Mitch knows how to floor them

THE Pakenham Auto Club (PAC) Junior Development Driver Training Program recently ran the first of its 2015 monthly events with 20 young participants in attendance.
Numbers stretched the club resources, using five club cars and involving five volunteer instructors, but the reward of seeing smiling faces on young drivers is the reason the volunteers keep coming back. All participants became confident in controlling manual cars in both forward and reverse directions and following the different courses marked out with cones. These young participants will not only be our future motorsport drivers, but will also soon be every day road users. They now have a good understanding of car control and spatial awareness.
The reasonably small field of competitors for the February Multi-Club Motorkhana provided more time for tests and socialising along with more opportunities for competitors to observe one another’s performances. The event was run by Ray Garrad who was being assessed for, and gained, his CAMS Director’s Certificate.
In an event dominated by Peugeots, the outright winner was junior member, 16-year-old Mitch Garrad driving a very competitive little Peugeot 205. Second place went to Mitch’s grandfather Nick Wright driving the same car, from Jarrod Smith in a Peugeot 306 a close third. Dropping from first place to fourth with a ‘wrong direction’ in the last test was Rob Sanderson driving a Hyundai Excel. Other PAC placings included; 5th Shane Walters Peugeot 405Mi16. 7th outright and 2nd Junior Jacob Smith Peugeot 306. 8th Leon Prosser Toyota. 9th Bruce Connelly Toyota. 10th Glad Fish Peugeot 205. 12th outright and 3rd Junior Alex Smith Peugeot 306. 13th Damien Schellings Toyota.
Mitch Garrad’s win was his second big achievement for the week, having just been selected for the Australian Men’s Under-19 Floorball team to play at the World Championships in Sweden in April.
February club night was the PAC Summer Show and Shine held in the car park adjacent to the new meeting room at the Lakeside Lutheran College. A record number of members proudly displayed their magnificent vehicles. Nick and Glenys did a great job providing sausages and coleslaw for everyone before retiring to the meeting proper.
Popular choice award went to Peter Bryen’s Mustang, and Peter gave a talk on the ups-and-downs of the four years spent restoring the car. Informal discussion followed as members recalled the hours of love and heartache involved in such projects.
The monthly raffle was won by Taze King, Troy Bradberry, Warren Kogge and Brett Mawby.
The next club night is Monday, 2 March with a visit to Con Spadaro’s Master Motor Body Works – members and friends welcome.
The next events at McGregor Road Complex; Saturday, 28 February – junior development driver training. Sunday, 1 March – Victorian Motorkhana Championship.
For more information on the PAC you can visit www.pakenhamautoclub.org.au or email secretary@pakenhamautoclub.org.au . You can also ring the PAC on 0413 370 159.