The event had started well and the car was in the best shape ever; ready to scrap it out in a high calibre field full of talented crews and well sorted cars.
But a poor tyre choice for the first 2 stages instantly put Spookworks on the back foot as the Spookworks Subaru scrabbled for traction on the Duns High Street ending up 50th overall!
As Day 2 dawned the bad fortune continued where it left off the night before. It was only about a 1/3 of the way into the first 16 mile stage when a turbo boost pipe popped off leaving the Spookworks Impreza without turbo boost and valuable time was lost limping along one of the narrowest parts of the stage looking for a place to effect repair. A suitable space was found and a quick repair put into place when merely a mile on down the same stage another pipe decided to part company and a a similar repair had to be effected. In all 9 mins had been lost against the leaders - a lifetime at this level. Even worse once the boost pipes had finally been secured a misfire had now developed limiting Spookworks to below 100mph and making progress on the remaining 7 stages uncomfortable and frustrating to say the least.
But sadly there was to be more drama - a puncture on stage 7 putting another nail in the coffin and the jack breaking while trying to change the wheel meant you could now measure the time lost on a calendar. Numerous overshoots, slides and trip to a field meant this event was all about experience - and boy was it ever.
In the end despite a poor event for us; the Jim Clark is a great event - whatever the outcome. In the end Spookworks managed to salvage 10th in Class and 48 overall. Not bad in hindsight considering we thought we were going to retire 3 times!
The Spookworks boffins have already been back in the drawing books and you can be assured that we will be back and keen to make up for lost ground.....as Malcom X said;
"There is no better teacher than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time."
Until then you can laugh at my adversity - here is a good example; posted by a kind soul who suggested that we ran out of runway...quite true. Enjoy.
