Fri, 25th Oct, 2024 72hr RV Stop at Bicentennial Park, Kalgoorlie, WA (Kalgoorlie Desert Race Prologue)

Warmer morning, min of 20 degrees. 7am it was up to 25, climbing to a max of 38 today!! Clear sky and light breeze as we headed north on the Goldfields Highway to where the prologue section of the desert race will be held on Mt Vetter Station. It is easy to spot the place with plumes of red dust going up in the sky from the motorbikes zooming around the track.

The wind has picked up as we drove in and parked up near the track. There is a small track 10km long for the bikes and double that distance track for the buggies/cars/utes so they can work out placings to start the race tomorrow. The race tracks is 121km long and both groups will do the lap once then rest and then another lap to find out the fastest who will be crowned State champion then another lap for the National championship. On the lap around Lake Perkolilli they can get up to 230kph - which is crazy. The dust will be crazy too.

Walked down to the track near where we parked where there are two corners then we can watch as the vehicles head back around to the start/finish line. Further along the fence is a big jump. Across is two straight sections with some little jumps so we have a great viewing spot here.

Went over to the food and merchandise area. A few helicopters for joy flights too.

The competitors are camped over further.

Watched the last of the motorbikes come in from their warm up lap.

Back to our ‘corner’ as the bikes then headed out to record their times for the prologue. The helicopters took off too and zoomed along taking photos and giving customers a ride and a half. They must be all mustering pilots they way they were handling those machines.

Walked up to the jump for some photos.

The ‘cars’ came out then for their warm up so got a few good photos of them too.

Went for a wander into the competitors area. Found John (Gecko) and he was happy with the new car’s performance but it thinks the throw-out bearing which operates the clutch broke so is going to have to do some work on it so mightn’t make it out for prologue. It was a run in trip for him to set it up for competition next year. Hope he gets it fixed ok.

Some competitors are full on with big rigs.

Chatted with a NZ chap about his car, V6, it was going very well. Nearby was two chaps from Perth with their Nissan who are here to have some fun.

Very hot now (38 in the camper) but there is a strong wind blowing so hope they all have their shade shelters tide down well. There are storm clouds building in the NW but they appear to be going west of us.

Back to our spot to watch the ‘cars’ prologue. Got a few good ‘jumps’.

There was long gaps between the cars as they were doing a longer circuit so we got out the chairs and found a shady ‘tree’ as it is very hot and the flies are very friendly.

Cheered for our ‘friends’ who we chatted to. A few didn’t make it over the berm which brought on a shouts from the spectators. I could just get them coming over the ramp from where we were and then as they rounded the corner. Some didn’t make it around the corner and just went straight over then through the salt bush and back onto the track.

The clouds are getting darker.

The sky darkened and then the wind picked up more and we realised we were about to get hit with rain but first the wall of wind whipped up the dirt. I ran to the camper just as the rain started so got it closed up but will be doing some cleaning as the dust got dumped inside via the dining window! The wind shook the camper. Steve had made it back to the side of the camper with the chairs and a chap on his motorbike took refuge in the shelter of the camper too. I peered out the door for a photo.

It lasted about 15 minutes but left its mark - mud! The cars continued through the rain and then through the mud.

There was still dust being blown up further over so you could see when they were nearing us.

Walked back up to the jump area for the trucks.

Unfortunately John didn’t make it out so hope he can get it going for the race tomorrow to get some more time in it.

Still more dark clouds about and it is dark now at 4.30pm. Went back to the merchandise area as we could here motorbikes but we got there just as the stunt guys finished their show - saw the last jump and flips. Wandered along then hid in one of the tents chatting with the guys there as the heavens opened again. Back to the camper again after the rain stopped. Nice sunset just below the thick cloud and a lovely bit of rainbow in the other direction.

Cooked early dinner as the Dash for Cash starts at 6.40pm. Took our chairs back to our spot. More spectators have arrived and they all drove their cars down to the fence line so we were lucky to have our tree so we had a spot. Chatted with the people around us, some were competitors so it was very interesting.

The top 10 of the prologue section race off now for a prize of $10,000. Darkness has arrived so some have big light bars across the top and others have spot lights on the front. There are a couple of lit spots (probably at the corners) but otherwise it is dark. The storm is still visible in the distance with flashes of lightning giving us a great light show.

One car came out and did a sight lap then took off for his lap then another car came out for its sight lap. The track was shorter too. There were trucks, bigger buggies and a couple of little buggies (which are 4WD so they will be ok in the mud). Unfortunately they only got 6 done before the heavens opened again. They kept racing, we got our umbrellas and kept watching. One of the trucks just made it around the corner but then lost it in the next corner doing a big 360 to get turned around again to continue on - great driving.

One of the little buggies hasn’t come back so they had to stop the race to retrieve him. It was nearly over and as we couldn’t tell who was who in the dark as well as they were covered in mud we decided to head back into town - with a lot of other people too. Still very windy but the rain had stopped and a few starts were visible.

It was certainly a great event and probably better watching that then the actual racing tomorrow which is just the long laps. Hope they all do well and nobody has any terrible crashes.

Back to our usual spot by 9.30pm with the wind still rocking the camper but no more rain.