Former Australian cricketer Jo Angel and his wife Randi Molgaard Angel are gearing up to drive nearly 4000 kilometres across some of Australia's most challenging terrain in a budget car to raise money for cancer research. The couple will participate in this year's Winter Shitbox Rally as part of their team, Driving Miss Daisy, joining around 200 other vehicles in the week-long charity event.
What is the Shitbox Rally?
The Shitbox Rally is not a race but a challenge to drive cars worth just $1500 across Australia via some of its most formidable roads, all in the name of charity. Over the past 15 years, Box Rallies have raised more than $62 million for the Cancer Council. The rally requires participants to travel about 4000km over seven days, starting in Mildura, going through remote South Australia, central Queensland, and up to the Gulf before finishing in Townsville.
Personal Motivation Behind the Drive
Behind the colourful exterior of their car lies a deeply personal story. Ms Angel lost her father to cancer just before the birth of their first child, while a close friend of Mr Angel's also died from the disease in his early 40s. “A mate of mine that I played a lot of cricket with and I’m godfather to his younger son died when he was just 43,” Mr Angel said.
The couple had been trying to secure a spot in the rally for years before finally getting their chance. “When we finally got an email to say, ‘right you’re in’, we were like ‘OK, are we going to do this? Yep!’,” he said.
Finding and Transforming the Car
Their next challenge was finding a suitable car within the $1500 budget. They purchased a 2010 Volkswagen Golf, affectionately named Miss Daisy, and transformed it with a custom paint job featuring large colourful daisies. The design was a collaborative effort with Ms Angel's colleague Neil Gibb. “I did the background wide, because that’s about the limit of my abilities, and my wife and one of the guys she works with at Bunnings, he’s a bit of an artist. He helped do the outline for all the daisies,” Mr Angel said.
Fundraising Success and Community Support
The team has already raised an impressive $17,000, with a goal of reaching $20,000 before the rally begins. “If we can get up to $20,000, that’d be great, certainly we’re really happy with where we’re at,” Mr Angel said. Their fundraising efforts have included raffles, donations, and community support, including contributions from Mr Angel's workplace. “We’ve been really fortunate, we’ve had really good support so far,” he said.
The couple also have a framed, autographed West Coast Eagles jumper, signed by players who have worn the number nine, and a signed Perth Scorchers 2025/26 championship shirt to auction off.
Impact on Regional Communities
The rally provides a significant boost to regional communities along the route, with teams spending on fuel, food, and accommodation in remote towns. “When you get a group through some of these regional towns, it’s a lot of money that goes into the town,” Mr Angel said. However, ongoing fuel supply concerns across parts of Australia have created some uncertainty. While the 2026 autumn rally has been postponed and will begin in July, Mr Angel said the winter event is still scheduled for June 19. With hundreds of vehicles expected to travel through remote areas, it was determined that the autumn rally would place too much strain on limited fuel resources.
“I’m sort of half expecting that might happen to us as well but at the moment it’s still going ahead,” Mr Angel said. A Box Rallies spokesperson said fuel logistics are always considered as part of planning and have not affected the delivery of the event. “We consider fuel availability and logistics as part of our standard event planning. Teams plan for fuel costs as part of their participation.”
Cancer Council Partnership
Since partnering with Cancer Council in 2010, Box Rallies has raised more than $60 million for cancer research, funding 86 projects focused on early detection, treatment, and improving survival rates. Cancer Council NSW’s director of marketing and fundraising, Naomi Watson, said the rally has become one of the organisation’s most important fundraising initiatives. “Shitbox Rally by Box Rallies has become one of Australia’s most impactful community-driven fundraising events. Almost one in two Australians will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85, and the funds raised through Box Rallies directly contribute to life-saving research to improve the ways we detect and treat cancer.”
She praised teams like Driving Miss Daisy, saying, “It’s incredibly important and exactly what Shitbox Rally is all about. Every dollar raised goes directly to Cancer Council, so reaching $17,000 before the rally even starts is an outstanding effort and sets a strong example for other teams.” According to organisers, you don’t need to be a ‘car person’ to participate, just a desire to make a difference. Donations can be made online.
