MOTORSPORT PARTNERSHIPS
“ We did have a few little hiccups along the way – the fuel pump came off on the first run and on the second I ended up in a ditch – but I got used to the car by the third run, and we made it round, although it was very slow and steady! I remember coming through the finish line and everyone was there clapping, which was a fantastic experience.”
Mark recalls:“ I’ m usually pretty laid back, but this was a bit different. One of the challenges with Comp Safaris is there is no easy way in, the speed events are something else. Obviously, it was very nerve-wracking, both for her and for me sitting in, but she actually surprised me with how well she did, and how well she coped with it all.
“ There were certain areas where she was very restrained – generally on the sharp bends or going steep downhill on mud, which are all beginner fears – but on the straights or almost straights, I was impressed by how she got her foot right down, to the point where we were coming into corners and I was wondering‘ is she going to stop?’
“ The course had a hairpin that started off level then went up a rising bank and that is where we ended up in the ditch. I told her to give it some power, and she listened to me to the button, which ended up going a bit wrong! We learned from that straight away – it is that sort of thing that you learn the fastest from in a partnership!”
Comp Safaris are not just about pure speed, they are a test of strategy, ingenuity and team spirit, and the working relationship between the two people in the car can make or break the day.“ When I used to have different people in with me, some would be really into it and gave it their all, others would just sit there and take in the ride,” explains Mark.
“ As a driver, you need a navigator who knows what they are talking about and once you have driven yourself, you know better what information you need to feed back to the driver. Jake and Allana both know what information they want from a navigator, and with Allana, I usually drive the third run, so she knows what information to give me.
“ The more you sit in with somebody, the more you build combined confidence, and it becomes a trust thing both ways. Allana is a very different driver now than she was a few years ago, and the whole thing has built up as a partnership. She trusts me, I trust her, and she trusts the motor, which is more important than anything.
“ She understands how far it can go before it is likely to go on two wheels or get really out of shape. I am quite a calm person, and I have driven for many years, so I know when something’ s going bad or when something’ s going very bad! I have rolled or got stuck endless times in the past, so there’ s no flapping from the navigating seat, she’ s in full control.
“ That is something she has learned over the years. If you’ re getting into a slide, she used to come off the power, correct it and go again. In a speed event, you are not getting very far if you do that so I have slowly educated her to a point where she can get in a good side drift, keep the power on and correct it without any drama.
“ As a parent, when you are working with your children, you must be patient with them. Thankfully, both of mine are quite placid, so we have never really had a blazing row. You need to consider that they’ re learning the sport, certainly early on, so your expectations need to just sit in that category and then slowly build with them.
18
Revolution- August 2025