Northumberland Borders Rally, Car 13 DNF (Exhaust & electrical)
Navigator Simon Hawken
A week of torrential rain preceded the Borders rally, an event which is always well organised and well marshalled. It comprised a full afternoon of special tests on construction sites and ex-MOD sites followed by a night time road rally using the fail system. Simon was on top form navigating which is more than could be said for me! Large water-splashes and very tight test sections were testing for the driver, as testified by me sticking the mini into a ditch on one of the tests and losing a few minutes to get out. Another rough section on an ex-MOD site pulled the exhaust out of the manifold down-pipe. A long wet and cold stint lying in mud and water bodging the exhaust at the evening meal halt meant we set off wet, cold and hungry but not sounding like a V8 Chevvy. One big water-splash on a road section undid my bodge and the exhaust was blowing again. To make matters worse electrical gremlins meant we also lost main beam and our spotlights, so no hope of continuing the tight night section. So retirement and back to York deafened by our V8 and quite 'high' on exhaust fumes!
Navigator Simon Hawken
A week of torrential rain preceded the Borders rally, an event which is always well organised and well marshalled. It comprised a full afternoon of special tests on construction sites and ex-MOD sites followed by a night time road rally using the fail system. Simon was on top form navigating which is more than could be said for me! Large water-splashes and very tight test sections were testing for the driver, as testified by me sticking the mini into a ditch on one of the tests and losing a few minutes to get out. Another rough section on an ex-MOD site pulled the exhaust out of the manifold down-pipe. A long wet and cold stint lying in mud and water bodging the exhaust at the evening meal halt meant we set off wet, cold and hungry but not sounding like a V8 Chevvy. One big water-splash on a road section undid my bodge and the exhaust was blowing again. To make matters worse electrical gremlins meant we also lost main beam and our spotlights, so no hope of continuing the tight night section. So retirement and back to York deafened by our V8 and quite 'high' on exhaust fumes!
Photographers: Gordon Reid Photography (photos 1 to 5), Jane Barnard - JAB Photos (photos 6 to 9), Bob Campion (photos 10&11) and Simon Hawken
