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Australia March 10-25th
The co-drivers point of view
Our first step on our journey towards Dakar has now been compleated. After an intensive week of preparations with Bruce Garland in Marayala (outside of Sydney) we left for Stockton "Anna Bay" north of Sydney for our sand training and for me to co-drive the car for the first time. (It may have been a good idea to do a test drive at home to see if I got car sick or scared to death…)
But after the first drive with both Pelle and Bruce, everything was fine. The thing that was most disturbing was the smell from the fuel in the Ve-Hi Cross. Especially if you’re standing still in the heat. I had some concerns about headache and nausea in the race.
After a few good test runs both in the new D-Max and the Ve-Hi Cross we packed our bags and headed to Condobolin, halfway out in the "Outback", approximately 400 kilometres west of Sydney. Once there it was time for "shake down" and the adjustment of the springs, talk abut a difference in sensitiveness towards a motor cycle.
Everything worked out very well between Pelle and myself, we were able to do all the adjustments and improvements to the cars. So well that we even got the best time on one lap.
The reports and inspections went on as usual, the only big difference against the motor cycle is our "road book". A motorcycle driver has to cut and paste, and roll the road book together to be able to fit it in the holder. Meanwhile the co-driver of a car can fit everything in a letter size notebook. That was very unusual and it was also very nice.
I met a lot of drivers that I have competed against during all my previous years “down under,” some still on a motor cycle but more and more has changed over to a wheel and a chair.
First Day of competition
It was really exciting, partly because how different it was to go by motorcycle at race speed and partly because it was important for us to get into a good rhythm. Pelle is a very good driver, so we only had a few beginner mistakes. We thought we’d be in the top 10, but surprisingly enough we ended in 4th place.
Second Day of competition
We start as the 4th car, how much fun isn’t that? We were going pretty well without any major problems. It started to rain and we had a tight completive driving experience with three other cars. We switch positions between each other during our 40 kilometre leg. The last stretch is a chapter by it self. They cancelled the last leg because the pace car got stuck half way through the leg. At that point in time, we were in the lead!
The management of the race then decided to shortened the leg by 50 kilometres and just drive the first leg.
Anyhow, we got through it with a little bit of “action” and lost a little bit too much time to be in first place. But we actually managed to win that leg and that put us in third place total and a spot on the podium.
Unbelievable, we never thought that we would have this kind of success. It was way beyond our expectations, but now we both know going forward that we have the capacity that it takes for the coming races.
Isuzu wiches
Olle Ohlsson, co-driver
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