Next a plea for help. The Lee Holland Memorial Rally on Sunday 12th March 1995. Please note the day and date, we have had to change both. This is due to the Ty Croes Landowners pandering to the Bike racers giving them priority over us mere mortals. Probably because they get more revenue from the number of spectators at the Bike meetings than from Rallies.
We have a new Clerk of the Course for this event, Ian Mills and a change around in other jobs. However just as many people (and more) will be needed to put the event on and maintain the slick organisation for which it has become known.
Last thing in this final Chairman's Chat of 1994 is to offer the Seasons Greetings to all club members and have a successful year's competition in 1995.
Looking forward to your help and support in the year to come, all the best to one and all, see you in 1995.
ROD.
Back to Contents
The Finals came to show us seeded 27, with A.Anderson/apologies to co-driver TBA at 83 (Tony's first forest event). Also the SD34 championship leader was not "Playing Out", leaving us with a no pressure just get to the finish rally, easier said than done!!! Read on McDuff, start time of 10.37 saw us on the line P**** down rain, when Ian (Mills) appeared and told us that the finish marshal of stage 1 had no idea what he was doing with the finish clock. Quoted as having said Car 4 was already 4mins down on Car 1 apparently not realising that we set off at one minute intervals!! Anyway off we go, no real problems other than conditions being very slippery, the L.S.D. on the car now coming into it's own, pulling away without wheel spin from the tightest corners and Alan's deft touch with the hand brake recorded us a top 20 time of 6.30. On to stage 2 all going OK Alan driving at 7/10ths erring on the side of caution, due to the increasing wet and slippery conditions, but still keeping in touch with the top 20. The end of stage 10.27 saw us in 20th position o/all but 13th in class, due to 1.7 times turbo penalty factor which puts us in the over 2000cc class. Stages 3 & 4 saw a repeat of 1 & 2, and although the rain had stopped, conditions had deteriorated further with big ruts appearing on most corners. The carnage was beginning to show with cars off all over the stages. Our stage 3 time was 6.32 due in part to no easing off, the car still running ok, giving no cause for concern. Stage 4 and one or two incidents happen. The 1st on a tight left hander where the back end broke away, we ended up front wheels on the track, rears in the ditch. Oh dear engine stops, fired up again and once more the diff does the business and pulls us back onto the track, no problems say's I, calling the next hairpin and care for the narrow bridge, Oh dear no the car slews into the high kerb with such a bang I feel that something must have broken, but no, back in service the only sign of damage is a chipped wheel. The spin, stall etc. plus the bridge incident cost us 24secs, with 10.51 being recorded, ah well still in the top 20 with only one 14.6 mile stage to do. So the 15.10 start time comes for stage 5 and here we are on the last stage of the last event of 1994 and only needing to finish to be the 1994 SD34 champions. Steadily away we go and after 4/5 miles the ignition warning light comes on. Having had trouble in the past with alternators failing, we continue reckoning we could do the last 9 miles on the battery, however after 3 more miles all is definitly not well, the engine is losing power and eventually gives up. A quick look under the bonnet, the fan belt has gone, no water pump, no water etc. etc. The net result is one broken turbo, one head gasket and hopefully that's all. However more important is the fact that we couldn't finish and all our championship hopes were gone, the only consolation being the class award. Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing, the number of people who have said you should have stopped and done this or done that, still it's history now.
Before we go out again we need to put the spare engine and turbo in. One cynical comment, the big turbo needs a 34 mm max restrictor fitting for 1995 - this is a new FIA & RAC rule. To bring back the power the cylinder head will need reworking. Comiserations to Alan who again has driven as well as ever, but has been plagued by mechanical failures when a good result looked to be in the bag. Of the rest Tony Anderson thoroughly enjoyed his first forest event, perhaps he will be out for the 1995 "Silver Stages".
The if's and but's for 1994 will no doubt continue in the pubs and bars over Christmas. The proposed 1995 SD34 calendar will contain some more and varied events so perhaps we have seen the last of "Three Sisters".
In conclusion, many thanks to all who have helped throughout the season and apologies to those I have upset in traumatic times, see you all again in 1995.
P.S. Perhaps Tony Anderson would hke to give us a repo~ on Grizedale in the next issue.