Day 2 action report- when you read the happenings, you get a small sense of what rallying in Africa is really about
Taita Hills, lunchtime
At the start of the Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally 2009 outside the Whitesands Hotel in Mombasa this morning, event director, Surinder Thatthi, gave a classic example of multi-tasking. While instructing a marshalling team over the telephone where precisely to set up their control at the end of the first competitive section out on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway, he was also performing the role of official photographer, filming event patron, D.P.Marwaha, as the veteran Safari driver flagged away the first cars on their 4,500 km journey.
The Mombasa start had been favoured earlier in the morning by a heavy rain shower and the results were still around in the form of puddles on the road out to the first competitive section. Few of the leading drivers seemed too worried by this and many hoped that it would have laid the dust that can be such a problem when one fast car is following another on a Safari road. On the way to the Taita Hills, there was still the occasional shower but nothing likely to impede the progress of the drivers. However, rumours of wetter conditions on the roads west of Arusha that will run on Wednesday continue to persist. The Safari officials will consider the reports from the 3-day car this evening and make any decision that they deem appropriate.
The Ford Escort of Jean-Michel Martin, a past winner of the 24 Hour race at Spa, was suffering from engine problems on the classification stage yesterday and finally was not able to start the rally proper.
Taita Hills, afternoon
Light rain showers greeted the cars and crews as they checked in outside the Taita Hill Lodge. The two leaders were in first with Ian Duncan holding the privilege of leading the rally at the end of the first day with his Ford Mustang with a narrow four seconds advantage over the Porsche 911 of Björn Waldegård. One ex-Safari winner locked in close struggle with another - what more excitement could one want ? Third overall is Gerard Marcy, also Porsche 911 mounted some two and a half minutes behind the leaders. Disputing fourth place are two Datsun 260Zs with Graham Alexander from Australia holding the advantage of Britain's Steve Perez by eight seconds. Of the three competition sections run today, Duncan claimed fastest time on the first, Marcy on the second and Perez on the third.
Gerard Marcy and Stephane Prevot ht trouble on the first section when they had a rear puncture and the tyre damaged the rear damper. Consequently, they were some five minutes slower than Duncan through that stage bit with fastest time on the next and second fastest on the third section, they are still in a very strong position.
Björn Waldegård and Iqbal Sagoo had some intercom problems initially but this was rapidly traced to a flat intercom battery and the problem was permanently solved. They pulled into the Taita control with a completely flat front tyre that was almost on fire. Waldegård said "We came out of the last section and I knew we had hit and it was soft but Karl-Heinz Goldstein was there and he said that though it was soft it would be OK to get into the night halt".
Ian Duncan and Amaar Slatch, though leading the rally, gave the impression that they had been out on a Sunday drive. This laid back approach was continued in Duncan's comment that "We have had no problems and frankly been taking it pretty steady. The Mustang loved that fast section from Mackinnon Road, it just laps that up." But they did collect a puncture of the third section and arrived at the end of the section with what was left of the tyre wrapped around the rear wheel.
Steve Perez and Staffan Parmander lost a few minutes on the first section with their Datsun 240Z. "The steering felt funny and I thought that we had a recurrence of the bottom bearing problem on the front suspension that we had found in testing before the rally. So I slowed. But when we got to service and they checked it out everything was OK. I think it must have been that soft sand giving a wrong feeling. The steering in any case is much heavier that I am used to with thing like the WRC Focus or the Stratos. But now it going well and I am very pleased to have been quickest on that last stage."
Quinten Savage and his brother, Russell, reported that on the whole they had had a good day out in the sections with their Datsun 180B. "We whacked a rock in the second section which has dented the sump guard and pushed it up but that is something that the service crew can sort. Nothing serious. We also had a puncture in the first section and stopped to change it."
Geoff Bell and Tim Challen in their Datsun 180B were reasonably content to lie sixth, one place ahead of the younger Savages. "I didn't get much sleep last night. There was some guy in the room over me who was evidently doing a 1,000 miles service on his rear axle. But it been OK today apart from a couple of driver 'wrong slots', you know where he says 'turn right' and I go straight on."
Jean-Pierre Mondron and Dan Erculisse came in with their Kronos Porsche 911 looking immaculate. "We have no problem and the car is very sound. It was very fast in the second section through the sisal plantation. I was doing maybe more than 170 kph and could probably have gone faster, but, as yet, I don't know if that is a good thing."
