After months of secrecy the Spookworks Rockingham Report has
finally been released. The report was
subject to intense scrutiny and internal review due to the fact that Spookworks
did not successfully defend the RAF Rally Championship title for the 4th
year in succession. Talk of a cull of
personnel and severe rationing of cucumber were just a few examples of the
extreme measures being considered by Spookworks top executives.
A Spookworks spokesman stated:
“We have now had a
full investigation into the events at Rockingham and have made some substantial
modifications to the Spookworks operating model as a result. I am not at liberty to go into any specific
detail as this is strictly a Spookworks internal matter. I can confirm that there have been some personnel
changes and a significant new addition will be joining the team in May. We are
very confident going into the 2014 season and look forward to mounting a front
running challenge for the 2014 RAF Rally Championship."
 |
| The Official Spookworks spokesman addressed a hostile media at the Spookworks Press Centre. |
Now the dust has settled it appears that there are no
significant changes within the team although an insider source has told us of
at least one senior individual from a Spookworks partner organisation has now
resigned. There is no additional detail
but when any news brakes we will let you know.
 |
| The Spookworks HQ has been a lonely place over the New Year |
The full released Rockingham report can be viewed below.
Spookworks Rockingham
Report
Spookworks entered the final round of the 2013 RAF Rally
Championship with only 254 points; over a 110 points behind the Championship
leaders. The engine fire and subsequent
failure to finish at the Jane Cowling Stages during the mid season had
effectively ended the year and nothing but an extreme miracle would provide any
redemption.
 |
| The largest RAF footprint in Corby since 1942..... |
The over heating problem that continued to plague the performance of the car
left the Spookworks boffins with no choice but to hold a pilgrimage to the Oracles
secret industrial park liar in the Humber for a week long investigation that
ended up turning into a performance crusade.
The product that rolled back in to the Spookworks HQ in late December
was a very different beast that had been dragged up to the Rover Don.
 |
| After a date with the Oracle its was power power power... |
Now with a package worthy of contesting the final event of
the year only 2 days, 97 miles and 12 stages lie ahead to write the final
chapter in the 2013 Spookworks campaign.
The Northamptonshire weather mercifully provided a clear and sunny day
with cold temperatures but dry underfoot.
No less than 6 RAF crews made the competition fierce with the
traditional Spookworks sparring partners of Blackstone Racing and JFP being
joined by formidable opponents Force D Rallying and The Gravel Factory, both equipped
with similar performance Subaru Imprezas.
Come the morning of the 7th December a crisp
sunny winters morning greeted the competitors and just after midday the
Spookworks Impreza lined up to take on the first of 6 stages before the
overnight halt. The first two 6.88 mile stages started outside the main arena,
effectively in the Rockingham Speedway car park and then roared through the
access tunnel to then complete 2 laps of the internal circuit. Seeded 18th and with 13 cars in
Class 5 even winning the class would only bring 92 points not enough to take
the title even if the other RAF Competitors failed to finish. The gameplay was therefore 2 fold; firstly to
keep the other RAF crews honest and make them fight to the bitter end and
secondly to tackle the morale component of competition and get a great result
to end the year on a high.
 |
| What's that saying? "Power is nothing without......" |
After assessing the rather cold temperatures, the dry but
slightly slick stage surface the
Spookworks Impreza was shod with super soft tyres which it was thought would
heat up quicker and provide more grip during the opening days stages and into
the fearsome night stages. Off the line
into Stage 1 and the 4 wheels of the Impreza struggled for grip and spun up
constantly as traction was continually broken.
After only less than a few hundred metres it became clear that the
slipping was not confined only to the wheels but the newly installed clutch decided
to join in and significant time was lost throughout the stage as the clutch
began to bed in. Before the second lap
of the famous Rockingham speedway was commenced this problem was joined by another
as the brake pedal flipped between “firm” and “Bedrock”. The combination of these 3 problems, tyres,
clutch and brakes resulted in a torrid first stage and the time; a 8:12 reflected that. By comparison Blackstone recorded a 8:03 and
JFP a 7:49. Spookworks was going backwards
and fast.
