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4x4: Whanganui's Hamish Auret finishes fourth and slips out of title picture
February 11, 2019
The NZ crown is now beyond his reach but Whanganui driver Hamish Auret has plenty left to drive for in the 2018-19 4x4 National Trials after a hot and hard afternoon in the Waikato on Saturday.
Auret and co-driver Paul Barnes finished fourth both overall and in D-Class at the Whatawhata course near Hamilton, in blistering hot conditions where 12 of the 44 trucks were unable to complete the 28 obstacles.
The pair also had a scary moment where they rolled on one obstacle and Barnes suffered a knock to the head, feeling unwell for the rest of the round and ultimately having to get medical clearance from the St John's ambulance staff to continue.
"He certainly didn't want to back up after that either," said Auret.
"He's as tough as old boots."
Normally Auret would appreciate the challenging obstacles which had been set for the course, thanks to the advantage in power from his 7.0-litre Corvette engine.
However, the extreme heat in the Waikato countryside was taking its toll on men and machines waiting in the valley's, where the sun-baked ground was rock hard.
"It was like rolling down on concrete. It was a day to drive and survive," said Auret, who kept up a steady intake of fluids.
'It was a really tough day at the office, we were lucky to finish.