Graham Alexander and Ross Rummels in their Datsun 260Z had a problem on the first section. "We had a bolt come out of the rear suspension and I had to drive through with one rear wheel trying to wobble to the end before us. Then on the second section, we caught Mondron's dust and followed him through to the end where we discovered that we had sheared the engine mounts. The thing is held in at the moment by straps but we hope to improve on that arrangement in the service here. Everything considered, we are delighted to be lying fourth at this early stage."
Jonathan Savage and Gavin Laurence came in with their Datsun 260Z a bit disappointed to be just outside the top ten in eleventh place. "We had a puncture on the first section, stopped to change it and an Escort came past. When we got going again, we found that he was stuck in deep sand blocking our way and both of us had to struggle to get out."
Paul-Eric Jarry and Jean-François Andreoli had a puncture on the third section through the Taita Hills with their Porsche 911. "We decided to stop and change it and found a really good place with a little bit of tarmac. It went quite well but I think we still lost almost six minutes. Without that, I think we could have two or three places higher but ninth is not so bad. The car is perfect and we look forward to the rest of the rally."
Aziz Tejpar and Andy Nagi were the ones who got their Mk1 Ford Escort stuck in the first section. "That cost us at least nine minutes. Maybe we were nervous but we then went and made two wrong slots in the sisal on section two. But that last section over the Taita Hills was just magnificent, real rallying. Can we have more please ?"
Lying in eight place is the Datsun 180B of Wayne Kieswetter and Steve Harris from South Africa. "I'm really pleased as this is only my second real rally. The first one was the Safari Classic in 2007 so you can see that I am getting used to things. No problems with the car either so we are really enjoying ourselves."
Thomas Flohr and Didier Breton in one of the Tuthill Porsche 911s came in smiling. "What can we say ? No problems with the car and we are both enjoying it."
Marzio Kravos and Renzo Bernardi came in with their big Mercedes 450SLC looking quite pleased. "The only problem that we had was that one of the drive shaft joint gaiters was leaking a bit but not enough to worry about and the service crew will change it now. But the most fantastic thing is - no punctures ! Simply wonderful."
Albert Michels and Patrick de Connick reported no problems with their Porsche 911 on the competitive sections. "Nothing went wrong so we have nothing to complain about. We are very content."
Andrew Siddall and Mike Borrissow, the British pair in a Datsun 280Z had a lot to say about their day of rallying. "I reckon we had only one good section out of four. Before the rally, we had all kinds of things starting with a leaking cylinder head gasket and then total electrical failure regarding the engine system. We had to change everything including the distributor. And then on the classification section on Sunday, she stuck in second gear for most of the way. On the first section this morning, a Minilite wheel broke and we had to stop and fit a new wheel and tyre. On the second, the fuel pump fuse broke and we had to jury rig a wire from the battery direct to the pump to get going. Finally the last section was OK except that now it seems the intercom is not working properly. We have a lot of work to do here but hopefully tomorrow - and all the all the other days - will be better."
Richard Arrowsmith and Norris Midwood in an Ian Freestone prepared Ford Escort Mk 1 were getting used to African rallying. "The car is good and we are just about getting the hang of driving in these conditions. At one point it was really like all those stories of the old Safari as we stopped to try and pull Aslam Khan out from where he was stuck in the second section. We failed but it gives an idea of what things are like. We really enjoyed the Taita Hills section which had everything to make a good rally section."
Dust was problem for Kishen Bandheri and Japsal Matharu when their Datsun 1600SSS caught up other cars on that second stage. "We had a puncture out on the main road to the start of the stage and then we went in there and straight away found ourselves in other people's dust. We got past one and then caught the Escort. But no real problems with the car."
Nick Mason and Adrian Grinstead found they were still suffering from dust on their Datsun 240Z. "Actually I made it worse. The wipers cut out on the first section and, when I dived in there to rearrange the wiring, I pulled a few grommets out of the front bulkhead. We have been running like that and the dust has been pouring in. But we carry on regardless .".
An exciting excursion was in store for Rommy Bamrah and Harvey Jutley on the second section when their Datsun 260Z went off the road. "We missed a turn and before we knew it, we were going through this barbed wire fence. Fortunately there were no big posts or anything but it was pretty frightening. To get back, we found a road parallel to the rally route inside the fence which looked as if it would bring us out but it was ages before we found a way back."
