… News and Gossip …
I had to miss out on the Test Day ahead of the Brick & Steel Border Counties and didn’t make it to Signing-On either, so the news and gossip this time is a bit sparse. I’ll try and do better at the Granite!
Iain ‘Bert’ Haining had a ‘new’ engine for the Border Counties, but the term ‘new’ and Haining don’t often go hand in hand, and it was the same this time. He needed a new engine after his Snowman run was curtailed abruptly on the very first stage of the day. As ever, Bert was quick to realise the extent of the problem and quickly surmised that a new engine would be needed – there was a bit of con-rod lying on the sump guard. Once he got home he phoned around the scrappies, sorry vehicle re-cycling centres, and found a suitable replacement at ‘usedcarparts.com’ just down the road from him, and said he’d have it. Some time later the boys phoned him back and said they were busy, but he could save himself 50 quid if he came down to the yard and took the engine out himself. Sorted. Bert rounded up the boys got the hammers, pinch bars and spanners together and off they went. And just as they had released their 74,000 mile prize from the ‘N’ reg Astra, the Boss arrived, one Richard Stewart Esq. Richard spotted Iain and asked what he was up to, so Iain explained, which prompted Richard to ask if he had got his previous engine from usedcarparts.com as well. Iain admitted that his previous ‘new’ engine was indeed a multi-thousand mile item from the same source. Richard then said ‘wait a minute’, had a word with his boys, and came back to Iain and said something to the effect that in view of the previously supplied unit’s failure, he should consider this replacement as a donation to his rallying. Oh crikey, I nearly had a tear in my eye by the end of this tale, but it just shows you, there are some nice guys in this sport.
Martin Craik had a run out on the Border Counties with his Subaru: “I haven’t used it since the McRae last year,” said Martin, “so I’m a bit rusty, but I thought I had better get some practice in ahead of the Ganite.” It’s not that Martin will be competing on the Granite though: “I’m doing Course Car duty. It was a last minute thing. Sandy Dalgarno was supposed to be doing it in his ex-Vatanen RS MkII, but a business thing has come up and he can’t do it – so he’s asked me.” I don’t think Martin thought twice before accepting, but he added: “It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I’m worried. It’s Sandy’s car and he won’t be there. It’ll be quite a responsibility.” Aye, but so will the noise!
I don’t know if you know him, but sometime journalist and photographer Ian Harden was down to co-drive for Andy Stretton in his Peugeot 205 on the Border Counties, but during the night before the rally, Ian did something to his back – and no he didn’t go into any intimate detail, and no, there weren’t any sheep involved. But on Friday morning he was spotted hirpling about with a walking stick. So, no co-driving for him then. Stuck for a co-driver, Andy turned to his service crew, conducted an initiative test, which Karen Gough won ahead of the boys, and she promptly applied for her co-driver’s licence. She got it with half an hour to spare before the rally start. Result? They not only finished, but just missed out on third in class (behind Adrian Stewart) by ONE second, with Andy commenting: “We had a great day even though we couldn’t use the Notes properly.”
Speaking of co-drivers and Notes, Rory Bruton was having his first ever run out in a rally having been ‘invited’ to join Scott Peacock at the last minute in the wee Peugeot. Although they completed the route and did all the stages, the car suffered significant problems during the day and they were declared OTL at the finish but according to Scott, Rory did an excellent job. The only downside was that Scott’s faither Donald finished fifth in class – and Scott didn’t. I bet breakfast time in the Peacock household the following morning, and many subsequent mornings too, will have been something of an endurance test for young Scot, eh?
Sadly, this weekend’s Rally Time Trial (Saturday 29th March) on Mull had to be cancelled due to a lack of entries. Unfortunately some would-be competitors have lost out on accommodation deposits which won’t be returned by the establishments concerned, but what’s the answer? It’s not easy. Amateur car clubs can’t be expected to run loss-making events and competitors should think twice about promising to enter an event, and then not doing so. It’s hard for organisers to budget not knowing what the income will be. Should entries be closed 2 weeks (instead of the usual week) before an event and then a surcharge added to late entries? That hasn’t worked in the past so what can be done? Clubs can’t operate on promises and goodwill, clubs can only count on entries and monies received. If the sums don’t add up, they can’t run the event. It’s not only the organisers and frustrated competitors who have their plans disrupted, but think of the other officials and marshals who have set time aside and made a commitment to attend. It’s a problem, and it’s not going to be easy to solve.
And finally …
Now I know it’s not funny, cos it could have ended up so much differently, but I did smile and have a wee quiet chuckle when Malcolm Robertson wasn’t looking. He finished the Border Counties in his Sunbeam but admitted to having “a more off than on kind of day” and that included one hair-raising bit on Stage 4. “Katie and I had watched the DVD and added a few comments to the Pace Notes,” explained Malcolm, “That included the long straight into a Left 6 where we had spotted a white log at the side of the road which we could use as a braking point on the rally. On the day of the event, we were charging along this straight as hard as the Sunbeam would go while looking for the white log to get on the brakes. We totally missed it – it was covered in snow. We had a huge spin and were so very lucky indeed not to go off into the trees. The car stalled and we had to get spectators to push start it. We were very lucky.” There’s a moral or a tip for the future in their somewhere but I’m not quite sure what it is, but it’s probably wise not to rely on anything white when it’s snowing!