Road - Daring day out

There was a new car in the drive this morning, ahead of a trip to Kelso. When I first saw it, I thought the paint had run or the seagulls were getting creative with their diet. Then I looked inside. I nearly went back into the house to get a disguise, so the neighbours wouldn't recognise me driving it. But no, it's all part of the 'personalisation' process - just not for me though.

One of the day's ports of call was at Hassington to meet the Buckleys, one of the UK's top rally car preparation specialists, and no doubt with a fleet of butch looking Mitsubishis and Subaru and Ford WRC cars gracing the workshops. All I needed was these highly trained and experienced rally engineers and technicians to see me turning up in this. Fortunately most of the boys were already on their way to the Isle of Man and another team to Italy. There were only two Doms in attendance, and they had the grace to be gentle with me.

 Any idea what it is?

Rally - Kames off

Sunday's Rally Time Trial at Kames (May 12) has been cancelled. No real problems or issues, just insufficient entries to make it worthwhile.

Rally - Gravel Sprint

Full entry list for this weekend’s Stravaiger’s Lodge Fort Augustus Gravel Sprint is on the website now:

http://www.jaggybunnet.co.uk/2013/05/08-may-gravel-sprint-info/

 

Rally - Kielder tales

Ruary MacLeod turned up at the Pirelli Rally finish and showed John MacCrone his in-car video clip from his accident early on Saturday morning. He nearly got away with it. Towards the end of the first stage, there was a downhill right over crest into fast left hander and Ruary got a bit of a tank slapper on: "I caught the first slide," said Ruary, "but I knew it was going to dig in and whip me across the road on the other side. That was the point I wondered whether I should floor it to pull it out or try and catch the slide again." but then the rear o/s wheel just caught the verge,m dug in and flipped the Fiesta.

"It's not too bad," said Ruary, "it's mostly plastic bits that took the brunt. The car will be ready for the Jim Clark."

John MacCrone is looking forward to the Jim Clark too. Referring to the Pirelli: "That was good, getting miles in the car and getting a feel for the pace of the others." As for the puncture: "I took exactly the same line I took on the first run through that stage," he said, "but a previous car had pulled a stone out and that was what caused the puncture. 7 other cars hit the same stone too. The mistake I made was thinking I could drive out on it."

He also let slip: "The car broke the front strut after the puncture and then on the last stage of the afternoon it broke a rear strut. That made his fightback from 13th to 5th all the more impressive.

Rally - Cowped in Kielder

Ruary MacLeod didn't get far in the Pirelli Rally. The Fiesta went off the road in the first stage yesterday. According to one well informed and knowledgeable spectator (from the Isle of Mull, so he should know about accidents!) who was watching where the car went off: "It was well cowped." So going no further then?: "Nae chance."

Rally - Pirelli tales

Both Gareth White and Steven Smith did well on yesterday's BRC Challenge event at the Pirelli Rally but Ross Hunter was going well too - till the fourth stage. He was lying sixth after three stages but trouble with the gearbox stopped him in the middle of Kielder. That was another remarkable effort from another young man on a very restricted budget. He showed just what can be done with an elderly, but enthusiastically driven Peugeot 205 'powered' by a high mileage engine rescued from a Citroen  Xantia about to suffer death by scrappie!

Just to confirm, John MacCrone's slow time through stage 5 yesterday was courtesy of a puncture and he dropped 4 minutes to the leaders.

As for today, the leaders are now through the final stage and it looks as though John MacCrone has finished an encouraging fifth overall despite yesterday's setback and team mate Peter Taylor is seventh. More good news on the home front, first time out 'properly' in the Fiesta, Garry Pearson has finished 8th overall and 2nd in class.

Rally - At the Pirelli

You have to admire the enthusiasm and dedication of young, aspiring rally drivers. After 3 stages in Kielder, Gareth White arrived in Carlisle for the 20 minute service. He jumped out of the car, into his baggy mechanic's overalls quicker than a Kwik-fitter, and was underneath the Citroen changing the disc pads himself. Compare that to the bigger teams who have a flock of mechanics, sorry, technicians, who work on the car while the crew go into their private quarters for high energy meals, fruit drinks and team talks. But full marks to Gareth, first time out since the Trackrod last year, he finished fourth in the BRC Challenge event at the Pirelli Rally today.

It was the same for Steven Smith who finished sixth overall. He's now on his fifth engine after a string of 4 engine failures last year. Note that I didn't say 'new engine', his current 200 quid unit was extracted from an 85,000 mile Peugeot 206 write-off. He drove up from Ipswich last night, got a few hours kip this morning and is off back to Ipswich tonight - he's on night shift at work next week!

In the main event, John MacCrone was lying third overall after 4 stages but has dropped 4 minutes in SS5 which has left him in 14th place at the overnight halt. Culina Palletforce Citroen team mate Peter Taylor is 7th and Garry Pearson in the Fiesta is 12th. Ruary MacLeod has had two maximums in the last two stages, so he's not having a good day.

A road traffic accident on the A69 closed the road earlier this afternoon so if you're wondering why the rally is running a wee bit late, now you know.