middle section and then bellied on the nine-peg finishing with only 300 points. Jarred Biggs didn’t fare much better taking out pegs, including the number 10 receiving only 400 points.
Philip Walton’s rear steer helped him through the course with nine clear gates only to miss the tenth. He and Russell Luders would be the only ones to take the best tally of points, 900 each, however.
Wayne Buckthought was next best with 800 points but by now he was nowhere close to contention for the top placings. The middle section proved very challenging especially around gates six to eight with several ending up on their sides, including Hermy Hermansen and Hamish Auret who only managed to add 500 points to his score.
Scott Biggs was repaired and nearly rolled himself but made an excellent save avoiding pegs and tape and backed up to clear eight gates but because he was running out of order only received 400 points. Neville Mather nursed that noisy front diff and nearly rolled too but came through with 700 points to retain his lead overall 550 points ahead of Hamish and 1000 points ahead of Jarred Biggs.
Course 12 Goodman’s “4x4 Excavator”; was another course with a series of dug outs up the hill side making things steep and back down only to climb back up to the finish. The course looked daunting, especially with rain water in the holes. The question was would Neville’s failing diff head hold out one last time or would it fail big time early on allowing Hamish to take the event overall and breaking his spell of always being ‘the bridesmaid and never the bride’?
Greg McDell was first up and hit gates three and nine finishing with 800 points and knocking off the edges of the dugouts in the process. Scott Biggs was next, leaping in and out of each of the dugouts, clearing all the gates taking maximum points as did Jarred Biggs and Philip Walton.
Next up was Neville Mather with the clunky front diff and all eyes were firmly on his progress but Neville and co-driver Richard Verner drove it steadily and calculated getting through clear and maintaining the lead overall.
Everyone else went clear as well apart from Phil Cameron who was the last one and clipped gates eight and nine to come away with 800 points.
It was tense over the last few courses with plenty of action as the competitors, all trying extremely hard coping with vehicle breakages but somehow that front diff of Neville’s held out long enough for him to take the win and the cash and ensure Hamish Auret was once again the bridesmaid.
The Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge 2021 certainly lived up once again to its reputation as the toughest and most entertaining 4x4 events in New Zealand. They stayed out of the mud, but the high-flying antics of New Zealand’s elite 4x4 trials competitors certainly made watching it a great event once again.
