Sunday saw me and the ZS's first ever competitive event!! Sadly it was all pretty low key, but never mind it was an actual competition. we have entered the Cirencester Car Club winter series of Auto tests.
The first round was at Kemble airfield just outside Ciren and the event was laid out as one big stage that everyone got 4 goes at. Only 10 cars entered including a Mk1 escort that was permanently sideways, a Mk11 RS2000, a trick mini (more later), Mk2 XR2 driven by two completely loonies (in a good way), a 205 gti and a scooby wrx sti (can you guess who won yet?)
Anyway the event was great, being one long stage made it feel a bit more like a rally and the surface was a mix of tarmac, gravel and muddy grass/gravel so plenty of sideways wheel spinning fun.
Sadly the ZS's runs were mixed bag. First run was pretty slow as I was learning the course, second was much beter, 10 secs faster and great fun with the old handbrake earning its keep big time!
Then on runs three and four a mysterious and loud banging noise caused both runs to be aborted so I only had my first two runs to choose from to make up my best two times!!
Anyway in the end we were 6th out of ten, but with runs 3 and 4 I could have been up to 3rd (yeah I know, every good driver needs his excuses!!). Still we beat both the RS2000 and the Mk 1 escorts although not the wrx which won, or the 205 or the mini which lost a wheel on it's second run when a rear thngy bit snapped!!
Mini was a work of art though. Lovely outside but inside very trick with home made ecu set up and home made flappy paddle changer for gears woth computer controlled actualor working the gear stick, with home brewed launch control and traction control it was a real flyer!
All great fun. No pics as Mrs ZS bailed out at the last moment pleading total lack of interest so no one to take pics. Next round on Nov 4th. Will do better on pic front and hopefully position!
The first round was at Kemble airfield just outside Ciren and the event was laid out as one big stage that everyone got 4 goes at. Only 10 cars entered including a Mk1 escort that was permanently sideways, a Mk11 RS2000, a trick mini (more later), Mk2 XR2 driven by two completely loonies (in a good way), a 205 gti and a scooby wrx sti (can you guess who won yet?)
Anyway the event was great, being one long stage made it feel a bit more like a rally and the surface was a mix of tarmac, gravel and muddy grass/gravel so plenty of sideways wheel spinning fun.
Sadly the ZS's runs were mixed bag. First run was pretty slow as I was learning the course, second was much beter, 10 secs faster and great fun with the old handbrake earning its keep big time!
Then on runs three and four a mysterious and loud banging noise caused both runs to be aborted so I only had my first two runs to choose from to make up my best two times!!
Anyway in the end we were 6th out of ten, but with runs 3 and 4 I could have been up to 3rd (yeah I know, every good driver needs his excuses!!). Still we beat both the RS2000 and the Mk 1 escorts although not the wrx which won, or the 205 or the mini which lost a wheel on it's second run when a rear thngy bit snapped!!
Mini was a work of art though. Lovely outside but inside very trick with home made ecu set up and home made flappy paddle changer for gears woth computer controlled actualor working the gear stick, with home brewed launch control and traction control it was a real flyer!
All great fun. No pics as Mrs ZS bailed out at the last moment pleading total lack of interest so no one to take pics. Next round on Nov 4th. Will do better on pic front and hopefully position!
