Rally in forest and hills

Press, 14 May 1982, Page 15

Rally in forest and hills

By

JOHN FRIDD

More than 85 South Island drivers, and a few from the north will start in tomorrow’s Mainfreight 3ZM rally, the final round of the 1982 Mainland series. The event will start at Hornby Mall at noon and finish more than 10 hours later after 350 km of driving, including 196 km of flat-out special stages in the Ashley Forest and Port Hills.

The first special stage takes place from 12.55 p.m.. in the Ashley Forest, and spectators can gain access from the single men’s camp near the forest headquarters. The 10km stage starts and finishes near the camp. Stage two starts near the

headquarters and takes Nicholls Road into the forest, on the left-hand side of the uphill route used on last week-end's rallysprint. The stage, starting at 1.37 p.m.. takes the cars on a tiring 79km course around the forest, ending at the Makerikeri Gate, near Loburn. Spectators can gain access to the finish by travelling along Carrs Road to reach the forest. Special stage three starts at 3.55 p.m. at the Paringa Gate, which can be reached

by going through Loburn and taking Journey's End Road. This 32km stage finishes in the remote Okuku Pass area and the cars will then come down Democks Road on stage four, which finishes with a spectacular highspeed downhill, run near the Okuku Forest headquarters. Stage five starts at Horsford Downs, north-east of the headquarters, at 5.32 p.m. and involves a 9km loop. The sixth stage starts back at the Makerikeri Gate at 6.35 p.m. and takes the cars

through the now-dark forest to finish at the Ashley Forest headquarters, coming down the tricky Heavy Traffic Road, used as the uphill run in the Dunlop rallysprint. After that the ’surviving cars start a long touring stage to Gebbies Pass, where special stage seven will start at 9.33 p.m.. taking the crews 13km along the southern. Summit Road to finish at the Dyers Pass intersection. The final high-speed stage starts on the other side of Dyers Pass Road and will take the cars another 10km along the Summit Road to finish at Mt Pleasant Road. The first car is expected to start this stage at 9.59 p.m.