RE: Rallyday: Castle Combe 2006

RE: Rallyday: Castle Combe 2006

Thursday 27th July 2006

Rallyday: Castle Combe 2006

Dan Prosser reports on the 2006 Rallyday at Castle Combe


Mikko Hirvonen in Ford Focus WRC
Mikko Hirvonen in Ford Focus WRC

As I strolled through the entrance and into Castle Combe Circuit at eight in the morning, I could feel the anticipation immediately. One Lancia Delta Integrale pulling up beside several others, the club members frantically polishing their car’s flanks, desperate to own the shiniest car at the show. As if there were an award.

Lancia Integrale
Lancia Integrale
Ari Vatanen in Championship-winning Mk2
Ari Vatanen in Championship-winning Mk2
none
Metro 6R4
Metro 6R4
Hirvonen again
Hirvonen again
none
Another 6R4
Another 6R4
Norris Designs Evo spins off
Norris Designs Evo spins off
Rothmans Escort
Rothmans Escort
none
Impreza RB5s: in honour of Burns
Impreza RB5s: in honour of Burns

The hundreds of rally fans already there swapped nuggets of information, facts and statistics. “This car has over 450bhp”. This lot know their stuff.

The circuit grounds filled up quickly as I acquainted myself with the displays. The one that struck me first was the vast row of Impreza RB5s. About 20 now, it grew to over 50, all in tribute to the late Richard Burns, British rally legend. This man’s most important rally cars were sat right by; the Impreza in which he won the 2001 World Rally Championship, and the 206 in which he was leading the 2003 Championship before his illness struck.

The action was about to get under way, and I knew which corner I wanted to place myself at. Stood at Quarry, I heard the shriek of a car being driven in anger – the first of the day, the first of many. As it scaled Avon Rise, I saw that it was a white Peugeot 306, giving punters high speed passenger rides. I was utterly convinced that the hilarious angle of drift through Quarry must have been a mistake. As the driver did exactly the same for the next four laps, I realised it wasn’t at all. If this was the order of the day, we were in for a treat.

The most impressive car of the morning however, was the Ford Focus WRC, driven by young Finn Mikko Hirvonen. The car roared past at a ridiculous pace, glued to its line, leaving Evos and Scoobies for dead in its wake. The car would pass me once, and then pass me again on its next lap within what felt like seconds. The weather throughout the morning was roasting. Not sunny, but muggy. Coupled with my press tabard, which was apparently made of the most insulating material known to man, it meant that heavy perspiration was inevitable. The track action was just enough to keep me distracted.

The walk from Quarry to the paddock revealed a plethora of owner’s clubs. RS, Impreza, Evo, even Skoda. There were dozens of memorabilia stands, selling clothing, photographs, toy cars to young enthusiasts, and scale models to older enthusiasts. I grabbed myself a burger, the greasiest I’ve ever had while sober, and made my way towards the pit lane.

A minute’s silence in memory of Richard Burns, and Michael Park, who also lost his life last year, was about to begin. Once over, the 50 limited edition Impreza RB5s took to the track, lead by the first RB5 ever built. Driven by Burnsie’s father. Some had ‘In memory of Richard Burns’ written on the side. Truly a lump in the throat moment, one that seemed to unite the crowd.

Heavens open

Once the Imprezas were back in the paddock, and the ever impressive Russ Swift began his precision driving display, the heavens opened. Anyone without an umbrella got drenched, and the track began to look waterlogged. The raindrops were the size of grapes.

This is rallying though, so through it the drivers would battle. Once the feature rally stage had been constructed, using barrels and straw bales, the rain had subsided. The track was still soaking though, so the first few cars proceeded with caution. Not enough it would seem, as most of them had a wobble at some point.

While standing by the cars that were waiting to go out on track, I noticed a familiar face walking towards me. It was Mark Higgins, current British Rally Champion; his Mitsubishi Evo WRC sat in the background. “Which way does the stage go mate?”, he said. I gave him some dodgy directions – sorry, pace notes – and began to wonder, if he went the wrong way, would I be liable? I asked for his thoughts on the Evo WRC as he made his way back.

