The Wyedean

Well this event doesn't seem to have taken that long to come around since my last event which was the Cambrian back last November. But with the Wyedean I am involved a lot in the organisation side as well as competing. What with my dad who is Clerk of the Course, Husband Martin Safety officer and my mum who was Entries Secretary this year.

So again I am lucky enough to be sat in with Mr Bowen from Leominster and was also acting as a B+B for this event having kick out my husband and son for the Friday evening and sent the daughter off to her godparents for the weekend as she is not interested in rallying (sensible girl) !!
I was putting up Mr Bowen, Carol and Tiny who are our service crew .. But I didn't warn them that I don't do cooking so no breakfast ha ha !!

Friday 9th Feb 08

Mr Bowen arrives and we go through Scruitineering no problems there apart from we were swarm with photographers taking pics .. After getting attacked earlier in the evening by 2 old dirty men (Mr Cooper and Mr Henness) I managed to creep through Scruitineering without getting noticed ha ha!!

With signing on all complete Andrew left the car parked overnight in the Service area and off we set back to B+ B Watts.. We all sat down and just went through the notes and dvd and after the gang having there normal brew (Guinness, strongbow etc) I decided I was snackered and decided to call it a night..

Saturday 10th Feb 08

We decided the night before that we would get down the racecourse for about 8ish, and we weren't too far off.. Once there the car was all iced over so time to defrost and check over by now John Petrie had joined us he was also servicing for us.. But what's that I hear or don't here the car didn’t want to start (I thought great and we haven't left yet!) Anyway after a few seconds they got her going not before changing some spark plugs first.

Our start time was 09.16 and off we set for the 1st stage of the day Chepstow Park, I wasn't quite sure what to make of this stage as on the dvd it was all yukky..!! Anyway helmets on straps tighten as tight as they will go and 5,4,3,2,1 off we go this stage was 5.62 miles long.. and just as we are approaching the finish without any hiccups the flying finish was on a downhill slope, and we had an amendment saying to slow as slippy at end, and what did we do through the flying finish, catch a bump car starts going left, right, left right and all I can see is the bottom thinking stop line is left and we are going right ! Tape, stakes we took the lot out and manage a twirl as well. not quite what we normally do honest..

SS2 Serridge1 7.52 miles

Now this was Mr Henness stage and luckily for me I managed to pull in at the arrival control and get off the start line without him spotting me phew!! Again even though car smoking slightly we were going really well, onto the tarmac over speed bumps (mind you we were flying and I don’t even remember any) then came the mile straight basically flat out for nearly a mile awesome then Jnc 21 was Turn 5L into Bmp dip up mid 150/Bmps well guess what we found a dip alright which made us nosedive twice jump around like I don't know what just remember this is gonna hurt.. Eventually we seem to be going back on track again and carrying on how the hell the car didn't go over is anyone guess. (I will be hoping to have some in car footage of this very soon). I Remember Andrew saying you ok and I reply back yes (but thinking no my damn back but I didn't want to say anything, as I didn't want to be out of the rally.. After SS2 we have emergency service and I decide to stay strapped in and wait the guys check the car over (I'm thinking please don't let there be anything wrong as the car didn't have take some knocks back in that stage) I shout we need to get going and as Andrew goes to start the car back up nothing !! Flat as a pancake completely dead. We try bump starting her but with no joy then after lifting bonnet up again change a spark plug Andrew tries again. I thinking please please and yes we are off she is going again but still smoke coming out of back (not a good sign)

SS3 Sallowvallets 5.81 miles

By the time we pull up at the arrival control I could tell the car was not right, but kept thinking just maybe it might go away.. 5,4,3,2,1 off we set I think I was still in a bit of shock from the last stage and don't mind admitting I wasn't quite on the pace with the notes as we were approaching the end of the stage quite a few bends into the flying finish we clip a bank with a photographer stood there (but luckily managed to jump out the way) we get to the finish of the stage but the car is very poorly and that's where it ended for us.

So again another non-finish for me on the Wyedean hopefully one day I will get to the finish line..

Thanks to Andrew for brilliant driving, Carol, Tiny and John for looking after us.. Andrew is now giving the car another good look over to see what the problem is.. So hopefully she will be out and about really soon.. Watch this space...

Thanks to my sponsor for this event Chris Gibson (The Forest Trading Post) and to the photographers Chris Huish, Russ Otway and Paul Smith who have supplied me with some pics..

Next Event Telford Winter Stages 16th February 08 in a Subaru Impreza with Andy Williams.

 

 

Check out my website at www.kazrallying.co.uk, just click on my logo.