Chris Collie still leads the Grant Construction Stages Rally at Knockhill with Stuart Walker second even with his new tyres. And it was pointed out to me by Mrs Wood herself, that Stuart actually ordered the tyres this week, not last week, so to be delivered here today is exceptional customer service of the highest order - so Mrs Wood says!
Lee Hastings continues to move up the leaderboard and is now third ahead of Iain Wilson in the wee Nova with Gary Adam dropping back to fifth place. That's down to the wet conditions and too much power, as explained by Ross Marshall. He's out in his Dad's 2.5 litre MkII for the first time ever and says it's harder to drive than his 1600. That's because: "I like to drive the 1600 car flat out, but you have to keep lifting off with this one because you can't lay the power down."
Ross Hunter completes the top six but is giving the steering rack a serious workout as the Peugeot is rarely pointing in the direction of flight. They're not the quickest lines through the corners but they are highly entertaining.
Sadly, Gareth White has dropped out of the top ten in the wee Citroen. He got a front wheel puncture half way round Stage 5 and had to stop and change it, then one of the wheel nuts wouldn't slacken so he had to resort to some seriously profane cuss words to get it off.
As for the weather, I have discovered the true meaning of luxury and it is in the Knockhill toilets - hot water! With cold hands and certain cold 'other bits' this is proving to be a godsend. So the best dea is to wash hands first to warm up, then do the business, then wash hands again, thereby heating up all the little necessities of life! Otherwise it's cauld up here, seriously cauld!
Leaderboard after 6 (of 8) stages:
1, Chris Collie, 33m 29s
2, Stuart Walker, 33m 42s
3, Lee Hastings, 33m 47s
4, Iain Wilson, 34m 04s
5, Gary Adam, 34m 10s
6, Ross Hunter, 34m 12s
7, Sean Robson, 34m 28s
8, John Rintoul, 34m 30s
9, Ross Marshall, 34m 58s
10, Des Campbell, 35m 06s
Saturday, 4 January 2014
Rally - Collie leads
It's still close at the top of the leaderboard here at the Grant Construction Stages Rally at Knockhill but Chris Collie has eked out a few more seconds on Stuart Walker to lead by 18 seconds. That was despite a spin on third test, but Walker has him in his sights especially now that his new tyres have been delivered to the circuit at the lunch break. Mind you these were supposed to have been delivered last week!
Gerry Gaffney lost out on third place when his starter motor failed with Gary Adam moving into the final podium place now that he's got his sequential shift fixed in the MkII. After a big 'excursion' on the first stage of the day, Lee Hastings has pushed the Subaru back up to fourth just ahead of Iain Wilson in the Nova, but Iain is a lucky boy. The Nova holed its gearbox on the third test and was losing oil. But they managed to fix it just in time to get it back out on Stage 4.
Sadly Ian Paterson is out, the gearbox has failed on the Subaru, and first time out for 6 years, James Gibb parked his borrowed Lancer out on Stage 3 when all drive to the four wheels failed and he doesn't know the cause.
Ian Forgan is busy too, the newly crowned BLUE Tarmack Scottish Champion lost drive on the fourth test but limped out. He is now in the process of taking his own gearbox out and taking one from a spectator's Ford Ka to put into the rally car.
I also have to report that the stages are no longer greasy at Knockhill, they're wet. It's raining, and some of the rain drops are looking suspiciously like snow flakes!
Leaderboard after 4 (of 8) stages:
1, Chris Collie, 20m 12s
2, Stuart Walker, 20m 30s
3, Gary Adam, 20m 38s
4, Lee Hastings, 20m 39s
5, Iain Wilson, 20m 45s
6, Gareth White, 20m 46s
7, Ross Hunter, 20m 48s
8, John Rintoul, 21m 03s
9, Gerry Gaffney, 21m 07s
10, Des Campbell, 21m 12s
Gerry Gaffney lost out on third place when his starter motor failed with Gary Adam moving into the final podium place now that he's got his sequential shift fixed in the MkII. After a big 'excursion' on the first stage of the day, Lee Hastings has pushed the Subaru back up to fourth just ahead of Iain Wilson in the Nova, but Iain is a lucky boy. The Nova holed its gearbox on the third test and was losing oil. But they managed to fix it just in time to get it back out on Stage 4.
Sadly Ian Paterson is out, the gearbox has failed on the Subaru, and first time out for 6 years, James Gibb parked his borrowed Lancer out on Stage 3 when all drive to the four wheels failed and he doesn't know the cause.
Ian Forgan is busy too, the newly crowned BLUE Tarmack Scottish Champion lost drive on the fourth test but limped out. He is now in the process of taking his own gearbox out and taking one from a spectator's Ford Ka to put into the rally car.
I also have to report that the stages are no longer greasy at Knockhill, they're wet. It's raining, and some of the rain drops are looking suspiciously like snow flakes!
Leaderboard after 4 (of 8) stages:
1, Chris Collie, 20m 12s
2, Stuart Walker, 20m 30s
3, Gary Adam, 20m 38s
4, Lee Hastings, 20m 39s
5, Iain Wilson, 20m 45s
6, Gareth White, 20m 46s
7, Ross Hunter, 20m 48s
8, John Rintoul, 21m 03s
9, Gerry Gaffney, 21m 07s
10, Des Campbell, 21m 12s
Rally - Collie at Knockhill
22 seconds separate the top ten crews on today's Grant Construction Stages at Knockhill with Chris Collie in the lead in his Lancer surprisingly enough considering he has Quintin Milne co-driving and showing him the way at the Splits!
