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Post by Blair on Jul 5, 2003 23:10:07 GMT
Come on - what's so important that everyone has left this place deserted?!?! I know there's no smrc till August again, but your reasons better be better than that....  well what are you all doing ? me? well I've just come in after having a couple of beers, and the great news is my mate has got a job in a pub...wahey!!!!  And, I'm going to Croft next weekend - anyone else coming ?! |
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Post by Catriona on Jul 6, 2003 1:08:01 GMT
Lol, I was wondering where everyone had gone myself! My excuse: I can't think of anything to say  As for what I've been doing lately: well most the last week I've spent doing online races (had a race every day between Sunday and Wednesday, all on different tracks), or practicing for online races, along with scanning some photos for the website (yes, they'll make it eventually, I promise... I'm not the only one, anyway - KF still hasn't written the report  ). Wasn't feeling well for a couple of days earlier this week, either, so I've been pretty pushed for time...  Would like to go to Croft, but no money, so no chance of that, sadly  |
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Post by Blair on Jul 6, 2003 10:14:25 GMT
I entered a competition on the green flag to win some tickets - but they've not come (yet) that would've saved me some money to go towards petroleum..
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Post by davefiddes on Jul 6, 2003 11:51:06 GMT
The day job and the Jim Clark Memorial Rally have been keeping me busy. Pictures (of the rally!) to follow shortly...
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Post by Blair on Jul 6, 2003 14:42:47 GMT
A "Day job" ??  Actually, I'm getting somewhere on that front, but it's a long story so won't subject anyone to it! The process involves a lot of waiting about, at the moment my life has no purpose at all, and I'm really getting bored! Never thought I'd say this, but I miss school! (well, at least it gave me something to do) |
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Post by speedyV on Jul 6, 2003 21:59:26 GMT
Much as I wanted to, can't do Croft - I think the bank manager is going to be sending round bailifs in the form of surgeons intent on removing my limbs in the near future. :uhoh: And to give them a confidence boost in the face of this year's criticism, I phoned the producers of BB4 and told them it was the bomb. Dunno why, but they went and evacuated the house........... |
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Post by Charlie on Jul 6, 2003 23:31:21 GMT
the Jim Clark Memorial Rally have been keeping me busy. I bet. Just got back from there myself. What a killer. 75% of cars with serious, serious damage. 3 drivers/navigators hospitalised, luckily none of our team. 3 track race mechanics bored out of their skulls and shi**ing themselves every time they heard of a serious shunt. Nothing to do between services. (I'm now an expert on cut hayfields) Lots of strange weird rules to watch for. I'd also like to pass comment on the arseholes who wouldn't stop and assist when one of the Mini's somersaulted 4 times, despite the SOS board being held out, but there aren't enuf *****'s in the bucket. Well done to Rhona Sarafilovic? for stopping at the radio post and halting the stage and getting the alarm out. 2 days, saw 1 stage start of WRC cars at Ocean Terminal and 1 corner of the last stage for the junior rally Rallying, best watched on TV, reality sucks. |
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Post by Catriona on Jul 7, 2003 0:49:18 GMT
Ouch, sounds a bit of a nightmare! Have to say I get the feeling putting the Minis out on a rally wasn't the best idea anyone ever had... good thing they've got plenty of time for repairs before the next club meeting :S
Anyone got any results for it (if any of them finished)?
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Post by Charlie on Jul 7, 2003 6:32:55 GMT
Anyone got any results for it (if any of them finished)? Results and placings are in dispute. Due to rallying rules and regs, when the stages are stopped the cars which haven't run can be given a notional time, a time equal to the slowest car thats completed the stage, an average of the last six cars through, or whatever else the clerk of the course decides. It's supposed to be done on a sensible basis, but it resulted in some weird and wonderfull results, not only different rules being applied on different stages. John Marshal only started (and completed) 4 stages but under 1 set of rules that were being applied he should have been 1st or second, under another midfield and probably last under another. The last ammended result, which is subject to protest and all that, had Allan Keith 3rd in the Mini's, Jamie VA around 5th? I haven't a clue about their rally position. Most Mini's had lots of battle scars, (not ours other than minor scuffs against haybales at the chicanes) but 3 will require major rebuilds or be writen off. The condition of one of the mini drivers was worrying (his name's on the tip of my tongue, but it can't make it's way to my fingers) as was the driving conduct and consideration of the 'Profesional', full series drivers who didn't give a s**t and drove past despite the SOS board being displayed Can't help with any other info as all I really saw was the service areas  |
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Post by Catriona on Jul 7, 2003 10:45:32 GMT
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Post by davefiddes on Jul 7, 2003 12:36:01 GMT
Sad to hear that some Mini drivers were hurt. Doesn't sound too nice with the other crews ignoring the SOS boards... I saw a bit of that later on Saturday when a couple of cars rolled just up from where I was watching and the stage was stopped (or at least it ought to have been) but the other cars kept pressing by for several minutes.
Wasn't impressed by the safety crews. At the end of the last stage I was at on Sat somebody rolled it at a bridge a few hundred yards down the road. The Evo involved then caught fire. It took the marshalls at the post 5 minutes to get down to the car after it had started burning. There was still a thick column of black smoke rising from the wreck some 10-15 mins after the accident...they'd obviously not been able to get the fire out. Thankfully both occupants had managed to get out OK.
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Post by jaffa6 on Jul 7, 2003 20:01:39 GMT
Sounds like the rally had some good bits and some sore ones too.  I saw a bit of it on "Scotland Today" tonight ( apologies to those up north who don't get that news show) and I did see a red car roll quite badly but not sure if it was a mini. My excuse....well actually I've been trying to everything together and sorted out for my holiday. 2 weeks on Wednesday...WOOHOO  17 days in Canada.... ;D A week in Calgary ( which hopefully will include a visit to Race City to see how the Canadian legends compare with our own ) 2 days on the train followed by a week in Toronto. Roll on the 23 rd Jaffa6 |
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Post by Mike Hogg on Jul 7, 2003 21:05:46 GMT
Hmm, the rally sounds a bit disasterous... but surely a bit of foresight would have been useful - the majority of the mini drivers only actually became racing drivers this year and rallying is by far the most difficult and dangerous of motorsport...
It's not brain surgery to work out what could have happened.
Not impressed by the ignoring of the SOS boards either - that's just pathetic really.... Looks like an all circuit racing calendar would be a better idea for the minis next season!
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Post by NS-R on Jul 7, 2003 21:58:40 GMT
Hope the mini drivers OK - sounds like a nasty one. BTW, I've been away in Leeds so that's why I haven't been posting... Cheers, Nick. www.ns-r.co.uk |
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Post by norm on Jul 8, 2003 15:51:53 GMT
I think the rally element of the mini programme is a great idea, and would be disappointed if they dropped it from next year's programme. The range of events they get to do must be a real attraction for the drivers. And it is also up to the drivers how hard they approach the rally, or even whether or not to do it.
From what I've read, it sounds like there may be some general lessons for the rally to learn, but it seems that many of the driver/co-driver injuries were amongst the more experienced entrants (I think one was Gwyndath Evans' co-driver, for example), so is not just an issue for the less experienced mini drivers.
The last report I read also stated that Andrew Smith won, beating Jimmy McRae by 12 seconds. Given his relative lack of experience (as I understand it), Andrew really is doing tremendously well now in the caterhams and minis.
Glad to see everyone is still around. Sure that Silverstone will provide a few more reasons to post in 2 weeks time! Or I could start a new thread about how I lost all respect for Ross Brawn following his "not classy" comments about Montoya.....
Norm
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