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The Countdown Rally – My Report

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By David Love

What can I tell you about my involvement in this year’s Countdown? Absolutely nothing!

For some strange reason I thought the Countdown was on the 1st of September so I arranged to be on holiday after that. So for the first time in many years I wasn’t standing out in the middle of nowhere thinking I was in the wrong location as headlights head towards me then turn away only to reappear in 5 minutes. It’s quite scary standing in the dark watching a faint glow bobbing up and down from side to side getting closer only to discover, with relief, it’s only some drunk with a head torch heading home from the pub.

I didn’t totally forsake Motorsport on the day of the rally I just switched to a different type.  Many of our older readers will be familiar with the name of Carroll Shelby, he of the Cobra fame and winner of the 1959 Le Mans with Roy Salvadori in an Aston Martin DBR1. His company Shelby American has a small museum that has a daily tour so I decided we should go. Especially as it was free. I didn’t really know much about him other than the Cobra connection but I knew there were cars in the museum so that was good enough for me. I thought that there would be half a dozen or so people for the tour but there were over 30 there. Shelby was a Texan who loved to race but it was discovered he had heart problems and had to give up racing, so he turned his hand to preparation. In the early 60’s he had the idea that a V8 in a lightweight sports car was the way to go and he chose the AC Cobra. As he had contacts in Ford he went to see the CEO Lee Iacocca and persuaded him to part with some engines and money to develop the car so they could “beat the crap out of those Corvettes”.  Shelby still owns the original show Cobra, which was on display. Several years ago he turned down an offer of $23,000,000 for it, guess he can’t have been short of a bob or two! When it was new he kept respraying it different colours to make people think he had several cars. There were six Cobras of varying ages on display; one was unpainted with a polished aluminium body and worth around $2,000,000. Continue reading →

2013 and the Pirelli International Rally

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By David Love

As everyone now knows there have been substantial changes to the MSA British Rally Championship and I’d like to bore you with my own personal views of the main changes and how it may affect our own round of the championship.  As I say these are my observations formed from the information I have gleaned from various sources, at the end of the day they count for nothing, as they have no affect on championship decisions so in the end what will be will be.  I’m only writing this because Caroline needs something to put in the newsletter.

Something had to change in the championship; entry levels were disappointing even if the competition was good.  Rising costs for organisers, competitors and marshals were contributing to the problem. We needed changes to raise interest in the championship and keep costs under control.  The MSA and the BRC management realised this and have come up with changes that will hopefully achieve these aims while maybe not causing an enthusiasts pulse to race.

Continue reading →

Castrol Edge Search for a Rally Star

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Barry Lindsay

Castrol Edge & Motorsport News ran a competition to find a rally star. The competition was advertised in Motorsport News and they were looking for someone who had achieved outstanding results beyond what would be expected of them. They must also go to great lengths to do as much as they can for their Motor Club and generally promote rallying. When it was announced I thought I could have a chance at that.. I needed the backing of the Club then I needed to write my motorsport CV. With all paper work submitted I awaited a phone call.

Weeks later and no call came so I had admitted the fact that I hadn’t made the final. Then I got the call “Would you be able to get to Castle Combe for the final, we’ve had 100’s of entries and it had taken longer than thought to find the final six?” Sure I would.

The 6 finalists would go head to head with the winner getting a day’s testing in a Fiesta R2 then a ‘works’ drive in the R2 on the Cambrian Rally in October. The event was only notified in the final instructions before that it only said ‘A National Rally’ I had imagined either pushing it to the limit over the yumps and bumps of Otterburn on the Cheviot or venturing into the woods for Grizedale or the Galloway Hills both events I had done but that now wasn’t going to happen.

Continue reading →

Who’s That? #7

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

Spadeadam’s Champion Driver  2010

&

Winner of the North Of England Tarmac Rally Championship 2011

Barry Lindsay.

What do you rally? What’s its history?

Peugeot 106 1.6 Gti.

I’d Spotted a (damaged) 106 Gti, I remember pricing bits with Allan Bateman at Graham Bowness, he said “If the engine and the ECU are damaged don’t get it!”. A few hours later I lifted the bonnet and the chassis leg had moved… On it was the ECU, it had gone through the timing belt, smashed the cam pulley and all the guards!! A bit more look but I was having it…! BLM built up the engine and prepared the pocket rocket for its début Christmas 2001. The first season with it was a nightmare. It was showing speed but couldn’t get results various problems: Diff / Driveshaft / Fuel pump/ Relay. Then came Christmas 2002, the start of the 11 class wins on 12 events.

How long have you been rallying? What was your first event?

First event was 1993 Derwent Stages on Great Orton in a Talbot Sunbeam. We finished despite the bonnet coming loose and then a coil wire coming off. After 4 years, front wheel drive beckoned. A Peugeot 205 had been built by BLM and we sneaked off to Flookburgh to début it. 2nd in class with standard suspension and exhaust (which we lost part of during the event!).

