Tour of Epynt 2014

[Allyc85]

Looks like it could be another great Tour of Epynt, with 112 cars currently entered.

https://www.rallies.info/webentry/2014/ ... php?type=u (https://www.rallies.info/webentry/2014/epynt/entries.php?type=u)

So whos going? I will be mountain biking at Afan Forest on Saturday, before watching this Sunday, so it should be a bloomin good weekend :bounce:

[306 Cosworth]

Can't wait. Mega entry with 12 WRC Cars :D

[Fly_Half]

I'll be there! Missed the Mid Wales Stages so have to get my fix this weekend...

[Allyc85]

Seeded entry list is up!

https://www.rallies.info/webentry/2014/ ... php?type=s (https://www.rallies.info/webentry/2014/epynt/entries.php?type=s)

Just waiting to see the stage route and times :)

[MrJan]

Tempting...very tempting. Not sure I can afford the time or money to go to this but that's a pretty decent entry list and there are some interesting cars that I'd quite like to see.

[306 Cosworth]

Weather is looking good for Sunday

[MrJan]

Anyone got stage times etc?

[306 Cosworth]

Anyone got stage times etc?

Available here - http://www.ptmconline.com/assets/files/ ... hedule.pdf (http://www.ptmconline.com/assets/files/Tour%20Of%20Epynt%202014/Spectator%20Info/2014%20TOE%20Time%20Schedule.pdf)

[Allyc85]

I rekon we will be doing the first 10 of stage 1 then biking down to stage 2 and spend the rest of the day east of junction 13. Any really good spots out that way?

[MrJan]

Not too bad a day rallying, glad to hear that the guys in the Fiesta are generally okay and hope that the Darrian crew make a speedy and full recovery. Saw the car being dragged out of the stage and it didn't look pretty, although that's often the case when the roof has to be cut.

Turned up ready for start of stage 3 and ended up sitting around for a while while the first accident was sorted out, then after seeing about 20 cars the second crash happened so we had another lengthy today, some days Epynt just seems to work like that. I think that it is actually more common on the days where the weather is nice, because people forget how dangerous the place is.

When it finally got going on stage 5 we watched them through a jump on the long run down the hill after Burma Road, nothing too special but you could see that some drivers were well on it. Simpson and Hicks in particular had huge air. After 5 we headed up to Dixies and watched in the dip between Barton's and Deer's, again Hicks was well on it and had huge air over Barton's. For stage 7 we headed over to Piccadilly because it's a good spot on the inside of the hairpin. Wilson in the blue Impreza got well caught out on the left hander, chucking it in with far too much speed and spinning across the gravel.

Surprised that Simpson didn't win TBH, the three stages that we saw he looked much quicker, although on the last it was clear that the gap back to Cole was less than 30 seconds. Just goes to show that you can't always judge things from the bank.

Highlight of the day? Had to be hearing the radio message that the 00 car had crashed and hit a sheep...but the sheep was okay. Photos will be loading and up shortly

[Allyc85]

Good to hear you went in the end!

After a long afternoon on the bikes the day before we decided on a lazy day on Epynt and basically stayed between junctions 2 and 4 on stages 1,3,5 and 6. Strangly though for some reason one of the radio marshalls told us prior to stage 5 that it was to be the last of the day due to medical cover getting too low! Even weirder was that he had told someone we were speaking to on stage 3, not to go back to his car for too long as there was to be a quick switch around of the stages!!

Hope all the crews involved in the various accidents make a swift recovery, never good to see the air ambulance being used so much and not know what is going on.

Any way, it was a bloody nice day and the pace at the front was superb, with some other great and entertaining performances in the rest of the field. No pics from me, decided not to take the camera and watch for a change :)

[MrJan]

Small selection of pics now up http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrjanyeo/s ... 165896503/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrjanyeo/sets/72157642165896503/)

[big_sw2000]

Cracking day up on the ranges. Cant quite believe that Cole beat Simpson.

But with driving like this, easy to see. This is stage 7, on board the Damian Cole.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaumramccaM

Steve

[Mirek]

Very nice. Only the number of chicanes is ruining the show a bit. I understand they are there for safety but at least some are pretty useless in my opinion. Anyway it's same story here in CZ with some famous roads flooded by chicanes...

