In association with
BEATSON`S MOTORSPORT.

Parkhead Building Supplies Stages, Ingliston 22nd April 2006


Since our last event at Crail we have removed the engine as planned only to find additional works required to bring the Corsa back to the reliable car that it was. This meant that we had to withdraw our entry for this event at Ingliston as the engine was a few weeks away from being ready.

The week prior to the event I received a telephone call from John Marshall at Beatson`s Motorsport (who also sponsor the championship) to ask if I was available to navigate for him in his ex Pierra Liatti Subaru Impreza N555 BAT , yes please.

Running at car number 5 and with John having won the last event outright at Charterhall it was an experience not to be missed. Having never sat in a car with this sort of power and acceleration I knew that with the complexities of the 4 splits and 2 merges on each of the 8 Tarmac stages I would have to be on the ball with the notes.

9am approached and the service crew had the car ready to go, we had our start time of 9.02, the traffic light start line beckoned into view and John started flicking all sorts of switches, buttons and gismos.15 seconds, 10 seconds 54321 go !!!!!!

As John launched off the startline in a frenzy of popping, banging the notes began to flow giving John all the precise details he required. The difference being I had to read the notes somewhat quicker and more in advance for John rather than the usual pace of the Corsa.

The only way I can describe the feeling off the startline is being like on the ride of Oblivion at Alton Towers last year!!!

We were held up for around 7 seconds on the first stage as car number 9, Mk2 Escort failed to move over and let us past until a long straight allowed us to power past.
A quick half-hour service allowed all the diffs, wheels and regular checks to be made on the car for stage 2.
This time we increased the pace to try and beat the MK2 to the first merge to be in front of him before the tight and twisty sections and that is what we did, by a split second. We cut a corner a little too much and clipped a lorry tyre sending the car up at a 45-degree angle but John just kept the power down and drove out of what could have been a very nasty roll.
By midway on the event we still held onto our 2nd overall position with the MG Metro 6R4 of Tommy Morris already 10 seconds ahead.The Mitubushi Evo of John and Jim Rintoul had retired on the stage with diff failure and as John passed them he said to me he was dissappointed they had retired as it would have been a good battle with them today.( or words to that effect!!) The car behind, a 380BHP Darrian Kit car was beginning to nip at our heels so we kept the pace up and going into the last stage were exactly 2 seconds ahead of the Darrian. With us still holding onto our fastest first stage over the Darrian it means that we could afford to be beaten by 2 seconds on the final stage by him but as we had the fastest first stage we would secure 2nd Overall.
To add to that we also had fastest stage time on the second last stage taking 2 seconds out of the MG Metro 6R4 of Morris.

On the last lap of the 3 lap final stage John felt the car losing power on the tight twisty section as we were attempting to overtake an Escort Cosworth, bang!! We had blown a turbo END OF RALLY.

After such a flawless run all day this sport can be so cruel at the worst possible times and I am gutted for John Marshall as he was on for full points in the championship.

I would personally like to thank John at Beatson`s Building Supplies and all of his service crew for letting me enjoy one of the best days I have ever had in a Rally car.