Format for Northland WC, What do you want?

[darinz]

I'm just sorting out exactly what will be happening and I thought I'd ask you guys what you actually want to do. Obviously guys planning on coming are the most relevant but all ideas welcome.

I'm basically decided to run things pretty low key. The planned GPS stage is going to be run later in the year and will probably be a completely stand alone event. It could be a very good summer event due to the location.

So I'm thinking scrutineer Friday afternoon (3-6pm). Night stage Friday night.
All day Saturday and Sunday untill 2pm. Prize giving and then travel home Sunday night.
That would allow the guys in Auckland have only a half day on Friday off work.

Also I was thinking club class and competition class trucks running but have them in seperate groups. The tracks would be changed slightly for club class mainly to enable low mount winches and to maintain safety.
With this in mind the club class would follow along similar lines to the recent event at the 4x4 Extreme Park.

Entry fee will be kept to a minimum and the stages will all be within a very small area so once you are onsite there will be very little travel envolved. Camping will be available.

For those that came up last year, it will be similar to that but we'll mark the tracks to comp level and organise more marshals etc to normal comp level. BUT try and keep the same atmosphere.
The tracks will be different as over half the site we were using has been bulldozed into the valley, but we still have access to what is left and also the forest we used in the first year.

So ideas, help etc is all appreciated. I'll try and talk to everyone at Vegas to see what the feeling is.

Darin

[monstr]

Hi Darin Have you got a confirmed date ,as we are looking at running another club class only event same rules etc as the last one ,we were thinking of over Labour weekend but dont want it to clash with yours .Steve

[mudlvr]

Steve, we were planning on running ours the week after labour weekend

[monstr]

No problem well run ours in the new year..

[darinz]

I'm looking at the last weekend of August so that is half way between Vegas and Labour weekend.

[PeterVahry]

Hi Darrin, I've heard that Manukau 4WD have a challenge being planned for November too. I'll chase that up and see if a date has been sorted.
On the 29/30 November there is a major outdoors expo in Auckland that the NZFWDA are likely to be involved with too, so we'd prefer that weekend be kept clear of other 4x4 events.

Peter

[mudlvr]

Peter date for Manukau is 8th -9th November

[wopass]

Peter date for Manukau is 8th -9th November

is that manukau club class winch comp event ? details please can you pm me with them or post.thanks

keen to do a few club class comps so the more details about them the better

[monstr]

Hi Ben.The one were planning will be run over a weekend a couple of day stages in the afternoon camping overnite and a full day following,were hopeing to run it over a long weekend to give out of towners time to travel back home ,when we get the ffiner details sorted ill put up a post to see what sort of interest we get and see if people want a nite stage or two ..Steve

[TeLexs]

Have you any dates for the challange yet . We are keen to come up from Taupo and play in the sun . My email is performancemechanical@xtra.co.nz . Any Info would be good.accomadation.location.etc Cheers Klem
pS MY PTO WINCH IS BIGGER THAN WOPASS .

[xj]

NO-ONES is bigger than wopwop's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[skid]

NO-ONES is bigger than wopwop's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ummmmmm as embarrassing as it sounds I've seen the size of Wops and I was there when Klems was going in, and unfortunately for you fullas that live closer to the bombays, things really are bigger in Taupo and judging by the recent finish at the Vegas winch challenge, where Klem and Mike came second..........................

size does matter

[xj]

Musta been a frosty morning last time you peeked at wopwop's!

[skid]

Musta been a frosty morning last time you peeked at wopwop's!

ROFLMAO

[TeLexs]

We need dates . Have truck in bits . Need dates please.Cheers Klem

[darinz]

Can confirm dates are 6th and 7th September. Scrutineering will be Friday night with a BIG day on Saturday and finishing mid Sunday afternoon. We are setting tracks this weekend and I'll have details on entry costs etc out hopefully by the end of the week.
Any wanting more then contact me direct. darin.neeley@roostmortgages.co.nz or 09 438 7985 wk or 0275 330637 or 09 436 1992 hm.

Club class and open class.
Club class is basically a novice class with rules much like the last comp Steve organised. Full details will be available very soon.
Open class, you know the rules.

Depending on numbers we may limit entries so get in first and you won't miss out.

It will be a low key event with very limited sponsorship and prizes. It is about having a good comp and not having any bullshit.

[monstr]

Hi Darin .A question for you ,as its a low key comp any chance of relaxing the WOF rules a bit ,My self and most of the trucks who did Rotorua will have a WOF that will miss the 28day deadline by a week or two ,can we compete with just a current WOF ..Cheers.Steve

[PeterVahry]

Get a logbook organised Steve and take up Darin's proposal at the 4x4 Challenges AGM!

