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Posted 26th November 2007
It's All Over Now, Or Is It?

It is usually said, that the dust has now settled, but maybe a better metaphor for the Roger Albert Clark Rally aftermath is that the mud has now dried…

I realise that it’s remiss of me not to have put finger to keyboard in this blog for this long after the event but maybe that us a good thing as distance lends a certain perspective.  At the finish in Carlisle, the organising team was performing mutual backslapping and declaring this the best ‘Roger Albert’ yet.  Being so close to the event (in more than one sense) it would have been difficult to gain-say all that self-congratulating but the real test is what you, the competitors, crews, marshals and spectators have had to say.  I’m really pleased that we took the decision to add a dedicated Roger Albert Clark Rally forum to the event website this year because it has provided a sounding board for everyone to; offer opinions on the event, ask questions and get answers.  It has been a well used resource!  Remember the debate about us having enough quality entries for the event to run? The long running thread about rumours of cancellation?  It all seems such a long time ago now…

Even now, some two weeks after the rally, the forum is still going strong ands there are some lessons that we, the organisers need to take to heart if we are to continue to run an event that you want in the calendar.  We need to recognise the efforts of not only the competitors in the main event but in all the supporting events. 

 Mea culpa, I have belatedly added information to the ‘News’ page to recognise all our winners; something I will not overlook in the future and we will do more next year to make sure that everyone’s contribution is properly recognised.

I am also constantly surprised by the worldwide nature of our web readership.  Although daily readership numbers have naturally declined from a high of over nineteen thousand page impressions on the Monday of the event, we are still seeing an average of twelve hundred page loads a day even now.  Moreover, our international readership in the last forty-eight hours has included USA, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, New Zealand, Sweden, Netherlands, Portugal, Austria, Australia, Dubai, Germany and…Romania!

As you can see from my daily reports on this page, I have thoroughly enjoyed this year’s rally.  I endorse all the comments of my colleagues and forum participants in that this is one of the friendliest events I have had the pleasure to work on.  It is clear that everyone wants to be here and is committed to enjoying the craic. Even when the rain was pouring down in Greystoke and we were handed checksheets dripping water, everyone had a smile and nothing but good words about the rally.  Of course the weather was ‘damp’ but we didn’t have the fog that has dogged the rally in the last three years and that helped us in the closing car to keep up behind the competitors and help the marshals close their stages quickly.  I have said it before, but make no apologies for saying it again – please, if you are a marshal (and I marshal too during the rest of the year so I know what it’s like) don’t take away the arrows or the barrier tape that mark the stage route before I get through and don’t block my way by leaving the stage before I have closed it (as happened in one stage this year).  The stage is still live until I have closed the last control and it is disrespectful to your colleagues in later stages if they have to stand out in the weather longer than necessary because you delayed me in yours.  Rant over, but remember, I know who you are!

So, a quiet time for us now?  Well my wife is hoping that I will get some of those jobs done that I have been promising to do for a while but of course there is the planning for next year to start…

January will see us at the Autosport International show at the NEC or the Racing Car show as I used to know it.  Last year we turned up with our modest stand which we attempted to turn into a ‘bit of Kielder in Birmingham’ and found to our amusement that we were just across the aisle from the Wales Rally GB stand of enormous proportions.  The three of us building our stand watched with awe as an army of professionals arrived to construct their stand.  We also laughed when half a day’s building was halted by NEC officials brandishing exhibition plans.  It turned out that the whole thing had been erected two feet in the wrong direction and had to be moved.  Still, it was impressive when it was finally built… in the correct place!

Keep watching the website for more information on the Roger Albert Clark Rally, for announcements from the show, for news of other shows we will be visiting during the next twelve months and frankly, anything else we can think of to keep your interest ;-)

Remember, we do this for you and we are always interested in hearing from you, on the forum, by email or in person so let’s keep talking and let’s make next year’s event even better.

