Sadly we did not compete at the Emirates Desert Championship
last weekend. Having reached the front
of the queue to pay the entry fee, Richard informed me that there was a fuel
leak on the return line, and petrol was pi$$ing all over the bell housing. So, discretion being the better part of being
consumed in a large fireball, we put it back on the trailer.
However, the fuel line having been replaced, we were all set
for another event at Umm Al Quwain Motorplex this weekend. Friday was for practice and scrutineering, followed
by 3 laps of a 42km circuit on Saturday, interspersed with service and (would
you believe) lunch. So we did a quick
recce on Friday, with Sheila in the co-driver’s seat, and all went well. The new suspension was behaving itself and
the car definitely felt much better.
Saturday morning we were up with the lark, to get to UAQ
for a supposed 9.00am start. However I
had forgotten about the time difference between Dubai and UAQ, so of course we eventually
started around 10.30am - at 3 minute intervals.
And because I was the last car to register, I had the highest number
(30), which meant I started as the last car.
Eleven minutes later I was right on the tail of the car in front, which
chose that precise moment to make a navigational error, allowing me to get past
with no difficulty at all. Result! Then we passed another car broken down, OK so
I’ve gained a couple of places, not a bad start I thought. Then I realized that the first of the buggies
was breathing down my neck, and when the track widened out he was past me. He was obviously so happy to get past that he
opened the taps to the max, and promptly broke down. Then a second buggy came past me, going like
his trousers were on fire. I followed
him for a couple of minutes, and then his right rear wheel made a bid for
freedom and left him stranded beside the track.
So far, so good. Twenty minutes
in and there’s another car stuck on a steep dune, right on the track – bugger! Quick decision, hang a right, slalom past it
and keep the speed up through the soft stuff – and another one bites the dust. So far, so good. But just when you have such a thought, the god of
rallying will choose that moment to spoil your day.
 |
| Going... |
 |
| Going... |
 |
| Gone! |
We’re just about 2km from the end of the lap and there’s a 120° left, which is well cut-up and soft, and I’m trying to avoid running wide. Well, I achieve that – but at the expense of running too close to the ridge on the apex – the inside wheels catch the ridge and over we go. As the in-car video shows, there was a slight outbreak of bad language at that point, as we crash over on to Sheila’s side. Then comes the difficult bit – escaping. You have no idea how hard that is, encumbered by helmet and HANS, and of course suspended at 90° from the horizontal. I opened the harness and fell onto Sheila (not a good start) then managed to get the helmet and HANS off, and tried to get in a position where I could actually brace myself against Sheila’s door and lift open my door. Newsflash - doors are heavy! Well, I might have managed it eventually, but fortunately a marshal came to our rescue and opened the door and pulled me out – after which Sheila got out easily. The windscreen’s cracked and the front right wing crushed, but that’s the only significant damage, and once Ali Al Shawi has pulled it back onto its wheels, it drives. But the wing is now limiting wheel articulation, so rather than cause more damage, we decide to retire gracefully.
I have a lot more confidence in the car now, and
the suspension for sure can be further improved with tuning. It’s already in Nanjgel’s workshop for a new
wing and screen, and they are confident I can get it back in time for next
Friday’s EMSF event. And in case you
were wondering, we’re both fine – not a scratch.
