SIX Bathurst crews will be putting their driving and navigational skills to the test this Saturday when Oberon hosts the first round of the MTA NSW State Rally Championship - the Caves Classic Rally.
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Four of those Bathurst teams will feature father and son combinations and according to Lachlan Moore, it adds another level of enjoyment.
The 17-year-old will navigate for his father Ron Moore in their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6, filling a role once held by his mother Jo.
“My mum did navigate for him two years ago, but Dad realised I was at age to be able to navigate, so put me in with him in the car,” he said.
“It’s a good experience to bond with your Dad and also do something that you’re both really passionate about. To be able to do it fairly regularly is good as well.
“Dad and I had completed roughly six events together by the close of the season last year.
“We won one event, being the Orange Rally, and the end result put me third outright navigator for the first full year of my navigating career.
“This year we hope to do more rallies starting with the Caves Classic this weekend.
“There’s also going to be a Bathurst round this year, we haven’t got the dates yet, but that hasn’t happened in about three or four years.”
Saturday will mark 12 months since Lachlan Moore contested his first official rally.
He and his father found good success with a fifth placing in the Oberon round, that result coming despite the teenager having to deal with laryngitis
“In our helmets there is a thing called intercom and it’s two linked headsets and mikes, but we had to turn that up very, very high,” he said. “I was struggling, but the last stage I got my voice back.”
This Saturday things are set to be tougher than last year.
Not only do they face 130 kilometres of competitive racing across three State Forests, but a host of talented rivals.
“We are starting a bit further down the field because more drivers from the top end of the competition, Rally Australia, have dropped back down to the state level,” Moore said.
“I think we are starting at 13th [seed], but we are just out there to see what happens.”
The other Bathurst crews competing are: Joe Chapman and Jack Mobbs (Subaru WRX); Steven Wells Adam and Geary (Nissan Sylvia); Andrew and David Travis (Nissan Gazelle); Toby Ivanovic and Andrew Mohr (Subaru Liberty); plus Mark and Harrison Hudson (Subaru GC80).
Event information, including instructions on spectator points across the course, can be found at RallyNSW.com.au
The Rally NSW event gets under way from the Oberon Leagues Club at 11am this Saturday.
