Did my first (demo)stage rally

Last weekend we took part at the Eifel Historic Rally in Germany. What a great event that was!!!! The historic group is called “Slowly Sideways”. First I’ll tell you what’s this is all about. Took this from their website.

------------------------------------------------

All about us ....

If you own one of rallyings classics of the past, but do not want to enter any kind of the numerous kinds of historic rallying with your collectors item, we have some news for you:

Just imagine you own one of Sandro Munaris Lancia Stratos or Hannu Mikkolas Audi Quattros what would you do with this car. Even if it was eligible, you would not enter historic rallying with it. You could drive it on a race track, there it would not get damaged, but it would not feel good. Rally cars are not made for racetracks. To use it for a weekend drive in the countryside, no way. To leave it parked in the garage? How boring.

We have news for you. During the course of a year we organise a few demonstration events for collectors rally cars. We use a few selected stages of current events and drive about one hour before the first real competitor over these stages. These stages are carefully chosen - nice tarmac with almost no gravel- to suit our cars and not damage them. But they are proper closed stages with lots of demanding bends. There is strictly no competition, everyone drives at the speed he feels safe to do and in respect towards each other. Björn Waldegard is one of our regular guest driver and said once: The difference to rallying is here that everyone drives with each other, not against each other. You can recce the event and go full swing with pace notes, but you do not have to, it could also be a gentlemans drive. If you have a problem with your car you can even service it and rejoin later. And all this in a friendly atmosphere without the pressure of competition and sets of regulations. But if you need to collect fame and cups, it is the wrong thing to do. In our group the cars are the stars, not the drivers.

- Our demo drives are strictly non-sporting and therefore not subject to any sports regulations.

- There is no technical scrutineering, noise check etc. and no competition licence is required.

- Thus during the course of the event drivers and cars can be changed and parts of the route can be omitted to rejoin later.

- Cars need to be road traffic insured and the use of helmets and fireproof overalls is recommended due to safety reasons.

- Entry is reserved for rally cars only, no street homologation models.

- Cars must be in restored condition and represent the international history of rallying, being built until and including 1986.

Cars built after 1986 (Group A) must be original works cars only.

- Optical appearance must be original, private sponsors are not welcome and their size is limited to a space not exceeding 50x50cm in total.

- Cars do not need to be an original, replicas are also welcome.

- Entries close about 4 weeks before each event.

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Secondly have a look at the entree list over here

Then we start with some appetizers

Lancia Stratos : http://www.rallye3.de/videos/clips/eifel05/eifel05-h42.wmv

Audi Quattro S1 : http://www.rallye3.de/videos/clips/eifel05/eifel05-h1.wmv

Here's a picture taken from the fire truck.

oef,

http://images2.fotopic.net/?iid=yamnfj&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1

Great pics Guus!!

-e

That is so cool! How much fun did you have? Ha! That is so cool!

Nice one mate. Just the ticket for you and your car. I can still see your grin!

Well we had great fun!!! The spectators, the photographers, on believable that many!!! It was the first time I ever drove a stage rally; in fact we had to ask a lot of things to every body. Still we had fun. It started with the shakedown; we didn’t have the time to scout the track, so we went in ‘blind’. Before driving a series of stages you have the chance to scout the track and make pace notes. Do you know how to do that, we didn’t. But with a lot of asking we manage..

Friday afternoon the picture was taken and of we go…into the late evening.

Saturday morning it was bingo!!! We slipped of the road into the Forrest……. After the whole pack came by for the second time the fire brigade pulled us out. Got everything on tape (its coming). After checking the car we regrouped with the others and drove the rest of the three stages. Normally you drive along your year of build, but now I had to close the row between the big Audi, Björn Waldegard and the many quick Lancia’s. What a way of living….

here a 'slowly sideways' of the Audi S1 the driver is a works driver with the Skoda WRC team!!!!

more fun

Guus, you gain 10 points + for the great presentation

time for a movie

Ouch! ! ! Guus! !

Here's a long movie 190Mb, you need cable or DSL: Eifel