By the way does anyone know more about the Millington S2500 Protons or the engines? I'm not familiar with their engines although I understand they are highly rated in UK. Thanks for any information.

[big_sw2000]

Very nice. Only the number of chicanes is ruining the show a bit. I understand they are there for safety but at least some are pretty useless in my opinion. Anyway it's same story here in CZ with some famous roads flooded by chicanes...

By the way does anyone know more about the Millington S2500 Protons or the engines? I'm not familiar with their engines although I understand they are highly rated in UK. Thanks for any information.

Yep bloody health and safty gone mad again. The WRC cars were beating the stage boogie times, so hence the bales of hay scattered all around the place.

By all accounts, the Fiesta accident was caused by the chicane, weather the driver forgot it was there coming over a blind crest. But he locked up to miss it, and found a huge rock instead.

Steve

[MrJan]

Very nice. Only the number of chicanes is ruining the show a bit. I understand they are there for safety but at least some are pretty useless in my opinion. Anyway it's same story here in CZ with some famous roads flooded by chicanes...

By the way does anyone know more about the Millington S2500 Protons or the engines? I'm not familiar with their engines although I understand they are highly rated in UK. Thanks for any information.

The stages are already pretty difficult, without the chicanes they would be frighteningly quick. I know two blokes that live near me who have had massive offs at Epynt, this was one of them http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36CdgBe_z0I The other one had an off at about 125mph and ended up with a broken back. Epynt is a terrifying place so it's really not surprising that they try to slow it down. This is another nasty one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQekvD2Z7Fk The driver, Lyndon Barton, has had a few nasty ones on Epynt, including the worst crash that I've ever seen.

Millington are becoming extremely popular over here at the minute, mostly being used in Escorts and Darrianas but also in the car that Colin McRae was designing prior to his death. These days if you hear an Escort with a sequential box it's more than likely to have a Millington engine in it, Ken Block has one in his MK2. Their website is worth a look http://www.millingtonengines.co.uk/sale ... gines.html (http://www.millingtonengines.co.uk/sales/new-engines.html)

Essentially you're talking about 2.5l of grunt for about £25,000 before you think about fitting it!

[Mirek]

Thanks, quite expensive toy, I have to say. But if it's good than why not :)

[big_sw2000]

From a spectators point of view the chicanes are horrible. I know from speaking with Damian Cole, that most drivers hate them as well. But we all respect why they have to be there.
As Mr Jan said. Epynt is some of the toughest tarmac around. Scary fast, bling crests, big drops, and no room for error. Hence why the place has such a reputation.

Also knowing Damian, I know some of the arguments that are caused, if a chicain is there for one person, hit by someone else. Then everybody else straight lines it, flat out in 6th. Theres a good few seconds to gain there.

Steve

[AndyRAC]

And depending on the organising club; there has quite often been chicanes before Devil's/Deer's Leap.... Depending on the direction of the stage.
I remember a big accident back in 2003; when a white 205 landed, and the driver hurt his back and couldn't steer the car straight. Ended on the grass, and barrel rolling for hundreds of metres. A sickening sight.

[big_sw2000]

And depending on the organising club; there has quite often been chicanes before Devil's/Deer's Leap.... Depending on the direction of the stage.
I remember a big accident back in 2003; when a white 205 landed, and the driver hurt his back and couldn't steer the car straight. Ended on the grass, and barrel rolling for hundreds of metres. A sickening sight.
There was one 20yard after Devil's this year. Which is what caused the Fiesta to crash. Ok I know its supposed to be in the pace notes, but it was blind until you crested Devil's, then there's a bail of hay in the way. 2 huge black marks, where he had locked up

2 years ago, I cant remember which event, but the bail was on top of Devils, so it was easily spotted.


Steve

[marchy]

Enjoyed my day up on the ranges, weather was great & commitment from all the crews was fantastic. Hope all the crews that went off a speedy recovery. Finally thanks to all the Organisers involved with what was a tricky day.

Full set of photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ljmarch/sets/72157642168949484/

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3754/13066012145_54131ba1d2_z.jpg