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Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY
Two very different events over the last 5 weeks
Three Shires Stages - Sunday 5th September 2021 - 65 miles of Closed Roads based at Malvern Showground
I'd done this event 2 years ago in DVY but as I am still lacking an engine, went out in Fly instead
Abi Haycock was codriving for me for the first time and we were seeded Car 85 (out of 140) with a lot of quick cars around us
The format was 3 loops of stages, 4 on the first loop, then 5 on the 2nd and 3rd loops (due to a Church Service on one of them)
We had completed the recce a few weeks before in wet weather but it was a hot and sunny day for the event
Some of the stages I recognised from 2019, and others had been lengthened or were completely new
I knew we wouldn't be quick but ended up with a Group N Subaru behind us so were confident we wouldn't be caught on a stage
The first loop went well, apart from stage 2 being cancelled, and we returned to the showground with just the basic checks required, lying 95th overall (!)
The second loop was better, with all 5 stages running and slightly quicker on each one, we didn't get caught by anyone and back in service the only slight worry was a bit of play in the steering, but there was nothing obviously wrong. We did enjoy the ford at the end of Stage 8 as there wasn't enough water to worry about
At this point we were 80th overall
The 3rd and final loop was a bit of a disappointment - Car 24 had a big off on the first stage - the crew were ok but the stage was cancelled, then just as we were getting ready for the second stage, that was also cancelled, so we arrived at the regroup 1.5 hours after leaving service and felt like we had just driven around for no purpose!
There was a regroup at a Village Hall but, although the marshals tried their best to get us back into the right order, there wasn't enough room for everyone so we headed off to the 3rd stage and sorted ourselves out to make sure there was a slower car behind us
We were also worried about the time as the 1st car needed to start the last stage by 5:30pm for us to be allowed to run through it competitively. Luckily they got it going at 5:28pm so we had a good run through the final 3 stages of the event, arriving back at Malvern Showground around 6:45pm
Overall we finished 71st, but more importantly, Fly ran well all day, we just added fuel and carried on. Abi did a good job on the notes despite being tired after codriving on the Woodpecker the day before!
Targa in the Dark - Saturday 2nd October 2021
After a few weeks removing the homologated seats and refitting the comfy bucket seats, fitting the spotlights and knobbly tyres, I was ready for the Targa in the Dark, run by Bath Motor Club
This was using some Tests previously used on the Bath Festival (part of Stourhead Estate) so I sort of knew where I was going, but the 2 Alfreds Tower Tests had a different format, with a combined start and a split halfway round to get back to the start the first time, and the second time we went onto a new section in New Park Wood.
Abi was also navigating on this one and we were seeded at Car 5 behind Dan Morris in a green Puma and Ethan Davies in a red Puma - Cars 1 and 2 were non-starters and there were 55 cars in total. Abi had competed on the Bath Festival twice before although never that high up, but with a comprehensive roadbook and very good maps and diagrams for the Tests, I was sure we would be fine!
There were 10 tests in total, 5 in each loop with a regroup in the middle. The event was called the Targa in the Dark, but we started in daylight, with rather wet and horrible weather, and did a short farm track then a familiar test around Frome Showground. We were a bit slow on the first Test but 5th fastest on the second.
Into Alfreds Tower for the first time and it was very slippery, followed by clouds hanging in the trees near the end made it a bit interesting in the fading light. We got close to the undergrowth a few times but nothing to worry about. Back around to the start for Test 4, we joined in behind Car 25 who was on Test 3. It was going well until after about a mile we got to a Stop / Go and found Car 24 had got beached, with no room to go past. Myself, the marshals and the driver from Car 25 managed to get Car 24 going again and he headed onwards while we ran back to our cars. We were stopped for nearly 2 minutes but completed the new section without any further problems although the new section was even more slippery with a lot of grass up the middle of the track. As quite a few cars were affected by the hold up, we put in a query at the end and the organisers gave us a "Nominal Time" (as would happen on a stage rally).
The final Test of the loop was Castle Wood, and we got round this without incident and at the Regroup we were 6th overall.
Out on the second loop, the start marshal's clock was fast on the first Test so 22 cars beat the minimum time, then on the Showground I was trying to go faster but found there was less grip as the surface had got looser, and we were 8s slower. Back in the forests, there was a 20 minute delay at the start of the Alfreds Tower Tests as they were still recovering cars who had gone off or broken down the first time through! Finally we got going and didn't have any problems on these 2, although some of the later cars got held up by other cars getting stuck. Our times were similar to the first runs - the tracks had dried out a bit, slightly rougher and there were still some slippery bits to catch you out. We were pushing on through the New Park Wood section and came over a crest into an unseen left / right to find the green Puma off on the left. I braked hard and got very sideways but sorted it out just in time to get past
No problems either on the final Test in Castle Wood, and 4th quickest was a good way to end the event.
