Off-roaders will be flat-out in the forest

Clim Lammers on the way to winning the Woodhill 100 in 2003.

Organisers of the annual Woodhill 100 are preparing for an influx of the best off-road racing talent in New Zealand as they complete plans for the 26th running of the event on Queen's Birthday weekend.

The Woodhill is the toughest and oldest off-road race in New Zealand, having outlived its nearest rival, the Leadfoot 100, by more than a decade.

The Woodhill 100 may now be the longest-running motorsport event still in existence in New Zealand.

Event organiser Donn Attwood says although the race has a proud history and an unblemished safety record, the organising committee is leaving little to chance.

"Not many forest owners are prepared to have motorsport tearing around in their multimillion-dollar investments these days," says Attwood.

"We have worked closely with Carter Holt Harvey to make sure we met their needs and addressed their concerns, and as a result we have modified our course so we can be sure we are not causing them unnecessary problems."

The fastest teams in the sport are planning their season around the Woodhill.

The top Aucklanders, including current national championship leader Tony McCall, his longtime rival and mate Grant Ferguson, and Kumeu ThunderTruck drivers Lyndsay Dowler and Antony George, are likely to face strong challenges from Hamilton, the Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay.

Only 12 drivers have ever won the Woodhill 100 in its 25-year history, testament to the punishing course and the tough pace set by the front-runners in the sandy forest tracks. Around four of those 12 may front up for this year's race.

For those who believe the VW Beetle's air-cooled flat-four engine has had its day, it's worth considering that VW cars won the race from 1981 to 1995, and only a handful of other engine types have ever powered drivers to victory at Woodhill.

Attwood, a long-time Woodhill competitor, knows that just completing the race is an achievement.

"Winning the Woodhill takes a special blend of luck, ability and preparation," he says. "People have been known to dominate the field right up to the final lap and then just disappear.

"It's a real heartbreaker, but that's part of the challenge. Racers come here to test themselves, to be able to say they completed at Woodhill."

The race this year almost returns to its roots as a classic 100-miler: it will be run over nine 20km laps, with six of those on graded logging roads and the rest on punishing sand tracks.

At 180km, the race will be considered a sprint by the top teams, who will aim to complete the distance without needing to pit for fuel.

That strategy dashed the hopes of leader Kevin Charles (Nelson) last year. He looked set to win in his massive Jimco Chev until it ran out of fuel on the last lap, almost as far from the pit lane as it is possible to be.