As some of you know I did HRCR classics in 2003, and after winning the first event ended up doing the whole season, 2^nd in class at the end. The Sunbeam was built finally in 2000 and debuted on the Millbrook stages and over the next couple of years, I did a few events in Belgium and France, progressing from standard engine and box to a Skip Brown built dry sumped motor and Brain Willman built close ratio ZF. The car being a basic Gp4/clubman spec.

Early outings were with Andy Gibson (from BPMC) in the Co-driver seat and occasionally Bill Cook. Bill has been doing more driving (and crashing) of late and Andy has taken on more HRCR road rally duties. Part of the original plan was that my stepson Simon Soanes would also do a few events. His wife Carrol was keen and started co driving with me on Avon Park in 2002, which ended early with the wet sump motor going bang. The rebuilt car was taken to the Essex Charity stages to give Carrol a bit of experience and at the end of 02, we did the Cambrian with a reasonable result, especially as I hadn’t been in a UK forest for 12 years and that was with the 205.

Carrol was hooked and as I had been going on at HRCR to run a Classic class, we did the Robin Hood and won it! We were in the hunt for the championship all year despite Simon shortening the nearside against a tree on the Kent, and a broken stub axle on Mid Wales. Half way through the year for the first time ever I stopped and added up the costs (mainly because I didn’t seem to have any money!) It was a gruelling and costly year as events seemed to keep on coming and we were either repairing or preparing the car every weekend.

2004 was a quiet year as I had done too much, and then Carrol hurt her shoulder at work, and this is still not fixed. With my ‘’regular’’ co-driver (who was just getting good on notes and maps) out of action, I was back to seeing who was about. I went to Boucle de Spa with Andy G, but we retired with a blown seal on the dry sump pump (possibly caused by –5deg C temps and straight 40 oil). It took most of the year to get the pump and engine rebuilt.

It was planned to do a few events, which I knew I would enjoy in 2005. Andy Elcomb joined the team for TAC in Belgium, where we found the Belgians had changed their class structure and instead of being in a class for 10+yr old cars, we were up against M3s, Sierra Cosworths etc. Still we entertained the crowds (they love a bit of opposite lock), and of course AE did a good job.

I hatched a new plan to run in Classics and after buying Michelin TB15s (the same as they always were but now e-marked and £146 each!!!) to meet the rules, Bill Cook was again tempted out and into the co-driver’s seat. After recceing in fog and other minor problems, we lost a bolt out of the gearbox mount on Stage 2. This was fixed at service after Stage 4 and I was on a mission! Bad plan - a cut on a corner we had marked as ‘’no cut’’ broke a half shaft. Well the Belgies were cutting it so I did!

A few sprints were done for fun and BTRDA all-rounders points and the Belgian web pages studied. Having heard good reports from all who had done it in the distant past, a plan was hatched to go to Rallye de Wallonie, based in Namur with 210 stage kms in loops with nine different stages to recce. Bill was skiing, Andy G HRCRRing and Andy E trying to drown in Egypt. The lengths people go to avoid rallying with me!! Andy E suggested contacting Holly Bailey, who agreed to risk life and limb.

I had a stupid course (new Government house buying rules – GRRRR!) on the Wednesday and so Holly and I caught the Shuttle on the Wednesday evening, stayed in a Formula 1 in France and got to Namur about 10am Thursday to pick up the road book. We then spent the rest of Thursday and Friday morning noting, which was not really enough time, especially as we had never done an event together and it was Holly’s first session writing notes. There came another night in a Formula 1 on Thursday with an upmarket Ibis Motel for Fri, Sat & Sun (3 day deal). My long-suffering and very good service crew of Simon and Dennis brought the car out over night Thursday in time for scrutineering Friday pm. For the first time I can remember, this went very easily and they issued me with a Belgian logbook free!!

The rally started Friday night with a spectator stage around the Citadel – 4 laps of a gravel football pitch-sized stadium followed by quick down hill cobbles with hairpins. Saturday was 3 laps of 4 stages with service after every other stage. On the 1^st lap of the third stage we burst a rear hydraulic pipe and had no rear brakes till service. Simon and Dennis changed the pipe, but didn’t have time to fully bleed the system, so we attempted 2 more stages with minimal rear brakes, but then developed brake vibration, which was found to be a cracked front disc, They changed this at last service. On Sunday we had 2 laps of 4 stages (different to Sat) with two runs at a longer Citadel, (with a VERY tight down hill ‘’open air’’ hairpin on cobbles). The stages included in total about 7% gravel, which elicited a couple of ‘’steadies’’ from Holly! Gravel stages on tarmac springs and racers are always a bit twitchy especially in 4^th/5^th gear. Several stages had a lapping system and on one I was getting later and later on the brakes from flat in 5^th, the end result of which was a very quick spin (‘’Ooh s**t! F***ing hell!’’ came over the intercom).

A thoroughly enjoyable weekend, with a 2^nd place in the Historics, albeit a long way back from the winner. Study of the results showed that if the times were taken out where we had brake problems, we were only 3 seconds off the pace, so not so bad!

Holly did a very good job, and now I need to try to persuade her (or someone else, as she is doing BRC) to do Ypres, an event I have never driven but have serviced many times.

Any volunteers?