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We ended up winning the Over All for 4-Wheeled Vehicles. The Truck that could and should have beat us spent several hours stuck in tidal flat mud after missing a turn.
We had a slow day 4, but did win one of the two Specials.
Our last belt made it to the finish, but we battled drive clutch problems all day. Dave slid to a stop in a cross grain washout and the engine stalled as the clutch was locked up and the motor could not idle. Everything was bound up and we could not shift it at all or get the starter motor to crank the engine over.
I got out, being navigator, ride-a-long mechanic and go-fer, and jacked up the rear end to release the bound up drive train and we could then get it in neutral and start the engine. The problem was that as soon as it was put in gear it would kill the engine. I jacked it up and got it running in gear, then pushed him off the jack to get out of the ditch - but then it stalled again up on a flat 20 yards ahead - luckily on a flat spot.
I gathered up the tools and jack and put them in my foot well. After several attempts to get our system and timing down - start the engine in neutral, I rock/push it forward as he pulled it into Low and once moving just a little into High, then circle around a couple of times while I run along side, get the suicide door open and jump inside, belt up - and back in the race. We had to to this circus routine at a couple of STOP Controls and Stage Controls - but it worked.
I told Dave that if he stalled it anywhere that I couldn't push it, like sand... we were done, so he drove a conservative calculated pace.
On the final Liaison Stage, we were following too close to the truck (great guys from Alberta in a Chevy Class 8 that won the day) and his power steering failed so he could not make a turn and we stalled right behind them. Here we were, just a few KM's from the end of the Rally and both of us are stuck in the middle of four lane Highway interchange. They are trying to back up, we are frantically waving them to stop, I'm jumping out pushing us back wards out of their way... pretty comical to say the least.
One last push and a running jump into the RZR and we were on our way to the finish.
We had a fun filled four days of racing through an amazingly pristine desert - a place I want to explore again!
P.s.
Robb, I have a great idea for a Sportsmobile Rally...
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Four time Baja 1000 winner, four time Baja 500 winner. Solo'ed the Baja 1000 to LaPaz/Cabo twice.
4-Wheeling since 1972, Desert Racing since 1989.
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