The Team In Action At Otterburn

Stages: 12 – Starters: 81 – Finishers: 49

After the team’s good finish at The Patriot Stages which moved them into second place in the BTRDA National Clubman’s Asphalt Rally Championship, Mark II Motorsport opted to take part in the final round based at Otterburn in the very North East of England.

“We have been very fortunate to have the support of friends and our sponsors to get us to the start line of this Rally” explained driver Mark Welch. “We are here against all odds especially as 2 of this years sponsors have let us down for 2010 putting extreme pressure on budgets, but were are extremely grateful that other team partners came to our aid recognising that a National Championship was at stake”.

So, on Friday 23rd October, the team arrived at its accommodation in Rothbury, just a few miles from where the rally would take place. With scrutineering and the event “recce” on Saturday, Welch was looking forward at getting a look at the superfast Otterburn Ranges, high in the Cheviot Hills.

When he did see the route, he liked what he saw! Co Driver Andy Wynn told the rest of the team “I’ve been here before and I just knew Mark would love it”.

Strategy for the rally was straightforward even if the championship permutations were not. Finish ahead of Adrian Spencer and Mark Hewitt’s Subaru, and Mark II would take the title; finish behind the Impreza and Mark II would be runners up. A non finish could mean dropping back as low as 5th in the final standings. The team would go for a finish driving as fast as it could given the lack of Otterburn experience.

Other contenders included Chris Jones in his Subaru powered Focus 4wd, Gary Le Coadou in the Toyota Celica GT4 and Chris Marshall in a Mitsubishi Evo 5.

The weather conditions for the rally were wet and slippery and with the first of 12 stages being 17 miles long, it was going to be interesting.

Despite the obvious handicap of not knowing the venue, Welch and Wynn guided the team’s Escort Cosworth to a fine top 10 time, ahead of Spencer by 10 seconds, Jones by 3 and Le Coadou by a massive 51 seconds! Stage 2 was a mere 3.5 miles but again Welch and Wynn outpaced the main rivals with 5th fastest time.

Back in service, the team were beginning to believe that the title was a real possibility. The second loop of stages which was a re-run of SS1 and SS2 saw Spencer and Jones up the pace with Welch somewhat scrappy, and dropping back a few seconds, but at the halfway stage it was still all to play for.

The penultimate loop comprised of 4 shorter stages. SS5 was very tricky indeed and the team’s lack of local knowledge proved a real handicap dropping them back to 9th place but again still in touch with Spencer and Jones. Le Coadou (who was suffering with a nasty cold) had fallen back by over 2 minutes and was out of contention. SS6 and SS7 were completed without drama and the Blue Cosworth was back on the pace.

Unfortunately, everything was about to change…………….

SS8 was 15 miles in length and incorporated much of the opening long stage therefore suiting the Welch/Wynn duo. But after 3 miles the car picked up a severe vibration which rapidly got worse. “It sounded like someone had taken a hammer to the bottom of the car” observed Wynn.

There was nothing else for it other than to pull over into retirement.

“This is hugely disappointing” said a dejected Welch “we certainly tried our best, but the poor cars front diff has let go in a major way and that’s that”. In reality, it is the teams first DNF in 2 and a half seasons, but typically it was at the most crucial time.

By the end of the event, Spencer outpaced Jones taking the title with the Welshman in 2nd. Mark did however finish as 3rd overall driver in the championship as Marshall came in ahead of Le Coadou. Wynn took the runner up spot for co – drivers, so a pretty creditable result in the end, but………………………………

Mark II Motorsport would like to thank all of its sponsors, Dean at Geo Preparation, Denis Osborne of DOME and last but not least, Simsie, Darren and Dan, the faithful service crew.

Mark II Motorsport Would Like To Thank Their Sponsors :-

Posted 30th October 2009