Gordon Winning & Robin Laird
Northwest Stages 16th February 2008
Car 58

The first rally of 2008 for us was to be a multi venue called the Northwest Stage to be held in Blackpool on February 16th 2008.

The previous year our 6-speed Quaife sequential box had broken twice, once at Weeton Camp on the 1st of April then at the Pendragon Stages on 26th August. We also entered Weeton in 2004 and were up to 5th overall when a driveshaft broke so every time we have been at Weeton we have had to retire, and with Weeton being used on the Northwest Stages we were both a bit nervous how it would go.

The step was taken to purchase the new Quaife 60 G 6 speed sequential box. We would be their first private customer and were being a ‘test bed’ for the box. Gordon sold the old reconditioned box to two guys from Ireland who walked off the Larne to Stranraer ferry pushing an Asda shopping trolley! They put the box in the trolley, thrust some money into Gordon's hands and pushed it back up the car ramp onto the ferry. The whole transaction taking minutes!

A nice leisurely drive to Blackpool was followed by booking into Pontins holiday camp. What a place! It has about 600+ chalet, and was to be used as a stage the next day, this did not worry me as I likened it to Ingleston, right and left 9’s, The only difference was no grass JUST BUILDINGS stopping you if you strayed off course!!!

The Clerk of the Course, Mark Hothersall advised us at the navigator's brief to look at the split junctions so's not to make mistakes, commenting on that some people would miss the turn. He was right. 6 of the front runners went the wrong way and got a stage max. Wonder how many of their navigators had been at the brief? So it was off to scrutineering at Moorland Motors. This gave us time to talk to some of the other crews as the queue was about 2 hours long. Number 5 Robb Dick in his Darian (to retire on stage 4 whilst lying 4th overall), Peter Jackson in his £60k Duratec Mark 2 Escort, (Went out at Weeton lying 6th), and Andy Leech, with a great sounding BMW M3, (Out on stage 5) and many other really nice crews. After getting our pass sticker we drove back to Pontins to meet up with our service crew Frances and Amanda and the management crew of Gerry and Dave. A couple of pints whilst I scanned the rally pack and then it was time for bed.

We set off at 8.55 from the main Time Control 1 outside Pontins. The 19 minute road section down the seafront relaxed us a lot, as we were both anxious about the day, never having done the event before, and all the road book and maps looked like a kids drawing! It was fantastic for me to have a working trip meter as our Lasor 3 had never worked correctly since day one. But after diagnosing that one of the calibration buttons was U/S, Geoff at Brent communications fixed it at last. It was working correctly and I had the confidence in its performance now. Just as well or we would have got ourselves well and truly lost during the course of the day.

We drove up the start ramp and Gordon was settling himself, psyching himself for what was to come when he was startled back into reality with a microphone being thrust through the window into his face. He was being interviewed for the telly. Some of the questions were quite amusing, “Why do lots of Scots come to Blackpool” he asked. Our first of the cuff answers would have normally been “Lapdancing, Clubs, beer and women” but fortunately Gordon thought better of it and gave a sensible answer. Are you going to win? was the next question... Had this guy seen the calibre of what we were competing against! But it was good fun and as I reminded Gordon via the intercom that we were actually here to test the gearbox the questions finally finished and the interviewer went off to startle the guy behind. Gordon settled down and we waited for the off.

SS 1 was a straight blast along the seafront promenade, broken by some tight chicanes to keep us below Mach1. We came across Stuart Deeley who’s Lotus Europa had spilled its guts of oil making braking treacherous. 200 yards further on the Datsun Violet of David Blackburn, similar to that of Scottish Tarmac runner Lindsey Taylor, had expired at the side of the road. A massive ice patch before one of the chicanes was navigated gingerly and we stopped the clocks at 2.55 35th quickest.. My words of wisdom to Gordon before the start must have sunk in “Not to be driven like a single venue!” We had finished the first stage!

SS2
Cancelled due to somebody hitting the seawall and being taken for some hospital food, still do not know who it was but hope you are both okay.
Next a 21 minute road section to SS3

SS3
Hillhouse 1 was on the site of a chemical works. It afforded an idyllic view of the river Wyre and a picturesque inland lagoon, equipped with a safety boat and divers if we made a mistake! Gulp! It was gravely in places but had some good straights so we got it into 6th gear and got the foot down. 5.33 19th quickest.

