ALM Autodrome Stages. 4th May 2009. (Bank Holiday Monday.)

[M3 Compact]

Compounding lack of rallying motivation consuming Chez Bald Geordie ATM.

So - it's off to Teesside for a 23 mile autotest with a 14 year old co driver navigator passenger.

Might consider 3 circles the day before, too.

Ok, it isn't actually 'rallying'. But hopefully it might shake off the hibernation blues and re-ignite some interest.

[Ptrs14]

Simon....it would be great to see you out at 3 circles....

not too stressing for any car....good cheap entry as well.

[M3 Compact]

I'd intended to do 3 circles Peter, but the lad's done a trackday at Teesside and wants to show me how to drive round it.

Might do both.

[notax]

I'd intended to do 3 circles Peter, but the lad's done a trackday at Teesside and wants to show me how to drive round it.

Might do both.

He's done a trackday? Isn't he 14 ?

Nothing wrong with a bit of autotesting or slaloms - good for honing skills, fun, inexpensive and you can end up with some good piccies

[jim555]

so two BMW out at teesside will see you there
kars bmw m3.

[M3 Compact]

I'd intended to do 3 circles Peter, but the lad's done a trackday at Teesside and wants to show me how to drive round it.

Might do both.

He's done a trackday? Isn't he 14 ?

yEP, 14 notax, but he did a 'trackday' there when he was 13....

Nothing wrong with a bit of autotesting or slaloms - good for honing skills, fun, inexpensive and you can end up with some good piccies

It isn't really an autotest notax, it's an SV. Only 26 stage miles with 12 stages, tho.

so two BMW out at teesside will see you there
kars bmw m3.

Nice one jim.

Bring a spare nav in case mine bottles it at the last minute.

[M3 Compact]

Entry list on line.

No mention of bald Geordies with spare nappies in the glove box, tho.

Didn't realise that your M3 was 4WD, Jim!

[is-si]

It may only be 20 odd miles but it will feel like an `Epic' event for your young lad, i bet he can't wait

Hope he gets hooked, but are you ready to build him a car?

It will give you an excuse to build an E30

[M3 Compact]

Been up for an illegal recce today.


Went round in one of their race school mini coopers before the lad had his 'trackday experience' in it - 'kin hell, those minis have got some grip!

8) It may only be 20 odd miles but it will feel like an `Epic' event for your young lad, i bet he can't wait

Hope he gets hooked, but are you ready to build him a car?

It will give you an excuse to build an E30

Absolutely ready to start a car project with him. But he has to be interested in getting his hands dirty and washing our cars properly in exchange for some funds/time.

They've got a rallycross track that could add to the stage mileage - it looks a tad rough!

It's a decent venue for a bit of tarmac testing and they're pretty relaxed about things.

[M3 Compact]

Forgot to add...

25% of the entries to date are BMWs!

30% if you include Minis.

If the stages are to be as tight as I was told suspect - this is gonna be really embarrassing.

[is-si]

you mention rallycross - looking at conor flynns vids, that could be a lot of fun for your lad
and a lot of time panel beating for dad

[M3 Compact]

1 1 5 Martyn Tinker Mark Walker Lotus Exige 3 0:37:16
2 1 1 Keith Davison Ian Jackson Darrian T90 4 0:37:52 0:00:36 0:00:36
3 2 10 Alistair Hutchinson St John Dykes Renault Clio LPG 3 0:38:10 0:00:18 0:00:54
4 1 8 John Gaskin Mark Gaskin Subaru Impreza 5 0:38:21 0:00:11 0:01:05
5 1 3 Mat Smith Darren Smith Peugeot 205 Gti 2 0:39:22 0:01:01 0:02:06
6 3 7 Nick Cook Neil Colls Ford Escort Mk1 3 0:39:28 0:00:06 0:02:12
7 2 20 Chris Anderson Chris Thirling Ford Puma 2 0:39:39 0:00:11 0:02:23
8 2 4 Johny Bean Charlotte Banner BMW 325 4 0:39:44 0:00:05 0:02:28
9 4 14 Andrew Drake Jeff Bedford Ford Escort Mk1 3 0:39:46 0:00:02 0:02:30
10 3 9 Jimmy Knox Kim Torrington BMW M3 4 0:39:51 0:00:05 0:02:35
11 5 15 Chris Watts Graham Cook Vauxhall Astra 3 0:40:07 0:00:16 0:02:51
12 3 2 Jim MacDiarmid Jane Green Darrian T9 2 0:40:41 0:00:34 0:03:25
13 6 21 George Scott Amanda Cornforth Ford Escort Mk 2 3 0:40:59 0:00:18 0:03:43
14 1 19 Gordon Dundee Alistair Dundee Peugeot 106 1 0:41:00 0:00:01 0:03:44
15 7 29 Neil Marshall Mike Scrimgour Peugeot 205 3 0:41:05 0:00:05 0:03:49
16 2 23 Robert Meynell Natalie Meynell Mini Cooper 1 0:41:16 0:00:11 0:04:00
17 4 17 Martin Cockerill Stephen Kent MG Maestro Turbo 4 0:42:42 0:01:26 0:05:26
18 4 12 Stuart Wilson Fiona Douglas Vauxhall Nova 2 0:42:53 0:00:11 0:05:37
19 3 26 Martin Peacock Sally Ann Peacock Peugeot 106 1 0:42:58 0:00:05 0:05:42
20 4 27 Keith Foster Jon Olds Vauxhall 1 0:44:30 0:01:32 0:07:14
21 5 24 Trevor Longhirst Mick Johnson Rover MG 1 0:45:53 0:01:23 0:08:37




Congrats Jimmy & great to meet you.

No finish for us.

The car was running like a sack of 5hit beforehand, but half way around SS1 it developed a monumental misfire. Proper popping & banging carry on, deffo only running on 5 pots.

Raped a coil pack from my bro's 530i, but servicing time was tightish between the pairs of stages and it wasn't until after SS4 that we'd narrowed it down to a non-functioning spark plug.

Dispatched bro to all corners of Teesside in search of a plug without success. It felt to go on to 4 pots at times during SS7 & 8, so with no prospect of a spark plug it seemed daft to carry on & risk wrecking the engine.

Some nugget forgot to open the lens on the camcorder , but I've just had a listen and it's awful.

[bruvs1]

unlucky dad n lad, time to get to the bottom of the crap running issue!! well done to jimmy sneaking into the top 10

[Smog monster]

Came back from our break early... you should have said / called etc... who knows, I could have brought a spark plug..

[M3 Compact]

unlucky dad n lad, time to get to the bottom of the crap running issue!! ...

I'd have settled for it performing like it did last time out, but it's moved the game on to a whole new level of crapness now. (Which is possibly a blessing in disguise.)

The start line official asked "Why does your car sound like a rotary engine?".

A spectator asked my bro if it had traction control!

It now sounds like a Scooby.

Hope I haven't fcuked it.

... well done to jimmy sneaking into the top 10

We spectated the last few stages & Jimmy had it well lit.

Came back from our break early... you should have said / called etc... who knows, I could have brought a spark plug..

Never thought to try you, Lee.

Bro spent an hour trying everywhere within the radius of Norton, there's a Halfords next door to the venue and they don't stock M3 plugs.