Premier Stages Rally (Nottingham Forests)
Graham Steggles/Emma Bain Car 56 Peugeot 205
Saturday evening, scrutineered, noise checked and signed on with no dramas apart from a flat tyre on route. This was about as close as we were going to get to eventual winners Car 8 Sierra Sapphire as it was in the same services as us when we changed the wheel! Sorted out the handling problem though as it seems that the tyre must have been going down ever since we fitted it! An early start next morning due to the fire alarm going off in the hotel which made me first head out into the corridor in only my boxers to be greeted by loads of mainly female heads poking around their doors and then when hastily dressed and back in the corridor and we found it was a false alarm, I’d locked us out!
On to the start and my nerves suddenly came back as I was feeling sick (morning sickness? Not enough beer the night before? Or something I ate?) As soon as we crossed the start to head out on the event everything in the stomach department was in order again. On the first stage we sat for ages queing for our minute. Then it was our turn and the clutch dropped only to find horrendous engine tramp and no grip. The stage was very badly cut up and rippled to the extent that full throttle couldn’t be used until 3rd gear. Rough isn’t the word. The second stage was a duplicate of the first with a split set up to the finish and as I turned to take a level crossing Emma said, “oh look there’s Phil Andrews”, I very nearly looked for him but gladly didn’t as whilst accelerating hard a 90 left loomed. Got round it though. We must have looked fast there. Emma was lost for a few seconds and the track had narrowed! It just goes to show how much value there is in a navigator!
The third stage saw our exhaust drop off in the start of it and we carried on through very loudly. It had dropped from the manifold but was still hung underneath. After bragging the previous night that I wouldn’t be needing a service crew because nowt could go wrong with my car, I had to eat humble pie to Caroline Marsdens service crew who had given me a radio, “just in case”, and, as service was straight after the stage I radioed them. As we entered service a spot noise check looked at me, laughed and waved me on. Thanks mate. In service Simon, Nigel, Steve and Malcolm were waiting with ground sheet, jack and stands. We got out just in time to see the pug lifted and a cup of tea thrust into our hands by Edith and Jan. We could get used to this service lark. The car was ready in 30 mins and we left the control with 1 second to spare before incurring lateness. Thanks obviously go to them all.
All was well with the next three stages and we set off towards 2nd service but because of an ambiguous road book entry we went wrong on the road for 1/2 a mile. Once back on track we found that Jon and John had lept in front of us and were stopped just outside service. Emma’s excited pleas to get back in front of them to enter service had me alongside just as I realised that they were stopped on the yellow board! No tyres squealed as I managed to stop front wheel to front wheel with them. The service control marshals were inspecting how far I was before the board from afar and I felt like an apprentice would if his skilled man had given him a job for the first time! 30 seconds later we entered service. Parking behind Caroline’s service van the crew ran up to us asking what was to be done. I replied “nowt”. Well you could see the disappointment in their faces. It was raining hard and they were all stood looking at the car. We were ushered into the dry warm van, given hot drinks and food and offered warm clothing. Whilst sat there I glanced out to see them all over my car giving it a good wash! Maybe I’m getting old but …….? (You know.) Any way I can’t thank the crew enough for their commitment and support in diabolical conditions.
The last three stages were run in darkness and even heavier rain. No lamps and no interior lighting made negotiating the stages very difficult. It was like a swimming pool in the stages and on the road and Emma was reading her maps by the light off her mobile phone!! The car developed a misfire which went away once out of the stage. (probably water ingress to the electrics) We took a maximum on the last stage because it was deemed by us both to be too dangerous to go through quickly in those conditions but finished 41st O/A and 13th in class. Not one of the most enjoyable rallies we’ve done but memorable and of course a learning experience and we drove the car there and back! When are ‘They’ going to bring in reverse seeding, eh? It makes sense, cos we won’t cut up the track as much as the 4WD class and they can afford proper equipment. I know it won’t happen!