FASTEST AS USUAL ON THE PRESTON
(DNF AS USUAL ON THE PRESTON!!!)
The Rough Tough Preston Rally 4th Dec 04. Baptism of Fire (or bumps really) for the new Rally Car!
Following a frenetic year running at the front of the Peugeot 205 Challenge Stage Rally championship in 2003, Richard and Matthew McLachlan crashed out on the last round in Dalby Forest destroying both their chances at the overall title and the car. The team decided to take a year off in 2004 as two years running in the largest single make rally championship in the world had taken its toll on both finances and time.
The rebuilding of the car was commissioned to a 2004 Challenge winner Mike Nippers, and was eventually completed two days before the Preston Rally of 4th December 2004. With so little time to check the car over, reliability was always going to be a concern, and any faults would surely be found on the 200 mile long Preston Rally. Eddie Clough, a college friend of Richard’s made a comeback in the co-driver seat after a 6-year retirement.
Despite its name, the rally runs in Suffolk on much private land, tracks, and disused wartime airfields, all linked together by tiny country lanes. The event is notoriously rough and tough on cars with a 50% attrition rate being normal. Having fixed the indicators shortly before the scrutineering bay, the team started the event with some trepidation. The first stage had some very rough sections sending the car flying through the air, however 4th fastest was a good start and despite the rough section, the car seemed to be holding together well. The next three sections also went without fault with a 2nd, 3rd, and equal fastest section times culminating in 3rd place (out of 60) by the first fuel halt.
The second third of the event, although still very rough went even better for the team with a 4th, two 2nds and two fastest times being recorded. At this point the 205GTI was running in second place, just slightly behind a four-wheel drive Subaru Legacy. The last stage of the section went badly however as a series of deep puddles managed to drown the engine. Worse news was that the starter motor had developed a fault, and with 20 minutes lost getting the engine running, the potential win had been taken away. Some frantic ignition sealing before the final third helped to cure the problem.
Richard backed off on the last third of the event, hoping to get the car to the finish with a respectable result. A fastest, 3rd, and 4th section times showed that the team were still on the pace, however on the very last stage, a suspension bolt sheared. Richard and Eddie managed to get the car running again beside the side of the track and get to the finish despite a driveshaft joint having no bearings in it, however the finish result was well down the leader board.
Despite the disappointment at the end, the team really enjoyed doing the event, and have committed to doing the Welsh Road Rally Championship together in 2005. Watch this space!