Mud Glorious Mud
The Ultimate Challenge proves very Challenging
Peugeot Sale: 106 Rallye and 2 x 205GTIs!
Then the real problem started - the 'getting a bit hot' from the first third turned into big-time overheating. By following the RWD car in the 1st section, we'd blocked much of the radiator with mud, and as this had been added to in the subsequent sections, it had now become very inefficient. We had to stop in Croxton to let it cool and add water and lost loads of time.
This then become a regular event with us taking water from other competitors, puddles, ditches etc to replenish what was boiling off. We were unable to get the mud cleared out between sections and had to back off on several selectifs, but somehow still managed 9th, 7th, 9th, 9th. The push on regardless decision culminated with a cloud of oil smoke at the end of Summerpit ride, which looked ominous. By this time we were picking up big penalities for being OTL (very late).
At Petrol 2, we did everything we could to clear the radiator, then had to skip several sections to Shadwell 2 to get back on time. Unfortunately it overheated again, and we had to cruise through to the end - but managed 9th fastest again. We knew we were completely out of contention and being as the car just wouldn't operate below the red line on the temp guage, we decided not to risk it any more and headed to the finish, to come home 24th of 55 starters (and 30 finishers!)
The car did make it back to Wales - crabbing somewhat due to rear suspension damage, but overheated again and then refused to run on more than 3 cylinders (suspect internal engine damage). It wasn't much fun for the 150 miles we still had to travel. That donor car is going to come in more useful than I imaginged!
We're going to get the Rover sorted out for the 2010 Endurance Championship after I've caught up on some sleep that is!
As for the Preston 2010, we'll just have to see. Despite it all, I still have this feeling that I've unfinished business to be done on this fantastic event, and this 7th attempt will not doubt not be my last.
Maybe we'll try the Pug 205 again next year, especially as it was won by one this year, and we were running 2nd in 2004...
Thanks to Andy Manston for the on event photos. http://www.mandh-photography.co.uk
Preston Rally - 5th/6th Dec 2009
The Preston is the UK's roughest car rally set in Norfolk and run by Chelmsford Motor Club on mainly private land. It provides a huge challenge to car and crew alike. I've tried six previous times to have a good run, and although I've been competitive, the car has always suffered, and the only time we made it to the finish (2004), we'd broken down and had to fix the car first, ending the no bearings in a driveshaft. We started seeded 9th, which was pretty good considering the quality of the competition.
It had been 5 years since my last attempt at the Preston, and its amazing how time seems to make the tracks less muddy, the trees less close, the bumps less severe, the puddles shallower and the inevitable car damage less serious...
So reality hit home sharply as we set off on the first section. I'd bought some 2nd hand gravel tyres, which turned out to be not quite as good as described, but they'd have been fine had it not been quite so horribly muddy following about four weeks of solid rain and flooding in various parts on the country.
None-the-less, we went for it, and caught up with car 8 (who started a minute in front of us) by about 1/3 of the way through the 1st section. Unfortunately, we were then stuck behind him, and although he moved aside a couple of times, the going was so treacherous with the mud that we couldn't gain enough momentum to pass and so had to follow the rest of the way (getting covered in mud in the process). I can't really blame him for not wanting to stop as he might never have got going again!
We did a bit better on the subsequent sections with 8th, 10th, 7th, 5th fastest but were really struggling for grip and regretting not investing more in the tyres! There were some huge bumps - the kind that make you think "we'll never get away with that", but we thought we had.
Toward the end of the first third, the car started getting a bit hot, and we were getting some noise from the rear end. At the petrol halt, we discovered, that we'd badly bent the rear suspension and (on the more bent side) the tyre was rubbing on the inner wing. Not much we could do though and I hadn't really noticed the handling deteriorate that much so we carried on regardless.
