Well we made it, and what an endurance it was, but BIG BIG fun :)
17th Overall isn't our (Dave Leadbetter on the maps) best result (5th o/a last year) but after many non-finishes and issues on events since June last year it was nice to get to the end of a rally !
More results and info can be found here
Detailed Report :-
So after our little ‘moment’ on the Bustard rally a month earlier and a string on non-finishes and poor results, the last time we (Dave Leadbetter on the maps) had a decent finish was the Mid-summer Endurance last June. So we set our sights a little lower, and to aim for a top 20 finish, but a solid finish.
Last years SW Enduro was one of the best rallies we have done and this years was no exception, and it proved to be a real endurance. The Friday start was followed by lots of small tests to get into the ‘grove’ and we found our pace (roughly just outside of the top ten), and then it was off to Dartmoor to get into the forests. The SW forests are seldom rallied, so they have a very smooth surface and with some clever stage design it meant that it was a test of both driver and navigator skills to set good times. This was followed by a short road rally section of regularities where we managed (along with 34 other crews) to miss a board a real beginners mistake and this cost us heavily time wise.
So onto the Saturday starting from Plymouth the route ran down through Cornwall past Newquay to some of the best airfields around (RAF Porthreath), but on the way down we stopped off at lots of forestry stages as well, and then we re-traced our steps back to Plymouth back through all the forests back to the hotel. The event covered 500 miles, over 100 stage miles and was HUGE HUGE fun.
Plus we managed that top 20 finish, with 17th overall, with the board and after looking at the results in detail if we hadn’t got lost or missed that board then we we would have finished around 7th or 8th overall, which given the pace at the top and the fact that we aimed for a finish rather than fighting at the front is pleasing :)And yes yet more proof if needed that rallying is full of ifs and buts…….
It's just days now until the South West Endurance Rally.....
And more exposure in press with photo's and names mentioned in both the international motoring press (Motorsport News) and local (to the event) press The Herald Express.
Seeding this year is much better with us seeded at 15th
Event information and spectator information is available here
(We are the fourth photo down)
Update..... 5th March
A mixed day working on the rally car to get it ready for next weekend. Good progress was made with the new spotlight mounts with radiator protection. However due to a wiring issue with the cooling fans, the car will be off to the Turner Brothers for a new Head Gasket on Monday. I will hopefully get the car back Wednesday night to finish off any last minute jobs like stickers etc.....
Thankfully due to the hard work of the Turner Brother staff the car was collected tonight and i have just the small little jobs to do before heading off tomorrow to a hopefully Sunny Devon.
