Driver: Peter Boddy
Co-Driver: Eddie Beilby
Car No.164 Skoda Favorit Class N1 (Production cars up to 1300cc)
Day 4: Wednesday Stages 22-28
At the 7am Chester racecourse re-start on Wednesday,
the start crew appeared pleased to see us. The reason for this,
surprise surprise, was after all our time losses we were now the
last car in the event. As we were now lying over half an hour
behind the next car, car 195, Pete Gretton and Judie Chidwick in
a British Lada. Apparently, Pete and Judie are Spectre
Motorsport, and their claim to fame apart from knowing Big Steve
is crashing out of the Monte a couple of years ago. Yes, in their
Lada!!
By this time I informed Eddie that we were giving up all hope
of catching them in front and today we were embarking on
Operation "Just get to the finish."
Over stage 22, Pantperthog and 23, Dyfi (Which
we rolled in last time we were there) the car was occasionally
mis-firing and trying to cut out, obviously the mysterious
problem have not been cured.
At first service, the chaps changed the plugs, leads, dizzy
cap, rotor arm and blew out all the fuel lines for good measure.
Also at this point, Pete and Judie, in the Lada, borrowed our
generator to weld up their back axle. I nearly forgot to add we'd
caught and overtaken them in the last stage while they were
taking it steady with their panhard rod about to drop off.
The interesting thing about this was as we were catching them
in the stage, all the speccies would safely step back into the
trees on seeing the Lada approach, watch it go past then step out
into the path of our charging beast. I honestly haven't laughed
so much in ages, seeing the worried look under all the bobble
hats when it dawned on them that they might get killed by
something less than a Works Subaru!!.
We went through Stage 24, Gartheiniog, and 25,
Penmachno South, with no real worries apart from the
occasions hiccup from the fuel system. But as we couldn't think
of anything else to change we crossed everything and concentrated
on enjoying the scenery and seeing the finish.
At the start of SS26 Penmachno North, we had a bit of a
wait, and as a course closing vehicle was parked behind us, I
went and had a bit of a chat. Finding that they were the ones
parked alongside us in SS20 Cefyn, I thanked them
profusely for not driving past us in that stage. They explained
that they had been working out our maximum lateness and were not
going to move until that had expired. I thought it better to stay
humble rather than tell them that we had been 5 minutes past it.
After talking about the fuel problem guess what happened less
than a mile into the stage, whilst going up a very steep hill?
Yes, no prizes for guessing that the car cut out again. After
trying unsuccessfully to bump start it back down the hill, we
pulled up and deliberately blocked the road, so that the course
closer couldn't get by even if they wanted to. There's gratitude
for you!
So with help and advice we got straight down to it and got
some petrol down into the top of the carburettor. This was
eventually done by hand pumping fuel from the pump into Eddie's
sandwich box, and then pouring it in. The first attempt involved
me sucking up a load of petrol fumes into my mouth, nearly
passing out and falling into a ditch at the side of the road. We
were under way in 10 minutes or so, and Eddie even had time for a
quick chat with the ever pleasant Course closers.
By this time we just had to make the finish, and at the next
service we ripped out the back seat and took out the fuel pick up
pipe and sender unit from the fuel tank, as this was about the
only part of the system we hadn't looked at, and blew it through.
We left service in a bit of a hurry, not having time to put the
rear seat back (or should it be back seat rear!)
The final stages, SS27 Clocaenog West and SS28
Clocaenog East, were tackled with Eddie and I crossing
everything, and I mean everything, as the fuel problem was still
causing the odd hiccup and splutter from the engine. Still we
kept the spectators and marshalls entertained by tooting and
waving at everyone, and we got quite a good response in return.
As Eddie read the final pace to the flying finish of the last
stage, and began cheering even before we'd got there, the sense
of elation was amazing. If you can imagine two people jumping up
and down vigorously while still trapped into bucket seats,
cheering, punching the air, and shaking hands all at the same
time, and whilst still travelling at 70 mph, you'll get some idea.
When we reached the stop line I must admit I was a bit overcome
by it all, and had to fight back the tears of elation and relief.
I'd dreamed of doing this rally for 10 years, and here we were.
We were well chuffed to say the least.
