EDITORIAL

he February issue has landed and things are in full swing for the Kent Rally on the weekend of 17th/18th  February.  It's still not too late to ring either George Vost or Chris Scudder and offer your services as Marshals on the night. We can never have too many.  All you speed people out there, have a night off from battling with last minute car preparation and have some fun in The Kent Countryside, be at one with nature as you wait for the cars to come past.  There are still entries available, give Chin a call now for more information, it is not too late!
If you can't make that weekend I had a letter in from the organisers of the Sunseeker Rallye which is on February 24th.  They are looking for marshals to help out on this event, taking place in Bournemouth.  The Chief Marshal for this is David Walton and his details appear elsewhere in this issue.  (This is to make you read the Acorn from cover to cover - which of course you already do!)
While on the subject of finding things, you will find in this issue the missing article on the Ferrari Test Drive, which we didn't have room for last month.
Saw the final bits of the Paris Dakar on Eurosport.Bit of a controversial end after Jean-Louis Schlesser was given an hours time penalty by the organisers for turning up early to the last TC and by taking a 3 minute penalty gained a large advantage i.e. the lead.  Never mind, justice was done, Jutta Kleinschmidt won the Rally for Mitsubishi and became the first woman driver ever to win this event (an excellent victory for women in the higher echelons of motorsport, lets see more!!)
The Annual Awards Presentation and Dinner and Dance was great, extremely well attended and in spectacular surroundings.  Come on now, how many of you had the thought that the driveway would make a good sprint event venue as you drove round the causeway!  No speed humps for one thing but--hmm-- one would have to be careful of the water hazard! I thought the catering was of a very high standard when you think of the amount of people that were sitting down at one time to eat. I can just about get Sunday lunch for four ready on time!  I would like to add my congratulations to those found elsewhere to Colin Rodger for organising a great evening.
Mike Wilds entertained us with his anecdotes -(what a nice man!) - and my husband was very surprised at his receiving that most prestigious of awards--The Battered Cup.  His face was a picture of bewilderment, it was worth the ticket price just for that!
The evening just flew by, thanks to our interesting table mates Neil and Caroline B-J and Andrew Actman and his partner Jane. Andrew had some interesting anecdotes of his own and was telling us of his plans for the coming year.  He will be rallying in some interesting places and has promised a report or two for the Acorn over the coming months.  I'll hold you to that, Andrew!
Did anyone see Autosport which has a preview of the new three (yes, I did say three!) seater Arrows F1 car?  I would imagine that the passengers' eye view must be a whole lot better than that of their F1 two seater.  Perhaps some people feel that not seeing where you are going when sitting behind an F1 Driver is probably an advantage!  I loved the bit in the write up where the journalist said that you would be able to feel the bugs hit your visor at around 200 miles an hour! YUCH!
With that thought….

Bye for now!
Dawn

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