Motorkhana action recently returned to the Glenburnie Saleyards Complex for Round 3 of the SEAC 2024 Series.


A small field entered for this round as the event clashed with the Ararat Hillclimb, a part of the “Cross Border” Hillclimb series being held by several clubs, including SEAC.


Aaron Bowering assembled some interesting tests from the Motorkhana bible to give the 13 starters a challenge or two for the day.


It was pleasing to see that five of the junior entrants were first timers and four of the parents of these had also decided to compete as well, not just watch the fun taking place.


To get the drivers eye in, a straight slalom was the first test layout, simple and with a little wheel work, is a good one for new comers as well as a challenge for the seasoned drivers, to be the quickest home.


Jason Sims made it look easy in the family Celica, topping the time sheet with a very tidy run stopping the clock at 23.47 seconds, closely followed by Damien Wilson (23.57), Aaron Bowering (23.87), Henry Sims (24.87), Geoff Wilson (25.16), Scott Bradley (29.28), Dylan Maloney (29.35), Rebel Skirving (31.18), Duke Bradely (40.24), Levi Staude (42.46), Dylan Bowering (42.67), Jayden Maloney (69.15) and Henry Skirving (82.47).


On the second run Bowering (23.05) took the top spot from Henry Sims (23.62), Geoff Wilson (23.87), Jason Sims, (24.03) Bradley (25.16), Maloney (28.80), Damien Wilson (28.84), Rebel Skirving (34.15), Bowering (34.70), Staude (38.48), Duke Bradley (39.05), Maloney (65.80) and Henry Skirving (82.29).


The next course to be presented a forward reverse slalom involved reversing at two points and really put a challenge to the newcomers and to their credit, despite most of them not having any experience in reversing at all, got through without too many problems.


With his usual flair, Damien Wilson took on the challenge and headed the times heet with a clean and quick run time of 34.31 seconds, closely followed by Aaron Bowering (37.32), Jason Sims (39.60), Geoff Wilson (42.64), Scott Bradley (44.20), Dylan Maloney (48.11), Henry Sims (48.62), Rebel Skirving (55.33), Dylan Bowering (57.51), Duke Bradley (80.29), Levi Staude (86.57), Jayden Maloney (117.50) and Henry Skirving (137.37).


On the same test, second pass, D Wilson was first (32.19) followed by J Sims (35.88), A Bowering (35.94), G Wilson (39.53), S Bradley (43.54), H Sims (46.40), D Maloney (52.10), R Skirving (53.95), D Bowering (56.34), D Bradley (75.01), L Staude (83.21), J Maloney (97.57) and H Skirving (118.46).


As some of these juniors have not driven or reversed between markers on a set layout ever, the second run showed quite a large improvement in confidence and car control.


A change in course to the very enjoyable spiro Slalom layout and rising junior Henry Sims made it look easy and set the time to beat with a 27.47 second run.


Next home was Geoff Wilson (27.61), Damien Wilson (27.62), Scott Bradley (28.34), Jason Sims (29.01), Rebel Skirving (30.07), Aaron Bowering (32.54), Dylan Maloney (37.46), Dylan Bowering (37.89), Duke Bradley (39.68), Levi Staude (42.19), Henry Skirving (48.25) and Jayden Maloney (60.32).


On the second pass Damien Wilson found his groove and his 25.81 second time made the top of the list, Henry Sims (26.95) was next followed by Geoff Wilson (27.27), Jason Sims (27.81), Aaron Bowering (27.97), Rebel Skirving (30.50), Scott Bradley (30.66), Dylan Bowering (32.12), Dylan Maloney (36.24), Duke Bradley (45.08), Levi Staude (46.92), Henry Skirving (48.74) and Jayden Maloney (53.16).


The same layout followed but this time the last part was done in reverse gear, just for something different.


Top of the time sheet for the first run was Geoff Wilson, managing to reverse the big Magna through all the gaps in 37.89 seconds, with Damien next (39.55), Jason Sims (40.39), Scott Bradley (40.71), Aaron Bowering (43.27), Henry Sims (48.53), Rebel Skirving (49.16), Dylan Bowering (54.81), Dylan Maloney (57.71), Duke Bradley (58.95), Levi Staude (72.91), Henry Skirving (100.67) and Jayden Maloney (112.32).


