Now we're off to Ras Al Khaimah for the 3rd round of this championship, to compete over three gravel stages, each run three times with service halts after each repeat. Friday morning practice, Friday afternoon stickers and scutineering, back home for a nights kip and then back up to RAK on Saturday morning.
Time for a quick check under the car to make sure nothing important has come undone or fallen off. Oh dear, the rear diff is weeping. Not because it's feeling depressed about the caning I'm about to give it, but because several of the ring bolts are loose. This I can cope with. Moving forward, I give the exhaust a wiggle and it nearly falls off in my hand. One of the flange bolts has lost both its nut and locknut, and the other one is completely loose. A quick scratch around various competitors' toolboxes yields the requisite nuts,but and I'm still doing the business while Sheila attends driver's briefing. Today we don't have the benefit of a service crew, so we're relying on luck to get us through the day.
The first three stages go pretty well, apart from a slight navigational error, and I feel pretty happy heading back to service. But on checking the power steering, I find we're used a lot of fluid. It's leaking out, but I can't find the source. So I just fill up the reservoir and cross my fingers.
Halfway back towards stage 4, we have no power steering. At all. And no fluid. So the next six stages are going to be hard work. In the desert it's doable, but on a tight gravel track? Hmmm. But we persevere and get through all remaining six stages somehow - not quick, but, as I have pointed out before, keeping going is the main thing. I quickly learn that I cannot change gear and steer at the same time. I have to plan my gear changes where the track is straight, so I can use both arms to heave the Beast round the turns by brute force. My arms are still paying the price.
We end up 7th overall and 3rd in class, and Sheila gets a special trophy for being the only lady finisher. Overall, we are now second in T1 class after 3 of the 6 rounds! Result!
Time for a quick check under the car to make sure nothing important has come undone or fallen off. Oh dear, the rear diff is weeping. Not because it's feeling depressed about the caning I'm about to give it, but because several of the ring bolts are loose. This I can cope with. Moving forward, I give the exhaust a wiggle and it nearly falls off in my hand. One of the flange bolts has lost both its nut and locknut, and the other one is completely loose. A quick scratch around various competitors' toolboxes yields the requisite nuts,but and I'm still doing the business while Sheila attends driver's briefing. Today we don't have the benefit of a service crew, so we're relying on luck to get us through the day.
The first three stages go pretty well, apart from a slight navigational error, and I feel pretty happy heading back to service. But on checking the power steering, I find we're used a lot of fluid. It's leaking out, but I can't find the source. So I just fill up the reservoir and cross my fingers.
Halfway back towards stage 4, we have no power steering. At all. And no fluid. So the next six stages are going to be hard work. In the desert it's doable, but on a tight gravel track? Hmmm. But we persevere and get through all remaining six stages somehow - not quick, but, as I have pointed out before, keeping going is the main thing. I quickly learn that I cannot change gear and steer at the same time. I have to plan my gear changes where the track is straight, so I can use both arms to heave the Beast round the turns by brute force. My arms are still paying the price.
We end up 7th overall and 3rd in class, and Sheila gets a special trophy for being the only lady finisher. Overall, we are now second in T1 class after 3 of the 6 rounds! Result!
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