Steve Troman and Calvin Cooledge in a Tuthill Porsche 911 were pleased with their day. "We have been going steadily at our own pace and enjoying everything. The only problem we had was that, on the descent from the Taita Hills, we lost the brakes through fading. They went away for about twelve kilometres and that was a bit worrying as the drop off the edge is not small ! The car is going well and we are looking forward to the next eight days of the rally."
In the second Kronos Porsche 911, Thierry Bosqueau and Nicolas Gilsoul reported just a small problem with the upper mounts on their rear dampers. "They are just a little too weak and we must replace then with a better solution this evening. But that is the only problem we have with the car. It is the first time in Africa for us and it is amazing the variety of these sections - fast, slow, mountain, plain, rough, smooth, sandy, rocky - there is just everything all in one day. And there are more days to come !"
But it was not a good day for Roddy Sachs and Denis Matthews in their Datsun 180B. "We had two punctures at various places but the real problem came in the first section when we broke a drive shaft. I don't know where it broke because it's not around any more. But it took the brake pipe and the lower front wishbone with it. I drove out with just one-wheel power and then we found that it had damaged the differential as well. Shall we change the differential ? Well maybe not as we welded the old one up and now I have a Datsun with a live rear axle layout ! So it was a thoroughly miserable day and things can only get better."
Safari veterans both, Jayant Shah and Lofty Drews make a crew with more Safari experience than most in their Datsun 260Z. "The engine is now behaving itself but we had a puncture in the Taitas and it was a bit of a panic to remember how to change it. There have been a few problems on the co-drivers side of the car - the Halda fell off into Lofty's lap and his seat came loose - but the car goes along alright just like I remember it."
One of the smartest - i.e. least dusty - arrivals at Taita Hill Lodge were Hardev Singh Sira and Denis Giraudet in their Ford Escort Mk1, the latter immaculate in his Repsol driving overalls. "It has been a bit hard today trying to adapt from my normal Peugeot 504 Coupe which is much heavier and a little less powerful. So caution and common sense have been in my mind as I have tried to change my driving style to accommodate the difference. One thing that did catch me out was that we passed another competitor and then I was sure that someone was catching me only to discover that in fact it was the lights and dust of the car we had just passed !"
One slightly dramatic arrival at the final control was the Ford Escort of Gianluca Ciaraldi and Uwe Kurstenberger, which stopped to check the time before moving forward and then refused to start again and had to be manhandled through the control.
Michel Pucheros and Nicholas Patel in their Datsun 240Z reported that they had a good day. "Actually a very good day. We broke a TCA somewhere on the first stage but it didn't affect anything and we didn't actually discover it until we stopped in service on the main road. So pretty lucky. Hope it stays like that."
The big Citroen DS 21 of Frederic Daunat and Guy Chriqui makes an impressive sight as it goes through the sections but it not without its problems. "We broke a hydro pneumatic suspension unit on the first section, fixed it and then twenty kilometres later, blew another one. And then I nearly broke the jack trying to raise the car and replace the unit."
Jean-Marc Bussolini and Patricia Bussolini in their Porsche 924 suffered a damaged right rear suspension arm in the second section. "the car is very new, almost like a prototype - and the driver is not used to these roads so I go perhaps too fast. The first section was good but then we had this problem on the second. We also broke a front wheel. But it is a marvellous rally and we look forward to the rest of it."
The Alpine Renault A110 of Erik Comas and Ravi Soni had to miss the third section today as their car was still having problems. "I have decided that I shall continue with this car using it as a test for future events. We have the suspension expert here and we will use this car, which was our test car in France, to sort out a good solution for these roads."
Meanwhile, the sister car of Charles Firmenich and Jean-Pierre Martin continues as a full participant and the service effort will be concentrated on getting that through to the finish. They had one problem today when one of the rear bump stops failed and allowed the damper to over-stroke and break its valves. Stronger bump stops are currently being fitted in service after which the mechanics will turn their attention to preparing the A110 of Comas.
A very late arrival at Taita Hill Lodge was the Ford Escort Mk1 of Aslam Khan and Farhaaz Khan. They had taken a wrong turning on the second section and then tried to find their way back onto the correct route. Unfortunately, they came to it, mistook the direction and started going the wrong way. It was not long before they discovered the error of their ways and went to turn round whereupon the Escort suffered total electrical failure and the engine stopped. Hence they were blocking the section and facing the wrong way !
