Awesome tarmac rallying

[Mk1UTRich]

Just returned home from 4 days in Belgium on the Hemicuda rally around Koekelare. Went out to help my mate spanner for 2 guys in a Ford Focus with GpA+ Escort Cosworth running gear and Focus WRC style body. They needed a win within their championship runners on the event in order to take their championship title for 2012 which they duly achieved in a really close battle. I was also there to sit in with them on the recce to gain more experience with note making ahead of a possible attempt in the championship with my mate in his Integrale next year. The format of the event allowed us time to get out in the management car after service and get to the nearest stage and watch for a total of 4 runs. Having been involved with rallying for years as spectator, marshal and navigator i have seen most of the quickest cars around. However nothing has ever quite amazed me as much as the sight of a guy called Andy Lefevere and his navigator Henk Vanpoucke in their E46 M3. Seeded at car 3 they won the event in conditions that were extremely slippery with lots of mud dragged on the road through the cuts and with competition including top local drivers in Impreza WRC, Evo X etc which obviously had huge traction advantages.

Most of the top end machinery was geared to pull between 115 and 125mph flat in top but this M3 must have topped them all by probably 20mph at the end of one huge straight we were watching at. We had a word with a couple of the Belgian organisers after the event and apparently the car was bought as an unused WTCC shell from BMW and then fitted with a screamer of an engine that is pushing at least 450bhp and had a sequential box specially developed for it that cost 30,000 Euros. Found a couple of in-cars of him now i am back home and thought they were worth sharing. If anyone ventures to see a Belgian tarmac event and he is on the entry, prepare to be seriously impressed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdRVS8qv6zg&fea...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX0NQtF8iRs&fea...

Edited by Mk1UTRich on Monday 8th October 20:34

Edited by Mk1UTRich on Tuesday 9th October 02:05

[A Good Name]

I love all the one handed oversteer correction in the wet!

[Mk1UTRich]

He has got some serious talent and also no fear. Having been round these lanes on the recce, to do the speeds he does requires a seriously large pair.

[K50 DEL]

That's a bit of a beast of a machine isn't it....clearly a man who knows how to use it as well.

I've heard good things about Belgian rallying for years, really should try and make it over there somewhen.