|
|
 |
|
|
|
News & editorial
March 2004
Well - just what can you say - other than I'm completely knackered. I think everyone involved in the Stages Rally can take three steps forward and take a bow. Geoff Boud and all the Planning Committee put in weeks of work to ensure everything should run smoothly and the Stage Commanders and Marshals on and off stage put in an incredible effort over the weekend.
Suffice to say - one of the best indicators is the comments received from competitors, many of whom said they enjoyed it more this year. Many new to the event also commented on what a friendly atmosphere there was which for those competing on their first rally, must add to their confidence level for their next event.
I must make special mention to those new to the organising team - Simon and Meredith, David Wilson and (J.P.) - John Paget. Dave James gets the Gold Star for what he achieved when he should have been taking it easy. With John Paget as his minder Dave seemed to keep appearing in some unusual roles including doing the Control on Service B Out …… See what I mean - no - it's not Peter Kaye - Dave's much slimmer.
With the improved weather this year it made my job a little easier working as part of the Equipment Crew. With Bill Parkin taking main responsibility for the advanced planning function from me we had everything to the Commanders two weeks before the event and with no-one reporting shortages it made life more comfortable.
Thanks to Bill and John Cottam, Jeff Yates and Kathryn, "Ronnie" Barker, John Marsh and Ben Jaggard Smith,
We actually managed to get home before 11.30pm on both the Saturday and Sunday. The garage store is bursting at the seams with equipment and when the weather is a little warmer and drier we'll tackle the mountain. Any volunteers please have a word in Bill's or my ear.
Stoneleigh - International Historic Motorsport Show (21/22 February)
I'd been promoting this event for quite some time and Dave Cobb invited me to join him to help service if required. This inaugural event, despite the bitter cold, was excellent and was used as a shakedown by many crews who are competing in the 2004 Armajaro MSA British Historic Rally Championship.
Many famous cars and guest drivers put on a brilliant show on the short rally stage, organised by the Historic Rally Car Register. The tarmac stage was run twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon on both the Saturday and Sunday
with several thousand spectators braving the cutting winds.
Gordon Waddington had intended to go and meet up with our old friend Dave Wiseall but family problems prevented him from going so with Dave's phone number duly noted I contacted him when we arrived.
It was good to spend a few hours with Dave as we very rarely see him these days ( Having said that - he gave his help as usual running the Link Car with Trevor Hayes on the Robin Hood Forest Stages so twice in as many months can't be bad).
Tony Mason gave his all as usual commentating from an elevated position in a two storey commentary box.
I thought having him there spinning his yarns might have put him in a good enough frame of mind to try a bit of event promotion so after writing a few quick sentences I quietly climbed the stairs to the commentary box and spoke to one of the officials in the hope that Tony would read out details of the Robin Hood Stages.
After all it was the right event to be promoting as it's the first round of the championship that was being so well introduced by the Show. Yeh - you've guessed it - not a word.
Still the antics of some of the most famous names and cars in recent rallying history made up for the disappointment. Those stalwarts of the 80's, Pentti Airikkala in an immaculate Vauxhall Chevette HSR and Russell Brookes in a Ford Escort Mk1 both took part in the rally stage. Poor old Russell facing the indignity of loosing out on one run when his ex-Mikkola Escort lost the right rear wheel whilst negotiating a 90 left on Saturday.
Steve Perez attended with the over powerful ex-Hannu Mikkola Audi Sport Quattro which proved to be quite a handful on the short tight stage. It was only during discussions with Steve that he revealed he was doing the Malcolm Wilson Rally in Cumbria, which was disappointing to hear as he had won the Robin Hood Historic class and the 2003 championship. Unfortunately the Malcolm Wilson wasn't so lucky for Steve in his Focus which he rolled at junction 8 on the fourth stage.
No official results were published but you got an indication of who was setting the pace by the speed camera on the straight approaching the bend that Russell Brookes came to grief on. Steve Perez seemed to be the quickest which isn't surprising with such an incredible machine like the Quattro. Good performances were also put in by the likes of Steve Loveridge in his Mini and Nick Whale in the Porsche 911RS. Former Safari Rally winner Yvonne Mehta co-driving for Tony Fall in the Datsun 240Z had only a short time on the sytages due to mechanical fault. Reigning Production Car World Rally Champion Martin Rowe even took part on Saturday, driving an XS Racing prepared Mk1 Ford Escort for two runs on the demonstration stage.
The proceedings weren't confined to the outside as there were many Stands inside with an incredible array of competition cars covering every conceivable form of motorsport.
If you missed it all this year you'd be well advised to go in 2005 - I'll keep you posted as soon as any details are available. If the 60's to 90's is your era for rallying then make sure you're booked on Gordon's visit to the David Sutton's Motorsport Museum which takes place on the first Saturday in April.
John Sayles
|
|
|
|
