Mudtruckers' bittersweet reunion

Twin Track titles observes minute's silence as All Talk takes centre stage on mud track

Porky Jurd, Darryl Beck, Sao Kay, Stacey Bowden, Steve Bryon, David Bryon, Natalie Garwood, Leanne Richters, Dana Beck, Craig McDermott and Myrtle Whitbread at the Twin Track Mud Truck CQ titles on Saturday. Picture: Jann Houley

IT WAS a joyful reunion on Saturday for eleven ex-mudtruckers who haven't been all together for fifteen years, but there was one hole in their collective heart.

Revheads from as far as Roma and Hervey Bay came together at the Kabra track Saturday to pay their respects to good friend Geoff Estreich who passed away the week before.

His topgun class Ford, renamed All Talk by its new owner, was parked in the middle of the track as participants in the Queensland Twin Track titles observed a minute's silence.

Club secretary Barb Hawkes teared up as she spoke about Mr Estreich's hard work in maintaining the Kabra course over ten years.

"We had his own bobcat and digger hire and he'd volunteer for a week before every race to prep the track,” she said.

"We put our kids through together from junior grades up until 17, and he used to race too.

"He was a great man who made an enormous contribution.”

Saturday night, five people shaved their heads to raise money for the Estreich family and another club member, Toni Van Dyke from Jericho, who is living with cancer.

"We'd only just gone to the funeral earlier this week and Geoff's wife Margo came out with their three boys to the meet,” she said.

"Geoff's son Joel shaved his head and we also had a raffle and two money boards,” she said.

The club raised more than $1,000.

Originally published as Mudtruckers' bittersweet reunion