Hey’s record-breaking run a family affair

Chris Hey, flanked by his children, Jorja (13) and  Koby (12), pictured in Mosgiel yesterday with...
Chris Hey, flanked by his children, Jorja (13) and Koby (12), pictured in Mosgiel yesterday with the Toyota MR220 he drove to beat a 29-year-old 2WD record at the Ashley Forest Rally Sprint in North Canterbury at the weekend. Koby was co-driver and Jorja was in the service crew. Photo: Linda Robertson
Mosgiel's Chris Hey received the ultimate blessing from his son and co-driver Coby (12) to give it everything before his successful attempt at breaking a 29-year-old two-wheel-drive (2WD) record at the Ashley Forest Rally sprint.

After the preliminary qualifying runs up and down the 1.7km North Canterbury course at the weekend, Hey checked that his boy was happy in the passenger seat and told him it was time to dial up the pace in their Toyota MR220.

"He said, ‘just do whatever you have to do, dad’". 

Hey, in the Toyota MR2, equalled Kim Austin’s 1988 record of 1min 02.45sec in the top 32 run.

In the top 16 run, Hey set a  2WD record of 1min 02.15sec.

Hey has driven the fastest 2WD at this event 10 times now and has finally got the race record. He said it was very pleasing to break the record after many years of trying and he knew instantly he had done so after finishing the run.

"There was a lot of noise at the bottom [around the finish line]."

Going on to win the 2WD class for the 10th consecutive year after the top-two final, Hey also claimed the trophy for the highest-placed Ratec Motorsport club member.

That was just the icing on the cake and involved a family celebration as Hey’s 13-year-old daughter, Jorja, was also at the event, on the spanners.

She was co-driving for him last year when he achieved his ninth 2WD win in a row but had to surrender her seat to her brother this time around.

Hey said they had to have turn-about.

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