Stu Wilson Rallying 2008 review

        (for previous years click 2006, 2007)

        The plan for 2008 was to have a quiet year picking and choosing events once the white 16 valve car was repaired after the accident on the 2007 Turnbull Trophy.

        January saw the sale of the red eight valve car; this gave much needed funds to get the other car straightened. The damaged car and a donor shell were dropped at the body shop a week before Easter. The repaired car was collected the day before Good Friday.

        The first event entered was the Horiba D'Isis stages at MIRA near Nuneaton. For this event I had Lorraine Chappell in the hot seat, no problems car going well, we finished 28th overall and 5th in our class.
        Having a good result and no problems the next one entered was the John Overend at Melbourne near York. This event would see Chris Purvis return to the hot seat. Only problem on this event was the gear linkage coming loose. We finished 30th overall and 5th in class
        An entry had been put in for the Rally of the Midlands, to get some more time in the car before this we headed off to sunny Blackpool for the Weeton Camp stages, I think most 1600 rally cars in the north east were there for this one. Another good run getting valuable time in the car and finishing 18th overall and 9th in class.
        Onto the rally of the Midlands, and some unfinished business as we crashed out on this event in 2007. Weather wasn't the best but again another not bad result, 30th overall 5th in class.
        July saw us heading to Manby near Louth in Lincolnshire; this event was cancelled at the last minute last year due to flooding. This year it was wet but no where near as bad. This event didn't go very well, not the car the driver. We finished a not so good 41st overall and 10th in class.
        Looking at the championship tables we were in not too bad a position in the ANCC Multi-use challenge, so it seemed worth going for. An entry was put in for the Centenary Stages held at Twyford Wood near Grantham. This was our first visit to the venue and something just seemed right and we got probably the best result of the year, finishing 19th overall and 3rd in class. The gearbox did require a rebuild after this event.
        A fortnight later and onto the Pendragon based in Penrith. For this event I was due to have Fiona Douglas in the hot seat but due to ill health she had to pull out the week before. This left a panic search for a replacement, which I found but that's all I'll say on that matter. We finished 54th overall 11th in class, could have been better but it was another finish.
        A new event had been organised in memory of the late Richard Burns, this was to take place at RAF Marham near Kings Lynn, Norfolk. An entry was sent in for this two day event. For this one I had Russell Churchill in the other seat, we had a good run on the first day and were going not too badly on the second day until the diff' cried enough and took 12 teeth off the crown wheel, event over. This event is certainly one to do again, being made very welcome by both the motor club and the RAF.
        We then had three events in five weeks starting with the Malton Forest Rally. This was my second time doing this good event. In the hot seat was Steve Dargan this was his first time doing a forest event. The weather was terrible it never stopped raining all day. Being only my 3rd forest event we finished very well with 45th overall and 3rd in class.
        Back to Melbourne on the 23rd for the last round of the multi-use challenge where we had to finish 6th or better in class to be in with a chance of an award. There was snow and ice on the first couple of stages, which we could have done with out. But we did finish 36th overall 6th in class.
        Six days later across in Coniston in the lake district for the final event of the year the Grizedale Stages. We just wanted to finish so a steady run on my 4th forest event. The biggest problem we found was the low sun in the afternoon that blinded us a few times going over crests. But again we finished not too bad in 58th overall and 7th in class.

        So what started as a quiet year turned out to be the best year competing yet. Some good events, good competition, good nights out and the car still in one piece.
        In the Kent Cams ANCC Stage Rally Championship I finished 3rd overall Chris finished 2nd overall. We won the Multi-use Challenge and also picked up class awards in the Tarmac Challenge.

        Must thank the continued support of Cloud 9 Leisure and Gannon Oils for sponsorship. My various co drivers through out the year Lorraine, Russell, Steve and Chris. The people who have helped on event service and preparation before events, Ian Johnson, Jonny "Big J" Gurling, Scott Wilkinson, Paul Irving, Garry Salmon, Kev Monaghan, Ray Cummings and Graham Murray.
        Others who have helped out this year are my Mother for doing the catering and parcel receiving, Father for running the website and PR work, Gillian and Russ for providing accommodation for the team on the events in the Midlands. Also Charlotte who helped out on the Pendragon

        2009 will be a quieter year, with two events planned at the moment. Again heading south to Norfolk in August for the Richard Burns Memorial, then back to Penrith at the end of August for the Pendragon