Thank you for your support (and I’ll wear it always!)

 Steve

 Posted 21st November 2007
Message from Steve Cowley, PC & Marshal Coordinator Deserving A Wider Audience

21.00 hrs, Monday 19th November.

Another Roger Albert Clark Rally over for another year. Another story of success... for Colin Heppenstall and his organising team.... for Steve Bannister, at last winning the main event.... for the competitors who gave their all..... for all the marshals who stood out in all weathers...... and finally the spectators who came along and supported the event.

I've only been home a couple of hours, but I wanted to thank you, the PC crews for your sterling efforts, sometimes in some trying conditions, in getting the results thought to Martin Liddle and his team, so that they could get them back out to the competitors in the field. You all did tremendously well and I offer my personal thanks. It gives me a great feeling of satisfaction to know that I've had so many experienced people out there.

Unfortunately, I don't get chance to call at every PC during the event, Colin, always finds us other tasks to keep us occupied for the duration, but as our route involved passing a couple of controls we did manage to stop off and speak with a few of you.

I hope you all enjoyed the event without mishap, it certainly seem to bring the best out of all who attend, competitors, marshals and spectators... I say it every year there seems to be a special camaraderie, everyone is prepared to give a little bit more to help someone else.

And the stories you hear.... whilst running the spectator entrance in Dalby, no one begrudged paying to come and see what they told me was a superb event.. it brings out the true rally spectators... I even was asked by two Australians, yes, Australians, who had made a special trip to come to the event, 'where's the best spot to see the action' in this instance I sent them to the 'woodyard' and I hope it lived up to their expectation. I also meet up with four spectators from Belgium at Scruitineering on Friday, they've been over for every running of the R.A.C. and they even stopped to say hello again when they saw us out on Saturday.  I know that you'll all have stories to tell of this years event and I'd be pleased to hear, good or bad.

I'm afraid I'm going to close now, over the our days, I can report I've;

·  driven 600 miles

·  eaten about 10 bacon/sausage butties

·  drunk lots of coffee and 'Bovril' (the ops car crew - Chrys and Joy seemed to mange to always spare a minute or two in their tight schedule each day for several cups of 'Bovril)!

·  slept for only 20 hours (What does he mean Only 20 hours?? - Ed.)

·  directed hundreds of spectators where to watch

·  seen a great many old friends

·  got wet and cold

But best of all, been in great company and had a superb time!

Now I must crash out, and get back to normality.... once again THANK YOU to you all, I know I haven't got everyone's email address so please pass on this email and my personal thanks to all your colleagues who came out and helped.

Regards,
Steve Cowley
PC and Marshal Coordinator.

P.S. why not visit the event website www.rogeralbertclarkrally.org to see all the results, the blog and all the forum discussions.... on Saturday I believe the site had in the order of 15,000 hits!!!
 

Posted 19th November 2007
Too tired to blog...

Finished, all over for another year.  Surely not, it didn't last long enough I demand a recount, I want more stages.  Anyone want to join my protest?

More words tomorrow but for now some pics taken from the course closing car on our travels:

Steve

Posted 18th November 2007
Went The Day Well?

Now we should hang the flags out, I'm happy with the way the day went for us two days in a row.  We started the day immediately behind the last car on the road - in this case the last of the Clubmans entries, entered the last stage of the day on the back bumper of the last car on the road - this time the final Roger Albert Clark Rally runner and closed the last time control only two minutes behind the last car.  You may ask so what? but this is actually very difficult to achieve and in fact is the first time we have managed this feat on this event in the four years it has been running. 

