New co-driver website.

Co-Driver Search UK is a new and very useful co-driver website. Aimed at finding drivers for co-drivers and co-drivers for drivers it looks like being an excellent resource for anyone competing in British rallying. Naturally I've added my profile to the site, although I'm very happy co-driving for Adrian Smekss in the Roofing Rally Team Metro 6R4.

Co-Driver Search UK

Jersey Rally picture.

Here's a picture from the Paperclix Jersey rally (prior to the event start) of a wonderful Escort mark 1 and the stunning Aston Martin GT rally car. As far as I know the Escort finished, the Aston certainly didn't.
When the Aston Martin GT was running it sounded absolutely wonderful, the most impressive car on the event by far. The black marks left by the spinning rear wheels off the start line were also mightily impressive. It is nice to see different cars being rallied, the Aston has to be one of the stranger choices though!

Better net access.

At last! I'm able to cope with a trip by car to the office where I can sit and type a few words before having to go and lay down! Updates will be a little more regular now, although with the season over there's not actually too much to write about.....

Sponsorship.

Despite being laid up with my leg in the air (still) I’m very pleased to announce that Advanced Autosport Technologies Limited {link} are continuing their sponsorship deal with me. Having supplied the Roofing Rally Team {link} race suits last year and for 2008 they are continuing their product-based sponsorship.
First up is the Monit TC100 trip meter {link}. As already mentioned on this blog I’m very impressed with the new Monit MT100 trip, which has proven to be easy to use and particularly compact. At £29i9.00 + VAT the Monit is exceptional value and is so easy to use I’m not surprised that they are dominating the Australian and New Zealand markets. As with GA races suits, Monit trip meters are a quality level higher than almost everything currently available.
AAT are sorting out a few other deals for me which is fantastic and for which I’m very grateful.

Co-driver supplies.

Thanks to my teaching contacts I am now able to offer a wide range of pens, pencils, erasers, note pads, rulers, glue and even footballs. Admittedly I can’t think why a co-driver would need a football but everything else is exceptionally useful. Priced for children rather than the glamorous world of motorsport I think you’ll find the range offer good value. I’ve put together a couple of supply kits that contain everything you should require plus a few spares. Glance through the price list below and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. {I’ve not included a football in any of the kits, if you think you’ll need one just e-mail me for a price!} There’s so much available I’ve only given a very brief out line, e-mail with your requirements and I’ll reply with full options and costs. One thing is for sure these prices are hard to beat!

Pencils:~ HB, B or 2B £0.17 each or £0.10 each in a box of 12.
Self-propelling pencils:~ Pen style £2.40 each or £0.28 each for plastic in a pack of 12.
Fibre tip pens:~ (blue, black green or red ink) £0.40 each or £0.25 each in a box of 12.
Biro pens:~ (Papermate; blue, black or red ink) £0.35 each or £0.27 each in a box of 20.
Highlighter pens:~ (blue, green, orange, pink or yellow) £0.75 each.
OHP pens:~ (fine or medium; permanent or washable; pack of 6) £2.15 per pack .
Erasers:~ £0.40 each.
Rulers:~ from £0.22 each depending on spec ~ flexible rulers, curves etc available.
Clipboards:~ Hardboard, A4 £1.10 Plastic, A4 £1.37 Hardboard, A3 width £2.12.
Note pads:~ A4 recycled paper £1.90 each, A5 recycled paper £1.30 each.
Misc:~ Metal pencil sharpener £0.35 each, 13mm diameter stickers (6 varying colours; 140 in a pack) £1.00 per pack, Scissors (plastic handle 105mm blade) £1.20 each, Footballs (regulation size) from £3.50 each.

Road Rally Kit:~ 12 x pencils, 10 biros, 2 x highlighters, 3 erasers, 1 x A4 hardboard clipboard, 1 x A5 notepad and 2 x pencil sharpeners. Kit price £9.75 plus P&P.

Multi-use Stage Rally Kit:~ 6 x pencils, 5 x biros, 8 x fibre tip pens, 1 x OHP pen pack, 5 x highlighters, 2 erasers, 1 x A4 plastic clipboard, 2 x A4 notepad and 1 x pencil sharpener. Kit price £14.00 plus P&P.

Multi-venue Stage Rally Kit:~ 12 x pencils, 5 x biros, 8 x fibre tip pens, 2 x OHP pen packs, 4 x highlighters, 2 erasers, 1 x A4 plastic clipboard, 2 x A4 notepad, 1 x scissors, 13mm sticker pack and 1 x pencil sharpener. Kit price £17.00 plus P&P.

Pictures from Jersey.

No pictures of the car as yet, just me on gas & air (great stuff for sending you silly!). The second picture is of Adrian, Margaret, Adam and the S M Roofing guests (whose names I've forgotten, sorry!!) after they helped carry my on a stretcher to the waiting ambulance.The photographs are taken by Jerry from 6R4.info (link) which has a great forum and gallery section. thanks to him for letting me post them here.