The last main service was just to wash the car, and as Mark,
Wayne and the Rainworth Motors Favorit van had our back seat
still and weren't at this one, we arranged to meet them en route
at Chester. All the guys were well 'appy and rightfully so, as I
feel it was a fantastic team achievement.
After meeting Mark and Wayne and reclaiming said rear seat,
they apologised for not coming to the finish with us in Chester
as they both had to be up early for work the next day. So after
being left by them and the big van, the car nearly cut out on the
run back in, and then restarted on its own, I thought that it
would be just our luck to retire now.
At the final proper time control on the outskirts of Chester
we spoke with Pete and Judie in the Spectre Motorsport Lada, As
they were only a place in front, and after I had explained our
problem Pete stated "Don't worry if it cuts out, we'll push
you over the ramp". Thanks for the offer, but happily we
didn't have to take them up on it.
On our slow crawl through Chester, past the RAC finish
traffic, a nice touch was that quite a lot of spectators were
giving us the thumbs up and a round of applause.
While queueing for well over an hour to get over the ramp in
Chester Race Course, we saw quite a lot of people we knew. The
Roux Brothers of Dad and Scottish Brian for once were not cooking
anything, and looked delighted to see us as they knew we were 3
stages from the finish courtesy of the Ceefax in Nottingham.
Steve, Dan and English Brian arrived, and we were all in a
partying mood as everyone slowly inched near the ramp. Wayne
Rodgers and Richard "Banger" Reeve turned up, and a
really nice touch was the guy who'd kept us in the rally in Cefyn
appearing looking very pleased for us and himself. From his
business card I don't know if it is him or his company who are
called C. Hayes-Roberts, but many thanks.
When someone from Skoda Motorsport presented us with a magnum
bottle of Asti Spumanti's best Eddie and I now had a bottle each
as my father had also been to Sainsbury's wines and spirits dept
for us.
So as we eventually had our turn to drive over the ramp in 95th
and last position - yes, last position - we put the hazard
warning lights on and vigorously tooted the horn and flashed the
headlights. It's every boy's dream to cross the finish ramp at
the head of the rest of the field. We'd just done it the other
way round, that's all. The commentator, Gary Champion, who we'd
been collaring for Nottingham Mencap donations every night,
ordered us to produce the collecting tin, and shoved £10 in,
which was a very nice gesture. He then suggested that we might
want to pose on the ramp a while longer for a few photos, and we
quickly produced the bottles of fizz. At this everyone began
shouting "On the bonnet" so never being shy at coming
forward, and realising that as most things we'd done in this
event, the chance may never come again, we clambered onto the car.
Eddie and I sprayed away at each other, and while I was
slightly blinded, I just caught sight out of the corner of my eye
of Eddie slipping on the sparkling wine, going A over T off the
bonnet, and finishing off with a majestic backward somersault off
the ramp to the floor. While thinking he was at best seriously
injured, and that it could only happen to us, I began laughing so
hard that I nearly fell off as well. Many of the crowd, including
our supporters, were reduced to tears of laughter as Eddie picked
himself up, totally uninjured, and gracefully bowed to the masses.
The commentator didn't quite know what to make of all this,
although I think he'd worked out that we were a bunch of lunatics
several days previously.
So after retiring to the farmhouse for the biggest party of
all time, and then seeing the car being pushed out of our
Pundershaw ditch on BBC Top Gear, guess which two happy little
rally crew members both fell soundly asleep half an hour after
reaching the pub!
Big, marvellous, many, huge thanks to the service vehicle Mad 3, Steve from Sutton Rally Spares, Don, English Brian; the Mad 2, chase car/van of Wayne 'no brain', and Mark 'ku Allen'. Without all of their marvellous mechanical and bodging skills we would not have even made the finish of the first day. Thanks also to all our sponsors, especially Rainworth Motors for all their fantastic help and support; all the Carlton marshalls and spectators who cheered us on; everyone who very generously contributed to the £1000 raised for Nottingham Mencap, and last but not least to Eddie 'Stunt Gnome' Beilby for being a great sport, fantastic navigator, and not putting a foot wrong all rally.
That is until the finish ramp!
Pete Boddy