The second rally of the year starts with a tour of the Cotswolds on Friday night. Scrutineering is near Stroud and much further west than I’d thought, so we only just make it in time. But at least we do some nice sightseeing on the way. We also add an economy drive to the weekend because there are no fuel stations out in the sticks. The van nearly runs out of fuel, which would not be a good start, but because we are running on BP Ultimate diesel, we get the extra miles that save us and just get us to a fuel station.
Stage 1 – My usual co-driver has other commitments so my mate Rob Smith, who is an experienced driver and co-driver, has agreed to sit alongside me. It’s an early start. The stage roads are dry but a bit dirty so we run the intermediates. It’s the same venue as the previous rally but it’s a different layout, which throws me a bit because the corners are in different places.
Stage 2 – I’m really thrown by the different layout now. In the last rally, this corner was a long sweeping blind left so I am hugging the apex in fourth gear thinking I know the road. Rob is calling the corner but I have it registered in my head that it is flat-out… oh dear! I come around the corner and there is a wall of tyres across the road to the right and then entry to a chicane. No chance. Big sideways, try to scrub off speed. But off we go into the grass, along the fence line. I’m trying to pull it back as I head towards a tree. We manage to miss it and keep going. We lose a bit of time, bend the front guard, smash a light and put dents along the side. This throws me for the rest of the stage and I drive like crap, taking out some tyres on the way.
Stage 3 – I try to get it together but I’m still not driving well. I am getting a better feel for the stages, though. I enjoy the big, open hairpin because there’s room to get it well sideways and on the power. It may not be the quickest way but it’s damn good fun.
Stage 4 – After the end of this stage, I am running third overall behind an ex-works Toyota Celica GT4 and Ian Godney, who is driving the balls off his Subaru with some great times. I am, however, being caught by a Metro 6R4 so I need to speed it up if I am to stay in the top three.
Stage 5 – I’ve recently fitted a vertical hydraulic handbrake so I am using it at every opportunity. But I realise that I have been getting carried away and using it too much because I have two spins in the stage. After the second one, I end up 90 degrees to road and lose loads of time doing a three-point turn. Not a good stage.
Stage 6 – This time I decide to use the handbrake on only a couple of corners. It actually feels quicker when I get it right, so I have to learn to hold off on the handbrake a bit. Yes, using the handbrake can be more fun sometimes but it also can be slower.
Stage 7 – The Metro takes five seconds out of me but the stage is cancelled. A rapid TR8 has crashed and its co-driver has had to go to hospital but I’ve since heard that he’s is all okay. There’s a big delay and then just one more stage, so I need to pull my finger out, even though I have an eight-second lead over the Metro.
Stage 8 – Finally, it comes together and I have a good stage. I feel I am driving how I should be and we beat the Metro by one second, win the stage and finish second overall. It’s a bit late in the day to get it all right, but we’ve had fun and car is still in one piece, even if it is a bit crinkled. I’m now looking for a good panel beater sponsor somewhere near Reading, so any panel beaters who would like to help me please let me know…
I have to say thanks to: Rob for jumping in and doing a great job co-driving; IgnitionMotorsport.com for prepping and running the car; my sponsors BP Ultimate 102 the fast fuel; Pistonheads.com for all the news; Sparco for keeping it safe and looking good; Castrol for Castrol Edge, the best oil there is; AP Racing; and Peltor.
The next rally is the Abingdon Carnival Stages on 8 June. This is a big airfield event with 90 stage miles so it’s a long rally and hard on the cars. Watch out because for this event we have a guest co-driver who should be of interest. Spectators are more than welcome. For details, see http://www.abingdoncarnival.com/
Photos courtesy of edpphoto.com
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