High Speed Gardening
This is bad, very very bad. We may have only finished two stages but I can definitely say I’m hooked!
After better than a year of planning and preparation the inaugural Bluenose Autsport RallySprint series has arrived! Its been a long time since the hills of Nova Scotia roared (legally) with the sounds of rally cars at full tilt. It was good to hear and it won’t be the last time!
(Excuse the picture quality, all shots were taken with my Blackberry since I left the camera gear at home)
Two cars, 5 drivers, 6 stages, a whole lot of arrows and even more volunteers. The weather was okay, spitting rain occasionally but mostly dry. The 3km stages were a combination of dirt, gravel and rocks. Proper rally surfaces!
Going into this event I had never driven roads like this at speed, sure there’s RallyCross but in those events you’re in an open lot at slower speeds where the worst thing you’re going to hit is a snow bank. With RallySprint you’re handed a route book at the beginning of the event with major road details marked (hard turns, bridges, cautions) and expected to drive as quickly as possible having never seen them before. It was a bit nerve wracking and I went into the event intending to basically putter around the course. Yeah… right. Starting off with a bit of hesitation I started getting used to driving according to my navigator who was calling out the instructions based on distance. As that comfort level grew so did the speeds and soon we were 4 wheel drifting and yumping over crests feeling like Walter Rohl or Petter Solberg! I can easily say those two hesitant stages are the most fun I’ve ever had in a car. I want more!
Using a rotating driver format we each completed our first two stages
but, unfortunately on the final few feet of the second stage Daphne caught a rock with the front end of the car that punched through the skidplate and, worse, through the oil pan. Luckily no further damage was caused since it was so close to the finish but our day was done.
The car is fixable and we have the parts to do it, we’ll be back for the August 16th event. I can’t wait! Everyone needs to try this if they can!
