Special Stage 1
5-4-3-2-1-GO I hear a confident Hayley’s voice through the intercom 150 R2 + L2 vlg cont / (one fifty, right two and left 2 very long continues uphill). This is it – we are away, and the car screams forwards under full throttle. I concentrate on controlling the car and almost stop hearing Hayley’s voice, but start seeing the road she is describing out in front of me, even before it is in view.
The car is handling superbly and we feel to be going really well, despite the long break together and me not having done a rally for over a year.
The tyres are hanging on well, and over the jumps the suspension absorbs the landings with great control. This power steering is fantastic and I can’t believe how easy it is to manoeuvre the tight chicanes.
We are just getting settled in really well and about three miles into the stage the throttle pedal drops to the floor, the throttle cable has broken!! - we pick a spot as we lose speed and stop.
I leap out of the car and remove the bonnet, the cable is broken down near the pedal where it comes through the bulk head. What can I do?? I get a pair of pliers from the tool box under Hayley’s legs, remove the inner cable from the outer and tied it like a banjo string from the pedal to the throttle lever. Will it work. Yes, but I can only get about 1/3 throttle opening. We set off again, but eight minutes lost. We complete the stage – slowly, but the annoying thing is, we are straight into Stage 2.
Special Stage 2
Only just in time, we start stage 2 and go as quickly as the limited throttle will allow us, just hoping it hangs on until we get back to service.
No dramas on this stage and unbelievably we don’t take the slowest time on it, and I am pleased when we reach the flying finish and head for service.
Service
The service team are surprised when we arrive, as they have been told by another competitor that we are parked up on stage 1.
Within minutes a new throttle cable is fitted, checked, and we head for stage 3, a long one.
Special Stage 3
We start stage 3 and we turn up the wick a bit. The car feels good and we are getting quicker, beginning to get it together, but I notice that on the uphill sections the car is not pulling very well. Another mile or so and it won’t pull above about 5000rpm uphill. What can it be?
Then I see we are catching the car that set off before us, and as we catch up to it, it pulls over to let us straight through – brilliant!
We continue, and soon we catch the next car, which hesitates to let us through, and Hayley lets loose a rather rude expletive!! But we get by and keep up the pressure.
Another car caught and again we get by without real time loss, and on to the end of the stage. Not bad, but if the car was pulling properly, we would by quite a lot faster still.
Special Stage 4
A short version of stage 1, and we are hoping we don’t get held up if we catch anyone. The engine problem is still apparent as we accelerate away from the start line, but we push as hard as we can, and the car virtually dances over the twisty bumpy lanes. As we reach the flying finish we catch the car in front, but are not held up. We brake hard und stop, and I see the oil pressure warning light come on, and even when I rev the engine the pressure is still too low. That’s it – we go no further!!
Although it was disappointing to not finish, it was great to be back with Hayley and I have a really good feeling about the remaining BTRDA National Asphalt Rally Series rounds - watch this space!!
Rally Reports 
