Motorkhana returns to saleyards

Motorkhana action returned to the Glenburnie Saleyards Complex for Round 3 of the SEAC 2024 Series on August 18.

A small field entered for this round as the event clashed with the Ararat Hillclimb, a part of the Cross Border Hillclimb series being held by several clubs, including SEAC.

Aaron Bowering assembled some interesting tests from the Motorkhana bible to give the 13 starters a challenge or two for the day.

Pleasing to see that 5 of the Junior entrants were first timers and 4 of the parents of these had also decided to compete as well, not just watch the fun taking place.

To get the drivers eye in, a Straight Slalom was the first test layout, simple and with a little wheel work, is a good one for new comers as well as a challenge for the seasoned drivers, to be the quickest home.

Jason Sims (picturd below left) made it look easy in the family Celica, topping the time sheet with a very tidy run stopping the clock at 23.47 seconds, closely followed by Damien Wilson (pictured above – 23.57) Aaron Bowering (23.87) Henry Sims (24.87) Geoff Wilson (pictured below right – 25.16) Scott Bradley (29.28) Dylan Maloney (29.35) Rebel Skirving (31.18) Duke Bradely (40.24) Levi Staude (42.46) Dylan Bowering (42.67) Jayden Maloney (69.15) and Henry Skirving (82.47).

Second run and A Bowering (23.05) took the top spot, from Henry Sims (23.62) G Wilson (23.87) J Sims (24.03) S Bradley (25.16) D Maloney (28.80) D Wilson (28.84) R Skirving (34.15) D Bowering (34.70) Levi Staude (38.48) D Bradley (39.05) J Maloney (65.80) and H Skirving (82.29).

Next course to be presented, Forward Reverse Slalom, involved reversing at 2 points and really put a challenge to the newcomers and to their credit, despite most of them not having any experience in reversing at all, got through without too many problems.

With his usual flair, Damien Wilson took on the challenge and headed the timesheet with a clean and quick run time of 34.31 seconds, closely followed by Aaron Bowering (37.32) Jason Sims (39.60) Geoff Wilson (42.64) Scott Bradley (44.20) Dylan Maloney (48.11) Henry Sims (48.62) Rebel Skirving (55.33) Dylan Bowering (57.51) Duke Bradley (80.29) Levi Staude (86.57) Jayden Maloney (117.50) and Henry Skirving (137.37).

Same test, second pass, D Wilson 1st (32.19) J Sims (35.88) 2nd, A Bowering (35.94) 3rd, G Wilson (39.53) 4th, S Bradley (43.54) 5th, H Sims (46.40) 6th, D Maloney (52.10) 7th, R Skirving (53.95) 8th, D Bowering (56.34) 9th, D Bradley (75.01) 10th, L Staude (83.21) 11th, J Maloney (97.57) 12th and H Skirving (118.46) 13th.

As some of these Juniors have not driven or reversed between markers on a set layout ever, the second run showed quite a large improvement in confidence and car control.

A change in course to the very enjoyable Spiro Slalom layout and rising junior Henry Sims made it look easy and set the time to beat with a 27.47 second run.

Next home, Geoff Wilson (27.61) Damien Wilson (27.62) Scott Bradley (28.34) Jason Sims (29.01) Rebel Skirving (30.07) Aaron Bowering (32.54) Dylan Maloney (37.46) Dylan Bowering (37.89) Duke Bradley (39.68) Levi Staude (42.19) Henry Skirving (48.25) and Jayden Maloney (60.32).

Second pass, Damien Wilson found his groove and his 25.81 second time made the top of the list, Henry Sims (26.95) next, Geoff Wilson (27.27) 3rd, Jason Sims (27.81) 4th, Aaron Bowering (27.97) 5th, Rebel Skirving (30.50) 6th, Scott Bradley (30.66) 7th, Dylan Bowering (32.12) 8th, Dylan Maloney (36.24) 9th, Duke Bradley (45.08) 10th, Levi Staude (46.92) 11th, Henry Skirving (48.74) 12th and Jayden Maloney (53.16) 13th.

Same layout, but this time the last part is to be done in reverse gear, just for something different. Still an enjoyable test though!

Top of the timesheet for the first run is Geoff Wilson, managing to reverse the big Magna through all the gaps in 37.89 seconds, with Damien next (39.55), Jason Sims (40.39) Scott Bradley (40.71) Aaron Bowering (43.27) Henry Sims (48.53) Rebel Skirving (49.16) Dylan Bowering (54.81) Dylan Maloney (57.71) Duke Bradley (58.95) Levi Staude (72.91) Henry Skirving (100.67) and Jayden Maloney (112.32).

Second pass at this, Damien Wilson got the chocolates with a 36.51 second pass, Jason Sims (40.38), Aaron Bowering (41.75), Dylan Maloney (41.96), Geoff Wilson (43.01), Henry Sims (43.51), Rebel Skirving (44.99), Scott Bradley (45.35), Dylan Bowering (50.49), Duke Bradley (61.71), Jayden Maloney (86.49), Levi Staude (92.13) and Henry Skirving (125.68).