Back at Wincanton Racecourse, once the Notional Times had been sorted out for all the competitors affected, we were pleased to finish 4th Overall
Ethan Davies won the event by nearly 2 minutes, followed by Huw Morris in his Focus, then Jason and Dan Stone in their Duratec powered BMW
In a few weeks, I'm organising the Exmoor Targa, then hoping to try a new Targa event at Walters Arena in November and the Bustard Targa a few weeks after that
Two very different events over the last 5 weeks
Three Shires Stages - Sunday 5th September 2021 - 65 miles of Closed Roads based at Malvern Showground
I'd done this event 2 years ago in DVY but as I am still lacking an engine, went out in Fly instead
Abi Haycock was codriving for me for the first time and we were seeded Car 85 (out of 140) with a lot of quick cars around us
The format was 3 loops of stages, 4 on the first loop, then 5 on the 2nd and 3rd loops (due to a Church Service on one of them)
We had completed the recce a few weeks before in wet weather but it was a hot and sunny day for the event
Some of the stages I recognised from 2019, and others had been lengthened or were completely new
I knew we wouldn't be quick but ended up with a Group N Subaru behind us so were confident we wouldn't be caught on a stage
The first loop went well, apart from stage 2 being cancelled, and we returned to the showground with just the basic checks required, lying 95th overall (!)
The second loop was better, with all 5 stages running and slightly quicker on each one, we didn't get caught by anyone and back in service the only slight worry was a bit of play in the steering, but there was nothing obviously wrong. We did enjoy the ford at the end of Stage 8 as there wasn't enough water to worry about
At this point we were 80th overall
The 3rd and final loop was a bit of a disappointment - Car 24 had a big off on the first stage - the crew were ok but the stage was cancelled, then just as we were getting ready for the second stage, that was also cancelled, so we arrived at the regroup 1.5 hours after leaving service and felt like we had just driven around for no purpose!
There was a regroup at a Village Hall but, although the marshals tried their best to get us back into the right order, there wasn't enough room for everyone so we headed off to the 3rd stage and sorted ourselves out to make sure there was a slower car behind us
We were also worried about the time as the 1st car needed to start the last stage by 5:30pm for us to be allowed to run through it competitively. Luckily they got it going at 5:28pm so we had a good run through the final 3 stages of the event, arriving back at Malvern Showground around 6:45pm
Overall we finished 71st, but more importantly, Fly ran well all day, we just added fuel and carried on. Abi did a good job on the notes despite being tired after codriving on the Woodpecker the day before!
Targa in the Dark - Saturday 2nd October 2021
After a few weeks removing the homologated seats and refitting the comfy bucket seats, fitting the spotlights and knobbly tyres, I was ready for the Targa in the Dark, run by Bath Motor Club
This was using some Tests previously used on the Bath Festival (part of Stourhead Estate) so I sort of knew where I was going, but the 2 Alfreds Tower Tests had a different format, with a combined start and a split halfway round to get back to the start the first time, and the second time we went onto a new section in New Park Wood.
Abi was also navigating on this one and we were seeded at Car 5 behind Dan Morris in a green Puma and Ethan Davies in a red Puma - Cars 1 and 2 were non-starters and there were 55 cars in total. Abi had competed on the Bath Festival twice before although never that high up, but with a comprehensive roadbook and very good maps and diagrams for the Tests, I was sure we would be fine!
There were 10 tests in total, 5 in each loop with a regroup in the middle. The event was called the Targa in the Dark, but we started in daylight, with rather wet and horrible weather, and did a short farm track then a familiar test around Frome Showground. We were a bit slow on the first Test but 5th fastest on the second.
Into Alfreds Tower for the first time and it was very slippery, followed by clouds hanging in the trees near the end made it a bit interesting in the fading light. We got close to the undergrowth a few times but nothing to worry about. Back around to the start for Test 4, we joined in behind Car 25 who was on Test 3. It was going well until after about a mile we got to a Stop / Go and found Car 24 had got beached, with no room to go past. Myself, the marshals and the driver from Car 25 managed to get Car 24 going again and he headed onwards while we ran back to our cars. We were stopped for nearly 2 minutes but completed the new section without any further problems although the new section was even more slippery with a lot of grass up the middle of the track. As quite a few cars were affected by the hold up, we put in a query at the end and the organisers gave us a "Nominal Time" (as would happen on a stage rally).
The final Test of the loop was Castle Wood, and we got round this without incident and at the Regroup we were 6th overall.
Out on the second loop, the start marshal's clock was fast on the first Test so 22 cars beat the minimum time, then on the Showground I was trying to go faster but found there was less grip as the surface had got looser, and we were 8s slower. Back in the forests, there was a 20 minute delay at the start of the Alfreds Tower Tests as they were still recovering cars who had gone off or broken down the first time through! Finally we got going and didn't have any problems on these 2, although some of the later cars got held up by other cars getting stuck. Our times were similar to the first runs - the tracks had dried out a bit, slightly rougher and there were still some slippery bits to catch you out. We were pushing on through the New Park Wood section and came over a crest into an unseen left / right to find the green Puma off on the left. I braked hard and got very sideways but sorted it out just in time to get past
No problems either on the final Test in Castle Wood, and 4th quickest was a good way to end the event.
Back at Wincanton Racecourse, once the Notional Times had been sorted out for all the competitors affected, we were pleased to finish 4th Overall
Ethan Davies won the event by nearly 2 minutes, followed by Huw Morris in his Focus, then Jason and Dan Stone in their Duratec powered BMW
In a few weeks, I'm organising the Exmoor Targa, then hoping to try a new Targa event at Walters Arena in November and the Bustard Targa a few weeks after that
love reading all the updates, you sure do get through some amount of events! 
And I have a lowered rack mount!
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