SS4
Was the same as 3 and we beat our previous time by 5 seconds. 5.28
Gordon said he could have gone quicker if the gear knob had not come off in his hand. Was this the notorious Gremlins that seem to follow us to England? I hoped not. A quick tightening of the allan screw at management service outside the stage cured the problem.

SS5
Was Weeton! As we lined up we were both nervously hoping that we did not hit any of the notorious kerbs, and the gremlins were too busy laughing about the gearknob coming off to bother us. We had a steady run through but trying to avoid one of the holes induced a massive tank slapper but fortunately Gordon was in control and we stopped the clocks on 7.24, 26th quickest.

SS6
Another run at the same stage and we managed to catch and pass 3 cars, a Pug 205, Nova and an Imp. On overtaking the Nova we were carrying a bit too much speed into the next right 9 through gateposts, and had to lean on the 10ft high hedge on the outside of the corner just like they do in Sweden with the snow banks to get back online, luckily there wasn’t any fence posts In the hedge. Luck was on our side. And we had got through Weeton twice! We were on a role. 7.11, 17th Quickest.

This was the finish of leg 1, there was now a 24 minute road section to a 20 minute service stop back at Pontins. We were handed the results at the time control but I did not dare look at them. Unknown to us we were lying 24th overall.

Leg 2 was the same as leg 1

SS7
Back to the Prom. The ice had melted by now but the oil from the Lotus was still there 2.46 28th Quickest

SS8
Our last visit to the prom and we blasted off with a mini 30 seconds in front of us. Gordon had a target in his sights and started to reel it in, only to be 5 car lengths behind it over the finish line 2.40 19th Quickest

SS9
Out to the Chemical Works. Is that not a band? DOH! it’s the Chemical Brothers. The place was starting to cut up badly now with huge potholes in the breaking zones. The route had changed a bit but suited us as there were not as many tight corners. 5.23, 17th quickest

SS10
Was SS9 again and Gordon now having been through the stage 3 times took a brave pill and blitzed the stage. Getting his breaking right for every corner 5.05, 5th quickest, equalling John Stone in his 6R4,and only 1 second off 3rd fastest stage time of Bob Grant in his Impreza and Graham Coffey in his Impreza WRC.

SS11
Back to Weeton again with all its holes and loose gravel. Got around without anything major and wound in a Pug 205 7.16, 20th quickest.

SS12
2nd run at Weeton and we had to make sure all the windows were shut as this place now looked and felt like a bomb site, the holes had become craters. I hated it . I thought the front struts were going to go through the bonnet but they didn’t . We did pick up our very fist puncture in our 6 years of rallying at a “left 2 and right 2. Don’t cut!.” As Gordon straight lined them flat in 5th he clipped into a corner and the tyre immediately popped. What I’ve always said to Gordon when he had said to me “I think we have got a puncture!” came true. “You won’t think you have got a puncture You will know that you have got a puncture.” We slowed dramatically and had to let the Nova we had just overtaken pass, and limped the last three quarters of a mile to the finish. Fortunately we only lost around 15 seconds so it could have been much worse. We pulled off the stop line into emergency management service and the Guys changed the wheel. We got a splash of gas and continued back to service at Pontins to finish Leg 2.
I was quite happy now as we had completed 50% of the route and anything else now would be a bonus. Another results form was handed to me which I still didn’t look at. (apparently we were up to 14th overall.)

Another 20 minutes service and this was the first time I got out of the car in 7 hours. I must say sorry to the guys in the queue for the toilets, as I jumped the queue, with the excuse that, is there room for a small one at the urinal trough. Needs must guys and a wet rally suit was not an option.

Leg 3

SS13
Was 100 yards from service in the Pontins complex. I had warned Gordon about the split and he didn’t make any mistakes. Playing the crowd with his sideways style of driving, thrilling them in the process. Footage can be seen on Youtube under Gordon Winning. 2.33 20th Fastest

SS14
Another trip around and 2.25 19th Fastest.
We now turned left out of Pontins and headed for Lytham Hall a stately home 20 minutes away.

SS15
This was a nice surface with long slight bends in amongst high trees and a very muddy section in a forest. Lots of side ways action which was appreciated by the Marshals who gave us a round of applause as we passed. “Lots to be lost and not a lot to be gained in here” was my comment as we finished 1.50 20th fastest

SS16
So what did Gordon do? Hung it all out , scattered the marshals back behind the trees and took 7 seconds out of his first time for 8th quickest equalling the time set by No 4 Peter Stojanov in his 6R4 and beating 2nd overall finisher as it would turn out Tony Bardy in his Nissan GTiR Sunny. Just as well the Gremlins are sleeping. Or had Gordon stunned them into silence? Long may it continue.

