Local Focus: Dan Cowper's dream for the extreme

A record crowd descended on Dan Cowper's property in Turakina last weekend to experience the annual Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge.

"I'd say we'd have probably 3000 to 4000 people which would be a bit more than last year, so couldn't ask for anything more than that," he said.

"Beautiful weather, awesome crowd, all the guys drove really well and put on a really good show."

Cowper founded CowperTrucks 17 years ago. It fabricates custom all-terrain vehicles with V8 engines.

He had the vision to turn the sport into a crowd-pleasing spectacle, a vision now realised.

"I owned this bit of land and it had a great natural amphitheatre.

"I thought it would be perfect to have a real good spectator event and a TV event and make a race that could be shown on TV with these four-wheel drives [so] people could understand the scoring and it would come down to the wire at the end."

Kevin Hermansen and Nick Hamilton from the Wanganui 4x4 Club took the top step of the podium but the highlight of the day was the last-minute battle for 2nd and 3rd place, with Sam Thomsen and Mitch Caldow narrowly fending off Jamie Taylor and Scott Biggs.

Biggs said it was "one of the hardest events ever".

"The crowd makes a huge difference, having them cheer you on, and when you're flying around that course and just see that bank covered with people - it's just excellent to have that support on the day."

Sam Thomsen from Manawatu 4WD Club spent most of the day battling for the lead.

"The day went pretty smoothly all day. We didn't have too many stuff-ups until right 'til the end," he said.

"And then yeah, unlucky with the tape on the last hazard, so put us to second equal."

The Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge will be back again in May next year and petrol heads from all over the country are already counting down the days.