The Team In Action In The Midalnds

Stages: 19 – Starters: 85 – Finishers: 43

After the excitement of Milbrook, Mark II’s next event was the Trinity Hyundai Rally of the Midlands based at Hinckley in Leicestershire. The rally was based over 2 days and was the latest round of the BTRDA National Clubman’s Asphalt Championship (see www.asphaltrallying.co.uk).

With 19 special stages over 2 days taking in venues such as Mallory Park, Merevale Country House and the huge MIRA (Motor Industry research association) test track at Nuneaton, the team would do well to repeat the Milbrook success of top championship runner especially as championship rivals such as Gary Le Coadou/Paul Hollingham (Toyota Celica GT4) and John Harland/Paul Price (Darian T90) had finished the 2007 Rally of The Midlands 3rd and 2nd place respectively. Not only was that, but the winning Focus 4wd also back but in the hands of its new owner Chris Jones!

However, the run up to the event was problematic to say the least – water had infiltrated the teams’ trusty Escort Cosworths engine management system after the very wet Milbrook event necessitating a very early morning visit to engine builders Mountune Racing in Essex a few days before the event.

The diagnosis was not good but with time at a premium, the lads at Mountune pulled out all the stops allowing driver Mark Welch to collect the car the night before the event.

“This was not the best build up to a rally” said Welch, “the car needed cleaning and checking over BEFORE we headed up to Leicestershire”. With stress levels high, the team headed north now on a very tight schedule. With minutes to spare, the car was unloaded, scrutineered and readied for action on arrival at rally HQ with the service crew of Bruce and Dan getting top marks for wheel changing at Ferrari F1 speed.

Seeded at 2, Welch was co driven by Andy Wynn who nearly a decade ago, shared in some of Mark II’s best drives in the National Championship. Andy knew that the event would be challenging as Welch had never seen any of the stages before. However, Andy is an ace on Pacenotes so the team hoped this would help.

“We have a simple game plan” said Wynn. “We have 6 stages on Friday evening with the main part of the rally including three 16 mile runs at MIRA on Saturday. We need to be comfortably in the top 10 after the first leg and then attack at MIRA”. Easy, eh?

Leading the event off from its ceremonial start in Hinckley town centre was Welshman Eian Pritchard in a very smart Subaru WRC. Pritchard was very much the pre event favourite but as for whom else would potentially join him on the podium was anyone’s guess.

SS1&2 were short 1.3 mile runs through the tricky Merevale Country house. Under glorious blue skies and bright sunshine, Welch equalled Pritchard on the first stage but was 2 seconds slower on the second.

From Merevale, the event headed to the short spectator stage, Argents Mead that runs through the car park of Hinckley Council! No place for heroics with bollards and high kerbs. The Welch Wynn combo posted a time 4 seconds slower than stage winner Le Coadou. Next up were 2 very high speed stages at Mallory Park motor racing circuit.

Again, Mark II was on the pace without being spectacular posting 5th and 6th fastest times. A quick trip back to Argents mead finished the days action with the leader board showing Le Coadou 1st, Pritchard second and Jody Bowcott in another Subaru 3rd. Mark II were 22 seconds back in 6th but relatively happy with the plot.

“We’ll have a good go tomorrow and try hard around MIRA” said Welch. “It’ll be good if it rains as that’s a big leveller and we normally go okay in wet”.

Welch’s rain dance was answered. Grey skies and persistent drizzle greeted the crews as they returned to parc ferme to restart the event early Saturday morning. “This is better” was Welch’s assessment of the conditions.

SS8&9 were reverse runs of Merevale. With the notes heavily cautioned as the surface was very slippery, Welch and Wynn took 2 second fastest times behind Bowcott who had briefly taken the lead of the event from Pritchard and Le Coadou.

SS10 was the first visit to MIRA and time to “stop messing around”. 16 Miles of varying surfaces, jumps and even a water splash greeted the competitors. Despite a misted screen and a high speed excursion off the stage, Welch and Wynn took second fastest time, snapping at Pritchard’s heels and taking a healthy chunk of time out of Le Coadou and even catching Harland’s Darian for 1 minute!

“We are now second” said Wynn “but no time for complacency”. The first leg finished with 2 incredibly slippery stages around Bramcote Army Barracks and 2 more top 3 times for Mark II.

It was all smiles in the service area but with 8 further stages to complete, the team still had work to do. That task was made easier with a 3rd and then stage fastest at Mallory Park before returning to MIRA. Yet again it was Pritchard from Welch topping the time sheets and really cementing Mark II into second place.

2 more runs around Bramcote and Mallory Park left the final 19th stage to complete again around the daunting MIRA test track. Welch started to get a bit nervous “I was sure I could hear noises from the car as we headed to MIRA” – typical driver! Anyway, backing off to ensure the finish, the team still managed 3rd fastest time on the final stage.

“What a fantastic day we’ve had” said a champagne soaked Wynn at the finish. “We had a plan; we stuck to it and have again taken maximum championship points – brilliant”.

So Mark II took second, 1 Minutes 26 seconds adrift of Pritchard after 88 hard fought miles. In 3rd after a very good run was another Subaru, that of Jody Bowcott who had notched up some very good stage times from a lowly seeding of 31.

The next event is the Mewla Rally on August Bank Holiday weekend. This is held over the daunting Epynt military ranges near Sennybridge. Now lying 4th in the championship, can Mark II continue to progress? More news soon.

Mark II Motorsport would like to thank all of their sponsors, Derek, Mark and Dave from Mountune, Dennis from DOME, their faithful service crew and Rally Gallery for the superb photos.

Mark II Motorsport Would Like To Thank Their Sponsors :-

Posted 27th June 2008