The New England Sporting Car Club hosted the latest round of the Motorsport Australia NSW Khanacross Championship on the weekend and it was a local competitor who caused a massive upset.
 
Taking place at the Traffic Education Centre in Armidale, 17 competitors tackled the event’s 10 tests and even though there was a mix of national and state khanacross drivers, it was local David Opie who comfortably won the event.
 
Accumulating a total time of 955 seconds at the conclusion of the weekend, Opie ended up winning by more than 20 seconds, beating another local in Matthew Carey.

It was a stellar performance from the 32-year-old, who claimed eight of the 10 tests, even after having two penalties against him in the opening tests.
 

Despite beating Carey on eight occasions, the two-time test winner was second in a majority of the other tests and kept himself in it in the fight.
 
However Opie proved to be too consistent and stormed home to the 20 second victory.
 
With Australian motorkhana champion Aaron Wuillemin rounding out the podium more than a minute off Carey, it made both the top two’s results all the more impressive.
  
Following on from his victory, Opie was thrilled to have had such a good result, although it was one that surprised him slightly.

 
"It’s always nice to win an event but it was a bit of a shock really – especially since I am just a local beating state and national competitors,” Opie said.
 
“I don’t know how I won to be honest, I guess I have a bit of local experience and the car seemed to go really well
 
“I guess the fact that we were on concrete made a difference and a lot of the state and national guys wouldn’t have been too prepared for it.


“On the Saturday, I didn’t think I was a shot, but having had a convincing win during the last stage on Sunday, I thought I was capable, but I just had to stop hitting the flags like I had done in the first two tests.
 
“It was amazing how the old Lancer went on the concrete, and after winning the club’s last khanacross there by 55 seconds, I had a little bit of hope I could do it again.
 
“A big thanks to Paul Kennedy and Ken Behrend for running the event, it was a fantastic event as it always is.”
 
Taking out the top Junior prize was Maverick Kemenyvary, who finished behind another national motorkhana veteran in Phil East.
 
Click here to view the full results.