TAL Motorsport Stages
Driver: Adrian Smekes
Navigator:Erik West
Vehicle: MG Metro 6R4
Seeded: ?
Finished: Retired
Adrian and I wheeled out the 6R4 for our local event with the objective of coming in the top 2, first was our main aim but we’d reluctantly settle for second if we really had to.
As usual the car passed noise and Scrutineering with flying colours and the countdown to stage 1 began in earnest. Ade and I had sorted our plan for the event out ~ GO FOR IT!
The venue looked slippery but we didn’t know how slippery until the first few bends, the 6R4 swung its tail about like a demented dog and Ade was having a great battle!! Once through the tight chicanes we were able to open the car up a little bit into a 90° left. This left caught us out and we slid to a stop unable to select reverse! Eventually and after what seemed like an age we got the right gear and shot off round the rest of the stage. We were thrown slightly at the split as it wasn’t too well marked out and then merged with car 1. Despite being a full forest car the Evo wasn’t able to shake us on the loose and Ade pedalled the 6R4 round gamely catching the car in front by the end of the stage.
The following stage saw us once again merge with the Evo and once again sit in his dust loosing a second or two; we were setting 3rd fastest time and knew we could get better if only for a clear run. Stage 2 was also marked by us catching the sole 2.5 (fastest) 6R4 and even passing him!
Our attempt at the next stage suffered an electrical failure half-way round that halted us for 30 seconds or more, time enough for me to get out of the car, put the OK board out and consider walking back to service. The car then sprang into life and the last part of the stage was driven quicker than anything I’ve ever seen Ade drive! I expected that these electrical gremlins would have sent us tumbling down the leaderboard, not so we were still in 3rd overall.
Once the master switch had been changed and we knew the cars was going to run well all stage we took off with gusto into the final stage before lunch. Once again Ade drew the bits out of the car and were very pleasantly surprised to have set what appeared to be fastest time. In the end the results showed we were 1 second shy of the other 6R4 but, more importantly, well up on the Evo 7 who was in second! Now we were not only catching him on the stages we were also very close to taking his 2nd overall away from him!
Lunch saw a little more fine tuning of the car with our main intention of taking second overall and trying to keep the Gallaghers in first ‘honest’. To that end we attacked from the very start of the next stage. Ade was driving within himself but exceptionally quickly and we were very pleased with our progress as we approached the merge. Even more so when we finally got in front of the Evo, now we had a clean run and really concentrate on taking 2nd overall away from him! We drew away from him after the loose and were quickly through the following 90 left.
That was where our rally ended. It ended dramatically and expensively. It also ended painfully. The Evo appeared from the wrong side of the 90 left (through a ploughed field) and hit us at speed on the front passenger side wheel. It was a massive impact and totally beyond my comprehension! Once the car had stopped moving my adrenaline got me out of the car to asses the damage, we were certainly out of the event. I then checked on Ade who had collapsed as he got out. I also began to question what happened (I now have the answer and am still amazed by it!!). The marshals reacted very quickly and were helping us, checking for injuries before the stage was finally stopped and an ambulance dispatched.
The paramedics took the option of sending us both to hospital and I then spent 3 hours strapped to a ‘bodyboard’ being unable to move anything bar my hands and lower arms. Ade was clearly in shock and I had whiplash but once we’d both gone through Stafford A&E we both returned to the venue.
The car was scrap, requiring a full re-shell and the Evo had vanished, not even bothering to find out how we were. I can’t thank all those who helped us enough, from Cannock &DCC, the marshals to the paramedics and everyone at hospital. It’s great to know that these people are there in cases when everything really does go wrong.
It’s just a shame it went that wrong for us, there really wasn’t any need for it to happen and we were just passengers in someone else’s accident which unfortunately left us far worse off.
Our chance of second overall had vanished in an almighty impact and a showering of debris, the bitter taste and financial implications still remain though. A very sad end to a great event and a good car too!
Erik West
