[ARC] KCB Safari Rally 2014

[J4MIE]

Just been informed that one of the stages on the final day has been shortened as recent rain has made it impassable! So looks like it is going to be a wet and muddy Safari Rally this year.

Not sure if I am glad about that or not...

[Jeppe]

Nice trip to you. Hope everything goes well and both of you get an experience of the life time!! Waiting for some updates about conditions and rallying...

[J4MIE]

Thanks Jeppe

Hopefully I can get some updates in here during the event but definitely a write up afterwards, Geoff will be putting updates on twitter, I don't really use it but if you add me then you'll be sure of seeing them - @bigrallyfan

[J4MIE]

I think even the recce will be a challenge.... This is a photo from stage 1 today, apparently it's still raining!!

[J4MIE]

I've nearly arrived in Kenya, just a quick stop in Kigali, the car has been stickered today, scrutineering is first thing tomorrow morning while we go to do the recce!

[J4MIE]

Well we are all ready and set to head across to the start tomorrow morning. Only slight annoyance is the new intercom doesn't have an audio connection for the in-car camera, and the gopro mount needs a bit of work to get it at the right angle.

We start at approx 12pm tomorrow, but have to be in parc ferme at 7am...

[J4MIE]

Here is a page from my notes for SS2 tomorrow - looks quick!!

[J4MIE]

Well, we were having a great event and really enjoying it. Ss4 (first stage on Saturday) we broke a rear shock near the finish over an extremely rough section. We had to get out and have a look, kept on going but as all of the road section times were extremely tight, the whole field were flat out on the road sections as well! so we ended up arriving at the long 54km stage 9 mins late. We didn't back off too much through there, but we got through passing about 10 other cars that had stopped, and got to the next stage (super special) on our minute despite going flat out on the road section. We did that in exactly the same time as we did on Friday. Unfortunately we couldn't get the new shocks fitted in service so had to put the (by now both) broken ones back on.

The next stage was 29km and was the best stage we did of the whole event. Everything clicked, my notes were pretty much spot on and Geoff drove really well. The "max 2000, fast right into medium left through gate, max 2000" note have us a good breather mid stage and we were 32 seconds faster than the previous run We even caught and passed the car in front and we were on 3 minute intervals!

Sadly though, as we left the start line of SS8 the propshaft sheared and it was game over for us. Still, we were happy we'd done more than half of the mileage and it wasn't either of our faults that we'd retired. We were even more gutted to discover we were 2nd 2WD after the previous stage...

Though they are trying to get it back to the WRC, I have to say at the moment is has no chance. The stages were great (maybe even too fast in places) but the super special had been changed from when we did the recce Luckily the weather was dry. The road timing was far too tight (an extra 15 mins was given to all sections today) and the roughest part of the route was the road section from end of SSS to service - which is FIA regulations to allow turbos to cool down apparently.

Anyway, fantastic experience and loved the crowds of people waving on the road sections, everyone is very enthusiastic about rallying over here. I hope I'll get the chance to do it again some day

Will try and get a few pics up later on.

[J4MIE]

35 of the 62 starters made it to the finish (no super rally!), apparently someone hit an elephant on the stage through the Londaiga conservancy! As we were last on the road and a few mins late into the stage, we did pass a herd of elephants very close by, and there were a few baboons sitting on the road in various places. We did have a couple of moments, first we went really wide after missing the braking for a fast right, luckily it was on a big grassy plain, we were about 80m off the road but managed to avoid the boulders and get back on. Second was in a slower section and again a bit quick into a slow right hander, however other cars had done the same, so weaved between the small trees and back on, probably quicker than taking the corner.

There was a Ugandan crew in an Impreza N16 that rolled on the final superspecial (think there was two other cars rolled there on previous runs of the stage), but they managed to get to the finish.

[vino_93]

And Chaynes is African Champion