Evogone
28-04-2008, 21:53
Well it was my first rally in the Pink Yozzasport Clio at Anglesey on the 13th April. It all started with the last minutes prep on the car the week before with everything done apart from the water temp gauge (that turned out to be a frustrating future story) and then all loaded up and ready to go.
We headed off for Angelsey on the Saturday afternoon as scruitineering was in the afternoon the day before the event. I must admit I was a bit nervous as it was the first rally for the car and didn’t want any silly issues with the car at scruitineering so the car couldn’t run.
We arrived in good time and got the car off the trailer started he up and off to noise testing. Went through noise testing no problems but it’s not the nosiest of cars, now off to scruitineering. The weather had been mixed in the morning and just before we arrived for the scruitineer it started to lash it down. So after 5 mins of looking at the car and check the paperwork, suits and helmet getting piss wet through we had passed with no questions/issues.!!! Signed on and got the stage maps and proceeded to do a circuit reccie. They stages where quite long and lots of splits and merges that if you cock up your out the rally. After walking the circuit I have to say the new track is awesome, far better than Oulton (which is one of my favourites)Prob the best in the country now.
Right with the car all sorted it was time to get some food and a beer. Well we ended up with local fish and chip and then had to get back in time as the gates to the venue closed at 7pm and we were sleeping in the car (5 star Audi luxury). One thing to note if you do any events at the new Angelsey it has an on site bar and when we asked what time do your closed we got greeted with whenever everyone leaves.!!! Well 6 Magners later we decided to call it a day and get some sleep. Weather, well what can I say it absolutely pissed it down for at least a couple of hours but we eventually got to sleep.
6am Sunday was woken up to the sound of pitter patter of rain on the windscreen, great.!!!! First event never drove the car before, loads of friends coming to watch and lots of rain, mmmmm feeling a bit nervous. Anyways just after 6am my co-driver arrived as he couldn’t come down the night before and went through the stage maps with him, better get this right as there lot of opportunity to cock it right up!!..
Right intermediates on and everything checked and ready to go.!!
Stage 1 & 2 – very tricky and wet, 2nd chicane brake brake lock up, shit tyres or grass tyres or grass. Grass it is.! After the first stage which was a bit fraught, after that it was all neat and tidy.
Stage 3 & 4 – dry in places still on inters (worked very very well) neat and tidy but had a slight miss fire on some of the later corners of the stages, mmmmm
Stages 5 & 6 – getting dry now but the tyres were not overheating so stayed on the inters. Really starting to put in some good times and really enjoying it but the misfire was back.!!!!
Stages 7 & 8 – really flying now but the misfire was there still and seemed to be on left tight hand corners. We really wanted to finish, that was my aim not stage times but before the stage start of the last stage (8) the car would not start.!!! Shit, turned it over 3/4 times but would not kick in.!! On the 5th time just before the battery gave up it kicked into life.!!! Get to the start and after a bit of pushing in we started the stage.!! Last stage was wicked really good stage but the misfire was back in force again left hand corners.!!!!
We finished the final stage and what a relief, it was always the real objective of the weekend as well as get a feel for the car. I have to say I have driven a lot of cars and the cup racers are really good, the std brakes lasted all day after some serious abuse (although im sure they will need bleeding, the engine pulls well, in the dry it got lots of grip considering it hasn’t got an LSD (will do soon thought!) but the best bit was the handling. Everyone says they are really twitchy but with the spare wheel fitted and ½ tank of fuel it was really well balanced, very impressed.
Need to investigate the misfire but seems to be fuel surge and the other cup owner seem to have the same issue. No really identified cure apart from running the tank full for the next event. Why wouldn’t the car start before the last stage who knows – fuel evaporation as the car was very hot ? Things to work on.
Next event is this weekend at 3 sisters Sunday 4th May, may see some of you there.
