Andrew Br
Still part of the team !
- Location
- Chorlton Cum Hardy
This ^ in spades.
I've posted this on yACF:-
"
Back home now (actually been home for several hours, the virtue of a much shorter journey than in previous years).
Another good night/day out.
The Clocaneog car park had opened at 20.00 on Thursday so I got straight in (still £10 extra for parking overnight) and managed to find a spot very near the stage access. There was a moment of concern when I dropped the front of the car into the ditch while I was turning round but it came out OK albeit with a lot of stink from the clutch even though I'd only given it "the beans" for a very short time: think "dropping it" with quite a few revs on and the traction control disabled. I walked the bank before I parked. Lesson learned .........
I've bought a mattress topper so sleeping was very comfy after a couple of beers whilst catching up with some reading and, since there was decent 'phone reception, web browsing.
The first stage run was in the dry and I managed to get a position with a good view of the preceding corner, a short straight and then a more than 90 right.
I'm impressed with the current cars: they are spectacular and make the right noises. They also look good (all IMO obv.).
What struck me was the amount of time that they spend (or seem to) on full throttle and I don't think it's down to left foot braking.
This might be the most spectacular generation of cars that I've seen. I know people hark back to Group B but, from my recollection, those cars were mostly "point and squirt" because the turbo lag was so great* and the suspenion control so poor.
The National Rally run (or whatever it's called) was also entertaining. It was good to see Escorts again, although I'm not sure how many of them had BDAs; the sound was different to what I remember. The Imprezas were good, albeit nothing will ever replace my memories of McRae, Burns and Solberg in them, and the 6R4 sounded great as it tip-toed round the car.
It had rained before the second run and the lead cars were even more spectacular. Neuville in particular was well on it although Tanak was faster through the stage.
Does anyone else think those Toyotas are wilfully ugly ?
Next year will, hopefully, be my 40th consecutive viewing. The first was when Mikkola won in an Eaton Yale Escort in 1979.
*Delta S4 and Metro 6R4 excepted; the S4 seemed to have particularly "boingy" suspension and the 6R4 a pronounced rearward weight distribution, a very high CofG and a short wheelbase."
