BCCC Round 2 Sweet Lamb.

Sweet Lamb or Tangy Mutton ?

Mid-Wales, the home of rallying.
Trees which have absorbed the sound of BDA Escorts at full chat as they swung from ditch to ditch scrubbing off speed and redistrubuting the weight and trying to find the best line before the driver punched the accelerator to reverberate the forest back to life, A-roads scared from Audi Quattros as the Finnish drivers limped out of stages with only 3 wheels trying to seek santurary in a lay-by for repairs and tears from Mikko Hirvonen as he rolled his WRC car in 2008 coming into the Bowl at Sweet Lamb.

All these images on every drivers mind, "if in doubt its flat out" the only way to win at Sweet Lamb, the absence of trees in the wind battered Welsh highlands giving the driver little reference to the actual speed the car is carrying until the corner is arriving faster than The Enterprise chasing a Klingon Starship.
Brakes glow red in anger as some of the highest speeds in the Championship have to be reduced to make a corner.

And everybody asking that same question "who is going to win" NO "whats the saturday night special from gregs gang" -- Yes it's the BCCC -- the people who took over from Billy Smarts circus!!
F1 has pit garages, Rallying have service barges, BCCC competitors have the contents of their garage and a complete dismantled spare car inside a van with a couple of sleeping bags for good luck !!

And so triumphant from Ashby De La Pouch, Tim Dilworth lined up to lead the pack off for the battle.

The big lads with plus 500lb torque knew they would be able to get the speed up the climbs and along the straights but could they master the quick ins and outs around the relentless corners.

A superb course was set - a big balls course and everybody was up to the challenge.

Friday was overcast and rainy - a normal day at Sweet Lamb, and both Saturday and Sunday started off 'wet' and dried through out the day, giving the competitors a technical challenge, as the course dried you got more grip, but also as the cars travelled through the 'wet parts' water has transferred to dry sections causing new slippy sections. It was at 3rd water splash with the exit 90 deg left caught out the reigning champ, a little bit of 'giddyness' by trying to shoot water up his co-drivers Andy Milner leg saw number 1 Richard Kershaw sitting in the ditch of doom!!
Before he had chance to select reverse the word was around the pits -- "Kershaws off" -- and drivers sitting up to position 30 had a glimmer of hope that they would be getting the 'big pot' this year !!!

One of those people was Tim Dilworth -- the car was going well--he was driving well -- he knew he had AWDC Steve Hyatt to contend with, but all off a sudden he had Justin Birchall trading times with him and giving him serious indigestion, but Justins challenge failed along with his home-made wishbone on a long down double crested hill which made the 'Big One' at Blackpool look sane. In front of the service area the frustration was too much and his helmet bounced off the car like a basket ball !!!

Tim and Anthony managed to keep the car going throughout the weekend, at one stage the anti-lag went on strike like a BA cabin crew and then the exhaust pipe cracked and the hot gases cut through the electrical loom...but it got them to the end of the runs with a triumphant win.
Some people have noticed he only wins when his mum comes to watch and gives him some driving tips.

Steve Hyatts 550bhp engine made mince meat of Sweet Lamb -- the grunt just rocketed the car up the step climbs and rocket propelled the vehicle along the straights and he drove well to get 2nd spot.

The rest of the gang had all sorts of woes !

Martin Cox had to retire after a couple of runs, Alan Wilkinson had his new bonnet ripped off its bonnet pins by the force of the water on the 3rd water splash, the ex Terry Banyard/ Evans porch powered Matserratti had a couple of rolls, the prestige white bodywork now looking 'race used'.

Whilst the onlookers may of thought it looked smooth, the air born landings are hitting the rough too fast was taking its toll on transmissions and suspension, Martin Conboy managed to break a front stub shaft and a rear diff on one hump, diesel maestro Carl Duffield broke a front coil over on high speed landing in a pot hole.

Dean Sutcliff had a horrid Saturday the Rover V8 living up to its reputation of not liking water, Paul Green backed his car off the trailer and dropped a valve so drove it back on again, Tomcat Tony blew a head gasket, and Mark Andrews had throttle pedal problems all weekend giving him 100% power in the rest position and no power when pressed !!

And the saddest part of the weekend was Peter & Fiona Urwins dog didnt make it home with them after a very restless night. 'Millie' had attend more Hillrallys / BORC/BCCC and Norc events than most canines and enjoyed a little sprinkle on mud terrains when nobody was watching !

Summary of the event -- It was a cracker !!!!!

Many thanks to Debbie Difflock for the pictures

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