A $105 window regulator might not sound like much, but for Aaron Pike and Joe Nardelli it was a defining moment in their Shitbox Rally preparations.
“The driver’s window now goes up and down because we figured that’s probably a bit of a necessity,” Joe said.
“Just in case it rains, really,” Aaron said.
“Or just so I can put the window down when you stink it up,” Joe joked.
In a rally where the maximum value of each vehicle is capped at $1500, every dollar counts.
The Shitbox Rally is a cross-country endurance event that raises funds for the Cancer Council and only accepts 220 cars nationwide.
With more than 5000 kilometres ahead of them, the team must balance fundraising, logistics and the reality of driving an ageing vehicle across Australia.
For Joe – not so much Aaron – their trusty 1998 Ford Fairlane is more than just a car.
It is a vessel for memories, mateship and a cause deeply personal to them both.
Travelling under the team name Own the Nightmare, the pair will set off in June for the winter rally, driving from Perth to Mildura and then on to Townsville.
But the pair said they would not be making the journey alone.
Local businesses Byford Tyre Services, Blue Streak Painting and MoneyQuest Mandurah have pitched in with support, alongside other sponsors donating essentials such as tyres and fuel vouchers.
Joe and Aaron’s partnership stretches back further than the rally itself.
The duo first met when they were in their teens at Kelmscott Senior High School, though they were in different year groups.
A few years later, the two were reacquainted through their love of classic cars.
“I needed some work done and my mates were like, ‘Use Joe’,” Aaron said.
“Then I went to Joe, and me and Joe became more mates than the mates who introduced us.
“We moved from BMX bikes into cars, then went from there.”
For Joe, the rally had long been on his radar however the timing never quite lined up
When he decided to take the leap, there was only one person he wanted beside him.
With Aaron being a cancer survivor, Joe asked him to join the ride.
“Joe showed me the idea and I just clicked with it,” Aaron said.
More than a decade ago, Aaron was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
He has since been given the all clear, but the experience left a lasting impression.
“Having cancer and all that sort of stuff, there’s nothing you can do but own it,” he said.
“That’s why we called it Own the Nightmare.”
Aaron’s memories of hospital wards and frightened families remain vivid.
He recalls seeing a 15-year-old boy who had undergone the same surgery.
“They were telling him, ‘We’re sorry, it’s spread. You’re too late,’” Aaron said.
“The kid ended up dying three months later. He was only 15. His mum and dad never taught him to talk about these things.
“By the time he’s gone to the doctor, he’s got a grapefruit hanging off the side of his testicle.
“He just didn’t know how to say, ‘Hey mum and dad, I’ve got this thing going on.’”
Those moments fuel Aaron’s determination to raise awareness and funds for families facing similar battles.
Joe said he shared the same sentiment.
“Everyone, literally everyone, has known someone or been affected by cancer in some way,” he said.
Despite the emotional weight behind their cause, the pair are not blind to the reality of what awaits them: two weeks away from family, questionable roadside accommodation, unpredictable weather and a car held together by bolts and a little bit of hope.
“You have to ask yourself, who’s going to be capable to go into those sorts of conditions and be alright by the end of it?” Aaron said.
“You’ll literally be away from family for two weeks, it’s going to be sweaty, dusty, smelly and with shitty conditions.
“But it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
To donate, visit: https://winter2026.shitboxrally.com.au/own-the-nightmare/donate
