MEDIA RELEASE || Thursday 12 August 2010

ANOTHER high-profile driver has been announced for next week’s Leyburn Motor Sprints – and he’ll be hoping there are no elephants, jungles or deep swamps around the Queensland Darling Downs street course.

Sydneysider Bruce Garland, a two-time competitor in the South American Dakar rally-raid, has confirmed his Leyburn entry after finishing second yesterday in the gruelling 2010 Asia Cross-country Rally in Thailand.

He’ll swap his Dakar-specification Isuzu D-MAX 4x4 ute for a classic 2.0 litre 1979 Ford Escort and, more than likely, some witty one-liners with old mate Dick Johnson, who also is competing at Leyburn.

The down-to-earth Garland, who finished an outstanding 11th outright in the 2009 Dakar, is rally’s answer to the wise-cracking touring car legend Johnson.

He bought peanuts in case he needed elephants to drag his ute out of the Thai jungle swamps and quipped that he spent almost as much time swimming with a towrope as driving.

After 2100 kilometres of jungle rallying, Garland’s turn on the one-kilometre round-the-houses Leyburn track will be a chance to unwind before his next off-road adventures.

Along with around 210 other drivers, including V8 Supercar young guns Shane Van Gisbergen and Tim Slade from Stone Brothers Racing, he’ll complete up to seven runs against the clock around the newly-surfaced course.

Between runs, he’ll be talking to fans, signing autographs and no doubt cracking a joke or two.

Then it’s back to business for Garland. He’ll contest the Australian Safari in Western Australia next month then gear up for his third crack at the world’s toughest motorsport event, the Argentine-based Dakar rally in January.

Racing starts at 8am on both days of the Leyburn Sprints. Tickets will be on sale at the gate.

The little town also has geared up for Federal Election day on 21 August, with a bigger polling booth established in the Leyburn RSL club to cater for an expected high number of absentee voters among Sprints competitors and spectators.

SPECTATOR INFORMATION

Tickets:  Adults $15 per day, $25 weekend; children under 14 free; on sale at gate
How to get there:  Leyburn is 219 kms south-west of Brisbane, 75 kms south of Toowoomba and 36 kms from Clifton on the Darling Downs
Accommodation:  Campsites available in Leyburn on first-come-first-served basis, $20 per site for Friday and Saturday; motels, hotels, etc available throughout the Southern Downs region
What’s on:  Racing both days from 8am. Saturday highlights, 10am & 3pm vintage speedcar demonstrations, 12pm official opening, Show n’ Shine and car clubs grand parade; 6.30pm Sir Jack Brabham autograph and framed photo auction at Royal Hotel; 7pm Calcutta & Sweep, Leyburn RSL Club. Sunday highlights, 12pm Show n’ Shine and car clubs grand parade, 3.30pm trophy presentations

The Leyburn Sprints is benefiting from funding under the Queensland  Events Regional Development Program (QERDP).
 
The QERDP is an investment program designed to extend the flow of economic and social benefits of events to regional Queensland.
 
A state-wide initiative, the program is committed to enhancing existing events in regional Queensland, as well as assisting in the establishment of new events.
 
Since the QERDP began in 2001, more than $15.3 million has been invested in 705 regional events, an indicator of the important role these events play in their communities and wider Queensland.

The Leyburn Sprints also has received support from the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal.

For further media information and assistance:

Ann Collins
President
Mob. (0428) 959 101
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Chris Nixon
Media Manager
Leyburn Sprints
Ph: 0418 759 417
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www.leyburnmotorsprints.com.au