Barry & Michael LindsayDurham Dales Rally - Barford Camp

Barry & Michael LindsayDurham Dales Rally – Barford Camp

Continue reading →

Who’s That? #6

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

This months “Who’s That?” is SMC #2 driver ….

David Hope

David Hope

David Hope

What car do you rally ?

Subaru.

How long have you been rallying and what was your  first event ?

Been rallying on and off since 1991, first event was Hallburn – came 15th if I remember correctly.

Best result?

Back in those days I could get in the top ten. Best result was 3rd overall from a field of 60 odd at Hallburn, but also came 7th from 100 on the Pendragon. Continue reading →

Who’s That? #5

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

..is Back!

This month it’s SMC’s 2010 number 4 driver

Geoffrey Harkness

What car do you rally ? Vauxhall Corsa 1.6 (the same car for the last 16 years)

How long have you been rallying and what was your  first event ? 

About 18 years, before that I sprinted and hillclimbed for 7 or 8 years, and still do occasionally. The first rally I did was on the 14MU site (Kingmoor park) in a 1400 Nova with Nigel navigating. We were doing quite well until the front wheel parted company on a corner, but we got the wheel back and borrowed some studs from the other wheels to let us complete the stage.

Geoffrey & Nigel Harkness14 M.U. Carlisle(1994)

Geoffrey & Nigel Harkness14 M.U. Carlisle(1994)

Continue reading →

Who’s That? #4

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

Time for the SMC 2010 number 7 driver..

Phil Jobson

What car do you rally ?

‘Snowy’ a Ford Escort Mark 2 stage rally car fitted with 1600cc Rover K series engine‘. It’s been in the family ( so to speak) since I acquired it from Neil Routledge in 1987. Then it was fitted with an all steel crossflow 1600cc producing around 122bhp. Modern engines have progressed so much that the current engine produces nearly 200bhp and possesses much more favourable driving characteristics. It’s just a shame that the potential of the driver has progressed equally in the opposite direction!

I also rally ‘Silver bullet’, a road rally spec mark 2 Escort, fitted with a 1600cc crossflow. I bought it as a 4 door left hand drive from the brother of Richard Hill (he of Evo and Historic fame) he later asked if he could buy it back!

How long have you been rallying and what was your first event?

I started in 12 car events driving as Mark 1 Escort, navigated by Ian Robinson – who will remember being stranded in the middle of a hedge at a square left just outside Little Orton with ½ a tree protruding through the footwell.

My first stage event was competing against Colin McRae ( well his name was on the entry list to). On the Fellside stages in West Cumbria. My navigator was Billy Murray from Brampton, we had loads of problems including a leaking fuel tank, culminating in a roll leaving us upside downacross a farm track near Pica. Isn’t it funny how you remember every detail of where your rally ended!

Phil Jobson & Chris Hunter - Scottish Rally

Phil Jobson & Chris Hunter - Scottish Rally

Continue reading →

Who’s That? #3

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

We are now on to our number 8 driver of 2010

Nigel Hepburn

What car do you rally ?
Peugeot 206
How long have you been rallying ?
I have driven for about 6 years – I used to navigate in the eighties.
What’s your Best result ?
Won my class on the Jim Clark in 1400cc Puma in 2006
What is your favourite car?
My favourite rally car is 1600 Puma Kit Car but my favourite road car is
Porche 911 996

Nigel Hepburn & Fiona Gourlay

Nigel Hepburn & Fiona Gourlay

Who is Your Favourite Driver ?
Colin McRae
What is your Dream Rally and why ?
Rally Barbados, it looks like a very good rally and it has good weather.
Any Plans for 2011?
Prom Stages, 3 of 3 Sisters, 2 Weeton, Pendragon

(Photos © B. Lindsay / Spadeadam Motor Club)

Who’s That? #2

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

This month we have the driver who came in 9th in the SMC  2010 Rally Championship:-

David Rutherford

What car do you rally ?

Up to now a Vauxhall Nova, which we have developed and are currently building it into a Corsa shell.

How long have you been rallying and what was your  first event ? 

I’ve been into rallying all my life, but driving for 4 years and my first event was the 2007 Autumn Stages at Drumlanrig.

What is your best result?

Probably getting a finish on the 2010 Galloway Hills, but results wise, 26 o/a 4th in class at Halburn 2009,  or 32 o/a 7th in class in the 2009 Galloway Hills.

David Rutherford Hallburn, 2009
David at Hallburn, 2009

Continue reading →

WHO’S THAT? #1

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

Who are those people who get their names in the newsletter every month?

You know the ones on last page back page, who get points for driving their cars in events with names like Pend, Tyne, G/hills

Well over the  next few months you might get know a little bit more about them, starting with the driver who came in 10th in the SMC  2010 Rally Championship:-

Mr Richard Clark

What car do you rally ? –

Pug 205, Ford Escort, Audi Quattro, Subaru, Suzuki Swift

Richard Clark on the Jack Frost Stages 2011
Richard Clark and James McWhir

How long have you been rallying and what was your first event ?

Too old to remember , First event Solway Stages

Continue reading →