Pro-Care Stages (3 Sisters race circuit Wigan) Sunday 4th May.
Well after the first event in Anglesey there were only a few bit and pieces to get sorted before this next event. The “fuel surge” cure was going to be filling the tank ¾ full and see if we can prove it is actually fuel surge. Needed to change the pads from the Mintex ones which were good but didn’t last very long, these were swapped for Pagid blues. Yozza sorted this and a quick bleed were sorted. The only other item was to really secure the battery as this was coming loose and potential could have cause the mis fire / non start just before the last stage (bad earths etc ??)
The weekend started with a stag do in Nottingham on Friday, alls I can say is im too old and my body can not keep up like it used to 10 years ago.!!! After 10 Magners and copious amounts of Vodka red bull I was woken at 10 had breakfast then was back in bed till 1 then drove home in a daze. Then into bed again till 4 then start packing up ready to get to the rally for Sunday.
Sunday was a 4.30am wake up out of bed at 5 shower and check we have everything then off at just before 6. Felt sooooo much better.
We got to the venue at 6.30 and it was all closed up and a big queue of us waiting to get in looks like the owners had slept in.!! Gates Opened at 7 and we get in and start to set up. Up until this point the weather looked really good but as always looks can be deceiving!! It started throwing it down, did we get a Gazebo after the last events rain, er no…. Co driver gave his brother in law a call and a Gazebo was on its way.
First things first scruitineering and signing on all passed without issue again, numbers on (car 29). Now it was tyres ? what were we going to use, well the only tyres we had that actually had tread where the Pirelli Inters we had from Anglesey so we put them on (1/2 worn at the front and ¾ worn at the rear). Check all fluids and pressures and we are ready to go..! Lots of good cars in the entry and there was a full 65 cars as well.
Stage 1 & 2 – These were very wet and having been round 3 sisters before there are lots of changes in surface (grippy stuff and NOT grippy stuff). Off we go and it was like we are standing still (no LSD) so straight into second and we are away. It was a bit hectic and very very slippy, the Clio NEVER refuses to turn in which is great but the backend has to cope and on worn inters that are struggling to get heat into them it was like driving a Mk 2 Escort.!!!!! All the hairpins did not require the handbrake.!!! To be honest it really felt like we were crawling round.
Stage 3 & 4 – More of the same but in the new section used on this pair of stages there was a puddle of standing water at least 6 inches deep so 50 mph into this there was water everywhere and I was waiting for coughs and splutters but nothing and we carry straight on and finished the stages.
Stages 5 & 6 – starting to clear some of the water now but still wet on all parts of the track. We had one of our best stages as at some of the merges we were getting held up and in particular this Fiesta but on the second lap we pass him going into the uphill section, very quick flat in 3 and as we pass the rear drifts out and we keep it nailed and we are past. AWSOME it was the best points of the rally and we were both totally buzzing after the stage finish.!!! This is what it’s all about.
Stages 7,8,9,10 – It was starting to dry in places and the car was starting to be more comfortable with the conditions, it really does go so much better in the dry due to having no LSD. I hear a rumor that we are knocking on the top 20 overall and catching people in front in the drying conditions. So far I have been driving sensibly as my aim is always to finish and not be a first lap hero and crash.
Last 2 stages 11 & 12 – It was drying on the racing line but still slippy but we upped the ante a little on the last 2 stages and that last stage was a flyer.!!!!
We FINISHED..!!!! Great feeling again was a very short stage event approx 3mins each stage so like a sprint in some respects but the fwd car really struggled to get heat in the rear tyres.
We ended up 21th.!!!! Great result for us, really chuffed considering the conditions. A set of proper Wets will be my next purchase for sure.!!!
There was a time discrepancy on one stage which we queried but were too late and that would have put up joint 17th (6 seconds) it was that close. In the afternoon in the damp (not raining) we were setting really competitive times (13th Quickest on stage 10). The car has got a lot of potential an LSD would give us a second a mile at least so when that’s sorted we should be looking at getting close to the top ten. Not bad considering all the other cars in the top 10 are well into 5 figures.
Thanks to everyone who helped us at the event and to the car for looking after us during the event it ran faultlessly.
