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Gleaner Oil and Gas Speyside Stages
What a week we had before the event.
It was the first rally since our embarrassing exit on the Jim Clark, so everything tarmac had to come off and forest spec went back on, as well as new centre diff, refurb rear diff, brake master cylinders, brakes - you name it. As usual it was half finished with two weeks to go but would these brakes bleed properly? - would they hell, and with the suspension raised would the tracking track? - would it same old story.
The rear right track control arm had to have an ''FCE adjustable arm'' fitted from the tarmac car as a last resort, then with Tarmac tyres fitted for the first two stages round Cooper Park in Elgin, we were loaded and raring to go at 10.00pm on Thursday night...... worth a Gin don''t you think!!!
Elgin Car Club do an exceptionally well organised event, with I''s dotted and Tee''s crossed everywhere, but I hear there was a wee bit of congestion at the trailer park and noise check !?!? Never bothered me.....
On the Saturday morning the sun was shining, the crowds were thronging and the sound of Bogie''s Totota, Horn''es Metro and Bannisters Escort would have the hair standing on the back of any motor enthusiasts neck.
We gave them a run for their money and set a respectable 52 seconds (8th equal overall) for the duck scaring dash round the park, two seconds behind the fastest time, then straight in for a second go.
Second time round the car almost stalled on the start with the sticky tyres and at least a second was lost till we took off "like we''d had a ''fit'' up the Glencarse". Slightly sweeter at the hairpin, a gear up on the 90 left and straight lined the chicane to improve by 2 seconds (5th equal overall)...... only to hear that Bannister had the fastest time of 48 seconds - about 75 yards. We were 11th overall after the tarmac - however, the rally was about to start for real ! !
We set off for the emergency service and a tyre change down to 15" knobblies. Seems simple enough, only to find that the ''FCE adjustable arm'' fouled the forest wheels. It didn''t transpire until we were almost leaving the service park and the rear end siezed - Jim Clark like - but we could go backwards but not forwards.....
My sprinting prowess was tested again as I shot back to the service van to dig out alternatives while John reversed back to service. 10 minutes later and Ooor Wullie Creevy had a new arm fitted and were flying - to avoid road penalties and the dreaded speed cops.
SS3 Tachars wood was the baptism of fire. A short 2.6 mile dash of reality. We were only 35th fastest and sunk to 28th overall.
SS4 Craigend Hill was a bit longer at 8.8 miles and we were wondering if our tyre choice was right. Compounds and treads choice on a forest track - who''d have believed it. We ''sojered'' on with reasonable pace as we thought, with the only near disaster being the confrontation of two six foot logs about 8" diameter lying across the road - pulled out by a previous car...... It was noticable that ''my driver'', ''buddy'', ''brother'', cleared his side of the car ok and I was left clenching my sphinkter as these two massive suppositories lined up with the lowest seat in the car - mine. (remember Gronholm''s navigator''s screams when he was ''penetrated'' in the woods!!!) Suffice to say I''m still here. The time was pretty shit tho - only 45th fastest and now 35th overall.
At last, service, and Ronnie Thom was there to save us. We got a shot of Red Bull and a new set of tyres with modern day cuts and suckers etc.....What a difference.
SS 5 Balloch was just under 7 miles - and would ye believe we were a cautious 31st fastest and now 30th overall. Could''ve been the Red Bull but read on...
SS6 Gartly Moor was a mere 5 miles but the ''skoosh'' was kicking in and we muscled 19th fastest for the stage and crept to 27th overall.
SS7 Blackstripes was 14.3 miles and you''d think it was to be a killer but what a dream of a stage. Smooth, fast with a few crappy chicanes here and there but the real forest guys were taking time out of us again. We managed 24th for the stage and were now up to 21st overall.
SS8 Whiteash was a wee sprint finish by comparison and we were in the groove now..... our ambition to make the top twenty was almost within reach. A few Flemish flicks and a few more Romanian ditch hooks and we''d be there.... but on a simple call from me of ''left 4 into hairpin right'' the wee man got confused and went straight for the ditch instead. He''d seen a break in the trees to the left and went into auto pilot only to see the red tape. We had to reverse out the midden and set off like like we''d nicked the car and lost about ten seconds.
At the finish we were a shitty 34th for the stage but a respectable 20th overall in the final results.
Not too bad for a fast picnic eh !!!
JR
Finished 52nd overall, 6th in class
Well yet again bitten on my home event! 2 steady runs through the Park just to get Ralph back used to the sound of my Voice and notes before heading out to the woods nice easy run through SS3 saw Ralph increase up to somewhere around 85% of his full pace, but good enough run to settle him back into rallying on the rough stuff.
However disaster struck on the road section between ss3 and 4 when 4 miles from the arrival control a huge clunk from the rear of the MK2 and then lots of whinning from the gear box all the way up to the arrival control left us out of the rally.
On inspection at the arrival control the rear diff was leaking oil at an alarming rate (empty within 2 min''s of coming to a standstill) so the descison was quite rightly made not to even attempt the stage and risk further damage to the car or the borrowed gear box.
Congratulations to David and Kevin on an excellent run getting back to grips with the Corolla, great result for their championship standings and puts a tight rein on things at the top now for the remaining 2 rounds.
~ Phil Coulby
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