Phil Morton’s Anglo Caledonian event with Lucille.
A huge ginormous thank you to all of you for your positive and encouraging messages.
It was the 1st time in the Datsun in the woods for well over 20 years, and a new codriver with absolutely no experience on multi venue events or pace notes!! So to post some top 10 times was a quite a surprise to say the least. And to finish the day in 13th overall was amazing.
The conditions couldn't have been any worse. The event was nearly cancelled then, losing the 1st and 2nd stage the night before was a blow, but then on Saturday morning, the lost stages were reinstated. I've got to say I was pissed off to hear the cancellation of stages before the rally had even started, but once we got on the stages, you could understand the the reasoning. And I can imagine all the competitors who went off (there was many) probably whichever it had been. I've never seen so much carnage.
Not only did we have to deal with the snow, but then the ice came, then to really make it interesting, the fog came in thick and fast. I actually had to loosen my belts to look over the bonnet to try to see the road.
We were one of the lucky crews to keep the car out of the ditches for the 4 stages, then on our way out of the 4th( on the road section) I slid off the road into a ditch. A couple of crews did try to pull me out, but they actually pulled me further into the ditch and nearly rolling the car!! My guardian angel ( the sweeper crew, who saved us 6 times last year on the RAC) turned up and dragged me out of this ditch. We blasted back to the time control and managed to get a time which kept us in the rally. A quick service and sent back out for the last stage of the night. Now running last car again!!
The fog had got thicker and roads were now solid ice. We set off, and was catching cars almost immediately and on catching the 4th car in the stage, lost concentration for a millisecond, slid wide and beached the car on a ice bank. Couldn't get it moving. Heading towards OTL, but the sweeper car came to our rescue again. Got us in our way ( again), no intercom, we set away at a very very steady pace, only to be caught out again, but on a up hill hairpin, ( it was weird, the hairpin was to the right, but the ice took me up the hill sideways the opposite direction until I totally lost grip and stalled). Key the sweeper, a quick pull with the rope and on our way again. Amazingly, we still got a time to keep us in, even though the finals had us down as retired. But after a discussion with rally control, we were reinstated at 13th.
Set away this morning to a totally different day. It's ridiculous 2 days can be soooo very different. The sun was out, the snow was gone and the stages were wet but perfect ( the 1 and a bit I seen).
Set off in a good pace for a short 5 miler. Paul lost his place about a mile in so I was on my own, but finished the stage and still maintained our 13th place and took time out of the 12th place guy and only 3 down on the 11th place, so things were looking good.
Then........ just over a mile into the 2nd stage, just after a quick 90° right, the right rear wheel studs sheared, throwing the wheel up in the air about 40ft( according to the marshal). Once we came to a stop, were stuck in the middle if the road, so i tried to get the car to the side so other competitors could get past, as I slowly started to pull away, I heard a horrible clunk, only to find the other side drive staft had snapped like a carrot ( supposed to be unbreakable!!!!!). Unfortunately, the stage had to be stopped so we could be recovered, and because of the time, the organisers decided to cancel the stage( sorry guys ).
That was us done. The recovery crew got us off the stage and onto the road and our crew collected us and took us to service.
End of ... ...........
Loads of positives to take away though, so not all bad.
Well done to the RAC team for putting on AND keeping the event running.
Huge thank you to you lunatic marshals, time keepers, radio crews, recovery crews and all the unsung heroes who help and put these rallies on for all of us crews to enjoy. If it wasn't for you lot, we couldn't do what we love.
Massive thank you to our fantastic service crew. Michael Gray, Chris the plasterer Christopher Forster, Trim man Ian Peake, Coke (Colin Wilkinson ) and our Jack for been a absolute star at team management and teaching Paul Roland ( navigator) all about his job.
And of course my truly amazing wife Jo for her continued support and understanding.
I think the Datsun will be seen more in the woods
“You took a fine time to leave me loose wheel!” (Lucille)
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