Local garage continues long rally association in 2024

When the inaugural MLT Barry Robinson Memorial Wyndham Rally was held in 2023 no one was more excited than Maurice (Minnie) Turner, proprietor of Marshall’s Garage in Wyndham, alongside his wife Maxine.

The garage had a long association with previous Wyndham Rally’s through the 1970’s and 80’s when it was owned by Roger and Margaret Marshall. When the rally was resurrected last year Minnie, who worked at the garage straight out of school for around nine years in the late 70’s and early 80’s, before taking over the business in 2005 with Maxine, who coincidentally worked in the office for several years preceding the sale, they continued that association.

When the rally was resurrected last year Minnie said, “I could remember Roger Marshall being a strong supporter of the event back in the 70’s and 80’s. I was an Eastern Southland Car Club member myself at the time. I was always interested in the rally and during those years I got to know a lot of the drivers. Barry Robinson, after whom the rally is now named, was a client at the garage, so too another top Wyndham driver, Ian Begg. Scrutineering used to be held at the garage and the event is welcome to use my facility again when necessary.”

After the success of the “reboot” of the rally bearing Barry Robinson’s name last year the business will again be a sponsor of the event this year with the opening Special Stage known as Challenge Marshall’s Garage Wyndham Vitesse Wyndham Valley Stage, the same stage the garage sponsored last year as well as all those years ago.

Last year Minnie said he was “absolutely looking forward to the event. We haven’t had anything like this since the Burt Munro Challenge Street Race in Wyndham went, so I am quite excited. It is really good to have the rally back, it is home again,” he said at the time.

Last year Minnie kept in touch with organisers during the event in case anyone needed access to his workshop. “I wasn’t needed so I spent the whole day out there,” he says. “I got to see three stages. It was a great day.”

“I’m stoked it is back and happening again this year.” Once again Minnie has the same plan as last year. “If they need me to open the workshop for anyone I will, if not I will be out there watching.”

Rally Secretary, Roger Laird says, “we are delighted to have support from the Mataura Licensing Trust, Traffic Management Services, Yuasa Battery plus that of Rayonier Matariki Forests, the Southland District Council, Gore District Council, Prime Range Fresh Shop Lorneville, Matt McRae and the landowners on the rally route plus our Special Stage sponsors such as Challenge Marshalls Garage Wyndham to put this event together.

This year’s rally will again be centred on the township of Wyndham, 45 kilometres east of Invercargill and 25km south of Gore. It will start at the MLT Three Rivers Hotel in Redan Street, Wyndham at 9.00am on Saturday 10 August from where competitors will tackle five Special Stages with only minimal changes to a couple of last year’s route.

The rally then ends back at the MLT Three Rivers Hotel in Wyndham with the first car due at 3.32pm after 128km of Special Stage competition linked by 126km of touring stage mileage.

The event prizegiving will take place in Gore at the MLT Croydon Lodge with the winning crew awarded the Barry Robinson Memorial Trophy. The rally is Round 4 of the Mainland Rally Championship and also carries points toward the Eastern Southland Car Club Rally Championship while the leading Otago Sports Car Club driver in the event receives the Glen Shirlaw Memorial Trophy.