The pair are taking this seriously enough — they have ordered a custom-built Ford Escort that was designed in Ireland and Australia — but for navigator Sinclair, 72, it’s a pleasure to be back giving directions.
‘‘I'm still pinching myself that we're actually doing it again now,’’ he said.
The pair raced together for about eight years, their last one being the Otago Rally in 1985, where they finished a creditable fourth in their category.
‘‘You've just got to trust each other, I think. You've got to trust your driver, put your total trust in the driver,’’ Sinclair said.
‘‘And the driver's got to try to trust you being the navigator, [that] what you're telling is right.
‘‘Because it's important. We're driving blind.’’
Welsh, 66, is equally excited about the weekend.
‘‘We're just doing like we did, going back in time and just putting a smile on our face. In a better car. In a much better car.’’
The custom-built Ford Escort took about a year to build, and was the first to be designed by Oisin Mclaughlin.
‘‘He's flown over from the Gold Coast, but I think he’s got his hands full— there are four other cars,’’ Sinclair said.
‘‘He's over here with a team. He's here with his wife and three children. And I think he's got three mechanics or so with him.’’
Welsh said there was no particular goal, ‘‘other than to have fun’’, but he admitted he would be paying attention to the final Kuri Bush stage.
‘‘If we get to that stage on the last day and we're still going strong, I'll be taking that. I won't be out to break any records or anything, I assure you.
‘‘But it’s a beautiful final stage. You've got to enjoy it. I'll be enjoying that.’’
Asked whether they will team up again for another rally, Welsh said they had not put much thought into that.
‘‘Of course, the young top drivers, they're all young, gunning guys. But I would say 80-90% of the rest are heading up towards our age groups.
‘‘I always said when I was younger that rallying's a sport you can do at any age. We're proving it now, sir.’’
