It turns out even a stubborn 1994 Toyota Tarago has its limits. After more than 3500 kilometres of mud, corrugations and mostly unsealed roads between Adelaide and Darwin, Caloundra’s Driving With A Crank team car finally declared it had had enough.
The Cancer Council Shitbox Rally began with 243 cars, but the punishing conditions claimed 37 of them, the highest number of non-finishers in the event’s history. Phil Driver and Melinda Ireland’s much-loved Tarago was among the casualties.
Heavy rain turned outback roads into thick mud, which collected above the bash plate and weighed down the vehicle. When the team reached drier country, relentless corrugations finished off the front struts.
The Tarago remains in the Northern Territory awaiting an RACQ tow home, but Melinda is adamant it will ride again.
“We’ll fix it up, reinforce the struts and make sure we have a couple of spares next time,” she said.
While the car did not make it to Darwin under its own steam, Phil and Melinda did, supported by the camaraderie of their seven-car group.
“We all stuck together, regardless of whose car was breaking down or who was stuck on the side of the road,” Melinda said. “We stopped, helped each other, had a laugh and kept going.”
Phil was often called upon to diagnose mechanical problems, while Melinda handled fundraising, logistics, half the driving and the occasional request to “grab the spanner”.
The pair also smashed their $10,000 fundraising target. With final donations added, they expect to raise about $14,000 for cancer research, beating last year’s total of $11,266.
Melinda encourages anyone tempted by a slightly mad outback adventure to get involved by entering, sponsoring a team or donating.
“Give it a go,” she said. “You get to give back, meet great people and have plenty of laughs along the way.”
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Shitbox Rally – Driving with a Crank
