Rhod Murray and the Audi he and son Alisdair will race in next week's Targa Rally. Photo / Warren Buckland
It's family rivalry at its best - but Rhod Murray was playing it down a week out from the Targa Hawke's Bay Rally.
"There will be plenty between Alisdair and Steven but not so much between Cara and I," quipped retired Hastings GP Murray, who has lived in Taupo for the past five years.
Murray and son Alisdair, who will return home from Melbourne for the event, will race a 2001 Audi S3 in the touring section of the Targa Hawke's Bay Rally next week. His daughter Cara and son-in-law Steven Croad will race a 2016 Ford Focus RS.
The two Murray family crews are among 29, including five from the Bay, in their section. A further 48 crews, including Hawke's Bay farmers Ivan Knauf and Trevor Corbin in their 2008 Subaru Impreza, will race in the competitive section of the rally.
One of the oldest competitors in the touring section of the rally which will start in Rotorua on May 17 and finish in Havelock North on May 19, Murray, 72, isn't surprised by the intense rivalry between Alisdair and Steven.
"They are both 40-year-olds and everything they do together they turn into a contest," Murray remarked.
Alisdair was a successful karter in his younger days in a variety of classes from cadet level to open grade. Fellow Lindisfarne College product Steven was one of the country's best national cross-country motorcyclists while Cara was also a more than handy karter during a period when few female drivers were involved in the sport.
Alisdair beat his father at the Audi Ice Experience in Queenstown and at the Formula Challenge in Taupo. He will bring his family next week from Melbourne where he established Frankston Osteopathy and Steven and Cara will bring their family from Auckland which will no doubt add more intensity to the family rivalry.
Murray and his son completed last year's Targa in a Honda 1990 NSX. As was the case last year they will share the driving and navigating roles.
"Alisdair will drive on the morning stages and I'll have the afternoon stages. I found I was just as busy on the co-pilot jobs and it's still enjoyable. I had never done it before and it's really cool," Murray explained.
"I love the modern technology involved with the GPS Tracker. Although there was one occasion last year when Alisdair commented than I hadn't said anything for a while. I told him I was on the wrong page."
One of the rally's Auckland-based support crew monitor each car GPS Tracker units to make sure they are complying with speed limits. Murray said crews are fined $250 on the first occasion they exceed a limit, $500 on the second occasion and on the third occasion there is another $500 fine and possible exclusion from the event.
"Nobody is excluded because the revenue generated from fines goes to a good cause ... the Race4Life Trust. Last year $17,000 was raised. Nobody minds paying the fines ... last year I was fined for not having our lights on during a special stage as per the rally rules. I was adamant the lights were on but I paid the fine anyway," Murray recalled.
The trust fulfils the wishes of palliative care patients throughout New Zealand. Last year the trust selected Targa Rally events as their chosen charity for five years.
Race4Life holds an annual event for patients at Hampton Downs Raceway and last year 80 patients and 400 volunteers had an action-packed day of high-octane rides.
A life member of Kartsport Hawke's Bay and Kartsport New Zealand, Murray still races vintage karts.
"Vintage kart racing as well as regular rides on my electric bike keep me fit enough for these Targa events. While I was knackered at the end of three days of racing last year I was still flying high with adrenalin," Murray explained.
He is still a trustee for the Royston Health Trust and Kartsport Hawke's Bay's Limit Trust "Drivealive Programme" which is in its 15th year and has processed more than 3800 students.
One of Murray's strengths throughout his time in motorsport had been his ability to fundraise and he was quick to acknowledge his sponsors for next week's assignment - Cafe Baku, The Vine Taupo, Huka Honda, EuroCity, CHEMZ and John Barrett Motors.
Other Hawke's Bay crews in the touring section of the rally will be Nathan Apatu and Charles Whyte in a 1969 Porsche 911T, Hugh Franklin and David Goodwin in a 2009 Ferrari Scuderia and Robert May and Robert Paterson in a 1996 BMW M3.