Cast number 2.....

I’m now on my second full leg cast, which is a good thing! This is a complete cast that covers everything from just above my ankle to almost the top of my thigh. Movement is still nonexistent and I’m still not allowed to put any weight on it. I have to be in this cast for another couple of weeks then I’ll find out what’s next for me along the road to recuperation.

2007; the good and the bad.

There’s no doubt that my 2007 motorsport season is over; it’s unlikely that I’ll be walking without crutches before 2008 which stops me hoping into any rally car no matter how keen I may be. So what was good and what was bad for me in 2007?
The good:~ (in no particular order) > I enjoyed every stage mile we completed at speed. > Adrian is driving quicker than ever before. > My son, Mark, enjoys rallying already! It is great to be back in a Metro 6R4. > The new AAT supplied race suit is fantastic. > The Monit trip meter is also fantastic. We (Roofing Rally Team) completed more stage mileage on Jersey than we have ever done before. > 2008 can’t be as bad as 2007! > This blog is up and running ~ injuries and holidays permitting. > I did some more forestry rallying which was fantastic fun, naturally it ended in early retirement but it was enjoyable all the same!
The bad:~ (in no particular order) > As I write this my left leg is fully encased in a cast and I can’t walk without the aid of crutches. > I retired from every rally I contested. A lot of good rally people have passed away this year. > Spurs are having a dreadful start to the football season, as are VfB Stuttgart (not strictly motorsport related but still very disappointing!)! > My new helmet’s intercom is not as good as expected or promised, I certainly won’t recommend it to anyone else ~ the helmet is good, the intercom far less so. > Rallying continues to get more and more expensive. > Some single venue rallies are badly organised and descend into chaos far too quickly (I know how difficult rallies are to organise but every entrant has spent a lot of money getting ready for and entering the event; they really do deserve a good service!). > K37 and fuel chaos ~ finally resolved which will, hopefully, be a good thing.

One of the definite positives to come from the Jersey rally is just how fantastic the Monit trip meter fitted to the Roofing Rally Team 6R4 is. Easy to use, in fact exceptionally simple to use the Monit trip is the best I have ever used! Light but stunningly practical there is no better trip available for the clubman. It offers everything you could ever want (including speed, stopwatch and 2 distance readings) and can be calibrated on the move quickly and simply.

I have used trips from virtually every European manufacturer and none come close to the standard offered by the New Zealand made Monit. If you are considering a new trip meter look no further than a Monit, they really are excellent and are as easy to use as a mobile phone. Added to that they are considerable lighter than anything else on offer at present ~ it really is a win win situation when you use a Monit trip! {link}

Ouch!!

Here is the reason for the huge delay in updating this blog!
Whilst out spectating on the Grouville stage on Saturday afternoon I managed to stumble and rupture 80% of my left quad tendon. This put me straight into A&E, somewhat ruining the rest of my stay in Jersey. After X-rays and a couple of ultrasounds I was released back into the wild with a full leg splint and a set of crutches with the words of the doctor ringing in my ears:~ “Go straight from the airport to your local hospital!”
I did as instructed and am pleased to report that I was operated on and am now on the road to recovery, although it appears that it might be a longer road than I’d hoped. Having my left leg in a full cast and no Internet access at home (as yet) I’ve been unable to update the blog until today. Hopefully things will improve from now although I’m not due for my next, more manoeuvrable, cast for a couple of weeks…..
Before ending this post I’d really like to thank Suzanne and her son (sorry I don’t know his name) who were a great help whilst I was waiting for the ambulance. Adrian, Jerry, Margaret, Adam and the rest of the SM Roofing guests were great, although I have yet to see all the pictures they took as I was stretchered away…..
Naturally I have to thank everyone at both hospitals I visited (Jersey and New Cross) who were fantastic and really looked after me well. If you feel the need to visit an A&E department Jersey’s is especially impressive!

Paperclix Jersey Rally Result

Sorry for the delay in posting, the reason is explained in the posting headed “Ouch!” Anyway back to the 25th Paperclix Jersey Rally {link}. It really was a disappointment for me; we retired the Roofing Rally Team Metro 6R4 at the end of the first day after breaking the rear diff on the spectator stages.
We’d spent quite some time preparing the car for the tight lanes, including removing the front spoiler and the “pigs ears” that attach it. The nature of the stages meant we knew that the bodywork was going to take a bit of a bashing and we accepted this.
Certainly we were off the leaders pace but we were pleased to get a couple of top five stage times. Fears about the hairpins were relatively unfounded; they slowed us considerably but didn’t require any three-point turns thankfully. Unfortunately the nature of the spectator stage meant that our fully loaded rear diff was unable to take the strain and it broke off the start line of the last stage! With no spare we had to pack up at the final service and retire.
It was a disappointing end to an enjoyable event, which had seen us become a firm favourite with the spectators ~ you just can’t beat the sound of a 6R4 being driven hard!