Motorsport: Veteran natural fit behind wheel

Rally driver Wayne Pittams achieved a fourth place finish in yesterday's Motorsport BOP Clubmans Rally, driving his Subaru Impreza WRX. Photo / Greg Henderson Photography

A veteran Tauranga rally car driver who has been on and off the scene for about fifteen years has eased back into his game at the weekend.

After being absent from the driver's seat for nine months, Wayne Pittams fired up his rally car to compete in gravel action attracting a 50-car field at TECT All Terrain Park on Saturday.

Pittams spoke to the Bay of Plenty Times ahead of yesterday's rally competition, and said getting back behind the wheel, for him, was like riding a bike.

"It's something you can't explain really, I've done a lot of extreme things I suppose and nothing's quite cut the mustard like driving a rally car," Pittams said.

"It's something you can do or you can't do, and I found I was still competitive and still able to compete with the front end which is what I like to do."

The fact the competition was a local rally gave Pittams the opportunity to get back behind the wheel.

"I always want to be in the seat," he laughed.

"It's a very low-key event so it's a good opportunity to get back in the seat without any pressure and it's easier to plan just being down the road."

The blind rally with co-driver Mel Peden did not faze him. In fact, it got the over 50-year-old "back in the groove".

"I've done a heck of a lot of blind rally so it doesn't bother me at all."

His rally car had been done over since it last hit gravel and would be a different car he hoped would deliver a result.

"I [didn't] have the opportunity to test it or drive it so we would be going in pretty cold but we've got the car well prepared. The goal is to keep improving the car and knocking off the cobwebs."

Pittams came to a crossroads between his family and rally career, which began in 1983, that saw him out of the game for many years.

"Because it is a huge financial commitment, you have to decide to put your resources into your family or keep following your dream."

His children have grown but the love of speed has stayed in the blood, with his son Michael, who has built the re-vamped rally car, and daughter Rachel, who is a co-driver.

Pittams hoped to carry on in the NZ rally championship which heads to the Coromandel next month.