Last weekend saw the inaugural running of the 300km Snowy River Sprint, the latest offering from boutique events company Mountain Motorsports. Set in the rolling countryside of the Snowy River valley in Victoria’s south-east, the enjoyable but deceptively technical event was always going to attract attention.
The scene was set for the weekend with patchy wet weather forecast and numerous surface changes along the course. Dramas began in earnest on the opening stage with event hopeful Nathan Reeves rolling his Sti, and continued throughout the event with 50% of the field succumbing to either mechanical dramas or the surrounding countryside.
First time Smoothline users Clint Arentz/Pete Burrey and Jeff/Nerida Beable, took the top two steps of the weekend’s podium. Clint Arentz in his TMR Performance prepared Mitsubishi Evo X set a wisely cautious pace from the outset while many others fell victim to unsuspecting mountain pass. Guided by experienced co-driver Peter Burrey, they moved into the rally lead late on day one where they remained until the finish. Highly Experienced tarmac rally competitors Jeff and Nerida Beable in their evergreen Nissan GTR R34 finished two minutes behind the leaders despite setting a blistering time on the final and longest stage of the event.
By all reports the weekend unveiled a fresh, enjoyable and challenging event in Victoria’s south-east, an easy drive from both Melbourne and Sydney.
