Aussie Title – What a weekend

Well the 2008 Australian Title has been “Run & Won” and the Outback Express team would firstly like to congratulate Jamie Mchugh on his title win.

The Outback Express Transporter being piloted by Rob’s younger brother Corey and Russell Metherall Rolled into Mildura late on Wednesday night after a faultless trip across the country. Rob and the rest of the crew accompanied by a number of the sponsors in Kevin Brewster from Brewster Ceilings and lance Carter from Boofs Bobcat and their respective partners arrived on Thursday afternoon and proceeded to settle into a few drinks and a bit of relaxation before the tile assault started in earnest on Friday with scrutineering and practice.

With a 8.30 slot Friday morning for scrutineering the boys were up early and at the track and the Reliance Petroleum Rocket had a couple of minor things to be fixed and then rechecked and loaded back up to wait for practice which was due to commence at 4pm.

Practice commenced a little late as a result of confusion over insurance ands for crew etc and the club decided to extend the session till 7pm to allow the 60 odd car field the time to get good track time before the Saturday night commencement. Rob settled into a couple of sessions before the lack of track prep confirmed that not much would be achieved by continuing to run on a very poor surface so the car was loaded up and we headed back to the hotel for a few well deserved drinks and a BBQ. Grid draws appear on the net and the news is not bad.  Heat 1 pos2, heat 2 pos 4 heat 3 pos 11 and heat 4 pos 6.  well at least we get one from the front. Passing points will be a major factor is the consensus.

Saturday and Rob looks calm and collected but is keen to get to the track early and get set up and have plenty of time to relax before the first heat. Coming outta two makes the tyre choice easy. Nerves starting to show with Rob but the old man tells him to go and have fun and what happens will happen. Sure enough Rob bursts to the front and is never headed to post a heat win and maximum points in the bank. Heat two and out of 4. After lookin at the track we opt to play with shock settings and RR tyre. Rob heads out quickly and gets through to second but closes the gap but cannot get past a fellow Rocket racer in Ash Bergmier. 

With a break until we are out again for the final heat for the night we settle back for a feed and a drink before getting the car ready for the heat. Then the shit hits the fan and the stewards stop a heat after three aborted starts and send all the cars into the pits and performs a track grade. The drivers all attend a meeting in the clubrooms and the feelings are not good as the drivers emerge. Rob is a bit philosophical about the whole deal and says lets just get on with it. The round of heats recommences and is finished with the outgoing champ Michael Gee collapsing after a on track crash and is transferred to hospital. Officials decide to cancel the final round of heats and commence early on Sunday night. So much for setting the car for the third heat.  Rob is officially leading the title at the end of night one he is told by SSA media person Jason Crowe.

Sunday dawns and the car is ready to go so everyone relaxes for the day until it is time to head back to the track.  Car checked and ready to go. Look around the pits shows that a couple of people that would not have made the track the previous night for are ready to race and Rob is out of Pos 11 for the heat. The car is good and Rob moves forward to be racing with fellow Kalgoorlie driver Dean Shore for 4th spot. While trying to make the pass on Shorey Rob’s  RF tyre cets a puncture and he pulls off to cross the line in 8th place at the chequer. Oh well can’t win them all. Rob is a bit dejected with the heat result but everyone still believes we can qualify for the feature with a good finish in the last heat.

Final heat and a start out of 6. we make some small changes to the car and Rob is keen to get it over and see if we can make the main. As the green drops Rob stands on the gas and picks up two spots through turn one. Moving forward over the next couple of laps and he is in second spot chasing down Dan Miller who has made a break and is hugging the kerb. Rob tries the low line at both ends and then decides to go topside and try and get past on the outside. Over the next four laps Rob persists with the outside as the two drivers race side by side with Rob edging further and further past Dan. Turn one and two on the last lap and Rob seems to be clear but Miller fights back and they go into three locked side by side. Out of turn four and Rob gets the slingshot and the winning margin is a nose. The commentators call the tussle the race of the weekend and everyone applauds both drivers as they return to the pits. Dan Miller is over to Rob before Rob is out of the car and congratulates him on the race.

The remainder of the heats get completed and while we work toward setting the car and tyre choices thinking we will have made the “A” main but mid pack maybe, the news comes through that Rob has qualified on the front row out of position two outside the Mazda of Jamie McHugh. The whole team erupts and Rob is being congratulated for getting there.  Now to rethink the strategy. That done we set the car and wait patiently to go out for the biggest race of Robs career.  Continually he is told that we have done all that we expected too and anything from here is a bonus. Just go and have fun is the advice from Dad while Rob sits in the car waiting.

The cars roll out onto the track and Corey goes with Rob to help him get back into the car after the medal presentation for the finalists. While the medal presentation is taking place someone decides to water the track, Oh well so much for the dry track set up I mumble to myself. The presentation over the cars fire up and the tension starts to rise. Off the start and Jamie gets away as Rob wheel spins his way down the straight. Settling into position 3 for the majority of the race, it is clear that the setup for a fast start has backfired with the track being watered and Rob is doing a mighty job to hold onto where he island hold off fellow WA driver Marc Giancola.  With a few laps to go Jordan slips past on the inside and Rob slips back to position 5.

Then with 2 to go Troy Brook who came out of position 20 has made a track on the highline and has past most of the field slips past Rob. Rob responds gaining the spot back before Troy passes again and makes the pass stick through turns 1 and 2 on the final lap. Then turn 4 and Troy is sideways in front of Rob as he spins the car across the track. Rob throws the A-Z  Rocket sideways and the two of them hit wheel to wheel, but unfortunately for Rob, Giancola is at full noise behind him and T bones Rob and a chain reaction occurs with Marc being hit from behind.  As Brook drives off unscathed the chequer drops on a new National champ and the Outback express team contemplates what damage has occurred to the car. Rob manages to get the car fired up and drives into the pits to a waiting crew. 

The crash has dampened what would have been a fairytale finish and while the crew congratulate Rob on his drive, an inspection of the damage shows it is serious and Rob decides to get the Rocket man Danny Smith over for a consult and make a plan. After a further inspection,  Danny’s verdict is that the car could be repaired on a bench in WA but he would prefer to have the car back to his shop in Lismore to be repaired and made back to new.  Couple of days and it will be new again.  

The boys commence to load up and Frank and Rob discuss the ramifications on the family business back in Kalgoorlie to have Corey and Russell away for a additional week but the decision is that the car needs to be fixed properly as the Hammerdown is only a couple of weeks away so timing would be of the essence.

With everything loaded up a few drinks and couple of stories with the other drivers and the team head back to the hotel for some sleep before heading off in all directions on Monday morning.

Rob and the entire team would like to thank all those who have made this season and particularly this title assault a resounding success for the WA1 Rocket

Danny & Tania Smith at Rocket Racecars
A-Z Panel & Paint
Reliance Petroleum
Total Asphalt
Formaction
Geoff Watson Autos
Brewsters Ceilings
Hoops Plumbing
Tierney Contracting
Basket Bliss
Boofs Bobcat
J & J Motorcycles
Andy Noble
Racecar Tyres & Accessories
BCM Motorsports marketing

And the crew, wives and families for the support they give us.