Kids get a taste of the wild ride

READY TO GO: Turakina School's Sam Hindmarsh and Reagan Oliver, both 10, in the 4x4 truck of national champion Hamish Auret yesterday.PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY 250515WCBRC4X401

THE children at Turakina School got to put on the race helmets and feel what 600 horsepower feels like rumbling under their seats as 4x4 national champion Hamish Auret brought his Corvette-engine truck to "show and tell" yesterday.

Auret and Dan Cowper were visiting five country schools to promote the inaugural Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge, which will be held this Sunday on the Cowper property.

The 4x4 truck builder has invited 15 of the best drivers to enter the challenge on a course he has designed and will dig out on the property - sculpting it to suit rather than using more natural barriers like the national 4x4 championship series.

He hopes that by design this will make 4x4 competition more spectator friendly, and has arranged for a crew from TV3's CRC Motorsport show to attend the weekend.

"It's built for TV, really," Cowper said. "Because of that, the spectators will get a good view on what's going on. There's jumps, walls of death, big lumps to cut out and get over."

Auret, a Mt Egmont 4WD Club member, won the national title by one point with co-driver Paul Barnes in April.

He was looking forward to trying out a completely different environment.

"The harder the better, generally we like. This is crazy extreme, this course coming up. Love the challenge."

Auret helped the children strap in and fire up the 427 cubic inch engine, built into the 2013 covette chassis at a weight of 1200kg.

"They love it, something completely different for them."

The children all received tickets to attend Sunday's challenge. The challenge will be held at 2278 SH3 Turakina, 10am-4pm Entry $20 per person and free for children under 5. Cash only.

Hot food and refreshments available on the day.