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Stages: 10 –
Starters: 65 – Finishers: 34
With the unexpected
cancellation of the Tour of Cornwall, Mark
II Motorsports 2008 season got off to a
slightly later start than anticipated, but
the team used the time wisely making some
improvements to their venerable Escort Cosworth.
In order to assess
the improvements, driver Mark Welch decided
to use the 4 Counties Rally at Longcross
test track as a suitable shakedown with
Rally Gallery photographer Marks Sims strapped
in as co driver.
“This season
we are trying to win the BTRDA National
Asphalt Championship, and were disappointed
that our first planned round down in Cornwall
was cancelled” said Welch. “We
have however had a full engine rebuild at
Mountune Racing Engines and we are here
to see what difference it’s made”.
“It’s a pity but we also had
some suspension improvements planned but
time ran out to get these implemented”.
Seeded at car one,
Welch and Sims felt that the attention of
running first on the road might turn out
to be distracting.
Competition came
in the form of a Metro 6r4 driven by Chris
Tilley, a previous winner at Longcross and
late entrant Dick Mauger in his ex works
Ford Focus WRC. A host of very quick 2 wheel
drive cars was led by Longmoor Loco winner
and ex National Rally Champion Ian Roberton
co driven by daughter Hollie.
SS1 started in glorious
sunshine. Mark II showed they were a little
rusty coming in third fastest, 11 seconds
adrift of the Metro and 8 shy of Mauger.
“The engine feels a little (turbo)
laggy” said Welch. Sims was a bit
more impressed, revelling in the cars speed
over the notorious Longcross snake!
SS2 was more like
it but another 6 seconds went in favour
of the Metro however the man on the pace
was Mauger who was 4 seconds quicker still.
“I’m
pretty sure we are on the wrong tyres”
was Welch’s assessment. The car is
drifting around and whilst it feels quick,
it isn’t!” Sure enough, the
Cosworth which is normally pretty kind to
the rubber was simply destroying tyres at
a ferocious rate.
In an attempt to
get back on the pace, Welch and Sims hit
the anti lag switch on SS4. This device
eliminates turbo lag but as a consequence
does generate some popping and banging.
It did however enable them to get a stage
time just 2 seconds off the Metro and 12
seconds quicker than Mauger – much
more like it but the officials then asked
that the anti lag be switched off on noise
grounds!
The remaining stages
followed a similar pattern. Mark II continued
to post top 3 times but couldn’t make
an impact on Tilley or Mauger. So at the
end it was Mauger from Tilley with Mark
II third. The Roberton duo also had a good
run taking fourth which was especially satisfying
as Hollie would be co driving for Welch
on the next event!
“We’ve
had a good day, I thoroughly enjoyed it”
said Sims. “We need a load more new
tyres though”.
All in all in what
a pretty good test. The car ran well all
day but a little more suspension work is
required before the next event which is
the Tamdown Milbrook National Rally. More
news soon.
Mark II Motorsport would like to thank their
sponsors as well as Mountune Racing, Dennis
Osborne of DOME Motorsport and Engineering
and Dan the man who was the service crew!
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Mark II Motorsport
Would Like To Thank Their Sponsors
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Posted 29th
May 2008 |
