Dirt box - We throw our dep ed into the deep end with a rally ace and factory ride

摘要

Having spent most of my childhood less than 10 minutes walk from the beach, totally blase about the view of the surf from our back deck, I was always slightly jealous of anyone who grew up on a farm. With not a paddock in sight, and rust an ever-pervading presence, my chances of creating a dream rally track (and having an old Datto to fang around it) were a great big, fat zero. So I gave up on the idea, moved to Sydney and grew comfy in a hand-me-down, three-speed auto Holden Camira. But nearly 20 years later, I'm standing on a winding, deserted dirt road in the Brindabellas outside Canberra, right next to former F2 rally champ and gun-for-hire, Rick Bates, holding the keys to a Mazda 2 that has been suitably rally-prepped for, er, me, by Mazda Australia's motorsport division. And this is despite the fact that I'm still yet to drive in a hillclimb, motorkhana, track sprint, or rally of any kind - classic, charity, dirt or otherwise. Are they mad? It's a bit like asking Grant Hackett to have a go at diving off the 10-metre tower - sure, the bloke can swim, but that doesn't mean he can put his knees behind his ears. In mid-air. In front of an audience.