Having described it as “good”, he then went on to blow my mind, along with everybody else’s in the crowd, with his sheer speed through the slalom, his impeccable car control, and the tenacious grip of the Evo. Every other car seemed to be driving on ice while this Evo was on sand paper. Mark was a crowd pleaser, and he returned to the paddock amid a huge cheer.

The other WRC cars were similarly spectacular, each one slapping an impressed grin onto my face. Similarly spectacular, but for the wrong reasons, was the Norris Designs Evo. Boasting an alleged 900bhp, it made a massive noise, and was lightning quick. It also span off twice. This is a rally day, boys, don’t bring a mere show car next time.

A highlight for many would have been the reunion of Ari Vatanen, David Richards and their 1981 World Rally Championship winning Mk2 Escort. “I must have been a really good driver 25 years ago, this car is a real handful", said Ari after his run. Also tackling the feature stage were a host of other classics. Everything from Metro 6R4s to Audi Quattros to Porsche 911s. I’m not old enough to remember them competing, but it would be a bit special if you are.

Immediately after the last car ran the feature stage, the rain started again. How did it know?

Getting close to it all

Rallyday is all about getting close to it all, and feeling involved. It’s all about wishing that your father had more money and a passion for rallying when you were a kid. It’s all about wishing you could drive that car, that fast. It’s all about willing the drivers to go a little faster, to get a little more sideways. It’s about the smells and the sounds, and it’s about pretending that the explosion of unburnt petrol on a hot exhaust behind you didn’t just make you leap out of your own skin.

Rallyday is all about immersing yourself in the most intoxicating, thrilling and demanding motorsport around, and allowing it to become you.

Rallyday 2007? I’ll see you there.

Pictures by Dan Prosser

 

Author
Discussion

k50 del

Original Poster:

9,227 posts

227 months

Thursday 27th July 2006
quotequote all
Top write up this, it's captured the essence of the day very well.

The weather was appalling at times, but the atmosphere and the track action more than made up for it.

The RB5 track display was, as the writer says, a lump in the throat moment - it's good to know that Burnsie may be gone but he shows no signs of being forgotten.

As for Miko, I had the pleasure of meeting him in the morning, before the heavens opened, and a nicer guy you couldn't hope to meet.
His driving around a track that he'd never seen before was incredible, the Focus staying flat through the corners and hitting upwards of 125mph over Avon Rise before a small dab on the brakes for quarry.

For those that know the circuit, Miko's best lap was a 1.18.9 on a damp track

busby

263 posts

213 months

Thursday 27th July 2006
quotequote all

To hear thousands of people clapping when all the RB5's went past was pretty special .
Yes the weather was bad at times , but it was a rallyday after all ! It made it even easier to get some pretty damn good photos at Quarry corner - wet track , rear wheel drive - yes please !!!

combemarshal

2,030 posts

225 months

Thursday 27th July 2006
quotequote all
Yeah was a good tribute, shame Tony Masson talked over more than half of the minutes silence!
And didn't it rain at the end of the feature stage, we had no cars on track for over half an hour as the rain was so bad, even had to lend my brolly to a pug that lost it's sunroof whilst he was waiting to go out!!

cglock

84 posts

217 months

Thursday 27th July 2006
quotequote all
Had a great day launching the New Instructor Version CG-Lock... the press were great and as always we enjoyed meeting our customers who use the CG-Lock for track days... we'll be booking for 2007. Thanks all for making it such a great day!
Graham

mafioso

2,349 posts

213 months

Thursday 27th July 2006
quotequote all
I notice the Lancia's a RHD!? I thought they only ever made and sold LHD!?

Mr E

21,583 posts

258 months

Friday 28th July 2006
quotequote all
The Lancia Deltas were all LHD I think, but a few were converted. Even fewer were converted well.

I'm usually there on the GT4OC stand, but this year needed to be in spain on holiday.

AndyB_WRX

541 posts

224 months

Friday 28th July 2006
quotequote all
We got soaked twice, but it was all part of what rallys are about. Some awesome cars and some classics moments with the Norris Evo

stockhatcher

4,424 posts

222 months

Friday 28th July 2006
quotequote all
busby said:

To hear thousands of people clapping when all the RB5's went past was pretty special .


Hmmm, am I the only one who thinks these Burns tributes and the efforts people make to commemorate his life is a bit of schadenfreude?

