[sudev]

April end is supposed to be hot and dry and sweaty outdoors. But belying this the brisk cool breeze through the day and cloud cover made it just perfect for the days program.

UNCAGED Team Trials were scheduled for Saturday April 27, 2013. Rules were simple.

• Team of two vehicles
• Each team to go through series of challenges
• Time taken in each challenge to be cumulated to declare winners
• Damage to vehicle while doing challenges to act as handicap multiplier on time taken.

The event was supported by local Mahindra Dealer who had his vehicles on display. A Scorpio on drums roll:


A Quanto on the articulation hump:


Ravi - a volunteer - ready for the crowds at registration counter.


UNCAGED was held at specially prepared Mahindra Off Road track with challenges that test various skills demanded from an off roader.

[sudev]

Competitors and their supporters started driving in by ten o'clock by which time the "O" Team had the track all laid out, marked and flagged. Thanks to untiring efforts of Harmeet Gill, Gunpreet Sawhney Ravi Sharma Nitin Jaspal Ruben Grewal things were ready to roll.

Nikhil Jaspal Keeping a close eye on proceedings:


Col. Gill and myself discussing cones penalties on the track. Sanjiv Singh the Terrain Tigers lead in the background:


In the meanwhile as each group of competitors arrived they were "eyed" closely by those present. After all it was team trial competition and checking out the competition is part of the fun.

Here are Gerarri Offroaders from Chandigarh discussing obstacles and the best way to tackle:


Note from Support - Please preview your post before submitting. One pic that does not confirm to forum rules has been deleted.

[sudev]

The parking was getting full with lovely machines on display:

A drivers briefing kicked off the event proper imparting information and clearing any doubts by the teams or the crews on any rules and layout. It had been decided to run each challenge based on draw of lots so as not to favour any team by being first or last on to an obstacle. There were seven challenges planned but order of the day was to do as many as possible withing allotted time span.

[sudev]

A draw of lots was organised to determine the order of doing challenge #1. This ensured randomness and some level playing field as no team was first or last all the time and did complain of positive or negative changes in the surface due to wear tear etc.

The challenge was series of three tasks to be done. The schematic shows the layout:


The vehicles first entered a shallow long pit which had water and slush at the bottom. The pit had some ruts in the straight direction. Midway a branch pit turned right and the teams had to follow the branch to exit. The ruts in the starting pit made change of course difficult and unless one was careful in approach using the small ledges on the very edge there was no steerage even with full wheel turns.

After the pit came a small mound that was to be climbed and then exited using a ninety degree change in direction from a very tight plat form. You risked tipping over if you tried turning early. Or risked hanging the front wheels over the edge if delayed the turn. Spotting was of utmost importance.

This was followed immediately by "Log" challenge. Three "beam" logs were give to cross two pits. Slight radial in the pit alignment meant first placing log #1 & #2 for crossing pit #1 and then repositioning the outer log on pit #2 and use in conjunction with log #3. The inner log on pit #1 was still under vehicle load at the time.

This was a white lined challenge that meant team vehicle were allowed a minimal of straying distance so could not come to rescue from side.

So much for theory.....

[sudev]

So the first team was flagged in to the Y & Log challenge. It looked oh so easy!

The vehicle was fitted with "Ultra" MT tyres. But it just would not turn in to the right fork. And more he tried more the main track rut got reinforced. Let some pictures do the talking.

Going straight is not what is on called for:


Trying trying and trying again:


Lets us rock the boat ...errr jeep ...slightly:


The teams that made their way through this obstacle faced the mound and log challenge. One of the Gerarri cars tried doing the log pits without the logs and lost precious time in getting the vehicle unstuck and out before doing it with logs:

[sudev]

Another view of the Y & Log challenge:


See the tyres on the vehicles? Ultra MT?? These are tractor tyres adapted for off roading in slush:


Spotter tryint to break the edge of rut with his feet so that the team vehicle can find some purchase to the right turn:


Doing the log challenge right way:


Doing it wrong way in a hurry while team members place the log that was ultimately used:


All pictures in this post are to credit of Bedi Gurkanwar Singh

[sudev]

Y & Log challenge continuing.

The first vehicles in to the challenge. Squeaky clean gypsy and clear water splashes. The second team vehicle in background all ready and strapped to give quick help:


I want to turn but the Gypsy wants to go straight:


So trying to use the edge but all to early. The tyres gripped the wall and the car had to be pulled back by the second team vehicle. Observe the second vehicle in background all spayed with mud from the vehicle inside!


