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Dread Scott's rally report (really long)



Okay, here we go, folks. My rally started off with major stress and
disappointment. First of all, I got a call at 6:50AM from my
photographer. "Dude, I can't get off from work..." Gee, thanks, man.
Secondly, the shop that was preparing it didn't have it ready to go
until the day of departure. Third, when I showed up to pick up my Penske
truck and trailer the trailer was nowhere to be found. The manager of
the place took $75 off my bill and sent me off to pick up another one 40
miles out of the way. Then once I got there the damned thing was broken.

And then A/C in the truck crapped out. It was 90deg out... :^(

As crazy as the day began, I was expecting to blow out a tire or
something on the 5 hour trip out there. Thankfully the trip was relaxing
and without incedent. However, time was ticking away and FAST! I pulled
into town with 10 minutes left on the clock till the end of competitor
and crew registration. -no registration/ no rally! We got that taken
care of and then drove like demons to get to the tech inspection in
time. This scared the hell out of me because there were a few points on
the car that we didn't have time to address. Thankfully, after getting
beat up by the inspectors they finally let me through. Wisheeww....
We're rallying!

As heart wrenching as the previous day was, the rally day actually went
mostly great! :^) Our starting position was 78 out of 80 cars. After a
few hours, though, we'd moved up 14 spots due to people crashing out or
breaking down. We also passed 12 cars. Eat my dust, baby! There's a big
Rabbit in da house!

The dirt and gravel roads were super smooth -absolutely gorgeous to
drive on. Lined by stout trees on both sides, the only comfort about
them was that they'd keep you from plunging down 350 foot cliffs. There
you are doing 70mph down a snaky road, dodging wrecked cars, and you're
staring down into the Grand Canyon of the East. The most incredible
experience has got to be the hairpin turns, though.

The dialogue in the car with my sister, Trisha would go something like
this:
Trish: "In 4 tenths of a mile, uphill 3 right over bridge...
Scott: "Count me down"
Trish: "3 tenths.. 2 tenths... 3 right over bridge... 1 tenth. NOW!

I see the turn, aim the Warpig about 3 feet deeper than the apex of the
turn, down shift to 3rd gear,  and head understeering directly towards
the tree in front of me. Then I left foot brake and floor the gas. The
front tires bite and the tail swings way leftwards. We clip the apex, I
get off the brakes and we drift over the skinny wooden bridge at 45 mph.
I send a hail of dirt and rocks up into the crowd on the hillside beside
us. Over the din of the screaming Audi 2.0l motor and the stacatto blast
of the rock spray on the bottom of the car I can hear the hoots and
hollering of an estatic crowd. "GO, GO, GOoooooo....."

Trish: "Next in 3 tenths, downhill hairpin left, don't cut... 2
tenths... 1 tenth... NOW!
Scott: Got it! Hang on!

This time the turn is in the middle of a 45deg downhill slope which will
greatly exaggerate the oversteer. I spot the apex of the turn below me
and to the left. The turn makes a sharp "V" and it'll take some serious
rotation to get around it at speed.

I head directly towards the apex, then whip the car to the right and
intentionally lock up the brakes. I'm now pointed *away* from the apex
but traveling straight towards it. The left foot comes off the brake and
I spin the wheel towards the turn. The car flips around immediately and
I'm almost going backwards now. Get heavy on the gas pedal to control
the rotation! BWAAAAAAHH!!!!! The dirt flies and the crowd screams yet
again. Cameras flash white light all around while a toddler covers her
ears. I exit the turn still sideways, looking down the road through my
open vent windows. Yeah, baby!!!

Up through the gears I row, shifting at about 6500 rpms.
B-Waaahhh-pop-pop-pop-bwaaaaahh! I look down at my speedo and I'm at
78mph -my fastest speed on a stage yet.

The driving started at 10:30am and we were still going strong at 8:30pm.
Until... I started getting brain fade the likes of which was matched
only by the red mist I was seeing.

Trish: "3 right in 2 tenths... 1 tenth... GO!"
Scott: "I got it. Whoa, sh*T!!!" :^(

I get the car sideways and pointed where I want it just like every other
successful turn. However, I can see that the road is heavily crowned
(higher in the middle) and *covered* with gravel. I nail the apex just
like you see on the tapes. But, the tail stays put, the nose hits the
crest in the road, and I take it like jump with about six inches of air
in between my knobby tires and the ground below. Weeeeeee! Trish and I
go sailing and then. BAM! -we hit the embankment.

The bumper punches into the soft peat bank and the rear of the car goes
about four feet into the air. The back crashes down and blows out the
tire on the passenger's side. The impact also bends the control arm on
my side and puts the tire into contact with the fender and unibody. I'm
also completely sideways to the road with less than a minute until I get
tee-boned by a pretty Audi Quattro at speed.

Fortunately, getting the car straight and off to the side of the road is
no problem. Trish puts out the safety triangles while I curse my luck
and jack up the car. I swap tires and ask her how much more until the
end of the stage. "Three miles", she says. In the car's current shape
I'd wear the tire away to a smoking blob if I tried to just drive away.
So, I grab the tow strap, tie one end around a tree and the other around
the control arm. I bang the car into reverse and pull the suspension
"straight".

Our day effectively ended at that point. We got the car to the end of
the stage and finished the first of the day's two rallies. Unfortunately
we were unable to start the next one due to the extent of the damage
incurred. Whatever! We had a blast, humbled more than a few cars, and
look forward to the next one.

See yuz at the next one!
--
Scott F. Williams
NJ Scirocco nut
SCCA ProRally driver
Hotrod Rabbit GTi

Check out our rally team's website!
http://www.usrallyteam.com



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