SS17
Next was Cliffton jobby works 19 minutes away. A super venue, with great concrete roads around the filtration tanks and under the conveyor belts. Slippy with what we thought was mud but later learned it wasn’t! Made a mental note not to tell the service crew in case they had to go under the car! 4.39 14th Fastest

I liked this place a lot and so did Gordon as the time reflects so onto

SS18
10 seconds quicker on 4.29 10th Quickest
Now finding our rhythm and starting to push a bit with our new found confidence in our gearbox, we headed back to service for the last time. To be handed results once more but I still did not look at them. Control or what eh! (We were now 12th overall.)
At service we replaced a knackered rear rose joint and tightened up all the loose track rod ends. Replaced the rear tyres with new second hand ones and brimmed the tank again for the 4th time that day. We took the spare wheel out to save weight and put our 4 light lamp pod on, for 2 of them to fail instantly -Little Gremlins again! The marshal made our day as he told us that the next Weeton stages had been cancelled due to holes. I signed his sheet and left a comment – “Thank God” So the last leg would be exactly the same as Leg 3 except there will be small changes in the routes and we headed of into SS19 - Pontins in the dark! Hey what a blast. Great fun. Buildings loomed towards us in the dark making it seem more confined. The long range spots were not working , it was only the corner ones that were okay but not too much of a problem in here as we set 2.58, 16th quickest.

SS20
We overtook a fiesta which had hit a rock and bent his back beam and caught a car in front only for him to go the wrong way at the split 2.50 12th Quickest

SS21
Out to Lytham Hall at night through the trees The first time around I had counted the speed bumps in the forest as the map was a bit vague and this helped a lot and I called “Left 9 after the 4 speed bumps.” To set a time of 1.52, 9th quickest,.

Another road section back to the start for another blast. 3 seconds quicker still 9th quickest on the stage.
Then another road section to Clifton. 19minutes later we were lined up for the last 2 stages of the event not knowing where we were sitting overall, but I had a vague idea that it might be reasonable as the leaders in their WRC machinery and 6R4’s were beside us lining up for the last stage. As we started the penultimate stage we watched Graham Cofffey launch off the start line to disappear into the first hairpin extremely quickly. We both looked at each other and burst out laughing. We lined up next. 3,2,1 GO. I realised that Gordon was really going for it and looked up momentarily to pick the place, 40 yards off the track, that we would end up after crashing through the filtration beds, but not today. Gordon braked harder than he has ever done before, tweaked the handbrake, snatched 2nd with the sequential gearbox, and blasted up the road shouting through the coms “C’MON! “ We stopped the clocks at 4.25, 5th quickest, beating event winner Steve Simpson in his Hyundi Accent WRC by 5 seconds. Unknown to us we had also taken 5 and 20 seconds out of the Impreza of Kev Jeffray and Lancer VI of Nigel Hobson jumping Nigel to be now lying 11th overall and only 18 seconds behind Kev in his Impreza in 10th place. The only slight pain about this stage was when we left the stop line and entered the road section, marshals asked the driver to take there helmet off. I cannot get a helmet between the big wing corbeau seats so it had to sit on my lap.

Last stage
“Never ease off until you have the trophy in your hand” springs to mind as previous experience has taught us. Gordon lost 6 seconds to Andrew Borthwick for him to snatch a championship win back in 2002 from him at Crail. So with this in mind we were certainly going for it again. Seemingly we nearly hit a building head on after a “right 9 through shit, into left 9 continues” I was oblivious as I was reading a book . said Gordon later. Sometimes it is better not knowing these things. We caught a slower car further on but it did not hold us up that much and it wasn’t worth the risk of trying to overtake it so we crossed the line. On 4.26 10th quickest. and taking 26 seconds out of Kev. So with results unknown we had a ponderous and reflective 33 minute drive back to service. We put the car on the trailer and broke out the champagne I had brought, Not that we had expected a win or anything like that. This was to celebrate a finish. We had broken the Gremlins and they had disappeared to some other bugger. The car and surrounding area got most of the champagne and we went to the Queen Vic for a well deserved pint and to await the final results. It was finally confirmed we had finished 10th overall and 1st rear wheel drive car. What a day! Thanks to everybody involved in a great event. We celebrated with few lemonade and limes - NOT!!

Robin Laird.