Saturday morning. Up at 06:00 and down for breakfast by 06:45. First stop was back to Badminton School to pick up the cars. Some entrants were staying in the hotel and having a Dinner that evening. They would follow the road book up to Tew for the stages and drive back to the hotel in the evening. We weren’t staying a second night so we opted to put the cars back on the trailers and tow them to Tew. So we picked up the cars, drove to Clifton Rugby club, put them back on the trailers and off to Tew.
We winged by satnav to the first stage and then realised we should go to the trailer park/service area first. We about turned and drove there about 2 miles away. Once unloaded and overalls and headlamps on, we drove to the first stage called “Through the trees”. When we got there, lots of cars were leaving and people were saying it was the wrong place. We drove back to the service area as the Great Tew stage was directly opposite. The officials told us we needed to go back to the other stage. This was getting a bit annoying now.
So back we go to Through The Trees. And no one is there, we drove around a car park, my brother tried a different little road on site to no joy. We then went back across the yard where all the cars were leaving earlier and we some some people. They told us the stage was a lot further down. We followed the track and found a few cars queuing at the stage start. But yet again there were no officials. This was getting really annoying. People were driving off again but we stayed. Then one of the organisers turned up and the stage started.
Sadly no photos of this stage but it started on a really rough road with a few long sweeping bends, then a 90 right along a smother track. Another 90 right took us onto a slippery concrete road where you could pick up some good speed if you dared. A hairpin right back onto a rough road took you to the stage finish. We did this twice and it was really enjoyable. As expected Sean drove it pretty flat out and put in a good show for the Beetle that broke down on stage.
We went back to service to check the cars over. There was a clonking from the passenger front strut. The lock nut holding the damper into the strut had come loose and jammed up inside the dust shield. With no spring compressor we had now way to dislodge it. As the handling wasn’t really compromised and there was no way it could fall off, we continued reagardless.
Next it was onto the Great Tew stage. Starting with a long straight on tar we went over a cattle grid on to a dirt track. Immediate 90 left short blast 90 right and a long left hander onto a very long fast straight. This went to tar about 3/4 way along. I don’t know what speed we got to but it felt pretty bl00dy fast whilst flanked with trees. End of the straight was a 90 left straight into 90 right taken sideways, obviously. Then it was a fast long drag up the hill to the finish. Very enjoyable indeed.
I don’t know what stage these photos were taken from as we did it 4 times in total, but I’ll dump them here for now. There’s a few of my brother too.
We winged by satnav to the first stage and then realised we should go to the trailer park/service area first. We about turned and drove there about 2 miles away. Once unloaded and overalls and headlamps on, we drove to the first stage called “Through the trees”. When we got there, lots of cars were leaving and people were saying it was the wrong place. We drove back to the service area as the Great Tew stage was directly opposite. The officials told us we needed to go back to the other stage. This was getting a bit annoying now.
So back we go to Through The Trees. And no one is there, we drove around a car park, my brother tried a different little road on site to no joy. We then went back across the yard where all the cars were leaving earlier and we some some people. They told us the stage was a lot further down. We followed the track and found a few cars queuing at the stage start. But yet again there were no officials. This was getting really annoying. People were driving off again but we stayed. Then one of the organisers turned up and the stage started.
Sadly no photos of this stage but it started on a really rough road with a few long sweeping bends, then a 90 right along a smother track. Another 90 right took us onto a slippery concrete road where you could pick up some good speed if you dared. A hairpin right back onto a rough road took you to the stage finish. We did this twice and it was really enjoyable. As expected Sean drove it pretty flat out and put in a good show for the Beetle that broke down on stage.
We went back to service to check the cars over. There was a clonking from the passenger front strut. The lock nut holding the damper into the strut had come loose and jammed up inside the dust shield. With no spring compressor we had now way to dislodge it. As the handling wasn’t really compromised and there was no way it could fall off, we continued reagardless.
Next it was onto the Great Tew stage. Starting with a long straight on tar we went over a cattle grid on to a dirt track. Immediate 90 left short blast 90 right and a long left hander onto a very long fast straight. This went to tar about 3/4 way along. I don’t know what speed we got to but it felt pretty bl00dy fast whilst flanked with trees. End of the straight was a 90 left straight into 90 right taken sideways, obviously. Then it was a fast long drag up the hill to the finish. Very enjoyable indeed.
I don’t know what stage these photos were taken from as we did it 4 times in total, but I’ll dump them here for now. There’s a few of my brother too.
