Team Singapore, Motorsports (TSM) comprises of 2 cars, each carrying a driver, 2nd driver and a navigator. For reason best known to the organizer, our line-up was reshuffled on day 1, immediately after we crossed Tuas checkpoint. The Santa Fe was designated Car # 26 with Aki-boon (driver), Poh Heng (2nd driver) and Bingo (navigator). The Terracan – Car # 27, was piloted by myself (Leslie), Davo (2nd driver) and Ernest (navigator).
I later learned that the move was to take advantage of my past experience and that the Terracan would serve as a sweeper car all the way till end of Rally.
During last year’s inaugural CAITA, William Lyou and I were able to communicate in Chinese with our lead car and, as a result, we carried out whatever required maneuvers promptly. We were never overly dependent on our navigators. Under adverse conditions, we drove with great understanding and precision. In the absence of William, this unmatched level of partnership was not to be repeated. The matter was further compounded by the fact that 2 of our drivers are ang-mo’s. In addition to navigation, both Ernest and Bingo had to multi-task by providing translations whenever the ang-mo’s were driving. Under such circumstances, both navigators felt a little stretched. Hence, some unpopular decisions had to be made. (a.) Under predictably good road and traffic conditions where minimal navigational instructions/translations were required, the 2 ang-mo’s would drive both Hyundai’s; and (b.) Poh Heng and I would do the driving where and when radio communication would be vital such as during heavy traffic, dark hours and on rocky roads.
The ang-mo’s were visibly unhappy with the arrangement as they were subjected to lesser challenges. Secondly, they felt that Poh Heng and I were talking (via talkies) excessively while driving. They were concerned that we might have disregarded the safety factor. On ground that all human and machines needed time to shake-down, the team members persevered. The ang-mo’s soon realized that their roles were by no mean ‘easier’. Their drives on the super highways in China and northern Thailand were fast while the scenic drive towards Lao/Vietnam border was very rewarding. Not quite happy ending though as they have not gotten over our non-stop chatting over the radio. Poh Heng and I conversed mostly in Hokkien while driving. The ang-mo’s were not convinced with my explanation that, most of the time, I was providing navigational aids and advanced driving lessons to Poh Heng. They suspected that I acted as a lookout for other attractive looking road users. And, thus, it would affect Poh Heng’s driving whenever I relayed such distracting information to him. Well, the ang-mo’s were not totally wrong after all.
Off the field, TSM carried itself cohesively and repeatedly exchanged compliments with our Chinese hosts cordially. The Guangxi Daily News reported that TSM is “a happy team filled with constant laughter” accompanied by a picture of Bingo in ‘action’. I would like to add that whenever Bingo had to perform on stage, the team rallied firmly behind him. It was good enough to earn Bingo a precious rare hug from the Vice-Governor of Guangxi Province (Mdm Liu Xin Wen) during the event’s grand finale. That’s something which even William and Leslie have yet to learn.
