MGJ Engineering Brands Hatch Winter Stages 20th Jan 2018

[justracing]

Entries/Timetable/Stage Diagrams:

http://brandshatchstages.co.uk

[Suze]

I'll be there... rusty as anything and a few issues to sort but looking forward to it.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Suze

I'll be there... rusty as anything and a few issues to sort but looking forward to it.

Ditto that on being rusty - Rockingham was supposed to be a 'refresher' ahead of Brands. There are some very quick cars/drivers on the entry list for Brands so I don't suspect we'll be worrying the top guys in our class too much!

[Suze]

I've not driven on a stage rally for I think just shy of three years by the time Brands comes round. That, the rebuilt car and some personal injuries will make for an interesting day!

[justracing]

Good weather forecast for Saturday, be great to see some live action stages but may well need thermals! You can only watch a certain amount of Dakar before hankering after the real thing! Good luck to all competitors, there's some stiff opposition at the pointy end by the look of things.

[chunder]

Annoying that Palmer keeps sneaking the price up all the time used to be a tenner.

So daft

[justracing]

Originally Posted by chunder

Annoying that Palmer keeps sneaking the price up all the time used to be a tenner.

So daft

+£5 if you want to park on South Bank! Fortunately for me I have a season ticket but I agree the price increases are relentless but it still good value for day's entertainment.

[justracing]

I thought the Newton brothers were entered in their Nova, always a quick little car but they don't appear on the latest list.

[chunder]

t is if you live locally, sadly for me it is a 200 mile round trip and just a bit of a rip off sorry.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by justracing

Good weather forecast for Saturday, be great to see some live action stages but may well need thermals! You can only watch a certain amount of Dakar before hankering after the real thing! Good luck to all competitors, there's some stiff opposition at the pointy end by the look of things.

It looks very competitive at the front - we're hoping to make a bit of forward progress from our seeding but getting into the top 20 would be a great result I think for us (shows how it's moved on - we used to be aiming at top ten but we can't compete with all those wallets at the front now!).

Originally Posted by justracing

I thought the Newton brothers were entered in their Nova, always a quick little car but they don't appear on the latest list.

They were entered but have pulled out. Very quick car/crew and always good at Brands - opens up Class A though!

[justracing]

Bit of a swing in the weather forecast for Saturday, rain and sleet will give decided advantage to 4 wheel drive competitors

[justracing]

Well what with illness and the potential bad weather it looks like I may be the only representative of the official South Bank old farts club attending tomorrow :roll eyes: I just don't understand these so called racing enthusiasts, no stamina

[justracing]

Fascinated to know whether any of the competitors were running traction control today? The level of adhesion by some of the 2 wheel RWD cars in the appalling conditions was incredible.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by justracing

Fascinated to know whether any of the competitors were running traction control today? The level of adhesion by some of the 2 wheel RWD cars in the appalling conditions was incredible.

Well I was not! First time on rally slicks full stop let alone in the wet. Changed to wets when the standing water appeared. Few moments but a good day out after nearly three years of sitting in the co-driver seat.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by justracing

Fascinated to know whether any of the competitors were running traction control today? The level of adhesion by some of the 2 wheel RWD cars in the appalling conditions was incredible.

Well we definitely didn't have traction control. We also didn't have proper wets. We were on super softs with some hastily added extra cuts (we do have wets - but they're about 10 years old so they're pretty much useless). The difference decent tyres make is incredible - normally we're nip and tuck with Tim Mewett (car 29 today) but he was on a decent set of wets and blew us into the weeds today (9th overall). We had fun but spent too much time looking out of the side windows to be quick! Got to the end though with only minor damage.

Not a nice day to be stood out marshalling or on the time controls so a big thank you to the marshals and all of the organisers - cracking event as always. A nod to the spectators too - hardy bunch!

[Suze]

On the subject of tyres, we tried some old racing wets we had not used before. The Michelin tyre van old out of wets; couldn't spend on tyres but did have a chat with them and they mentioned it!

[justracing]

Are there any other events other than the Goodwood stages in February where spectators are allowed. I always attend the Goodwood stages in addition to the MJN event at Brands but other than these there are very few events in the South.

[Suze]

18th February, Snetterton Stages. We have decided not to enter this year.

March is Bovington although you can only view from the tank viewing area as spectators are not allowed.

Depending whether you are an “all day” spectator or like to pop in for a couple of hours only, have you thought about marshalling? There are lots of different roles from stage start to stage finish to out on stage to other volunteering roles which are admin type based etc. You may not see as much car action as spectating but could be a way of becoming involved for those events which are non-spectator eg mainly MOD places.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by Suze

18th February, Snetterton Stages. We have decided not to enter this year.

March is Bovington although you can only view from the tank viewing area as spectators are not allowed.

Depending whether you are an “all day” spectator or like to pop in for a couple of hours only, have you thought about marshalling? There are lots of different roles from stage start to stage finish to out on stage to other volunteering roles which are admin type based etc. You may not see as much car action as spectating but could be a way of becoming involved for those events which are non-spectator eg mainly MOD places.

Thanks for that, I'm considering Snetterton although Norfolk in February is even less hospitable than Goodwood. Having lived and worked in the area in the 70's I speak from personal experience! I have attended race meetings of all sorts from 750mc events to F1 and just about everything inbetween and whilst I have the greatest admiration for the orange army I have never been tempted to join their ranks. I did manage the Tempest rally a winters back but it's now been abandoned, roll on the South Downs stages.
I'm still convinced that some of Saturday's competitors were running TC.

[chunder]

I would guess if you spending upwards of 100 grand on an Escort then the ECU and electronics would have it fitted.

A few of the Darrians I saw a few years back were running it, and the kit cars had it fitted as standard as factory cars. so maybe the 306 has it fitted too.

Certainly not a complex of expensive thing to have on a car these days, simply need the sensors and electronics package to run it, but in most rallying it serves no purpose as you need to slide, depending on the car.