By Barry Lindsay

At the Xmas stages I was introduced to Richie Windress from SG Petch Motorsport. At the time I hadn’t won the championship, but he asked if you do win, have you driven a 4wd before? Have you driven a LHD before? When I said No and No, he said ‘Were going to need a test before the rally then’ but was probably thinking I hope he doesn’t win !!!!

Well after winning the ANECCC Championship, the test was arranged. 10am on the Tuesday before the Jack Frost we arrived at Teesside Autodrome. The SG Petch Wagon along with covered trailer and the team unloaded while myself and John Richardson (my co-driver for the event) went round the circuit with the track manager.

Seat fitting & belt tightening followed by what everything does.. Intercoms connected then we’re ready.

Barry & Michael Lindsay ©SG Petch

A lap to warm everything then increase the pace was the plan. Onto the track 1^st, 2^nd, brake for a hairpin and cold brakes there is just a solid pedal. Couple of tight corners then a long straight, 2^nd 5^th as it shudders but pulls away. Hmmm this isn’t going to well!!! Still no brakes and the tyres weren’t gripping as we started the second lap but tried to push abit more. Then it warmed up as we started our 3^rd lap and pushed that’s when I thought yes this is good… 4 or 5 more laps then John suggested a break to let tyres cool.

© SG Petch

Back in the pits, a couple of changes were made the main one lifting my seat so I was on top it. The quickest lap had been a 55. The next run I was more comfortable with it and started to find its limits in braking and pushing as much speed through the corners times had dropped to 50 ish before another break. Tyres were suffering and quite warm. With dad now strapped in, I had enough fuel for 5 laps and the tyres would do the same. Another push more seat time and times were down to 48’s and with a set of destroyed tyres it was time to pack up.

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By Barry Lindsay

The final rally of 2014 was the Xmas Stages held on Croft. The event attracted a full entry as usual for this event over the festive period. A good entry from Spadeadam Members with 4cars. Barry & Michael Lindsay had the 106 at 18. Geoffrey Harkness & Caroline Lodge were at 65 in the Corsa, Michael Lawson / Pete Johnson at 76 in a Sierra, George Edminson / Helen Gibbon at 88 in the Micra.

Sunday morning at Croft and its -3, the wet track was now sheet ice almost everywhere as drivers wondered what tyres to use as the sun eventually rose over the pit garages.

Barry & Michael who needed to finish to get enough points for the ANECCC Championship went out on wets and were happy tip toing around and catching and passing cars so felt happy the time was ok. 10m 42 was 3^rd quickest of the crews that had done the stage up to them. But then track thawed in places and times tumbled. Geoffrey & Caroline went well getting 10m 21 2^nd in class and just outside the top ten. Michael & Pete got a maximum for not doing the stage, while George & Helen were out. They had a spin on the shaded tower bend which was still icy and as they rejoined were hit by an out of control Puma. The impact severely damaged the Micra, pulling the suspension & driveshaft off and twisting the body shell.

Stage two Barry & Michael needed to claw some time back, they were 10^th in class which was the lowest they could be to be safe in the championship, and they were 50 sec down on the leader of the class. Stage was the same and went 2min quicker over 6.4mile!

Geoffrey & Caroline though had been going well but had broken the diff leaving them on stage with no drive and retired. Michael & Peter had an entertaining stage getting 11m01 despite a spin or two and had lost the rear bumper.

Stages 3 & 4 were now damp, 90% thawed and had a couple of slight changes to the layout. 7m57 and 7m 38 for the 106 crew now with a knocking noise from the suspension / gearbox that couldn’t be traced at service. Michael & Pete would get 8m 19 & 8m23 now that they could get some grip, but were still rubbing the bodywork on the stage furniture.

A lunch break ahead of another 4 stages but it was almost 3pm when the restart. At least two stages would be in darkness. 5m 30 and 5m 26 for Barry & Michael who despite were taking it easy on right hand corners were up to 2^nd in class 2 seconds behind. Michael & Pete got 6m 18 then 5m47 getting the hang of the car, and after 17years away from the sport it was all coming back. The final two stages were in the dark with lights going all ways at the venue with two laps and 30 sec starts there was plenty of dazzling going on. Barry & Michael got 5m40 then 5m45 enough to win the class (13^th Overall) and winning the SG Petch ANECCC Championship quite comfortably in the end. Michael & Pete got 6m05 then 6m14 finishing them 56^th Overall (7^th in class.