Special thanks to :-
Yozzasport
Wife for the footage, support and food
Co-Drivers brother in law for the Gazebo
My dad for being the spanner b**ch for the day
Small video of the action, better link avaiable later today. Excuse the naughty language. :wink: :wink:
http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm290/Evogone/?action=view¤t=Movie_0007.flv
Well after the first event in Anglesey there were only a few bit and pieces to get sorted before this next event. The “fuel surge” cure was going to be filling the tank ¾ full and see if we can prove it is actually fuel surge. Needed to change the pads from the Mintex ones which were good but didn’t last very long, these were swapped for Pagid blues. Yozza sorted this and a quick bleed were sorted. The only other item was to really secure the battery as this was coming loose and potential could have cause the mis fire / non start just before the last stage (bad earths etc ??)
The weekend started with a stag do in Nottingham on Friday, alls I can say is im too old and my body can not keep up like it used to 10 years ago.!!! After 10 Magners and copious amounts of Vodka red bull I was woken at 10 had breakfast then was back in bed till 1 then drove home in a daze. Then into bed again till 4 then start packing up ready to get to the rally for Sunday.
Sunday was a 4.30am wake up out of bed at 5 shower and check we have everything then off at just before 6. Felt sooooo much better.
We got to the venue at 6.30 and it was all closed up and a big queue of us waiting to get in looks like the owners had slept in.!! Gates Opened at 7 and we get in and start to set up. Up until this point the weather looked really good but as always looks can be deceiving!! It started throwing it down, did we get a Gazebo after the last events rain, er no…. Co driver gave his brother in law a call and a Gazebo was on its way.
First things first scruitineering and signing on all passed without issue again, numbers on (car 29). Now it was tyres ? what were we going to use, well the only tyres we had that actually had tread where the Pirelli Inters we had from Anglesey so we put them on (1/2 worn at the front and ¾ worn at the rear). Check all fluids and pressures and we are ready to go..! Lots of good cars in the entry and there was a full 65 cars as well.
Stage 1 & 2 – These were very wet and having been round 3 sisters before there are lots of changes in surface (grippy stuff and NOT grippy stuff). Off we go and it was like we are standing still (no LSD) so straight into second and we are away. It was a bit hectic and very very slippy, the Clio NEVER refuses to turn in which is great but the backend has to cope and on worn inters that are struggling to get heat into them it was like driving a Mk 2 Escort.!!!!! All the hairpins did not require the handbrake.!!! To be honest it really felt like we were crawling round.
Stage 3 & 4 – More of the same but in the new section used on this pair of stages there was a puddle of standing water at least 6 inches deep so 50 mph into this there was water everywhere and I was waiting for coughs and splutters but nothing and we carry straight on and finished the stages.
Stages 5 & 6 – starting to clear some of the water now but still wet on all parts of the track. We had one of our best stages as at some of the merges we were getting held up and in particular this Fiesta but on the second lap we pass him going into the uphill section, very quick flat in 3 and as we pass the rear drifts out and we keep it nailed and we are past. AWSOME it was the best points of the rally and we were both totally buzzing after the stage finish.!!! This is what it’s all about.
Stages 7,8,9,10 – It was starting to dry in places and the car was starting to be more comfortable with the conditions, it really does go so much better in the dry due to having no LSD. I hear a rumor that we are knocking on the top 20 overall and catching people in front in the drying conditions. So far I have been driving sensibly as my aim is always to finish and not be a first lap hero and crash.
Last 2 stages 11 & 12 – It was drying on the racing line but still slippy but we upped the ante a little on the last 2 stages and that last stage was a flyer.!!!!
We FINISHED..!!!! Great feeling again was a very short stage event approx 3mins each stage so like a sprint in some respects but the fwd car really struggled to get heat in the rear tyres.
We ended up 21th.!!!! Great result for us, really chuffed considering the conditions. A set of proper Wets will be my next purchase for sure.!!!
There was a time discrepancy on one stage which we queried but were too late and that would have put up joint 17th (6 seconds) it was that close. In the afternoon in the damp (not raining) we were setting really competitive times (13th Quickest on stage 10). The car has got a lot of potential an LSD would give us a second a mile at least so when that’s sorted we should be looking at getting close to the top ten. Not bad considering all the other cars in the top 10 are well into 5 figures.
Thanks to everyone who helped us at the event and to the car for looking after us during the event it ran faultlessly.
Special thanks to :-
Yozzasport
Wife for the footage, support and food
Co-Drivers brother in law for the Gazebo
My dad for being the spanner b**ch for the day
Small video of the action, better link avaiable later today. Excuse the naughty language. :wink: :wink:
http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm290/Evogone/?action=view¤t=Movie_0007.flv
