The Loco Stages 2006

Longmoor Camp - 2nd January 2006 - Sutton & Cheam Motor Club

Going loco Down in Hampshireoco by James Greenwood.

Our first rally of 2006 and defending our first overall win – with no pressure at all the Peugeot was still throwing all of its toys out of the pram. Not the gearbox this time but the crank and shells (engine) decided to self-destruct whilst driving through North Aston! And it was still 2005!!!

With number one on our doors we sailed through scrutineering and noise and cycled around the course. Yes it was dark and cold but damp leaves and a plus one reading replaced the usual sub zero warmth with icy patches. With Mick, Les and 2 Ayabusaa behind us we knew this would be tight.

The stages seemed as per last year – tight, twisty and quick, two and a half laps only 4 miles.

From the off it was very slippery, with the car not holding in the corners at all giving the photographers great rear wheel drifts but loosing us precious seconds – now second, 2 seconds behind Mick in his 1600 BDA.

Pete felt we were braking far too early – Stage 2 with later braking equals two offs (always the 90 right over crest in the woods) and 9 seconds dropped – so we will brake in the middle next time!

SS3 and it wasn’t getting any drier and we could not hook in the woods but only dropped 1 second to Mick who still held first. Three of us tied setting 2nd fastest times. Halfway through SS4 and the gear stick became "soupy" – not again, please!

Tightening the captive nut sorted that one and "shh, the rally was looking good!"

SS5 saw us change direction and brought back the high speed yump and chicane opposite the pit straight – together with the in between building split – concentration required. All OK, car working well and Andy driving totally on it, 3 corners from the end and BANG! NO DRIVE! BUGGER!

So we coasted (and swore) but we were going slower and slower so I jumped out and pushed us over the line – dropping 30+ seconds. A frantic rush into service and yet another gearbox change within half an hour. New gearbox in and ready to go and no drive!! The new shafts had stripped the CV joint splines within their casing so back up in the air and change the drive side shaft. Rather late out of service (but no penalty), we started well down the field and had a standard box with no diff – time to go ballistic. We drove the tyres off the car – but had to let Mick pass us. SS5 left us in 11th but SS6 saw us rise to 6th.

Service and the competition box back in, further gear adjustments had to wait (no reverse at all), 2 minutes late at the start (still no penalties) and we had to fly. Merged with Mick but held him off, passed two other cars and the Peugeot was ‘dancing like a butterfly and stinging like a bee’. With lights blazing and the horn on 11 nothing would stop us. With only one gear missed on SS7 we climbed to 3rd.

Mick had a minute over us but we wanted second. Trouble is we needed to find 9 seconds in 4 miles – a mighty task. We gave it our all, passed 2 cars on the way to the chicane but only picked up 3 seconds and settled for 3rd overall (out of 53) and 2nd in class (out of 25). Considering our lack of drive on SS5 and lack of diff on SS6 this was a good result.

Mick and Dan were deserved winners on the day as they made the rally theirs – but as always a great event and so tight at the top. Many thanks to Dan, Ed, Allan, Tim and Stuart for a truly fantastic service performance – A+++ guys. To Del for braving the chilly temperatures and to Sharon and Cheryl who unfortunately couldn’t make it.

Oakington in February and yet more title defending.