Carwise sorted out the immediate problems – the cut-down exhaust was replaced with a single silencer box to add some much-needed back pressure, the injectors were cleaned and the clutch cylinder resealed. We bought helmets, boots, socks, gloves, fireproof underwear, we borrowed race suits, we paid for our National Class rally licences, and we were ready for our first event!
The Umm Al Quwain Rally was the first in the annual 3-race series organized by Emirates Motor Sport Federation. There were 2 stages, each run 3 times, plus the prologue. This suited us, as Sheila only had to make pace notes for two different routes – and we had to agree how each hazard was to be described. It was a steep learning curve for both of us.
The Umm Al Quwain Rally was the first in the annual 3-race series organized by Emirates Motor Sport Federation. There were 2 stages, each run 3 times, plus the prologue. This suited us, as Sheila only had to make pace notes for two different routes – and we had to agree how each hazard was to be described. It was a steep learning curve for both of us.
The prologue was on Friday afternoon and consisted of a short spectator stage just off the Corniche in Umm Al Quwain - lots of tight turns and a dramatic jump in front of the grandstand. We ended up 12th fastest out of 15, so at least we weren't last.
SS3 had a tight left-hander soon after the start, which became heavily rutted. I took it too fast, and a tyre caught in the rut and came off the rim. We quickly deployed the jack and replaced the wheel with a spare, and carried on. At the service halt we reflated the spare and continued through the next two stages. During the second service stop we noticed that one wheel nut had come off, and quickly borrowed a replacement from a friend and checked that all were tight.
Now only the last two stages remained, and we felt confident of a good finish. On the final stage we were lying 10th, in line for a Dh 5000 prize, when disaster struck - the front left wheel came off! All the wheel nuts had stripped their threads and disappeared into the sand. I dug down to get the jack into position, hoisted the car up, refitted the wheel, stole some wheel nuts from the remaining three wheels and we continued at low speed, determined to get to the finish. Then the same wheel fell off again, and in a much more difficult terrain, and despite our frantic efforts to jack it up and we knew we were out of time.
The only consolation was that we won the National Class, a kind of ‘best-of-the-rest’ prize for non-finishers. Nice, but the cash would have been nicer. So, amid the gathering evening gloom we headed off to Umm Al Quwain town to buy some wheel nuts to get us home. Before the next race, I vowed to fit longer wheel studs to accommodate our thick alloy wheels – the original studs were designed for thinner steel wheels. You live and learn.
SS3 had a tight left-hander soon after the start, which became heavily rutted. I took it too fast, and a tyre caught in the rut and came off the rim. We quickly deployed the jack and replaced the wheel with a spare, and carried on. At the service halt we reflated the spare and continued through the next two stages. During the second service stop we noticed that one wheel nut had come off, and quickly borrowed a replacement from a friend and checked that all were tight.
Now only the last two stages remained, and we felt confident of a good finish. On the final stage we were lying 10th, in line for a Dh 5000 prize, when disaster struck - the front left wheel came off! All the wheel nuts had stripped their threads and disappeared into the sand. I dug down to get the jack into position, hoisted the car up, refitted the wheel, stole some wheel nuts from the remaining three wheels and we continued at low speed, determined to get to the finish. Then the same wheel fell off again, and in a much more difficult terrain, and despite our frantic efforts to jack it up and we knew we were out of time.
The only consolation was that we won the National Class, a kind of ‘best-of-the-rest’ prize for non-finishers. Nice, but the cash would have been nicer. So, amid the gathering evening gloom we headed off to Umm Al Quwain town to buy some wheel nuts to get us home. Before the next race, I vowed to fit longer wheel studs to accommodate our thick alloy wheels – the original studs were designed for thinner steel wheels. You live and learn.
1 comment:
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