2020 season.

What does the 2020 season hold? Well...

In all probability I'm going to do the same amount of events as 2019 but without using the M5! My first event should be in February with my final foray in December. 

I'll be forming a new team in 2020 and we'll probably be quite slow - my days of chasing trophies have passed so I don't mind (the loft is full and my wife wants no more to appear!!). It's going to be a long term partnership so we'll get used to each other and select events that are close to home to start with. We're aiming for fun, experience and then results - although fewer retirements than 2019 is certainly hoped for...

Will I road rally this year? If I do start a road rally I will be properly rested and will have to cross a border to do it. I enjoyed winning the championships I did but that was then and this is now...

Luckily I'll be carrying over some of my sponsors for this season too; where would I be without my Granite Anchor hoodies or my Belgian buns and beer?

Should the right targa car come up for sale then yes it will be coming home with me but am I looking seriously? No, not really. I know what I want and if it magically appears then great, if not I'm not fussed - for the next few years at least.

I'll be out marshalling on events too this year so I might just see you on a stage, section or control!

 

2 targas and 1 road rally

I finished 2019 off with another two targas and one road rally. Unfortunately not one of them was a good result!

The Exmoor Targa was the complete antithesis to the Washingpool - it rained, then rained heavier and then it became a deluge! Awful conditions saw the tracks muddy and water logged which made our first multi-venue targa even harder. 

We settled into a sensible pace and were gaining experience until a fast right threw the Saxo off and into the trees! Luckily all bar a small holly tree were avoided so damage was minimal, ironically the holly tree kept us from vanishing down a steep drop so actually saved us from extra damage. 

We spent 55 minutes trying to extricate ourselves (which we eventually did thanks to a Land Rover and our tow rope) but were able to complete every remaining test within OTL so at least we were still classified as finishers at the end of the event.

Next up was the Bustard targa which was (for the short period we were competing) a great event. The tests were fast and challenging but, above all else, great fun. We caught at least 2 cars on each test (except the tiny autosolo style test) and were gaining confidence as we got used to the muddy conditions. All that came to a sudden end when the Saxo's rear started bouncing like some demented trampoline! 2 exploded rear dampers ended the event early for us.

After a frantic search for parts the Saxo was re-fettled in time to take the start of the Barbara carter road rally. Almost immediately I was struggling to keep on time with the regularity sections, 19 years of retirement, a lack of vari-focal glasses and being far too tired took their toll and we had a large cut-and-run to petrol. The second half of the event had a plot-and-bash section and more tightly plotted route - I chucked in the towel and (for the first time ever) gave up! I've never felt it worthwhile risking damage to a car for no reason and that's what we would have been doing.

Three very disappointing results; to quote Metallica "sad but true".

Getting ready...

 

So, once again, it's time to dust of the clipboard; sharpen the pencils and find my Co-Pilote watch. Next weekend sees me sat next to James Graham (once more - he must be brave) on the Exmoor Targa Rally in his trusty Saxo. 

The Exmoor offers 40 miles of challenging forestry tests in some wonderful scenery and the entry filled up in hours!

Wish me luck, here's hoping the rain stays away!

I'm now a brand ambassador for Granite Anchor Clothing; they're with me as I get back into motorsport which is really great! As an added bonus there's a discount code for all my followers which will drop a nice little 10% reduction on your orders with Granite Anchor. Put ERIK10 in before you check out and away you go; quality, cutting edge Scottish clothing at a bargain price!!

A return to the hot seat - at last!!

I finally got back into the hot seat on the recent Washingpool Farm targa rally! A good run with James Graham in his Saxo saw us a mere 3 seconds off a class trophy. Not bad for a team that hadn't sat in a rally car for a minimum of 10 years each..

More events are planned.

Long time no write...

So...

Currently I'm undertaking no motorsport at all (except for marshalling). There are numerous reasons for this - one is 12 years old and one is 8 years old for a start, naturally there are plenty more too.

One of the plus points of having a 12 year old is that we have been closely looking at Targa rallies and both agree that sometime soon we should venture out and do one together. We marshalled on a couple and have been lucky enough to get the road books to a few as well. Junior is now looking at what is expected from him to see if he really wants to give it a go!

To my mind Targa rallies offer excellent value for money and are a perfect starting point for those more interested in being in the silly seat. It's almost a natural progression from targa to road rally then stage event (particularly as you can start at the tender age of 12 on a Targa event!).

Not only are Targa events a good starting point they (amazingly) work out better value than slot car racing. I know, who would believe plastic toy car racing could prove to be more expensive than full scale rallying. I crunched the numbers, then did them again and concluded that to race slot cars was a huge waste of money - for me at least!

I can buy a Targa legal car and run it for a season for the same cost as a year of slot car racing... I can sit in and feel the adrenaline flow or press a controller and watch a toy zip round a track; no brainer really!!! Don't get me wrong slot car racing can be exciting and provides intense excitement for many but I never got away from the fact that I was driving a little car round and round in 'circles' (some more complex than others...)  whilst needing to spend a lot of money to even become competitive...

I've not missed it so far and can't see me missing it any time soon... If it was better value I guess I'd still be racing but the cost really did reduce the enjoyment to minus figures. Also slot car rallying is just not like the rallying I've done thus I was left with roundy, roundy racing which doesn't interest me any where near as much.

Open GT class entry for driver #7

Racing fever starts to take hold...

In two weeks time I will have (finally) undertaken my first race meeting in my new form or motorised sport!

Whilst not as adrenaline filled as rallying slot car racing certainly is enjoyable and getting a good result feels just a pleasing as in a real car. Another plus is that there is (currently) very little likelihood of environmental and spectator issues stopping the sport in its tracks... I can also easily undertake a race meeting a week without my better half moaning I'm always in the garage or away plus it is far, far more competitive than pretty much every form of 1:1 scale motorsport! Genuinely a £15 car bought off Ebay fitted with the correct tyres and driven properly can and will beat new cars that cost 3 times as much, skill isn't held back by bank balance and there's no silly Prima Donnas either!

There is, however, a huge amount to learn - sadly it isn't just a case of turning up, pulling the trigger and being competitive. Rear tyres need to be glued, trued and then softened for a week, fronts need to be the exact opposite. The chassis/motor/body need just the right amount of movement and flex and then you need to get the braking right - too much and you slide ( a la handbrake turns) too little and you have to brake too early. These 1:32 cars are as difficult to set up as a 1:1 - probably more so because you don't ever feel the speed/grip/accident (!!) through your body. Once the car is optimised you then have to drive it - against far, far more experienced drivers who take no prisoners! - which is no simple task on its own.

Well I must away as I have a date with Ebay and a couple of hot looking GT cars as well as a classic or two! More to follow once I know what I'm going to be racing...

A change of focus...

It looks like I WILL be doing driving in some wheeled competition this year and the car I'm going to be driving is 4wd :) As my boys have grown they're keen to race and we're about to embark on a season's racing in 2015! Luckily we're aiming small at the moment so..... I'll be driving an SCX Audi 90 Quattro GTO plus to yet two be unveiled French rally cars!

As a team we now have Porsches, Lamborghinis, Minis, Lancia Delta Integrales and even 2 Metro 6R4s in build... Daddy seems to be doing all the building whilst the boys do all the racing!!

It's not quite as exciting as rallying but just as competitive, allows all 3 of us to compete on the same day and is a fair bit safer - it's cheaper too!