In Oz, the wide open road is the place to celebrate

By ERWIN CHLANDA
 
Australia is a big country but a small place: We like to celebrate, commemorate and enjoy events by driving vast distances.
 
A relly rally from Alice Springs is usually around 5000 km. No worries.
 
Take father and son, Malcolm (pictured) and Mick Trull.
 
Malcolm tragically lost his wife, Sandra “Sam” Trull, to leukaemia two years ago, and after 35 years in The Alice, he moved to Gippsland, Victoria, (2,691 km) to start a “new chapter” in his life.
 
“As a tribute to mum, and noting the worthiness and relevance of the cause, the Leukaemia Foundation, as well as the fact dad has always had an interest in historic and classic cars, we decided to enter the Australian Muscle Car Run,” says Mick.
 
That means in October Malcolm will travel to Adelaide, where the rally starts, from Gippsland (935 km) and Mick from Alice Springs (1,531 km).
 
The rally itself – actually they call it a “leisure car cruise” – will take them to Tailem Bend, Mildura, Renmark, Wilpena Pound, Barossa and back to Adelaide. That’s 1,867 km.
 
This includes a full day’s racing at the new Tailem Bend motorsport park, as well as drags in Mildura.
 
“Noting there are likely to be a few 400hp GT Falcons present, our Valiant is likely to be competing in its own class,” says Mick.
 
It’s an R-series Valiant with a 225cu in slant six motor.
 
“This was one of Mal’s very first cars in the late 60s,” says Mick.
 
“It passed throughout the family for a while, before Mal regained possession about 15 years ago, and spent about five years restoring from the ground up.
 
“While outwardly looking fairly original, some of the more interesting and after-market modifications include  airconditioning, fuel injection, rack and pinion steering and a five-speed manual gear box.”
 
What’s a Muscle Car?
 
Well, they date back to he 60s and 70s which “provided an era of the most outstanding vehicle competition in the world,” says the group’s website.
 
“The run is open to muscle cars of the golden era of  Bathurst, built between 1963 and 1977. Replicas are welcome and the organisers also consider special  interest vehicles.”
 
The event has raised $2.5m for the Leukaemia Foundation since the event started in 2012.
 
Mick, who heads up an accounting firm in Alice Springs, says: “I have been amazed at the continued generosity of local businesses and individuals. We have so far managed to raised over $12,000 toward the cause.”
 
Happy travelling – and money raising!