Bay Rally 2001 - Whakatane - Rd 6 Top Half Series

Thanks to our sponsors - Redhills Benz, Lauries Garage, Valvoline, STS Subaru Reckers.

Event Review

The Rally season finale was a great challenge for the Redhills Rallyteam. Run in and around Rotoehu Forest, it was a mixture of fast flowing roads, and rough forestry tracks...some were car breakers. Check out the results here.

The day dawned fine, and we assembled in the main street for a ceremonial start @ 8:30am. We were 54th on the road, so we were off at 9:24am.

Stage One: Herepuru 1 - 10.00 KM
This stage started in a small forest track, flowing medium metal roads, with some patches of heavy metal, with the final 2 km on flowing gravel county road and ends onto seal section. This stage was so rough, the car was being thrown all over the road. We were having to go wider than normal on corners to miss car breaking rocks. The road was real slippery, and the dust cloud behind huge. It was a slow start and we had a fairly uneventful stage.

Stage Two: Ellisons - 7.50 KM
Another forestry stage with 4km of metal based road, heavy in patches, followed by 3 km of pumice road. This was one of the stages used in the Rally Rotorua, so I knew the last 4km quite well, although it was in reverse. Again the road was very rough, some of the holes were so bit, the suspension was bottoming out on the bump stops. We took it easy through here, to try and conserve the car because the roads were so rough, and the stones being thrown up by the cars running in front were HUGE.

Stage Three: Pa Road - 21.00km
This stage started on a main forestry road, medium metal, before turning onto a pumice based road for 4.5km, returning onto a medium metal forestry road. It wound through a metal dump and old log skid before exiting forest onto super fast county road to finish. One narrow wooden bridge. The start was great, big long fast straights, we were in 5th gear, doing 170km/hr along most. Before heading into a tight section. We had a bit of overheating in this stage, due to the slow corners, and the heat of the day. Finally we exited into the "super fast" final 4-5km which we were hitting 180km/hr around fast sweeping corners to the finish. A great stage with everything. We pulled out a great time and caught out a couple of spectators at the finish who were walking down the main road...we gave them a bit of a fright when we came around the corner at 140km/hr...

Stage Four: McIvor - 19.00 KM - The best stage of the day
Run on country roads, with medium metal, with a 2km section of seal in middle of stage. The stage started on a tight twisty road for 10km, before reaching 'Helicopter Corner' and returning to fast flowing gravel road for final 7km. This stage was superb, it was 1st and 2nd gear corners for the first 10kms, on great heavily cambered corners. This type of road is good for our car, as we don't lose as much time to the faster cars. The stage then opened up to be very fast near the end. We had a great stage, and were nearly 30sec's faster than our main rival in a Mazda 323. After this stage it was off to service/lunch in Matata.

Stage Five: Herepuru II - 17.50km
The first stage of the afternoon started on tarmac for 3km before 5km of magic gravel roads, which were both open and tight before entering the forest to repeat this mornings Stage One. Three concrete bridges, and one cautioned concrete ford, with approx. 4km of seal throughout stage. Well, all was going good on this stage until about 10km into the stage, where a brief lapse in concentration saw us go wide on a downhill right hand corner. The rear of the car stepped out into the deep gravel swept out there by the other cars running in front, clipped the bank and spun us around into the bank with the front left, with a big thud. It took about 25-30secs to start the engine, find reverse and get out of the bank. Once moving it was apparent we had done some damage to the front left guard, as the front left tyre was rubbing on some metal during corners. Another 3km down the road we also overshoot a junction, and had to find our way back onto the road in all the dust....not a good start to the afternoon. Finally we reached the finish, and our service. We found we hadn't done to much damage, pulled the front guard out and removed the rear bumper. The only problem was the boot wouldn't open, due to it being pushed sideways..so if we got a puncture, we were in trouble....so it was off to stage six, with a battlescared car.

Stage Six: Pikowai - 28.00km
Starts on super fast flowing gravel road before entering the Rotoehu Forest. Mainly medium metal forestry roads before returning to main roads of forest. Fast Flowing Roads with an uphill hairpin thrown in for good measure. A great stage, and again were were up to 180km/hr through some of the sections. Some parts were a bit hard, due to the lingering dust hanging in the trees, and the sunlight through it, we could see!!! There were no suprises through this stage, as we had done the majority of it on Rally Rotorua. It was off to service, and one stage to go...and hoping for no punctures!!

Stage Seven: Hannons - 11.00km
A fast flowing stage, with some nice fast straights...we flew through and recorded another finish. All that was between us and the rally finish was about 40km of touring on public roads.

It has been a great season, with four finishes from four starts in the Top Half Series, although the engine rebuild would like to be forgotten before the Rally of the North. We have consistently been around 30th at the finish, and have learnt a lot about the car along the way.

Top Half Series - Class E Results
1st Overall - Well done to Darryl Jones for his win in the series and his spectacular driving.
2nd Overall - Alex and Gordon Gilmour. A great 8th placing in the Bay Rally, and second overall in the series. This time the sticker ("I must beat Dylan") above the speedo worked!!
3rd Overall - Dylan Turner and Sara Warrington for third in the Top Half series. Sadly their gearbox had a big stone go through it on the third stage, and the recorded a DNF at the Bay Rally. But next year when they register early, they have to be a favorite for the title.

Thanks to Terry and Jillian (my service crew, and also happen to be my mother and father) for their organisation, help and sponsorship this year. Thanks to Sam for his efforts in the co-drivers seat, thankfully I haven't scared him yet, although his eyes did look a little wider when we hit the bank...

Cheers

Simon Bell and Sam Ackland
Redhills Rallyteam

Event Preview

This weekend the Redhills Rallyteam head to sunny Whakatane, for the 2001Bay Rally. Based to the west of Whakatane, the rally covers 8 Stages of approx 130 Km Special Stages & 150km Touring.

We are seeded #54, out of 71 starters. Our focus for this rally will be another successful finish, to cap off the end of our 2001Rally season. With no pacenotes, it will be a case of taking it easy, but not driving as if we are out for a Sunday drive.

To view more about the event, access the Bay Rally 2001 website, and get "real-time" results over the weekend or sign up and get them txt'd direct to your 025 Mobile.

Cheers

Simon Bell and Sam Ackland
Redhills Rallyteam