The Creek run was certainly extreme... and due to the deep shadows, very hard to photograph even using high iso as the speed was very low and movement blur was a real problem.
MAXXIS KING OF THE RIM
JULY 2010
Scenic Rim Adventure Park hosted the inaugural “King of the Rim” competition on July 17 at the park just outside Beaudesert in South East Queensland.
The local SES provided the food and drinks for the spectators at the play area which was used for the Short Course tracks and the start/finish of the Long Course Tracks.
Eight Buggy/Truggy Vehicles and five Extreme/winch vehicles entered the two classes with 4 stages being held.
1 - Long track – this track is about endurance and stamina over extreme terrain.
2 - Short track combined – full of obstacles, logs, large wombat holes and giant tyres.
3 - Class specific track in the same area as 2.
4 - Night run – this track is Scenic Rim Adventure Park’s signature track, there is
no other creek run like this in Australia and it will be lit up for the drive.
With competitors from as far away as Sydney it promised to be a huge day of action and excitement
The Long Course Track for the Buggies incorporated the lower end of the creek in the spectator areas where the competitors had to tackle some large boulders in the creek bed before heading up to the top of the range above the campground.
A steep dropoff caught out the front heavy Mog as it headed downhill and it end over ended before getting caught by the back wheel on a tree stopping its plummet to the campground area below.
Luckily for the driver Geoff, the heavier than usual cage held up to the pummelling with very little damage to the bodywork although the broken components underneath ended their run.
Those that continued on followed the ridges to the top end of the creek where the adventure really began.
Rhett Bryant arrived at the top of the creek with his Suzuki needing some water which was supplied by the creek they were about to try and traverse.
With water topped up after skirting the deep hole under the first waterfall they drove down the slide of the next waterfall before hugging the base of the overhang to clear some large boulders then drove over the edge of the ledge on an angle with no dramas.
The next chasm caused all the drivers some dramas to make sure they straddled the hole in the middle while keeping their left wheels on a near vertical rock face, one slip and they were going to be there for a long time.
The next waterfall was a very steep drop into a pool of soft sand with the rear of Rhetts buggy needing to be held down by a strap attached to a tree and lowered carefully while starting his turn to the right.
It might have been very good decision as the Michael Sweeney’s Suzuki buggy, II Evil drove straight down it but got stuck in the sand with the front jammed against the large boulders on the exit.
After a good try to get out they broke the front diff and only had one rear wheel driving so had to winch them selves out.
A couple of huge rocks a bit further on was driven by Rhett and Snake Racing but II Evil winched down it and Dave Camp rolled his blue buggy trying to drive it, they soon continued on when Justin in the Orange Buggy arrived and winched then back on their wheels with the blue buggy now looking decidedly second hand.
The next waterfall comprised three ledges not quite a wheelbase apart and Rhett once again strapped the buggy to lower it down, Evil II were about to winch themselves down backwards when the Snake Racing Buggy arrived so the quickly got themselves out of the way allowing Matt to drive over the edge in a controlled manner with their slightly longer wheelbase.
The Snake Racing Boys got stuck a short while later when the diffed out but soon were mobile again and had no more problems as the creek run gets a bit easier as it levels out.
This track is a Mecca for those wanting an extremely difficult track over a few kilometres to really test out their buggies and the Snake Racing boys had their buggy very well sorted for this type of terrain making it look relatively easy.
Trackside repairs and self recovery is mandatory if you intend to try this track as no one can get in to tow you out.
The Long Course for the Extreme Class used the tough tracks and hills on the other side of the valley; Only Chris Wood was still running by the end due to mechanical damage taking it toll on the rest of the Competitors
The action shifted back to the spectator areas where the two classes tackled the man made obstacles on the Short Course Track then they split into two separate courses in the same area for the next stage.
In the Buggy class The Huge Dump Truck Tyres caused some problems after someone destroyed the bunting, Rhett tried to drive all 4 wheels over them getting stuck severely and having to use a large branch to lever the buggy off while other competitors only drove two wheels over the edge of the tyres.
The wombat holes only served to slow the buggies with all of them driving the deep holes easily.
The huge holes in the S bends has the suspension working overtime to try and keep the competitors vehicles on the ground and the log wall at the end of this section caused most vehicles to have more than one go to try and get all four wheels up it.
The Extreme class competitors dropped into the creek then drove back up the bank before negotiating some deep holes which claimed Chris Wood.
As he powered up and out of the holes the front left of the Bobbed GQ wagon lifted too far and he rolled gently onto its side, Navigator Chris Brame soon had the winch connected and they righted themselves to continue on without losing much time at all.
All that Winch Comp practise sure comes in handy at times like this.
Driving off the Dump Truck Tyres showed up the advantage of the Bobbed rear end with no overhang to get caught on the way down and they made short work of those before carefully straddling the wombat holes on the way down to the end of the play area then a U turn brought them back to the Tyres which they ran two tyres over before zig zagging their way back to the finish line.
The Extreme class Yellow 60 series Ute was repaired in time for this track but found itself severely hung up on the tyres and took quite a while to get off with the use of the highlift jack before completing the rest of the course with no problems.
The Cals Creek run was lit up that night for the fourth and final stage with the sound of crunching metal and revving engines echoing down the valley in the chilly night air.
Most decided to stay back at the camp though as the freezing winds kept all but the most hardened spectator close to the warmth of the campfire.
At the end of a tough and gruelling day of hardcore action the Snake Racing buggy expertly driven by Matt Dunk and navi Mitch Ward claimed the honours for the Buggy Class while Chris Wood and navi Chris Brame in the Bobbed 2.8 TD GQ Wagon took out the title in the Extreme Class.
Mark this event in your diary for November 26 as the lessons learnt from this Inaugural event will only help to improve this unique event on the 4WD calendar !
. Shane Gerrish
Rhett Bryant
Michael Sweeney
Matt Dunk
After the creek run i walked all the way back down to the play area to see the stages in the spectator area.
Justin Kerr
Chris Wood
Matt Dunk
Rhett Bryant
Dave Camp
Justin Kerr
Bruce Fraser
Geoff Thompson's broken Mog
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