The Tarmac magazine Mt Buller Sprint Sub-9 Club is now full, with the final two spots being filled at the December 2009 event.

Showcasing the diversity of tarmac events, there are six different models in the club.

Launched in 2008 as a special incentive for the first eight crews to break into the eight-minute mark up the 16km tarmac course, six places were filled in 2008, leaving two spots for the 2009 event.

Designed as 'first-in wins', the awards were opened up in 2009 when Mt Buller Sprint shortened the course by several hundred metres; subsequently, after studdying a number of onboard cameras of cars running nine-minute stage times, the time award target was reduced 15 seconds to 8m:45s.

This placed an unusual importance on the fastest-last running order, and prologue's seeding order on Friday looked ominous, with Dean Herridge (STi), Steve Jones (GT-R) and Dan Ford (Corvette Z06) all eyeing the trophy.

But with no new entries into the Club during Friday's two stages, a re-seed overnight meant that Dan and Nathalie Ford's Corvette Z06 was first on the road to run from the trio and claimed the seventh spot with an 8:44.17, immediately followed by Dean Herridge and Chris Murphy's STi, with an 8:40.69 to claim the eighth and final spot.

Incredibly, Steve Jones and Ben Searcy were the next car to run, and clocked in a Sub-9 Club qualifying time of 8:34, but were left empty-handed with no more trophies to claim. Ray Vandersee felt a bit of Jones's pain, as his Skelta G-Force was another to run a Sub-9 Club qualifying time, with a 8:44.64 on stage six.

Tarmac magazine would like to congratulate all those who are now official members of the Sub-9 Club.

TARMAC MAG SUB-9 CLUB MEMBERS

Tony Longhurst/Jahmeil Taylor, Subaru STi 8:54.30, S108

George Miedecke/Daniel Willson, Evo 9 RS, 8:49.46, S108

Jason White/John White, Gallardo S'leg, 8:56.67, S108

Matt Close/Cameron Reeves, 911 Turbo, 8:59.19, S208

Kevin Weeks/Bec Crunkhorn, Gallardo S'leg, 8:53.14, S208

Klark Quinn/Toni Feaver, Evo 9 RS, 8:58.02, S308

Dan Ford/Nathalie Ford, Corvette Z06, 8:44.17 S309

Dean Herridge/Chris Murphy, Subaru 08 STi, 8:43.46 S309