Abingdon CAR-nival Stages 2005Abingdon Airfield (Dalton Barracks) – Sunday 12th June 2005Report by Peter Wood, Photographs by Andrew Cadle & Simon Clarke (www.sc-photography.co.uk) As usual this event filled in a couple of weeks and had an impressive entry list: Class A 9, B 24, C 29, D 17 and an impressive 20 in Class E. Big boy entries included 3 6R4, 2 Darrians, 9 Subaru, 5 Cossy’s of various sorts, a replica RS200, Nissan 240RS, TR7V8, Stratos, Celica GT4. Major names expected to star included Nichols, Lloyd, Furzeland, Binyon, Dillow, Lambert, and Mauger. It had the makings of a cracker event! The Club entry is a little down on previous years, with no team Vision (which usually put out 4-5 crews), but we still managed a very creditable 9 entries: -
Some of the members had something to prove: Rob Slingerland had gone out on first corner with drive shaft last year, and Paul Diamond hadn’t completed the first stage either! Richard Upton had been slimming the car down – lost 13kg off the doors, and fitted a Perspex rear door, plastic bonnet etc.
SS1 and it was all happening already – the beautiful Lancia Stratos had roared round the area in front of the crowd, only to disappear in a huge cloud of oil vapour, closely followed by the RS200 replica, and a Sunbeam played at Zanussi when trying to get off the grass! SS2 and the 6R4 service crew will be in trouble as it came passed with the bonnet folded across the co-drivers vision.
Car 13 Dick and Steve. Slowish first stage, but up to 5th overall after SS2 (only beaten by the three ex-works Subaru and 1 of the 6R4). Car needs push-starting out of service, starter is changed after SS4. Car puts in a series of spot-on stages, and with the demise of Peter Lloyd on SS6 is up to 4th overall and 1st in class. Disaster on SS7 when the centre diff overheats and catches fire! Luckily soon put out but a certain 1st in class pot is snatched away – bad luck, Dick!
Car 20 Andy and Chris. A very late entry (Thursday before event) and the gearbox and clutch are quickly put back into car. Disaster on SS1 when a rod goes through the block (front and back) takes out starter, gearbox, and head. Search is now on for a good MI16 unit – any ideas?
Car 24 Neal and Mike. Car looks really good with new mirror Subaru graphics. Good clean SS1 sees Neal at excellent 10th overall in 13.13. By SS2 they are 12th overall and 4th in class (7 seconds quicker), with Neal complaining of hot brakes and then no brakes! Pads changed and system bled and away again. By SS4 had dropped back a little to 15th overall and 4th in class. SS6 and given a wrong time by damned marshal, soon sorted, but getting quicker as he caught a wing mirror, a sure sign of trying hard! At finish very happy with 11th overall and 2nd in class in such a strong field.
Car 28 Paul and Steve. Disaster on SS1 with throttle linkage breaking, costing 7 minutes 20 over Neal – they got out with the famous hand throttle operated by Steve – at least avoided the Maximum and therefore exclusion. Set 14th fastest on SS2 and even quicker on SS3+4 where 8th fastest (intercom working again). They are 50th overall and have climbed 21 places since SS1! They carry on getting faster, catching and passing cars all day as they climb back up the leader board. They finished 24th overall and 11th in class, but take out the 7min 20 and…
Car 37 Ian and Dave. They had been flat out on the car all week, but on SS1 the big ends fail and game over.
Car 39 Richard and Paul. Off to a fast start, setting 18th on SS1. Faster on SS2 and up to 16th overall and 3rd in class. SS3 and Paul reports that they are hitting wing mirrors consistently! SS4 and a front tyre delaminates about 2/3 of the way through the stage. Caught an Escort Cossy but was patient and waited for the split. Only 69 of the 100 starters were still going at half way. SS6 and had a blinder, passing three cars on stage. Very nearly side swiped a 106 that was slow in yielding. SS8 and up to 12th overall when the planet gears fail about ½ mile from the finish and they crawl across the line and hold 14th overall and 1st in class.
Car 57 Julz and Jason. SS1 and going well, but found a small oil leak. SS2 and hit a lorry tyre, scraped side. of car, door, wing mirror, sump guard scraping along the ground, but still passed a Subaru! Up to 26th overall. SS3 and chases a 205 right in front of the crowd, Catches a rear wheel on a motorway cone and executes a perfect barrel role. Happy to report that both were fine, but car is kaput. Julz bought the car for £800 and used on road for a couple of years, then prepared for rallying (cost another £700). So for £1,500 got 10 events and 2 years road use – that’s great value. I think he plans to build a Corsa next.
Car 60 Rob and Liz. Firstly, full marks from me as they had sewed the new Thame Motorsport badges on their overalls! They came back into service after SS1 with a quick time of 14.05, but had lost 2nd gear in final mile of stage. Car quickly jacked up, but when the mud was moved off the bottom of gearbox casing all the oil dropped out! Second gear had exploded, cracking the case so game over.
Car 68 Dave and Matt. The Astra now has throttle bodies. SS1 and no dramas reported, setting a time of 14.28. SS2 and getting quicker, now up to 40th Overall. They stop on stage on SS3 just passed the viewing area from Service – cause not known. So what a day of attrition for the Thame crews: Andy Corner, Ian Hucklebridge, Rob Slingerland out on SS1 (and very nearly Paul Diamond as well!), Dave Keen and Julz out on SS3, Dick Mauger very unlucky when surely on for 4th overall and first in class out on SS7 and nearly BBQed!
But the survivors did really well, with Neal Cuss taking 11th overall and 2nd in class, and Richard Upton and Paul Bareham crawling across the finish on SS8 to take 14th overall and 1st in class. A special mention for Paul Diamond who just beat the Maximum and exclusion on SS1 and fought all day to climb back through the field, overtaking lots of cars on every stage going from 90th on SS1 to finish 24th. Also I am still looking for someone who caught the Julz/Jason roll right in front of the spectators!! |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Home | News / Info | Calendar | Event Reports | Photo Gallery | Rally Teams | Contacts | Links - Updated Sunday, 24 February, 2008 |
