Port Erin based Rob Fagg returned to local action at the weekend contesting the third round of the A.V. Craine & Sons Manx Stage Rally Championship, the DUKE Stages.  Isle of Man Sports Aid Foundation recipient Fagg partnered with up and coming driver Ian Bailey in his David Land Car Sales backed Vauxhall Nova, finished 5th Overall and 2nd two wheel drive on the mixed surface event.

Fresh from his class victory on the Ulster International the weekend before, the 2003 Manx Co-driver Champion was looking forward to the event after a good recce and positive develops on the car since the previous round back in June.

The opening leg of the event would only consist of two stages, but at 7 miles long each and run in darkness they could ultimately decide the rally. It was not long before the Dunlop shod Nova would run into trouble, less than three miles into the opening test the new gearbox was making a rather unnerving noise. Despite this they posted a competitive time just 2 seconds of main class rival Richard Curphey is a higher specification Nova but Donny Gill in another Nova was just 2 seconds behind Bailey and Fagg.

Inspection at service would confirm the young crews worst fears, second gear had lost of couple of teeth and these could cause damage to the rest of the gearbox. It was decided to nurse the car through the remaining stage before the overnight halt only using second where really necessary. The first of these occasions was around half a mile into the stage and after selecting the gear that was a loud crunching noise from the gearbox as the remaining teeth were stripped from the gear. With this in mind Bailey would take a cautious approach for the remainder of the stage.

End of leg 1 left Bailey and Mexperience.com supported Fagg lying in 7th place overall and 2nd in class. But a long night lay ahead to change the broken gearbox ahead of the next days stages.

Lyig ahead of the crews on the second leg were 10 special stages made up of gravel roads in the plantations joined by short tarmac sections. It was Curphey though who woke up first taking a

Ian and Rob kicking up the dust during one of Saturday's stags on their way to 5th place.
(photo courtesy of Andrew Cowley)
 

massive 15 seconds on stage 5 and really putting himself in control for the day. The next stage was to cost Bailey and Fagg more time to there rival when a front brake hose split leaving them with no brakes for practically the whole stage. They got through dropping only a further 5 seconds to Curphey.

With the brakes restored to normal the remainder of the event was spent trying to close down the 24 second gap to the class leader but this was always going to be tough. It was only on the final two test of the event that they would make a major impact, reducing it by 10 seconds with two quick runs. These times were also good enough to elevate the crew up another place overall into 5th, beating the immaculate Ford Escort MKI of Glenn Leece by a mere 1 second.

"The event has been really tough of the car and to be honest I am glad to get to the finish" commented Rob at the finish of the final Stage. "I have not competed in these plantations since this event back in 2003 and have to say I am pleased with the work that has been done, the stages are coming on. But there are some really bad bits in there and the car has taken a hammering. Ian has driven well and maturely throughout the event and again bought the car to the finish."

Rob went into the event leading the championship and the weekends result should be enough to keep him there. The Manx Stage Championship resumes in October with the Black Horse Finance Stages run over the fast tarmac roads the island has to offer. Rob will be back alongside the other Rob, Watson, in the Watson Motorsport Vauxhall Nova Kit Car and the 2005 winning pairing will start the event as favourites.

Rob is supported in 2006 by the Isle of Man Sports Aid Foundation, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, www.Mexperience.com , Advanced Autosport Technologies, Dunlop Tyres, Robert Graham & Co Chartered Quality Surveyors and NickyGrist.com

Media
14/09/2006