Don’t get me wrong, Burns was a great driver, but he wasn’t one who particularly lit my fire when he was competing, and I am sure that 90% of UK rally fans tended to support McRae before Burns. That’s not to say we wouldn’t of been happy with a Burns win, just that McRae was the more exciting driver, and our allegiance only shifted if McRae had crashed.

Burns was very stoical throughout his illness, and was far braver than I could be, and for that you have to respect him. But in mag’s such as Autosport, it was nearly always McRae news before Burns. I seem to remember Burn’s win on a WRC event (Australia?), not making the front cover, but McRae’s smash did?

I guess what I am saying is that, only now after his death are we making a fuss of him, and I wonder why these same people didn’t do the same when he was rallying. And yes I am aware that there were die hard Burnsie fans, but these were in the minority, and the size of the tributes outweigh the numbers of those die hard Burnsie fans. So I think there has been a similar effect to when Diana died?

Maybe its quite a true reflection of people’s perception of his career in a way, in that you never know what you’ve got until its taken away?

I’m prepared to take some pain on this, but that’s how I see it, - too little too late…

kudosdude

24 posts

233 months

Friday 28th July 2006
quotequote all
My wife and I were at Castle Combe and had a great time despite getting absolutely soaked (I think the latest fashion accessory is a plastic-backed-rug cape). Two complaints really:
1) On many occasions you could have been mistaken in thinking you were just at a trackday, a bit more track time for the exotics would have been welcome, I have no idea how many laps the pug boys got (though good show at quarry).
2) Sort out the PA it's a joke!!!!!
Regarding RB vs McRae, I have no idea why McRae has always been more popular; I can only put it down to Codemasters :-) RB was always the better driver in my opinion; good personality too. Scooby display was quite emotional.
Anyway, was well worth the trip, and I would recommend it. May even go again next year.
P.S. There was a very well sorted MG, any-one know whos it was?

k50 del

Original Poster:

9,227 posts

227 months

Friday 28th July 2006
quotequote all
kudosdude said:


P.S. There was a very well sorted MG, any-one know whos it was?


Was that the V8 MG that was blasting past everything on track, no matter how wet the track was?

kudosdude

24 posts

233 months

Monday 31st July 2006
quotequote all
Yep that's the one, seriously: it made some of the exotics look slow.

combemarshal

2,030 posts

225 months

Monday 31st July 2006
quotequote all
He is at Combe loads, He really should think about racing it!

72twink

963 posts

241 months

Monday 31st July 2006
quotequote all
Just for those who didn't manage to get down to Castle Combe there was also quite an impressive collection of Sunbeam Lotuses - over 40 in fact including the complete 1981 RAC Rally Works Team (together for the first time since '81) and of course it was at this rally that the team clinched enough points to secure the 1981 World Rally Championship for Constructors - something everyone (including Tony Mason on the day) seems to over look !!

busby

263 posts

213 months

Monday 31st July 2006
quotequote all
STOCKHATCHER SAID :
I guess what I am saying is that, only now after his death are we making a fuss of him, and I wonder why these same people didn’t do the same when he was rallying.

I think you will find that I did make the same fuss when he was alive - He was , after all , the only Englishman to win the WRC - and that makes him pretty specail to me .

Just because he was very clever in the way he drove and didnt just go banzai from Stage one and probably end up crashing did not make him unexciting - just different.......

andyf

72 posts

283 months

Tuesday 1st August 2006
quotequote all
Amusing quote about the Norris Evo there ..

"This is a rally day, boys, don’t bring a mere show car next time."

To be fair, the ND Evo did just win overall 1st place at the Ten of the Best show ... it's a little bit more than a show car.

b.johnson

1,091 posts

213 months

Tuesday 1st August 2006
quotequote all
norris has even put the video on his media site to show every one what happens when nail your foot to the floor of a high peformance car. Its not for me to say if his driving skills are lacking or not, make your own decisions. www.norris-designs.co.uk/video-evo9.htm

combemarshal

2,030 posts

225 months

Tuesday 1st August 2006
quotequote all
Lets just say he needs a lot of practice!!!

b.johnson

1,091 posts

213 months

Tuesday 1st August 2006
quotequote all