Consider this:  The competitors arrive at a stage start, take a time, attempt the stage, take a time and leave for the next road section with little delay.  We on the other hand, as course closer, arrive at the stage start and have to ensure that all the runners who set  out from the previous control have actually arrived and not gone AWOL somewhere on the route - something that for various reasons happens frequently.  Clearly we cannot close a control if there is still a competitor on the road who has the right to attempt a stage so often a deal of time is taken resolving check sheets or awaiting competing cars.  Then when we get into the stage, firstly we have a slower run through the stage itself for obvious reasons but also because stage arrowing is often being taken away by marshals before we have completed the stage.  Please, if you are a marshal, don't make my job any more difficult or dangerous by removing stage furniture before we have cleared the stage.  Why do you think I can find my way through a stage without all the signposting that is there to help competitors?  This is hazardous in daylight hours but downright dangerous in the dark!!  We may then be held up by broken-down or stranded competitors who demand our time.  Arriving finally at the end of the stage we must again resolve checksheets and then collect all paperwork and timing equipment before we can leave the stage.  Overall, by the time we regain the public road, the competitor we followed closely into the stage is long gone and we have to try to make up time on the public road.  All delays during the day are cumulative as there is little opportunity to make up time and if we arrive late at a stage we get chastised for delaying marshals when the competition is over so it's difficult to win but it's still a great job to do as how many other jobs on the rally get you as close to the action?

I was discussing this with colleagues this evening and received unexpected praise from two individuals.  One told me that my driving this evening to keep on time the way we did was "a good bit of driving"  praise indeed from that quarter! and 'Original Closer' let it be known that I may be starting to get the job done correctly...  So I award myself a gold star for a job well done.

I certainly felt that I couldn't have driven through Kershope any faster than I did and still stay on the island given the standard lighting on my vehicle and I came away having thoroughly enjoyed the drive through the forests today and the great public roads that Colin routed the rally along to link the stages.  Great route planning, great stages and, for a change, decent weather to boot.  So, went the day well?  You bet your sweet bippy it did...

Steve

Posted 17th November 2007

A Course Closers Day

Posted 17th November 2007
Rally Managers Rambling

Day one of the event: Up at 4.30AM to arrive at Elland Road for a 5.30 check of the venue. All was quiet, a dozen or so crews were sleeping in the vans and I was greeted by the Head of Leeds Council Parks Department, who had been the liaison with the event pre event, checking that everything was in hand for the big breakdown as Leeds United had a home match which was due to kick off at 3PM and the police had given strict instructions that the event had to be out no later than 12 noon, and the council were just checking.

Try telling a police man that we will be out for 10.00AM when they say noon and don’t believe you!

After agreeing all was in order it was up to Temple Newsam, putting out the Spectator Car Park Signs to show the way in.

Then we had to drive into the park to put up temporary diversion signs for the footpaths in the park that the stage was using, who said this job was glamorous!

By this time it was 7.50AM so back round to the start to try and watch the first car off the start line, Guess what I missed it! 12 months of planning and miss the first and second car but had the chance to see the Saab before the Car 1 went into the stage.

After watching, yes, time off to do some spectating.  The main field through the stage it was a new role for the rest of the day, running link car between the main field and the Kall Kwik Rally.

What can be said about the driving through the woods, magic! And being able to see the hundreds and hundreds of spectators in Dalby and Langdale was great to see. I hope you had a good a view of the cars from wherever you were watching from.

First major casualty of the day was Steve Perez in the Lancia Stratos with loads of smoke and steam billowing from the back of the car at the end of Stage 4 Dalby.

The odd crew kept falling off during the rest of the day not doing much damage to the cars, until the last Yorkshire stage. We were 3 miles into the stage to hear on the radio that car 31 the Lancia Fulvia of Steve Graham was stuck in a gully across the stage. To be told that the first Kall Kwik car had been let into the stage 5 minutes early a quick Ah, Ah, Ah, and a short cut through the link section to reach Car 31, to find it half way across the track. Had to wait for the first Kall Kwik Car to come past, thankfully he could see us from a long distance and slowed to pass the car not loosing too much time, then we could recover the car out of the ditch, then it drove to the end of the stage.

