Skoda Rally Blog

So, the car is pretty much where it needs to be to use it – it runs well, and everything else on it is pretty much sorted out – the diff is working properly thanks to Steph’s excellent advice, and the car is quicker than it ever has been before.  I’m sure there’s a bit more power to come with some attention paid to the ignition advance, but that will need a dyno session to sort that out; it’s not bad, however, I just think at around 4-5000rpm there’s a bit of a drop off which could be sorted out.

But that’s an aside.  This morning I’ve made a decision.  Well, one which leads into another.  The end result is that we’re not going to be doing the Tempest.  It’s a great event which I’ve done 3 times (twice driving, once navigating), and I’m sure we’d both enjoy it, but the bottom line is this:  To do it will take 3 days (Friday, as I have to get everything loaded up, and go to scrutineering up in Aldershot, and Sunday to unload and clean up), and more importantly will be well over £600 – even if I use some old tyres.  Which is a significant amount of money for a day out, and more to the point, it’s about 15% of the total budget needed to do Rally GB.  Now, I’ve already spent around £1000 on gettting the car ready for Rally GB 2011, and most of that was on safety gear that needed replacing as it was out of date or needed servicing etc.  So the car will be ready and eligible for 2012, and that’s the last time ever.  The FIA won’t extend its lifetime again (after all, it will be 11 years after production stopped), so 2012 really will be the last time I could do a WRC round – short of a lottery win, I’ll never have another car which will be eligible.

So?

The money is going towards doing Rally GB 2012, which I am 100% committed to doing.  I’m hoping that this site will get some traffic this year if people wonder where we are, so I’m opening sponsorship up on the car now, for 2012.  We will be there; the car is already as well prepared as ever before, and I now have 10 months to do all those little things I’ve always wanted to improve; the kind of things that don’t cost a huge amount but take time and effort to get right.  More to come on this, but at the moment if anyone’s interested, we’re game for 2012.