Peter

[monstr]

Hi Peter,Your proberly right But i thought it was only a proposal at this stage and untill its made part of the "rules" an event organiser can or cant offer this disspensation as they see fit ..Steve

[TeLexs]

Good idea on the WOF Steve . Another $45 to spend on fuel is better than giving it to LTSA .The log book gets my vote.
Klem

[mudplug]

Steve is correct the proposed use of the log book to allow wof older than 28 days may be included in the rules in the November review. As he has stated the organiser of an event has the right to impose supplemental rules for local conditions. 4x4 Challenges rule 36 pending rule changes: allows for future rule changes to be introduced as a SR.
I guess as I have published the proposal on challenges web site it can be considered as a pending rule. All we ask is that when organisers introduce a SR that they consider safety.
George

[darinz]

What I'll do is increase the WOF rule to 3 months as that will mean WOF's obtained for Rotorua will be valid. I was going to try and use the proposed logbook rule but the logistics of that aren't viable in the time frame.
So if you were at Rotorua then as long as nothing has changed you will be OK.

[monstr]

Many Thanks for that Darin,Im in process of getting all the paper work together to get a log book i will have it sent of early next week but may not have the book back in time ..Steve

[PeterVahry]

Changed from when Darin? Before Rotorua, after the event, or after the rebuild as a result of the event!

I know... it's tough trying to run an event!

Peter

[monstr]

Hi Peter,I would suggest that as long as nothing that would require re/certing has been done and you passed at Rotorua you will be okay ,Most of the competitors know each others trucks pretty well and you would have to be an ASS to try and get away with anything .As Darin has said right from the start it a low key comp were all there to have fun arent we?..Steve

[DieselBoy]

whats going to be the format for the club class competitors ? ie: do we have to have a new WOF for the comp ? will we be running the same hazards as the pro boys ? will we need ground anchors ? how anal will scrutineering be ?

cheers

[darinz]

Firstly. I will be doing the scrutineering so for the open class guys, I know your trucks, this is a low key event with not a lot of prizes but a lot of bragging rights. My say will be final so if you want to push it, you may end up sitting on the side line. The spirit that we had at the comp last year is what we are after, so if that is a problem then don't turn up.

The current plan (depending on numbers) is 4 groups. Club class will be seperate from open class and the tracks will be changed accordingly. Due to the lower safety levels on the club class trucks the speed will be kept down and to cater for standard winchs the winching will be of a less demanding level. I envisage that someone with a standard 9000lb electric winch should be able to complete this event. You will need twin batteries and a TradeMe special winch wouldn't be recomended. If in doubt ask as I have a fair be of experience with electric winchs.
While the club class is targeted at novice competitors, that does not mean lack of knowledge or practical experience. Due to combining with open class trucks, this will be a level above the comp Steve ran but the goal is still the same.

For club class vehicles there will be a few changes to the rules to cater for more people.
Roll over protection will be required. This means you MUST have a 4 point roll bar. I am not going to say what will pass and what won't. The rollcage specs in the 4x4 Ch. rules should be used as a guideline. If you are unsure whether you truck will pass or not then talk to me direct. I will not discuss specific trucks in this forum.
Chasis and body do not need to be from the same manufacturer.
Vehicles do not have to have a reg and WOF but be aware that there are 2 sites about 2 km apart and you will have to travel from one site to the other on Saturday. If you are not road legal then the expectation is that you do not drive on public roads.
If you have fiddle brakes they must be disabled.
Wire rope will be allowed.
ALL other rules apply. ie
You must have doors.
Must resemble factory from 'B' pillar foward.
Radiator in engine bay etc.
Full rules are on 4x4 Challenges website.

Club class trucks will need a number so if you don't have one, it will have to be arranged. I'll get the current list and then we can add new trucks on a first come first served bassis as has always been the case.

For the open class, there will be nothing different to what we always do with the exception of a WOF 3 months old or newer.

We are planning 14 stages so come prepared to race. ie 8 on Saturday, 2 night stages and 4 on Sunday. This would have been possible at Rotorua as most of us had spare time in the afternoon. Sundays stages will be much like Rotorua so you will need to have yours brains switched on.
Everyone will need to have access to a ground anchor. You will not be able to finish the event with out using it at least once or twice. (maybe more depending and how many bad decisions you make) Club class will be able tp share to a point as all start and finish boxs will be the same. No more than one anchor to 2 trucks though.

Many of you are fimiliar with one or both of the site's we are using so there will be plenty of oppotunity for people to take different lines. The tracks will be marked very wide to allow this. It will most likely come down to someone thinking smarter and doing something different rather than the biggest winch and the most HP. But that will obviously help.

What I can guarantee. It will be very very wet. There will be the normal very deep Northland swamps and one site has a wee bit of gorse! As per last year if people want to camp on site then they can but they will need to be completely self suficient.

Everything that has been said here is a guide only. The formal rules, entry requirements and format will be sent direct to those interested. The entry fee and these rules will be set next Friday so will be available as off next weekend. At present entry will be less than the Nor-west and Rotorua to reflect the low key approach. Club class will pay the same entry and will have the same treatment with the exceptions as discussd above.

Steve in particular, any ideas for club class rules to make it work better will be appreciated. We are having a meeting Friday so anything BEFORE then will be taken into account.

[wopass]

Hmmm...Anyone have a spare ground anchor ?

[darinz]

Club class will be in their own group and there will be plenty of oppotunity to share a ground anchor if need be. I don't want lack of a ground anchor to stop guys from coming up.

[doddzee]

Will you allow 24 bolt beadlocks if they have been certed?