By Barry Lindsay

 Following months of late nights in the garage the 206 was finally ready to go back into the forests. Since Hamsterley the running gear & most of the suspension had be transplanted into another car. This car has been stripped to a shell, prepped and sprayed then built back up. (Sure there must be more as it took a hell of a lot of time!)

Arriving in Coniston on a wet November morning, finishing was important for the SG Petch championship but it also was class finish related to a class win would give good points. A nice relaxed start at 10.30 gave us plenty of time to get Joe & Neil loaded up as chase car & Geoffrey headed to the main service.

Stage 1 was the short Dunnerdale Stage, a time of 3m04 was good I remembered that it 2013 3m00 was the quickest 1600 on the second run. Only issue was that Co-drivers window had gone down but wouldn’t come back up. It was getting cool in the car! As we headed to the second run SS2 which was slotted in at 30 seconds I noticed the water temp was quite high and as we queued it rose. The fan wasn’t coming on so luckily it didn’t get too hot and dropped as soon as we left the start line with the airflow. 3m02 which meant we left Dunnerdale leading the class. But we didn’t know that as there was a delay between us and the rest of the class competitors of 40min so we didn’t get there times all day. Other SMC competitors, Peter Taylor & Jack Morton got 2m44 & 2m45 in the Fiesta, Darren Martin / Dan Hurst got 3m06 & 2m59 in the Evo, while Mark Goodfellow / Tony Vart got 3m07 & 3m01 in the Subaru. Caroline Lodge was navigating Dave Edwards in the Astra for the first time out in two years, getting 3m08 & 3m06. James Coxon was navigating Mark Shaw in the Sunbeam 3m10 & 3m06

Management Service we tried to wire the fan to a switch but the wire we cut turned out to be a permanent live. So the fan now ran all the time. Fuel then we were on our way to SS3 South Grizedale. 11m03 for the 8.5mile stage. Don’t remember any problems but it turned out we dropped 25 sec to the class rival. Straight into SS4 which went up the forest beside the visitor center then around the north of Grizedale. Some long uphill sections which made the Peugeot pull hard, 11m11 was a competitive time amongst the 1600’s, 7 seconds covered the top 4 in the class.

Peter & Jack were the quickest SMC with 9m 33 then 9m49, Darren & Dan with 10m 42 then 11m13. Mark Goodfellow got 10m51 then 11m17 with Mark & James on 11m02 then 11m12. Dave & Caroline got 11m08 then 11m17.

Crews headed to Skelwith fold for the only main service. With the door window sorted, fuelled up, suspension spanner checked and a new pair of Dmack softs on the front, the 206 headed back to Grizedale.

Stage 5 (was SS3) After a short delay the stage was repeated and was in good condition for a second pass. 10m56 despite going quicker we again dropped time to the class leader and not sure where, there must be a shortcut we don’t know about!. On the final stage it again felt good some muddy bits which sapped the power but felt quicker. 10m43 was competitive, just 5 seconds of the class leader in 9mile. Peter & Jack got 9m31 & then 9m37 putting them in 5^th overall. Mark & James got the Sunbeam into Go-Pro destroying mode! A spectator was holding out a stick with a Go-Pro taped to the end to get a close up shot. Too close Mark clipped it luckily he left go as the two items departed over the car roof. 10m52 & 10m58 was enough to put them in 4^th in class. Mark & Tony got 10m55 then 11m00 giving them 26^th OA 19^th in class. Dave & Caroline were getting back into the swing of things and a good final stage, 11m13 & 10m59, ahead of Darren & Dan with 11m05 then 11m12.

RESULTS

5^th OA       5^th Class           Peter Taylor / Jack Morton                 43m59

23^rd OA     3^rd Class          Barry & Michael Lindsay                      49m59

26^th OA     19^th Class        Mark Goodfellow / Tony Vart              50m11

27^th OA      20^th Class        Darren Martin / Dan Hurst                 50m17

28^th OA       4^th Class          Mark Shaw / James Coxon                 50m20

31^st OA        4^th Class          David Edwards / Caroline Lodge      50m51