The results are as follows;
98 Started
53 Classified Finishers
14 Entries in our class (1600cc)
7 Finished in our class
Rockingham! What a great venue. Standing on the top tier of the grandstand before the event gives a great view of 90% of the course. It looks fantastic with the banked corners and fast straights. It looks like we are in for a great rally.
Stage 1 gets under way on time, but before we get going it is halted due to an accident. It appears that a Metro 6R4 and a Mini collide causing the Metro co-driver to be trapped for a while. Happily, after being checked over, she seems to be OK.
We get to start stage 2 but half way through we have problems of our own. Brian mis-heard my call on the split and we ended up finishing a lap short, resulting in a stage maximum. Added to this I am feeling a bit travel sick. Not a good start!
We start and finish stage 3 with no major drama, albeit very slow by comparission, the setup of the car does not seem to suit this circuit and Brian is not enjoying the drive. But, the main problem is that I am feeling very sick by now. We discuss our options (while I sit and recover in the fresh, cold air of the approaching night) and decide to call it quits for today and enter the trophy rally tommorrow.
Stage 4, the last of the day, starts in the dark… Without us.
It’s a new day and after a few tweeks to the car we are both feeling optimistic about the trophy rally ahead of us.
Today the stages are in the reverse direction. We complete stage 5 OK, although some are not so fortunate. A Darian ends up on the wrong side of the armco barrier just after the tunnel. Several others slide off from the same corner so the organisers shorten the following stages for safety reasons.
But, the slippery conditions are not what is playing on my mind. Although not as bad as yesterday I am not feeling great at the end of this stage.
We start stage 6 and complete it without any major problems but by the end of it I am very unwell. So, we retire from the trophy rally as well. Not a great weekend.
I end up watching the remainder of the event from the grandstand but Brian still managed to have some fun as he took over the Zero car duties since the official car went the way of the Darian earlier in the day.
It’s disappointing to retire under such circumstances but we are only here for fun. This certainly was not fun for me.
Maybe one day we’ll come back and try again.
Sorry, no photos at the moment.