After successfully launching their 2011 Australian Off Road Championship campaign with a win at the ARB Pinjarra Engineering Hyden 450 at Easter, David Fellows and Peter Kittle Motor Sports return to a happy hunting ground for Round 2 of the Championship, the Tattersall’s Finke Desert Race.
With a hat-trick of Finke wins under their belts, the defending ‘Kings of the Desert’, David Fellows and Mark Bergamin will return to Alice Springs as Australian Off Road Champions for the first time. When the #1 twin turbo V6 Toyota Jimco rolls out of the trailer, their sights will not only be set on another haul of AORC points, but also on a fourth consecutive Tattersall’s Finke Desert Race win.
The desert classic is one of the highlights of the Australian Off Road calendar, and the passion for Finke runs deep within the two car team. Second generation racer and pilot of the teams second #14 Jimco, Andrew Kittle explains;
“Finke is our home race and it is the week during the year that we look forward to the most. It is what got our family started in off road racing. In the early days I used to head down the track and camp and watch guys like Mark Burrows, Dave Fellows and my dad race, and now I have the opportunity to try and emulate them.”
With two Tattersall’s Finke Desert Race wins to his name as a navigator, Andrew is looking forward to his second outing at Finke as a driver. His brother Matthew now sits alongside him in the #14 Jimco and the pair are focused on developing the good form they showed at Hyden.
After pre-running the 225km track to Finke and back in their FJ Cruiser, Andrew is expecting to face a very similar track to last year.
“I expect it to be as rough as ever, which really suits our cars. I prefer the open flowing style of track Finke offers, rather than the tighter courses elsewhere.”
For an opportunity to check out the immaculately presented Peter Kittle Motor Sports Jimco’s before they are let loose on the desert, head to scrutiny for the Tattersall’s Finke Desert Race, which is held on the eve of the great race, from 5pm at the Blatherskite Park Showgrounds in Alice Springs.
Author: Randall Kilner
Source: Randall Graphics (PR Division) Pty Ltd
Photos: Randall Kilner