The 2015 Rallying Thread

The 2015 Rallying Thread

Author
Discussion

Allyc85

7,225 posts

185 months

Tuesday 17th March 2015
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I do wonder if we will see more spectators wondering the stages after the fastest guys have gone through, as with no gaps in the field it will be much easier to work out the timing of hopping to another stage IMO.

Can see the views of the historic/smaller engined competitors regarding the damage running towards the end of the field, but are stage conditions really much worse than in the old days, say 20 odd years ago?

Cyder said:
For BTRDA championship they changed it so the <1400's ran at the front of the field, then sometimes historics followed by conventional seeding.

Anyway, in other news my entry is in for the Somerset Stages in a MG ZR. bounce
Can't wait, renewed my licence today and need to order some notes soon so I can bore myself to death watching the DVD!
Good news! I should be out n about with the camera so let me know your number before the event!

confucuis

1,303 posts

123 months

Tuesday 17th March 2015
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Cyder said:
Anyway, in other news my entry is in for the Somerset Stages in a MG ZR. bounce
Can't wait, renewed my licence today and need to order some notes soon so I can bore myself to death watching the DVD!
Any pictures of the ZR, always had a soft spot for Rally ZRs for some reason!

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

128 months

Tuesday 17th March 2015
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It seems as if the MSA are tying themselves and their customers in knots trying to make spectators safe. Have they overreacted? Overall, rallying has a pretty good safety record, but 2 fatal accidents in the last 2 years have suddenly made it dangerous. Something doesn't add up. I still think there is something we're not being told.

I understand the thinking behind the new 'rule' but I'm not sure about it. I've been on plenty of events were I've chosen to move after either the 1400's or the Historics. 120-150 odd cars in one go is an awful lot. Have they really thought this through?
The 1400's, Rally 1st and Historics will be delighted to be running low down.......Not.

GravelBen

15,655 posts

229 months

Wednesday 18th March 2015
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I guess most of your gravel events are forestry roads/tracks?

They might be rougher and cut up more than ours, which are more often public roads.

Cyder

7,045 posts

219 months

Wednesday 18th March 2015
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I'm led to believe from someone who was at the meetings that it's a Forestry Commission 'use it or lose it' request that the MSA had no choice but to go along with. The FC are coming down hard on rallying and mountain bike events it seems.

As for our entry on the Somerset... turns out we're on the reserve list cry so will keep an eye on if any disgruntled 1400's pull out in the next week or 2 and probably pull our entry and do another event instead. Disappointing.

No good pics of the ZR to hand I'm afraid, but it's a grey (works grey) facelift model.

RyanTank

2,850 posts

153 months

Wednesday 18th March 2015
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Cyder said:
I'm led to believe from someone who was at the meetings that it's a Forestry Commission 'use it or lose it' request that the MSA had no choice but to go along with. The FC are coming down hard on rallying and mountain bike events it seems.
The FC have been putting as much pressure on the MSA as they can for years now, from the price per mile hike a few years ago to prohibiting spectators in certain parts of the stages for whatever reasons. I wonder how quickly the FC would change their minds if clubs decided to stop running events on their land, how else are they going to got their income? rambling and trail walking was free last time I checked, so stopping Motorsport and biking, which pay thousands to them, with a 'use it or lose it' attitude is a daft move imho.

But as Alex said something else just doesn't add up, as tragic as the deaths are over the last 2 years, on a whole there's been little the MSA or an organising club could have done about spectators standing in the wrong locations, other than having no spectator access at all. Which doesn't work either tbh, if someone wants to watch the rally, then they'll get in,
You've just got to look at the spectators in places like Caerwent (a closed military training area) to realise this.

Another thing for me is the fact that events are so desperate to run that they do so at minimum staffing of marshals, so anyone who turns up with an interest in marshalling is given a tabbard and a location. they may have never done it before, or had the sense to look up training events by the MSA/Volunteers in motorsport/Clubs so don't really know how to safely marshal, parking in a box junction or smack in the middle of an escape route for instance, as opposed to being buddied up with experienced marshals.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

128 months

Wednesday 18th March 2015
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If you want any entertainment on this subject, just go the the British Rally forum; there's about 50 pages of discussion of spectator safety/ new seeding rules........

It does seem as if the FC are driving this, and the MSA have to act... As I've already said, I think the FC are being unreasonable; one of the tragic accidents, on the Jim Clark, wasn't even FC land.

Skylinecrazy

13,986 posts

193 months

Saturday 21st March 2015
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He's very vocal isn't he!