Stuart Walker is second, but is having transmission troubles in the Lancer and had to get pushed off the Stop line at the end of the second stage.
Gerry Gaffney is third in an Evo3, but is actually sharing that position with the 1600 Nova of Iain Wilson with Ross Hunter just 3 seconds behind in the hugely entertaining Peugeot.
Gary Adam is having gearbox selection issues in the MkII as is James Thompson in the Nova, Graeme Schoneville's Honda won't rev over 3000 rpm and both Patersons, Ian and Stuart have spent too much time pirouetting on the greasy surfaces here at Knockhill.
Much of the tarmac stage is greasy and wet, but at least there's no snow - for the moment!
Leaderboard after 2 (of 8) stages:
1, Chris Collie, 7m 08s
2, Stuart Walker, 7m 15s
3, Gerry Gaffney, 7m 20s
4, Iain Wilson, 7m 20s
5, Ross Hunter, 7m 23
6, Gareth White, 7m 23s
7, Gary Adam, 7m 25s
8, John Rintoul, 7m 30s
9, Sean Robson, 7m 30s
10, Lee Hastings, 7m 30s
Stuart Walker is second, but is having transmission troubles in the Lancer and had to get pushed off the Stop line at the end of the second stage.
Gerry Gaffney is third in an Evo3, but is actually sharing that position with the 1600 Nova of Iain Wilson with Ross Hunter just 3 seconds behind in the hugely entertaining Peugeot.
Gary Adam is having gearbox selection issues in the MkII as is James Thompson in the Nova, Graeme Schoneville's Honda won't rev over 3000 rpm and both Patersons, Ian and Stuart have spent too much time pirouetting on the greasy surfaces here at Knockhill.
Much of the tarmac stage is greasy and wet, but at least there's no snow - for the moment!
Leaderboard after 2 (of 8) stages:
1, Chris Collie, 7m 08s
2, Stuart Walker, 7m 15s
3, Gerry Gaffney, 7m 20s
4, Iain Wilson, 7m 20s
5, Ross Hunter, 7m 23
6, Gareth White, 7m 23s
7, Gary Adam, 7m 25s
8, John Rintoul, 7m 30s
9, Sean Robson, 7m 30s
10, Lee Hastings, 7m 30s
Friday, 3 January 2014
Rally - Diary Dates
Now that you’ve
all got your New Year diaries and kitchen calendars, or have mastered the diary
function in your new phone, then here is a list of all the main events in
Scotland this coming year.
If any organiser/club
wants to have their event included in this highly popular calendar list then
please send details direct to the rally magazine. The list is primarily for rallies, but if anything
else of interest crops up then it may well be included – like the 6 Days Trial
(personal favourite), and Touring Cars and Superbikes at Knockhill.
Prior to
each event, spectator details will be published depending on the amount of
information released by the organisers.
Other items
which might be of interest:-
REIS BTRDA
Championship dates:
Mintex
British Historic Championship dates:
Road - Suzuki review
Anyway I ended up rather liking this compact SUV crossover machine. The full review is here:
http://www.jaggybunnet.co.uk/car-reviews/02-jan-suzuki-sx4-s-cross/
And now for something completely different ...
Wednesday, 1 January 2014
Rally - New Year Greeting
It’s January first of a brand new year and Hogmanay is past
It leaves behind a heid that’s sair, and a pledge that
wullnae last
Never again will I overconsume, or mix the grape with grain
The beer and wine was very fine, but spirits increased the
pain
Whisky is not a single drink, we know there are types of two
The drinking blend will quench the thirst, while malts are God’s
own dew
The bells then tolled the midnight hour, and fireworks in
the sky sparkled
I don’t remember much from then, I was well and truly Glen Farcled
And through the alcoholic haze, I view the year to come
Of battles fought and titles lost, cos winning is just for
some
But for those who strive and hope to see, the popping corks
and spray
The fun is always in the partaking, and ambition it’s you
some day
Can David do it all again we wonder, with rear wheel drive
alone
Or will Euan visit Cockermouth, then Wonga for a loan
Can Jock or Chris, or Barry or Mike, take on the mighty Quin
Or will the Sheriff come through it all, to take a fairy
tale win?
With fingers crossed and interest high, I hope it all goes
well
Keep them all the right way up, and steer clear of a re-
shell
God speed, drive safe, and stay on the road, and have some serious
fun
To crews and teams, officials and fans, I wish you well - every
single one.
Rally - Pictorial Review
And just to get things off to the ideal start ahead of the new season, here is a link to 'Jaggy Bunnet's' very own and personal pictorial review of the 2013 season. Apparently Jaggy has more pics on file, but this is a selection only of those which can be published!
Which begs the question, could this form the basis of an annual quiz? How many folk do you recognise and how many can you name? Although every pic is captioned, identities have not been revealed.
As ever, any resemblance to any living person is purely coincidental, and intentional. No offence is meant and so none can be taken. It's all been done in the best possible taste.
http://www.jaggybunnet.co.uk/gallery/2013-in-pictures/
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