Drenched on the Tempest

After last years damp Tempest Rally I was hoping for some good weather. Sadly the day dawned overcast and got worse as the hours ticked by. Between my brother and I we had decided not to waste a day chasing the cars through the stages. I had to drop Kim and Lily off to collect our car and was half way towards the first stage so decided to chance it. With wellies and coat and camera gear stowed under my jumper I trudged through the trees. Our usual corner on the Warren stage was being run in reverse this year and had new green and white tape. Following some serious incidents on stages around the world, marshals were being cautious and keeping spectators even further back than usual. The places we watched last year were now deep within the tree line offering virtually no view, coupled with some new trees that have grown up it was not a good start.













The 2WD cars came blasting round the hairpin. Mud and gravel kicking up as they struggled for traction in the worsening conditons. I swapped from side to side of the corner trying to get a good view.











Looking for a new angle I clambered through the undergrowth back up the stage finding a nice spot high above an uphill straight. The cars came down a short hill through a big puddle before coming up hill and past a little ridge and on to the hairpin I'd just been stood at. Following the safety instructions it looked ideal. Above the road and on the inside of the gentle curve. The marshal on point had different ideas though and I was asked to get "photos of a couple of cars then move on as it wasn't a spectator area" Also in this area were the marshals friends. Two teenagers with a go-pro style camera stood right on the edge of the road and what looked to be their dad with his SLR wandering back and forth across the road and standing on the outside of the turn. They were there long before I arrived and were still there as I left the stage at the end. I only want to spectate where its safe to do so and always follow the guidance from the marshals, but I felt he should have asked the same of his friends as well. Rant over! I got a few good shots as the cars bottomed out in the dip.











Heading back to the car I was damp all over, but the rain had eased and almost stopped. I decided to chance another stage so headed for the Rushmoor service park to see the 4WDs. The 2WDs were just entering service as I arrived so I headed in to the park. Mk1 and 2 Escorts were being cleaned and spannered along with various MGs and an old Ford Anglia.















As the last car headed out of service the rain lashed down even harder and the wind got up. My plan to hang around for the 4WD stage and service looked like being a mistake so I started to head for the carpark once more to shelter and have a think. My mind was made up as I came to the exit of service and one mighty gust of wind resulted in several displaced portaloos. I got back to the car and headed for the warmth and dry of home.



Later that afternoon the sun was out and sky blue!

Steve.

Rallyday at Castle Combe

A chance conversation at the RetroRides Gathering resulted in a pair of tickets dropping through my letterbox the week before the 15th Rallyday at Castle Combe, courtesy of Jamie my brother and I would be wandered round the Wiltshire circuit to the backdrop of WRC, GrpB and many other rally and road cars. The last time I went to Rallyday was a very wet 2006, despite the foggy start it was sunscreen and t-shirts all round. Parking near Quarry corner we walked through rows of club stands to the paddock.













As we reached the paddock and the rally cars proper it clear we were in for a treat, There cars from all eras right up to the latest WRC machines from M-Sport.













There was a special gathering of cars driven by the late Richards Burns, a local chap to me.









Every avenue we walked down held something different from a line of Stratos to Lada's GrpB VFTS

























With the on track action not far off we decided to head back to the car for lunch and to catch the action at Quarry. While kneeling down to get a shot of a car I caught sight of a pair of cars that were all wings. A pair of Quattros were bubbling past, one an S1, the other a bonkers Pike Peak version.





At Quarry we watched the last of the track sessions go round before the 4x4 group entertained the crowds on a course laid out along the infield area.











First out on the stage was Ari Vatanen in his old 1976 championship winning Mk2 Escort. Followed by Elfyn Evans in this years M-Sport Fiesta WRC, he performed multiple doughnuts at each corner...on each lap. The crowd loved it.











Next up a variety of cars performed several runs on the feature stage. A chicane laced lap of the circuit, beginning in the pit entrance the cars launched forward before turning 180º and heading the wrong way up the start straight before turning for a return run and off round the lap. Several temporary chicanes were put up to slow the cars and show off some lurid slides.





































Slowly roasting in the sunshine we decided to head round to the startline for an explore and some shelter.







With a last look round we waited for the stage to end before they parked all the cars up on track for the public to walk around them. A chance to get really close to machines, some still hot from the action minutes before.













With the time getting on we took the slow walk back to the car and home. A brilliant day out and with the 30th anniversary of GrpB next year, maybe a return visit!



Steve.