Rally driver Mike Verdoner knew the Catlins Coast Rally would be dangerous.
But that did not mean the Balclutha driver was expecting to be thrown 50m down a bank after his car missed a corner, sending it crashing through six trees and leaving him and his son, Jareb (25), contemplating what might have been.
''I just braced myself ... and hung on,'' Mr Verdoner said.
The incident happened when the car's gearbox locked as it entered a sweeping left-hand corner during the second stage of the rally on Saturday.
He was changing from fourth to third gear when the car, a custom Mk II Ford Escort, went out of control, Mr Verdoner said.
''We were basically passengers from then on. We never even looked like getting round the corner.
''We just disappeared straight off.
''We were very, very lucky. The car was quite badly damaged - possibly not repairable - but we came out of it with no injuries at all, just a couple of sore necks and a couple of seatbelt grazes.''
He was aware of the difficult corner and that there had been crashes there in the past, Mr Verdoner said.
However, there was nothing he could do once the car went out of control, he said.
Thoughts of serious injury, or worse, did not enter their heads during the plunge.
''We didn't really have much time to think; it all happened very quickly.
''I sensed we weren't going to get round the corner. I don't really remember saying anything.
''You don't really think about that until afterwards.''
The course was a bit slippery in places but was not particularly dangerous, Mr Verdoner said.
Of more concern was that the car lost second gear about a third of the way through the first stage.
''We probably shouldn't have kept going but we thought, because we'd paid the entry money, we might as well struggle away.''
The car looked a mess from the outside but was still structurally sound, Mr Verdoner said.
However, the gearbox was still locked up two days later.
He would not be racing in the short term as the car would take some time to repair.