Where is the clean water? It is Choco Latte now:


All pics to credit of Manan Vir

[sudev]

Here is a video clip of team trying to do the Y & Logs. The second jeep got stuck neither able to go forward nor back. In the event they took scratch penalties and were towed out by ever present JCB.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater

Here is video of the Gerari Team trying to do the log crossing:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater

[sudev]

After the Y & Log challenge the team moved on to the next hurdle. This was the Trail.

As the UNCAGED track is built on land that abuts a small rivulet the terrain offers fantastic opportunities to make a mix of climbs, falls, slush pond and humps with sandy surface interspread with hard packed mud.

The objective was for both the vehicles to finish the trail in shortest possible time. At two locations the team vehicles had to work together to over come the obstacle. One was wall of the rivulet and the other the slush pond.

The trail was marked with red and yellow flag marking the right and left boundaries of the track.

Enjoy the clicks from this challenge.

One of the teams approaching the rivulet wall:


Strategy being though on how to attempt the challenge. Team forgot that this was not a white line challenge so the second vehicle could detour to top and tow pull the first vehicle. And then go back and get it self pulled up:


Another view of the same. Vehicle attempting to climb without aid from partner vehicle:



Ofcourse the Ultra MT gave enough grip to let these vehicles climb without tow aid:


Natural challenge carved around the rivulet. Lots of articulation and right amount of power got you through:


Slush pond crossing:


The ups and downs of the trail with trenches and humps:

[sudev]

Some more pictures from the trail.

Climbs with negative camber turns made for cautious driving over parts:


However here all caution was thrown to winds as teams tried to improve on their timing. A gypsy ready to take off:


The negative impact of such reckless driving was felt by two teams. One broke the front leaf spring of one vehicle. The other damaged the drive shaft on hard landing at the edge of pit.

Slush pond was a small affair with offering reasonable traction. As you will see later on in the videos. However at the exit end there was a small step. This could be negotiated by going through slightly longer path through the slush or by tow pull from second vehicle.


The Ultra MT tyres power the vehicles up the rivulet wall with ease without any need of tow pull. Saving their team quite some time. Also it was all ease while wading through slush pond described above.

[sudev]

Enjoy this video covering track laying in progress, start of event and the first challenge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KS4usbgAsg

[sudev]

With only two challenges done it was already way past two in the afternoon so a quick lunch break was called. Pre-packed lunch boxes were handed out to all team and support members. Animated discussions were going on while the "O" team put its head together to decide on how many challenges to run, given the time constrains.

The two challenges that were on short list were the "Articulation C" and "Hill with Camel Back"

The first was laid out in for of letter C. The participants started off from one end. In the first straight they faced some mild articulation while maintaining a very tight line between the white lines. This indeed was a white line challenge so the team vehicles could not step out of the lines. After the first ninety left the articulations got heavier and deeper. The central leg ended in another ninety left followed by slight muddy slush to the end.
Schematic of Articulation C :


The second one was Hills with Camel Back. The schematic:


The challenge here was negotiating sharp slopes of slightly loose mud. The angle of approach, break over angle and departure angle had to be carefully monitored to see that the vehicle does not get beached or stuck between slopes.
Schematic of problem:


Actual picture while track was being readied:

[ashnd]

Great report Sudev sir! The schematics that you have created show how much effort goes into actually designing and building the track. It was also an excellent experience being there as part of the Terrain Tigers team. Here's a video of the event that I shot and edited:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH0jzPg48Wo

[sudev]

@ashnd : Thanks for the lovely video compilation. It more than covers up whole day.

It was decided by O team to run the Articulation C first and then if time permitted run the Hills.

By this time only six team were effectively left in the competition. And even out of those one had a vehicle with out 4x4 drive. Draw of lots over the first team's strategists put their heads together and loaded each car with two spare tyres each in the hope of using these to help out in making the ditch crossing easier like shown in the next series of pictures. This was turned down by O team as more than one tyre could be only be carried if securely fastened.

Bring in the tyre


Lay it flat at bottom of ditch


Drive carefully over to reduce articulation

[sudev]

After the small and big articulation and ditch at end of the second straight there was a hump beyond which there was a slush filled straight through to the exit.

The series of pictures show competitors racing to the end to keep the time at lowest possible. In the background is the faithful puller JCB. Crowds loved the action despite getting showered on occasions with mud and dirt.








See the tow strap attached with D shackle front and back. A quick detach from one end and you are ready to pull or push. These tiny improvements in approaching challenges is what observed as the day progressed.