"Through the Windscreen"

Stuart and Linda Cariss

Car 37

Photo: mandh-photography.co.uk

Southwest Endurance Rally

March 7 - 9, 2008

The 1300 Sport survived the Lombard well – the leaking head gasket being the only problem & with a head skim & new gasket hopefully is sorted. So it was just the usual cleaning of brakes & general checkover & we were ready a few days before the event.

We arrived at our usual B & B having had a trouble free 330 mile journey down to Newton Abbott where the event started from the excellent facilities of the Racecourse.

Now in it’s 3rd year this event has gained a deserved reputation for being a good very well organised event. Despite it’s somewhat remote location 81 crews had entered making it the biggest endurance event after the Lombard & arguably better value.

All the top crews were there :- the Turner brothers, Matt Fowle in Rover’s, Mike Biss, Corsa, Phil Harris, Diahatsu, Dale Glover, Nova – making a welcome return after a season of Stage Rallying.

We arrived early for Scrutineering which went OK & we were soon signed on. Few route amendments to note then time to check the Road/Map/Selectif books – Friday road book 57 pages, Saturday Road Book 98 pages, Map Book 34 pages – an endurance rally in itself ! Once complete it was out into the sunshine to meet up with old & new friends.

Leg 1 Friday 11hrs (scheduled) 16 Selectifs totalling 29 miles, 2 regularities & a 175 mile total route

First two selectifs were simple short tarmac track ones at the Racecourse followed soon after by two farmyard/track ones just to settle us in.

One hour road section to 3 Selectifs in Fernworthy forest south of Oakhampton & then on to Oakhampton Camp for 1 selectif run twice around the camp roads & buildings. This was quite tight with junctions/turns arriving very quickly which caused us to hesitate at times on our first run but the second run was really good once we knew where we were going.

The route then returned us to Fernworthy for 3 different Selectifs plus another closeby taking us to the evening halt/service where the first car was due at 18.00 hrs for a long 80 minute halt.

All OK with the car so we could relax & enjoy the meal provided – Prov results showed us 25th

We left the halt in darkness returning to do the last Selectif again before the road section to the two regularities.

The first one was near Ashburton within 10 miles of the start but as the driver it could have been anywhere in Brittain ! – I never know where we are unless I see a recognisable signpost.

Bit of a disaster for us, went SO at an unseen 90L downhill down a track which appeared correct at first but soon became very rutted & with nowhere to turn round we almost got stuck. Eventually turned round then it was a hair raising do or die back uphill to get through the tractor ruts & onto the road. We just did it but lost over 4 minutes & despite doing our best were still nearly 3 minutes late at the next control. On top of that we, like half the entry missed a code board incurring a 5 minute penalty which together with being nearly a minute late at the last control made a total penalty of nearly 9 minutes, - but we were still going.

13 miles down the A38 to the second regularity which went much better – we dropped just 22 seconds.

Time was after 22.00hrs & just 2 selectifs to do which went OK then the short run to the Novatel at Plymouth for our overnight stop. For some reason the event had not flowed for us but we had enjoyed the Selectifs & thought our pace was OK so we were disappointed at being 38th & 7th in class.

Overnight leaders were DaleGlover/David Morgan in the Nova , 2nd, 8 secs behind were Phil Harris/Graham Dance, Diahatsu, 3rd , a further 1 sec behind were Jamie Turmer/Ian Collings, Rover. There had been 10 retirements.

Leg 2 Saturday 14hrs (scheduled) 22 Selectifs totalling 91 miles 2 regularities, 275 mile total route.

First car away at 8.00hrs & into Selectif 1, Cann forest again on the edge of Plymouth.

One hour road section to 4 forest Selectifs around Bodmin.The first one Dunmere 1 – the longest of the event at over 8 miles saw the retirement of Mike Biss/ Cath Woodman with gearbox failure.

Another long road section took us to Penhale – an army base on the coast below Newquay where a 3 mile fast selectif on the undulating winding narrow camp roads saw us in top gear yet way off the top times – having seen the video I recon we loose 10 secs per code board – how do the top lads read them so quick without stopping ??

South then to Portreath – a coastal Air Force Training Base for a 5 mile selectif on tarmac & loose . In field marshalling was boosted by young RAF trainees who braved the cold wind & showers & did a sterling job.

Short run followed to a late lunch/service halt where the first car was due at 13.00hrs for the 1 hour stop.

We had been experiencing severe front wheel shake – suggesting out of balance wheels – usually caked mud. Removing the wheels revealed that we had lost 2 brake pad retaining pins & the remaining 2 were hanging out & badly bent ( I had fitted small P clip retainers instead of split pins which somehow had come out). We had been very lucky not to lose all brakes. Repairs were made, cleaned the wheels & we got out on time but the wheel shake remained & as we found it difficult to keep to the time schedule we never found time to change the wheels ( quick lift jack etc is on my list of mods)

From this point it was the start of the return to Plymouth, back to Portreath in the rain for 2 more Selectifs but after a 1 hour delay 1 was cancelled, then to Penhale (where I was worrying about the brakes with some fearful drops !) before the long run back to the forests around Bodmin. With the delay darkness was falling when we arrived.

The top crews were really on the limit in the difficult conditions & Dunmere 2 saw the demise of the Rally leader Dale Glover/David Morgan with major damage to the suspension – great shame he is a top bloke.

Road section again to petrol/short service on the A30 just East of Bodmin, after 1 selectif just of the A30 we went North to 3 selectifs above Oakhampton . It was here that we had our only major “moment” in the rally. The steady rain had made the forests slippy , especially on little trafficked tracks popular with endurance rallies. As we approached quite fast downhill to a junction 90L the surface changed to mud as I started to brake, incredibly quickly the car swapped ends, fortuneately we missed hitting the bank, scrubbed some speed of then managed to get the car pointing the right way. With no chance of making the 90L it was S.O. through the tape/brushwood barrier eventually stopping. Luckily no damage was done, we reversed up & were on our way.

It was very noticeable on all the forest selectifs since Penhale that numerous cars were off the road having tried too hard in the difficult conditions or just been unlucky.

The 2 regularities followed where we dropped 30 secs on the first & 100 secs on the second.

The final selectif was another 4 miles through Cann forest using a different route & we finally got back about midnight on time at Plymouth & finished.

It had been a hard rally & difficult for us to keep on time. We thought we had done OK on the Selectifs but the results showed that others were going much faster ! Our best time was 19th fastest. We only had a few times in the twenties with most being in the thirties. Our final position was 33rd & 8th in class.

After a well earned breakfast prize giving was well attended on the Sunday morning & entertaining as usual.

Final positions :- 1st Jamie Turner/Ian Collings, 2nd Phil Harris/Graham Dance & 1st in class 1300’s, 3rd Owen Turner/Andrew Dadswell & 1st in class 1400;s 38th Richard/John Sandilands, Micra 1st in class 1000’s

The event lived up to it’s reputation – it was very good & well organised – a dedicated team of about 6 spend all year organising this event & must put 100’s of hours into it. Additional support is also provided by Audi South West’s MD, Andy Russell (Co-driver Audi SW A3 Quattro on Stage events). Marshals – believe it or not but 160 were out on Friday & 250 on Saturday – amazing. A big Thank You to all concerned from Linda & Myself.

49 of the 81 starters finished confirming that it was a tough endurance rally - next year? - of course we will be their.

CheeRStu


Marshals in action on the 2008 event