Cone penalties were plentiful on this test, as they kept on hiding behind the car as it was rolling backwards.

Next layout to be set up is Multiple Loops and is a series of five loops, that can be quick to do, or, easy to get lost on the way.

Aaron Bowering, driving his underpowered N/A Subaru Wagon used all the traction available on this to get the quickest time on the first run, setting the time to beat at 34.20 seconds, Jason Sims was the best of the rest with a 35.44 second run, Damien Wilson (35.68) next, Scott Bradley finding a good line with his Falcon (36.76) 4th, Rebel Skirving (36.86), Dylan Maloney (36.87) 6th, Geoff Wilson (36.90) 7th, Duke Bradley (42.54) 8th, Henry Skirving, enjoying a bit of circle work in mum’s ute, (56.22) next, Jayden Maloney (66.49) 10th, Levi Staude (81.05) 11th and Dylan Bowering and Henry Sims both doing their own course, copping the WD penalty for the error.

Run again, Geoff Wilson drove a different line and got the Magna home in 33.88 to set the pace for this test.

Aaron Bowering (34.08) 2nd, Jason Sims (35.77) 3rd, Damien Wilson (36.13) 4th, Scott Bradley (36.62) 5th, Rebel Skirving (36.69) also enjoying the big Ute, 6th, Dylan Maloney (37.78) 7th, Dylan Bowering (37.86) 8th, Henry Sims (41.82) 9th, Duke Bradley (45.57) 10th, Levi Staude (48.88) 11th, Henry Skirving (53.29) 12th and Jayden Maloney (57.48) 13th.

Next test layout to be set up, Try Angles is a love/hate test.

It can be a rewarding and flowing test, or, you can get lost on it somewhere and score the dreaded WD penalty.

Setting the pace for the first run, Aaron Bowering got it right and stopped the clock at 29.64 seconds, closely followed by Damien Wilson (29.84) with Jason Sims (31.09) 3rd. Geoff Wilson managed a 31.36 for 4th, Dylan Maloney, enjoying the Laser all day, next, (32.04) 5th, Rebel Skirving (32.32) 6th, Dylan Bowering (32.28) 7th, Scott Bradley (40.76) 8th, Henry Skirving (47.62) 9th, Duke Bradley (59.57) 10th, Levi Staude (68.21) 11th and Henry Sims and Jayden Maloney both finding a different way home for a WD.

Second run at this tricky test, Damien Wilson set the pace (29.48) with Jason Sims close (30.59) and Aaron Bowering (31.18) 3rd. Scott Bradley sailed through this time (31.41) for 4th, Henry Sims (31.46) 5th, Rebel Skirving (32.42) 6th, Dylan Maloney (32.93) 7th, Duke Bradley (38.82) 8th, Jayden Maloney (49.30) 9th, Levi Staude (83.98) 10th. Geoff Wilson (Senior moment), Dylan Bowering and Henry Skirving all earning a WD for their own variations to this test.

Last change for the day, Gables is a tight layout that needs a lot of wheel work to get around, or, a good slide!

Damien Wilson showed his style and set the pace (39.74) for this run, Jason Sims working the wheel hard to be right behind (40.77), Henry doing the same in the same car (42.65) 3rd, Geoff Wilson with a handful in the Magna (43.32) 4th, Scott Bradley doing a good job in the Falcon (43.91) 5th, Dylan Maloney enjoying the nimble Laser (46.69) 6th, Rebel Skirving doing a great job in the Holden Ute all day (46.76) 7th, Dylan Bowering (73.25) 8th, Jayden Maloney (78.10) 9th, Levi Staude (79.32) 10th, Duke Bradley (84.59) 11th and Henry Skirving (136.97) 12th.

Aaron Bowering enjoying the WD penalty for his own version of this test.

Gables, Second attempt, Aaron Bowering got it right on this run and pinched the top time (38.92) from Jason Sims (41.57) and Geoff Wilson (42.06) 3rd, Scott Bradley (43.13) 4th, Damien Wilson getting a marker, costing him top run, (43.61) 5th, Henry Sims (44.10) 6th, Rebel Skirving (46.69) 7th, Dylan Maloney (47.58) 8th, Dylan Bowering (53.93) 9th, Jayden Maloney (66.28) 10th, Levi Staude (89.34) 11th, Henry Skirving (98.64) 12th and Duke Bradley (108.86) 13th.

Thanks go to all that helped set up and pack up at the venue, scorers, scrutineer, steward and catering crew in the Saleyards canteen, as well as Aaron Bowering for getting the event to happen.

Next event on the SEAC Calendar will be an Autocross at the SEAC Park Circuit, Megaw Road, this Sunday.