The Loco Stages 2006

Longmoor Camp - 30th December 2006 - Sutton & Cheam Motor Club

Report by Peter Wood.

This event is always good value, especially over the quiet Christmas/New Year period. The venue is small – each stage is only just over 4 miles (with 2+ laps), but is very tight and twisty through the army camp buildings, and also gets very slippery.

The Service Area is a square, and the stage runs live around three sides.

The entry is only open to 2wd vehicles and 60 cars, so the action can be very close.

The entry of 60 cars was made up as follows: Cl A 11, Cl B 10, Cl C 29, and Cl D 10.

The Club entries were as follows:

2 Andy Corner/ James Greenwood Peugeot 205 Mi16
22 Dave Keen/ Matthew Bateman Vauxhall Astra 1.6
31 Simon Mauger/ Samm Keeley Ford Escort Mk11 Vauxhall
50 Dan Corner/ Ade Camp Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6
58 Brian Farminer/ Amanda Terry Ford Fiesta 1.8

2 Andy/ James: They won here 2 years ago, and 2nd last year, so like the venue! They set 2= on SS1 and 3= on SS2 to be 3rd Overall.

SS3 they are 4= and 3rd overall, -10s off 2nd and a further 10s off the lead. SS4 and Simon M meets them after a merge – Andy is happy to hold him off, and sets 1= with car 1 (the leader). SS4 is then cancelled after car 26 (205) hits a tree hard, but crew are OK.

SS5 and sets 2nd fastest; Car 3 drops 19s to Andy and 2nd place. SS6 and Andy starts to lose gear selection and drops 26s to car 3 and back into 3rd overall. The Service crew "force" Big Ed to empty a tinny, which is then cut into a ring and sorts the gear problem! Very fast on SS9+10 to finish 2nd overall.

22 Dave/ Matthew: Dave admits to being very rusty (Matt said he needed the barnacles scrapped off!) and they set 42nd fastest on SS1. Are 15s quicker on SS2 and up to 38th. Getting quicker on SS3 and now 31st.

The heavens opened up on SS6, steaming up the car and very slippy, standing water just after the chicane as usual. Not sure where the water was getting in, but Dave looked hot and sweaty after SS9 – now trying really hard and not seeing much out of the windows! The car didn’t miss a beat all day and they were happy to finish at 34th and 5th in class.

Longmoor Loco Stages 2006 Sutton & Cheam MC Saturday 30th December 2006

31 Simon/ Samm: They got a late run from the Reserve list, hence the seeding, but they ran about car 6 on the road. This was their first look at the Loco, so were steady on SS1 setting 7th fastest. Samm had that Co-driver moment on SS2 and sent them round for an extra lap. Fortunately the stages are short here, so a Maximum only cost some 105s, but dropped them to 44th.

SS3 and now flat-chat, setting fastest time by 3s, climbing 19 places to 25th! SS5 and 2nd fastest, -2s to Car1, but fastest again on SS6, now up to 8 Another Maximum on SS7 when the throttle linkage breaks, but they get it started and fast on SS8. A day of might-have-been – would have won it if… Finished 9th Overall.

50 Dan Corner/ Ade Camp: Off fast straight from the start – I saw him through the hairpins with the gates and he made most of the field look like a load of whoosies, with plenty of handbrake! They were 19th overall after SS1 and already 4th in class.

Smooth on SS2 and up to 18th (3rd in class) and passed car 43 in front of the family. SS3 and the two cars in class around him (17th and 19th overall) ram each other – Andy Greenland in the Saxo (19) is hit hard up the rear by the Civic. The Saxo carried on for a few more stages, but then the clutch went.

12thg fastest on SS5, passing car 55 (RS2000), and an amazing 6th fastest in the pouring rain. Now 10th overall and leading the class by 14s. Kept it together with only a slight "off" on SS8, slid across grass and just touched a lamp-post, but no damage done.

An excellent result in only his second event at 10th Overall, winning the class.

58 Brian/ Amanda: Car now has a new gearbox (broke before Rockingham). Set 23rd fastest on SS1, but bonnet up and a cloud of steam in Service – just a split top hose, soon fixed. Neat on SS2 and up to 20th, 9th in class.

SS3 no problems, and now up to 19th. SS6 and now 17th (51 cars still running). Amanda complained of no grip and no visibility on SS8, but safely home at 20th overall.

Another fun event here at Longmoor – if you have a 2WD it is well worth planning to be here in December 2007.

Peter Wood