RallySport Magazine November 2016

FEATURE: CAUGHT WITH YOUR PANTS DOWN
MAXIMUM EXPOSURE
Rally Australia has been a part of
the WRC for nearly 30 years and
uniquely in the WRC calendar, it
has literally migrated from one side of
the country to the other.
Other WRC rounds tend to stay
relatively focussed in one geographical
area, but by comparison Australia is a
massive nation and, state politics aside,
communities with quality rally roads are
readily found – and each with their own
style and nature.
The Australian WRC round is also
well recognised for a wide array of TV
footage capturing once-in-a-lifetime
rally incidents, ensuring its legendary
status.
Who can forget Colin McRae’s
Subaru WRC at maximum attack over
the downhill jumps at the Bunnings
Forest complex stages, or Carlos
Sainz’s frightening multiple rollover
in his Toyota Celica GT4 with a world
championship title in sight?
Langley Park introduced the rally
world to a purpose-built Super Special
Stage in the middle of a capital city, and
the stage provided great side-by-side
two car competition, along with crashes
and rollovers along the way, in front of a
huge local audience.
One of the most loved helicopter
shots must surely be Ross Dunkerton
and Steve McKimmie’s factory
Mitsubishi Galant VR4 sideways through
a grid on the Muresk stage, and the incar
footage of Dunko completely revved
up by the experience!
Along with the dangerous and
spectacular, there has also been the
entertaining.
Twenty-five years ago, at the
1990 Commonwealth Bank Rally
Australia, one of the most unusual and
memorable events unfolded.
Popular Queensland rally driver,
George Kahler, was a regular competitor
at state and national levels in the late
80s and 90s, and in 1990 took his
Duckhams Oil VR4 to Perth.
His regular co-driver at the time was
Kenyan rally legend and new Australian
resident, Lofty Drews, famous for his
expertise at WRC level with factory
teams, and especially in the East African
Safari.
As a true privateer effort, the Christian
Autosports entry was competitive in the
Group N category, but on the televised
special stage it all came undone in view
of the watching world.
After a relatively ordinary water
splash and within sight of the flying
80 | RALLYSPORT MAGAZINE - NOVEMBER 2016
By TOM SMITH
finish, the car faltered and almost came
to a halt with no engine power.
While the heavy VR4 still had
George Kahler and Lofty Drews push the heavy VR4.
momentum, Kahler and Drews jumped
from the vehicle and, in true ‘never-saydie’
fashion, used manpower to push
the car towards the flying finish.
With the television cameras capturing
every moment from at least two
angles, George (whose driving suit
preference of the day was a two-piece
set) unfortunately showed more than he
intended when his pants began to fall to
his knees.
First images from the front of the car
showed both crew members pushing
on open doors, with legendary Channel
9 commentator, Darryl Eastlake,
commenting on a smile which emerged
on the face of the Kahler, knowns as the
“Faster Pastor”.
He wasn’t aware at that early
stage that George already knew his The ‘Faster Pastor’ loses his modesty on live TV.
predicament was ‘unfolding’..... continue
to push the car or use both hands to
protect his modesty!!
While neither of the crew were ‘young’
men, they showed willpower - and first
managed to get to the yellow flying
finish, before continuing to push the
big Mitsubishi onto the red flag end of
stage.
In the control zone they still managed
to stay out of the way of the following
car, Bob Nicoli in his Daihatsu Charade
GTti, who had caught the big 4WD at the
end of stage.
With the relieved crew at least
recording a finish in a safe place, George
was finally able to dress himself again
and regain his dignity.
Interestingly, television footage also
reflects the safety standards of the day Kahler tries his best to get the stubborn VR4 started.
with both George and Lofty resplendent
in matching short-sleeved polo shirts
and, in the case of Lofty Drews, jeans
and running shoes! Not a racing suit,
nor HANS device to be seen.
While the assumption at the time
was that the car must have suffered
wet electrics from the water splash,
the story emerged afterwards that the
bumps caused the fuel pump switch to
flick off, and the car simply ran dry of
fuel.
With the immediate panic over and
with time to investigate, George quickly
found the problem and the crew was
able to continue without further delays.
A large personality, George
unfortunately passed away in 1999. Photos: Channel Nine TV footage from 1990.