ADELAIDE-based Stuart Bowes is returning to Mount Gambier again this week for another crack at the Legend of the Lakes Hill Climb, which kicks off on Friday.
Bowes participated in his first Legend last year, along with brother Angus and was keen to return for another shot at the mountain.
Bowes will bring the same two cars that ran in 2016 – an ex-works Group A Toyota Celica GT-Four used on the World Rally Championship and a well-prepared 1975 Mercedes Benz 450SLC 5.0L replica of the factory team cars used on the WRC in the 1970’s, but with some improvements.
However, this year he will run on his own, with work commitments keeping Angus out of the picture.
“We had such a great time last year, we decided we could not pass up an opportunity to head back and have another go,” Bowes said.
“I will drive both cars and that will keep me busy,” Bowes said.
“I did that last year as well and I was out of one and into the other.”
Bowes said the course itself was one of the main attractions to bring him back, after travelling the world to motorsport events, but never seeing anything quite like the Valley Lake layout.
“I have never been to a place like this,” he said.
“Most of the other events I have done are a hill climb, up the side of a hill basically.
“There is nowhere like the ambience of Mount Gambier, down the bottom of the lake in the park.
“The sheer fact we are in the bottom of that volcano makes it much more intimate.
“Then the run out of the volcano up the side of the hill really makes it interesting.”
Apart from the setting, Bowes said the track throws up a real challenge to drivers, regardless of horsepower on tap.
“You start with cold tyres and you have to be careful until they warm up,” he said.
“The first part, up and down over the crests and curves is fantastic.
“The bit I do not like is between the guardrail before the run up the hill – you have to keep it really neat through that.
“Then it is a flat-out blast up the hill – the most horsepower wins that run up the hill – but then really quickly you are into a sweeping right hander then a tight left, hairpin right in the little car park.
“You have to be on the brakes hard and keep it nice and neat, then the last quarter is very easy to lose it – it can be a bit slippery.
“It is a very good mix.
“You tend to think it is a really fast blast up the hill and horsepower counts, until you realise you have those technical bits at either end.”
Bowes’ cars are set up predominantly for gravel rallying, with the Mercedes proving very fast in that particular format after testing and its first official rally this year.
With that in mind he said he does not expect to challenge for the podium, with the likes of Dan Day’s and Kevin Mackrell’s cars set up specifically for that kind of tarmac sprint, along with a host of experienced campaigners.
He hoped to finish fairly high up the order, especially in the Celica, plus a clean weekend of racing.
Overall he said he simply enjoyed the event.
“The car club down there is fantastic at organising that event,” he said.
“They do a seriously good job of running it – it runs like clockwork and they are a good happy bunch of guys.
“The town really gets behind the event and contrary to popular belief, the weather was great last year and I see we’re heading for 28c on Friday, so all set for a great battle ahead of us.”
