Biggs & Walton Blow the Dust off with Win at Wairarapa!

The former 1NZ duo of Scott Biggs & Philip Walton return to the top step at a dusty Wairarapa rally, with Nitro Customs taking out 8 spots in the Top 10!

Round 2 of the 2024 Lucas Oil NZ 4×4 Trials Series took place at Pirinoa in the South Wairarapa. The Wairarapa 4×4 Club once again hosted the day providing plenty of action, with a dose of lawn mower racing at lunchtime to keep it interesting! The course was spread out across the different valleys of the rolling countryside, with the recent dry weather adding dust into the mix.

Round 2 was no different than the season opener with producing a mixed bag of results, with those who struggled at Round 1 making amends whilst others who did well fell down the order. Most notably was Mitch Caldow & Jamie Elms, who went from winning the first round to only finishing 20th overall. Jarred Biggs & Fleche Crawford who was also on the podium last round with 3rd would score 11th. Other competitors in the Top 10 not making a 2nd appearance included Russell Hall & Glen Hall in 13th, Shaun Nicholson & Mike Fergusson in 14th and Jamie Larsen & Jacob Higgins down in 18th, despite coming back to take 2nd in the afternoon!

Defending 1NZ Sam Thomsen & Caitlyn Thomsen would be the most consistent across the two rounds and take lead of the series heading into 2024, with a 4th place finish (his first off the podium in Nitro #1!) joining his 2nd at Round 1 to carry 196 points.

After finishing 12th in the newly revamped Nitro Custom at Round 1, Scott Biggs & Phil Walton were on better form placing 2nd in the morning before storming through the afternoon to finish 50 points clear over the rest of the field. Their afternoon score of 70 points won the afternoon and saw them make 110 on their closest competitor in the morning.

Birthday boy Chris Gifford & Shaun Joblin took a well earnt 2nd place and their first Top 10 appearance since debuting in 2020! After a DNF with diff issues at Round 1, the pair won the morning and held on to achieve their best ever result in the newly built Nitro Custom. Ash Tonkin & Dyon Ross were 3rd to take their best placing to date in the NZ 4×4 Trials Series and currently sit 2nd with 191 points leading into 2024.

Aaron Guest & Gary Preston who missed the first round took 5th, with Wayne Weatherly & Dave McKie who suffered issues at the previous round coming back to score 7th & 8th Overall, their best results respectfully in their new buggies!

All up, the Top 10 consisted of a Nitro Customs 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 lock out, the most vehicles of a single make in the Top 10 since Round 6 in 2022 where CowperTrucks also achieved 8/10.

In C Class Caleb Adlam & Jarrod Moss continued their charge with another class win! The duo from Wellington were more worried about their overall score, with an unsuccessful protest that would have seen them 10th leaving them 17th overall. Last season’s C Class champ and 4NZ Nathan Fogden & Mike Gibbons were a late absentee from the day, putting their season hopes into doubt as a new C Class Champ for 2024 grows increasingly likely. John Hawken & Haare O’Brien were 2nd in class and 19th overall only 30 points behind. Rhys O’Brien & Clarrie Vazey took 3rd in class although further back in 30th overall.

Further down the class 402c Shayne Towers & Tony Hadland suffered steering issues all day which ultimately resulted in a 200 penalty for failing to start their final stage. This promoted Hayden McGill & Barry Williams to 4th to score their best result in the Avatar Buggy. Daniel Morris in the 333 Motorsport Coal Runnings buggy required a late call up from Matt Sterling to fill the navigator seat on the day, with the two from the Manawatu winning C Class in the afternoon to place 5th.

*Hamilton & Townsend* *bailing out through the 80*

Rounding up C Class was the debut of a Side-By-Side in the NZ 4×4 Trials Series, that of Angus Hamilton & Max Townsend in a Nitro Customs modified Polaris RZR Turbo. The newbies impressed with the capabilities of the factory Polaris, as well as their quick saves when things got tippy!

*Butch & Cushing taking a different route*

In K Class Geoff Butcher & Sean Cushing lead the way in front of fellow club members John Sheridan & Willow Eayrs, scoring comfortably in the morning and afternoon to finish 300 points clear! Butch & Cushing once again finished ahead of some of the more capable C & D Class vehicles on the day.