The Team In Action

Mark II Motorsport took part in their first National rally of the season last weekend down in the West Country. One of driver Mark Welch’s favourite events, the Tour of Cornwall combines short technical stages such as Bocconoc House with some really fast flowing airfield tests around Predannick and Portreath. Co driver James Sunderland was also teaching Welch a new system of pace notes on this event to try and eek more speed from the teams Escort Cosworth.

“The last time we were here, we really mixed with the UK’s top drivers on asphalt” said Welch “that was in 1999 though!” However, a promising seeding at car 5 gave the team real confidence that a good result was attainable. Plenty of fast local teams populated the top ten including Steve and Yvonne Furzeland in their regular Impreza WRC, Mike Reed and Carl Sorensen in an Escort WRC, local Ford Dealership owner Mike Tregonning was out in his impressive Darian GTR90 as well as another local, Chris Dillow in his ex Jimmy McRae Metro 6R4.

The format of the event included 4 night stages on the Friday followed by 14 further stages on the Saturday. Mark II had a simple plan. Get through the 4 short night stages unscathed and then attack on the long airfield stages on Saturday.

So when the action got underway at Pentewan Sands Holiday Camp just outside of St Austell, Mark II took it steady. After the first 2 stages, they held 9th place, 10 seconds off the lead. It appeared that the approach was sensible as Furzeland, Reed, and Tregonning all hit trouble with missed corners and overshoots.

The field then headed to Lostwithiel and Bocconoc House. This 3 miler had everything, bumps, twists, cattle grids, flat out straights and thousands of spectators! With the Cosworths Anti lag system lighting up the night, Mark and James had a slightly off colour pair of runs through the stage, dropping about 20 seconds to the leaders.

“I knew we were cautious, but not THAT cautious” was Welch’s view of the performance. Still, Saturday would see more familiar territory and all the team were convinced that the climb up the leader board would be swift and exciting.

Sadly it was not to be. After 2 more runs through Bocconoc in daylight, the team then headed south towards the venues where the real rally would begin. Whilst travelling at a mere 30 mph on the road section, the Cosworth cut out. When Welch looked under the bonnet, the problem was evident – a broken cam belt.

“It’s absolutely gutting to drop out in this way” said James. “So much energy has gone into getting the team here able to compete and we are sure a top 5 result was on the cards”. “We’ll try and take some positives and see what we can achieve next time out, in the meantime we’ll have to see just how badly the engine has been damaged”.

The event was won by Chris Dillow in his Metro 6R4; Andy Barker in a Focus was 2nd with the Furzelands taking 3rd.

A very dejected Mark II Motorsport left Cornwall on Saturday afternoon. However, the team will bounce back, that’s for sure. The next event is at Millbrook in May and some changes will be made between now and then.

Mark II Motorsport Would Like To Thank Their Sponsors :-

Posted 25th March 2007