Tarmac West Rally: Perth couple take Mini Cooper ‘Jaffa’ on historic rally through WA

A Perth couple passionate about motoring have returned to the WA-based rally which kicked off in Perth on Thursday. This year they’re racing in the smallest, slowest, most beloved vintage vehicle of them all.

WA’s premier tarmac rally began in central Perth on Thursday marking the start of a four day rally by 50 cars — some classic, others modern — which will race against the clock on a tour around WA.

Nigel Jones along with his wife and co-driver, Cindy Gielingh-Jones, are returning to the event in a bright red 1967 Mini Cooper they’ve named ‘Jaffa.’

“It’s just small, it’s fun, everyone loves it. It’s hard work because it’s pretty old, but we just love it,” Mr Jones told The West Australian.

The husband and wife team are no stranger to the rally, Mr Jones is participating it for the nineteenth time and Mrs Gielingh-Jones for the fifteenth, both through a combination of driving and navigating.

“The navigator tells the driver where to go, gets them to the stages and reads the driver the pace notes as they go so they know what turns are coming up,” Mr Jones said.

“You’ve got to have trust in your navigator, if you don’t then you shouldn’t be doing the sport. It’s not just the driving, the co-driving is just as important.”

Competitors will tackle almost 219 competitive kilometres on timed stages and drive a total of 1,121 kilometres over four days on a route which traverses the Perth Hills, Toodyay, Malaga and Langley Park, with a grand finale in Perth on September 21.

Some of the competitors will be in a race against the clock, but for the Jones’ it’s all about enjoying it.

“We just love it, we’re the smallest car, the oldest car and we’re probably one of the slowest, but we still have fun so that’s the main thing,” said Mr Jones.

The event is free to spectate and is scheduled to run from September 19 to 21.

More information can be found via the Tarmac Events website.