Whitey
05-01-2007, 09:03 PM
Farrant Extends Series Lead
The June Long Weekend saw competitors from the ACT, NSW and Victoria converge on the dairy town of Bega for the running of the Bega Valley Motors Rally. The event was a round of three separate state championships and is always a favourite because of the mix of fast, open shire roads, such as Upper Cabargo Rd and testing forest stages including Snake Track. Competitors describe it as "Rally Heaven".
Three Excels, again, faced the starter as Mick Gillett had not managed to complete the construction of his car in time for the event and now looks set to debut at The Bay Stages. Regular pairings of Luke Anderson/Mick Ryan and Glenn Farrant/Jason Wood lined up with David White and guest co-driver (Gemini Series Driver) Adam Phillips.
All three teams had worked on developing their brakes prior to Bega and were keen to test them on the way to SS1- Greendale, only to discover that the ever encroaching march of bitumen had progressed all the way to the start control of the first shire road stage. The testing would have to wait until after the start control. All three Excels completed the high speed Greendale stage in an average speed of 100kph, Farrant taking a slight lead.
SS2 was the legendary Upper Cobargo Road, Farrant and Anderson set identical times. However White had a spin early in the stage and couldn't regain his rhythm.
SS3- Buckajoo and SS4 Coppers Gully were the last of the shire road stages, Farrant and Anderson again set identical times on SS4 in spite of a spin by Anderson within sight of the finish line, Anderson/Ryan now lead Farrant/Wood by a mere second.
It was then back to Bega for a 10 minute service to bleed brakes where Anderson/Ryan and Farrant/Wood both incurred a 20 seconds penalty for booking into regroup late. The regroup was followed by the long transport to the real forest stages south of Eden.
The first forest stage,SS5- Broadwater, and Anderson/Ryan were reveling in the "close" forest environment and extended the lead to 20 seconds over Farrant/Wood. The less experienced White/Phillips now trailing by nearly 2 minutes. Stage 5 was followed by another short 10 minute service which barely allowed enough time to refuel the cars after negotiating the service book in/book out process.
Stage 6 took the crews over the Stoney Creek stage, Farrant set the quickest time after Anderson/Ryan ceased to proceed due to an overheated and slipping clutch forced them to a stop on one of the stages steeper hills. After a stoppage of some 20 minutes the clutch had cooled and they were able to continue at much reduced speed. White/Phillips running further down the order had to contend with driving into the setting sun followed by the failure of the headlamp relay which dimmed their progress further.
After the final 10 minute service the crews headed out to contest the last two stages, Anteater and Timbillica. SS7 was the longest of the event at 26km. Farrant managed to score a flat tyre midstage and was forced to stop and change it, losing 4 minutes. To top it off he also got a second puncture on SS8 and managed to drive on it to the end of stage and the 10km back to the event finish, losing more time in stage and a further 20 seconds for booking in late at the finish control.
Anderson/Ryan now running last car on the road had negotiated the final two stages mainly in first gear with a massively slipping clutch to score valuable series points.
White/Phillips had managed to fix their lighting problem whilst waiting to check into the last service. On the final two stages they too ran into trouble with an engine misfire that mysteriously cleared itself mid-stage on SS7.
The final result was Farrant/Wood hanging on for the win by 40 seconds from White/Phillips in a 'hare and tortoise' race with Anderson Ryan slipping back into third.
The next Excel Series Round is the Bay Stages on 13th August 2005
The June Long Weekend saw competitors from the ACT, NSW and Victoria converge on the dairy town of Bega for the running of the Bega Valley Motors Rally. The event was a round of three separate state championships and is always a favourite because of the mix of fast, open shire roads, such as Upper Cabargo Rd and testing forest stages including Snake Track. Competitors describe it as "Rally Heaven".
Three Excels, again, faced the starter as Mick Gillett had not managed to complete the construction of his car in time for the event and now looks set to debut at The Bay Stages. Regular pairings of Luke Anderson/Mick Ryan and Glenn Farrant/Jason Wood lined up with David White and guest co-driver (Gemini Series Driver) Adam Phillips.
All three teams had worked on developing their brakes prior to Bega and were keen to test them on the way to SS1- Greendale, only to discover that the ever encroaching march of bitumen had progressed all the way to the start control of the first shire road stage. The testing would have to wait until after the start control. All three Excels completed the high speed Greendale stage in an average speed of 100kph, Farrant taking a slight lead.
SS2 was the legendary Upper Cobargo Road, Farrant and Anderson set identical times. However White had a spin early in the stage and couldn't regain his rhythm.
SS3- Buckajoo and SS4 Coppers Gully were the last of the shire road stages, Farrant and Anderson again set identical times on SS4 in spite of a spin by Anderson within sight of the finish line, Anderson/Ryan now lead Farrant/Wood by a mere second.
It was then back to Bega for a 10 minute service to bleed brakes where Anderson/Ryan and Farrant/Wood both incurred a 20 seconds penalty for booking into regroup late. The regroup was followed by the long transport to the real forest stages south of Eden.
The first forest stage,SS5- Broadwater, and Anderson/Ryan were reveling in the "close" forest environment and extended the lead to 20 seconds over Farrant/Wood. The less experienced White/Phillips now trailing by nearly 2 minutes. Stage 5 was followed by another short 10 minute service which barely allowed enough time to refuel the cars after negotiating the service book in/book out process.
Stage 6 took the crews over the Stoney Creek stage, Farrant set the quickest time after Anderson/Ryan ceased to proceed due to an overheated and slipping clutch forced them to a stop on one of the stages steeper hills. After a stoppage of some 20 minutes the clutch had cooled and they were able to continue at much reduced speed. White/Phillips running further down the order had to contend with driving into the setting sun followed by the failure of the headlamp relay which dimmed their progress further.
After the final 10 minute service the crews headed out to contest the last two stages, Anteater and Timbillica. SS7 was the longest of the event at 26km. Farrant managed to score a flat tyre midstage and was forced to stop and change it, losing 4 minutes. To top it off he also got a second puncture on SS8 and managed to drive on it to the end of stage and the 10km back to the event finish, losing more time in stage and a further 20 seconds for booking in late at the finish control.
Anderson/Ryan now running last car on the road had negotiated the final two stages mainly in first gear with a massively slipping clutch to score valuable series points.
White/Phillips had managed to fix their lighting problem whilst waiting to check into the last service. On the final two stages they too ran into trouble with an engine misfire that mysteriously cleared itself mid-stage on SS7.
The final result was Farrant/Wood hanging on for the win by 40 seconds from White/Phillips in a 'hare and tortoise' race with Anderson Ryan slipping back into third.
The next Excel Series Round is the Bay Stages on 13th August 2005