Big thanks to Yozza @ Yozzasport for the help getting the car all sorted before the event.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm290/Evogone/_MG_6544.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm290/Evogone/_MG_6245.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm290/Evogone/P1010048.jpg
We headed off for Angelsey on the Saturday afternoon as scruitineering was in the afternoon the day before the event. I must admit I was a bit nervous as it was the first rally for the car and didn’t want any silly issues with the car at scruitineering so the car couldn’t run.
We arrived in good time and got the car off the trailer started he up and off to noise testing. Went through noise testing no problems but it’s not the nosiest of cars, now off to scruitineering. The weather had been mixed in the morning and just before we arrived for the scruitineer it started to lash it down. So after 5 mins of looking at the car and check the paperwork, suits and helmet getting piss wet through we had passed with no questions/issues.!!! Signed on and got the stage maps and proceeded to do a circuit reccie. They stages where quite long and lots of splits and merges that if you cock up your out the rally. After walking the circuit I have to say the new track is awesome, far better than Oulton (which is one of my favourites)Prob the best in the country now.
Right with the car all sorted it was time to get some food and a beer. Well we ended up with local fish and chip and then had to get back in time as the gates to the venue closed at 7pm and we were sleeping in the car (5 star Audi luxury). One thing to note if you do any events at the new Angelsey it has an on site bar and when we asked what time do your closed we got greeted with whenever everyone leaves.!!! Well 6 Magners later we decided to call it a day and get some sleep. Weather, well what can I say it absolutely pissed it down for at least a couple of hours but we eventually got to sleep.
6am Sunday was woken up to the sound of pitter patter of rain on the windscreen, great.!!!! First event never drove the car before, loads of friends coming to watch and lots of rain, mmmmm feeling a bit nervous. Anyways just after 6am my co-driver arrived as he couldn’t come down the night before and went through the stage maps with him, better get this right as there lot of opportunity to cock it right up!!..
Right intermediates on and everything checked and ready to go.!!
Stage 1 & 2 – very tricky and wet, 2nd chicane brake brake lock up, shit tyres or grass tyres or grass. Grass it is.! After the first stage which was a bit fraught, after that it was all neat and tidy.
Stage 3 & 4 – dry in places still on inters (worked very very well) neat and tidy but had a slight miss fire on some of the later corners of the stages, mmmmm
Stages 5 & 6 – getting dry now but the tyres were not overheating so stayed on the inters. Really starting to put in some good times and really enjoying it but the misfire was back.!!!!
Stages 7 & 8 – really flying now but the misfire was there still and seemed to be on left tight hand corners. We really wanted to finish, that was my aim not stage times but before the stage start of the last stage (8) the car would not start.!!! Shit, turned it over 3/4 times but would not kick in.!! On the 5th time just before the battery gave up it kicked into life.!!! Get to the start and after a bit of pushing in we started the stage.!! Last stage was wicked really good stage but the misfire was back in force again left hand corners.!!!!
We finished the final stage and what a relief, it was always the real objective of the weekend as well as get a feel for the car. I have to say I have driven a lot of cars and the cup racers are really good, the std brakes lasted all day after some serious abuse (although im sure they will need bleeding, the engine pulls well, in the dry it got lots of grip considering it hasn’t got an LSD (will do soon thought!) but the best bit was the handling. Everyone says they are really twitchy but with the spare wheel fitted and ½ tank of fuel it was really well balanced, very impressed.
Need to investigate the misfire but seems to be fuel surge and the other cup owner seem to have the same issue. No really identified cure apart from running the tank full for the next event. Why wouldn’t the car start before the last stage who knows – fuel evaporation as the car was very hot ? Things to work on.
Next event is this weekend at 3 sisters Sunday 4th May, may see some of you there.
Big thanks to Yozza @ Yozzasport for the help getting the car all sorted before the event.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm290/Evogone/_MG_6544.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm290/Evogone/_MG_6245.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm290/Evogone/P1010048.jpg