Move on to Scarborough for the finish of the Kall Kwik and present the awards to the crews, and Darren Moon and John McNichol had won the event for the second year running, so the above incident had not played any part in the timing, this does make my life easier.

Now a long long road section from Scarborough to Carlisle Airport to receive the crews back into the Airport and the end of the first day, via a restaurant to obtain some food for the first time in the day.

As I am writing this the restart times for the crews in the morning are just been sent to the by SMS text service and the first car leaves here at 7.01 in the morning. 

Colin Heppenstall

Rally Manager

Posted 16th November 2007
What does the Course Closer do then??

Posted 16th November 2007
What does the Rally Manger do on the day before the event? 

Up at 6am after getting to bed at 1am finalising the packs for the competitors.  Packed the car, dropped the kids at nursery for the day and off to Elland Road for 9AM.  The setting up of Elland Road started on Wednesday with the Marquee being erected, and 42 heras fence panels which for three very unskilled people took us four hours.

When I arrived this morning nothing was stirring and everything already for the crews to arrive.  First to Arrive?  Dunlop with the two articulated vehicles full of tyres closely followed by the Dunlop Café. This event is the only Rally that Dunlop allows the café to attend, for the marshals and competitors are dispensed free tea, coffee to all.

The competitors started to arrive from lunchtime and parked up at noise to wait for the 3PM kick off.  By 2PM we had 30 cars lined up, and what a sight of vehicles, mostly painted in the original colours.

First to go through noise and scrutineering was the Lancia Stratos of Steve Perez, closely followed by David Stokes in the Gambia Escort.

As darkness fell the spectators headed inside the heated marquee and about 200 people were watching scrutineering .

So what does the Rally Manager do on the day before the event starts. The answer is quite easy, very little unless something does not happen as it should.

I hope all the spectators have an enjoyable and safe event.

Colin Heppenstall
Rally Manager

Posted 15th November 2007

T-1

It's Getting Exciting Now!

So, Here we are, back again!  I can't believe that it's a year since the Roger Albert Clark Rally 2006.  Although a lot has happened in the meantime it doesn't feel twelve months since we were washing the forest mud off the Ranger, our boots and ourselves!  It doesn't seem a year since I was thinking that I'm getting too old for this and maybe I won't do it again.  It doesn't seem twelve months since Original Closer said that if I keep practicing at the Course Closing thing I might get as professional at it as he was in his heyday - I'm always surprised that he can remember back that far, but there you go.

It has been very busy running the website this year and the new forum has proved to be very popular, helping the organisers communicate directly with competitors and fans alike.  It has been fascinating to see the conversations which have taken place and the different subjects that drive folks to put finger to keyboard.    Some of the most heated debates have been around the number of entries on this year's event and the perceived lack of 'star' entries.  I won't restart the debate here, but you need to look back at the successes of previous "Roger Albert's" and look at the entry numbers to see whether you think this year's event will turn out to be a classic in the making.  I for one am excited to see Jeremy Easson, Jimmy McRae and Steve Bannister up against each other let alone the rest of the quality entry - I also can't wait to see the Stratos again and will be interested to see young Martin McCormack in flight through the woods.

In case you are interested, since we started gathering statistics on the use of the Roger Albert Clark Rally website  at the beginning of 2006 we have had 105,000 unique visitors – 56,620 in 2006 and almost 50,000 so far in 2007.  We’ve had 49,500 visitors return to the site more than once and we have had the web pages downloaded over 350,000 times!

We also have had visitors to the site from all over the world.  This week alone we have had people visit the site from USA, Japan, Australia, Germany, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, UAE, Ireland, Denmark and Switzerland.  I just hope that some of these long range visitors actually manage to get out on the event and spend some money on tickets :-)

The first briefing for officials took place on Sunday and the organising team will be moving into tented accommodation at Elland Road in a couple of days so we are on the home straight to the start of what we hope will be another great rally.  We are looking forward to it and I hope you are.

Steve