On the second pass Damien Wilson got the chocolates with a 36.51 second pass ahead of Jason Sims (40.38), Aaron Bowering (41.75), Dylan Maloney (41.96), Geoff Wilson (43.01), Henry Sims (43.51), Rebel Skirving (44.99), Scott Bradley (45.35), Dylan Bowering (50.49), Duke Bradley (61.71), Jayden Maloney (86.49), Levi Staude (92.13) and Henry Skirving (125.68).


Cone penalties were plentiful on this test, as they kept on hiding behind the car as it was rolling backwards.


The next layout was multiple loops and was a series of five loops, that can be quick to do, or, easy to get lost on the way.


Aaron Bowering, driving his underpowered N/A Subaru Wagon, used all the traction available on this to get the quickest time on the first run, setting the time to beat at 34.20 seconds.


Jason Sims was the best of the rest with a 35.44 second run followed by Damien Wilson (35.68), Scott Bradley found a good line with his Falcon (36.76), Rebel Skirving (36.86), Dylan Maloney (36.87), Geoff Wilson (36.90), Duke Bradley (42.54), Henry Skirving enjoyed a bit of circle work in mum’s ute (56.22), Jayden Maloney (66.49), Levi Staude (81.05) and Dylan Bowering and Henry Sims both doing their own course, copping the WD penalty for the error.


Run again Geoff Wilson drove a different line and got the Magna home in 33.88 to set the pace for this test, followed by Aaron Bowering (34.08), Jason Sims (35.77), Damien Wilson (36.13), Scott Bradley (36.62), Rebel Skirving (36.69) also enjoyed the big ute, Dylan Maloney (37.78), Dylan Bowering (37.86), Henry Sims (41.82), Duke Bradley (45.57), Levi Staude (48.88), Henry Skirving (53.29) and Jayden Maloney (57.48).


The next test layout was try angles, which was a love/hate test.


It can be a rewarding and flowing test, or, you can get lost on it somewhere and score the dreaded WD penalty


Setting the pace for the first run Aaron Bowering got it right and stopped the clock at 29.64 seconds, closely followed by Damien Wilson (29.84) with Jason Sims (31.09) third.


They were followed by Geoff Wilson with 31.36, Dylan Maloney (32.04), Rebel Skirving (32.32), Dylan Bowering (32.28), Scott Bradley (40.76), Henry Skirving (47.62), Duke Bradley (59.57), Levi Staude (68.21) and Henry Sims and Jayden Maloney, who both found a different way home for a WD.


On the second run at this tricky test Damien Wilson set the pace (29.48) with Jason Sims close (30.59) and Aaron Bowering (31.18) third.


Scott Bradley sailed through this time (31.41) followed by Henry Sims (31.46), Rebel Skirving (32.42), Dylan Maloney (32.93), Duke Bradley (38.82), Jayden Maloney (49.30) and Levi Staude (83.98).


Geoff Wilson, Dylan Bowering and Henry Skirving all earned a WD for their own variations to this test.


On the last change for the day was gables, a tight layout that needed a lot of wheel work to get around, or a good slide.


Damien Wilson showed his style and set the pace (39.74) for this run, Jason Sims worked the wheel hard to be right behind (40.77), Henry did the same in the same car (42.65) followed by Geoff Wilson with a handful in the Magna (43.32), Scott Bradley did a good job in the Falcon (43.91), Dylan Maloney enjoyed the nimble Laser (46.69), Rebel Skirving did a great job in the Holden ute all day (46.76), Dylan Bowering (73.25), Jayden Maloney (78.10), Levi Staude (79.32), Duke Bradley (84.59) and Henry Skirving (136.97).


Aaron Bowering enjoying the WD penalty for his own version of this test.


On the gables second attempt Aaron Bowering got it right and pinched the top time (38.92) from Jason Sims (41.57), Geoff Wilson (42.06), Scott Bradley (43.13), Damien Wilson got a marker which cost him top run (43.61), Henry Sims (44.10), Rebel Skirving (46.69), Dylan Maloney (47.58), Dylan Bowering (53.93), Jayden Maloney (66.28), Levi Staude (89.34), Henry Skirving (98.64) and Duke Bradley (108.86).