Out with engine problem in Kielder

Manx Ford Rallye Sport Ka Championship co-driver Robert Fagg partnered Matthew Bettridge at the weekend on the Pirelli Northumbria Rally. They would suffer an early retirement though from the third round of the championship.

Prior to the event the rebuilt gearbox was installed in the car and tested to ensure that there would be no repeat of the failure which almost put them out of the North Humberside Rally. The test went well and there was an increased confidence with the car.

The first stage that the Ka crews would tackle was the spectator stage on the Friday evening. This measured 0.35 of a mile and would be run twice before the cars would gather in Park Ferme for the evening. With two steady runs around the stage and no problems with the car, the pair would lie in 22^nd place out of the 50 crews that stated the event. From this 50 there were 27 Ka’s of which they were 17^th, the position in which they finished the Humberside event.

Saturday morning would arrive and 6 stages in the Kielder Forest complex would lie ahead of them. Some of these stage miles have previously been used in the Network Q Rally and would provide a tough test for all crews competing.

After a quick 10 minute service there was a 48-mile road section out to the first stage of the day, Wether Lair 2. The main International and 206 cup fields had run through this stage on Friday night, so there was a chance this would be badly rutted by the time the Ka crews arrived.

It would not be long into the stage before the first problem of the event would become apparent. The start of the stage would be a flat out run to the first sharp corner, but the engine in the Bettridge Motors Ka would lose power before even reaching this. The crew pulled over for a quick check but with nothing obvious they decided to limp through the stage. Even though the power seemed to pick back up as they progressed further in they would lose around two and a half minutes.

After another check around the car before arriving at the second stage of the day and a problem free road section, they would take the start line in the hope they had seen the last of the engine gremlin. Although this would not be the case and within three miles of the eleven mile Highfield stage they would pull over with blue smoke coming from the exhaust and an ill sounding engine.

It would be disappointment for the Manx Motorsport Youth Trust backed crew who had hoped for a good run on the event. The team will now investigate the engine fault and take the appropriate action to ensure they compete in the fourth round the Red Dragon Rally on the 25^th May.

Thanks for continued support goes to: Manx Motorsport Youth Trust, Bettridge Motors, Magic Carpets, Manx Automobile Assistance, Integrated Capabilities, Manx Telecom, www.manx.net, Aon (IOM) Ltd and www.rallycodriver.co.uk

Co-ordinator
RF Motorsport