Allyc85

7,225 posts

185 months

Monday 23rd March 2015
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I see rallying had another escape this weekend, and abroad they still have learnt nothing about crash barriers or spectator control after recent accidents. Some how the crew were unhurt after this!



yikesyikes

And video from 38° Rally del Ciocco 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH_ac1DcwUU&li...

Slippydiff

14,742 posts

222 months

Tuesday 24th March 2015
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eekeekeekeekeekeekeek

Very lucky indeed.

ArnageWRC

2,050 posts

158 months

Tuesday 24th March 2015
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That's quite unacceptable to happen yet again...

Emeye

9,773 posts

222 months

Thursday 26th March 2015
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Look at the spectators in this rally vid from 1993! Also, look how the Lancia finishes the stage at about 7mins20!!! http://youtu.be/CuaBHNKycvI?list=PLVyRAt2cxbxvAwKJ...

Why does old rally footage seem so much more exciting than new WRC stuff? Is it the better looking, more interesting looking cars? The sound? The masses of mental spectators almost getting run over at every bend?

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

128 months

Thursday 26th March 2015
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Nah, the current WRC is miles better than that era...........the cars, drivers, events......... Lol

You only have to look at this thread; up to page 14; now compare to the BTCC thread - over 33 pages and the season hasn't even started. The current WRC doesn't capture the interest of average motorsport fan. Harsh, but fair.....Seb 1 dominating followed by Seb 2 doesn't help either.

RyanTank

2,850 posts

153 months

Friday 27th March 2015
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Emeye said:
Why does old rally footage seem so much more exciting than new WRC stuff?
Its the nostalgia of the fader/tuner crackles from old Video tapes on the really old videos wink

I think this thread is so low on posts as each WRC round has its own ***The Official (insert wrc round here) Thread*** in the motorsport section, whereas the last 2 years its been the WRC thread.


I'm finding the current Paul Bird vs everyone beating him spate a bit cringey tbh. as well as the public outburst from Steve Perez and Damian Cole, tho justified in some respects.

Its all just a bit handbags at dawn. He got beaten fair and square on the Malcolm Wilson Rally by Thorburn in an older car, yeah it had active diffs but not the power and straight speed. Is times were comparative to his other runs over the stages in previous events, yet Bird still threw accusations of him using a bigger turbo or higher octane fuel. Despite scrutes not finding any evidence. And Bird needs to remember his place on cheating when he still cant put to rest the rumours that he didn't have studded tyres on the wyedean a few years back (something I'd forgotten until it came up on FB the other day). And his piece in MN the other day was just pointless and a waste of page space.

Drumroll

3,738 posts

119 months

Friday 27th March 2015
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Mind you Mr Cole is not slow in questioning other competitors is he? I do agree it does detract from a sport that has some real problems at the moment.

RyanTank

2,850 posts

153 months

Friday 27th March 2015
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It pained me to write something in the defence of Damian. having had his pissy attitude and "don't you know who I am" style directed at me on more than one occasion, its safe to say were not exactly buddies wink

He complains as much as Bird, if not more on some events, about others cheating. so for him to jump on the 'quit bhing' band wagon is a bit rich. Especially as he's known to throw threats and legal action against his challengers.
(I refer your attention to the Melvyn Evans mudflap gate).

At least Mr Perez can genuinely say he gives massive amounts back to grassroots and junior series competitors. Damian however thinks having his company logo on the car and title sponsor is just as good.
This is a man that demanded he have any hats not handed out to marshals returned to him when he 'supplied marshal packs' on an event. (the packs contained either a Get Conected lanyard or 99p shop style baseball cap, full of company branding. Ohh and a bottle of water on with a GC sticker rolleyes )

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

128 months

Friday 27th March 2015
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Steve Perez is a proper enthusiatic supporter of UK rallying; wish there were more like him.

Anyway, tomorrow is the Rally of North Wales, should be a good event, and with typical Welsh weather.....

Allyc85

7,225 posts

185 months

Friday 27th March 2015
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Steve Perez was saying the other day how his team used to try and help Andy Burton keep the Peugeot Cosworth going at some events... and beat him! Top bloke!


Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

128 months

Friday 3rd April 2015
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http://www.circuitofireland.net

Motorsport at Easter means one thing. The Circuit of Ireland; okay so it's not the once mega event it was, but what rally is? A decent entry, even Idris Elba is entered, doing a documentry for Discovery channel.

Allyc85

7,225 posts

185 months

Friday 3rd April 2015
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Breen leading by 6 from Barrable, who was fastest through the first stage. Looking forward to seeing how Thorburn gets on in his S2000 Fiesta.