Back in service, tyre pressures were lowered to try to get
more heat into the tyres and the brakes checked with nothing obvious to
fix. The clutch would just have to bed
in as quickly as possible.
Stage 2 saw mercifully saw the clutch come in soon after the
stage start and the brake pedal even began to behave normally. The only remaining issue seemed to be grip as
the car continued to struggle and the normal leech like grip Subaru’s are famous
for seemed to be completely absent.
After no significant dramas Stage 2 was completed in a
swifter 7:45, quicker than Blackstone but still 19 secs behind JFP. Strangely, in service the tyre temperature
was colder than a polar bears bedroom and these tyres should be hot to the
point of untouchable.
 |
| Pushing hard but tyres stayed cold...... |
Stage 3 and 4 were slightly longer tests at 7.7 miles. The tyre pressures were lowered significantly
in an attempt to get some heat into the rubber and the 2 stages were completed
without any significant dramas apart from some minor delays due to slower
vehicles. The times were still slower
than expected at 8:43 and 8:25 respectively and after Stage 4 the tyre still
seemed to be cold. Lowering pressures any further would effectively mean
running on the rims! Despite heading
into the 2 night stages, the decision was made to ditch the supersoft rubber
and load up the Pirelli RX7 Medium compound tyres. Even the medium compound must get warmer than
these (name withheld) supersofts.
With the lamppod fitted, the toughest 2 stages of the event lie between
now and the overnight halt. At 9.25 miles
each they were also the longest of the entire event. The temperature had also dropped, the wind
had picked up and despairingly a spattering of light rain were all thrown into
the mix to make the stage difficulty increase 2 fold. Survival was going to be the key to these 2
stages and after a few scares, not least the disintegrating Subaru of JFP immediately
in front of the Spookworks car on Stage
5; the car pulled up in the service area much better after the change of rubber
and tyre pressures and temperatures were exactly where they should be. The
times were much better as well and Spookworks was quickest of all the RAF entries
with a 10.11 and a 10.04. Sadly though it appeared that damage to the
itsmymotorsport JFP run Impreza were too much and they sadly retired from the
event.
Day 2 - Sunday morning brought another dry morning and saw
Spookworks lying comfortably in the top 20 and 5
th in class. Stages 7 and 8 were a variation on the previous
2 stages last run last night and at 9.25 miles the medium compound Pirelli
tyres would be the perfect choice. The track
was predictably slick and a moment of exuberance seeing a fellow competitor in the gravel had to be
balanced against a Spookworks lazy spin on the next lap round caused a moment
of temporary concern. Back in service
after the 2 runs and Spookworks was now 4
th in class and 17
th
overall. The times were again quickest
of all RAF Competitors at 10:39 and 10:03 respectively. The latter time was the 13
th
fastest time for the stage.
 |
| Spookworks do a little grass cutting to keep Rockingham looking neat and tidy. Unlike Spookworks.... |
Stages 9 and 10 were back to 7.66 mile tests and the track
was drying significantly with a bone dry line in most places. This turned the
stages more into a motor race and getting past traffic proved to be the biggest
challenge of the 2 runs. A few hold ups
were evident but it must have been the same for everyone and Spookworks
continued to set the pace for RAF crews with an 8:21 and 8:06 the latter 3
rd
fastest time in class and 13
th fastest time overall.
The final 2 stages were only about coming home. Looking at the
leaderboard, the car behind was too far away and the car in front too far
ahead. Surprisingly due to another retirement Spookworks was now showing 3
rd
in class and 15
th overall. A terrific result given the significant loss
of time on Stage 1 and the poor tyre choice for the opening 4 stages. The stages proved to be straightforward and undramatic
with a dry track and no traffic it was a trouble free run to the finish. A 7:10 and a 7:02 brought Spookworks home in
one piece in a total time of 1hr 44 mins, for 3
rd in class and 15
th
overall and as importantly with no damage!
 |
| In the end Blackstone (front right) managed to lift the RAF Silverware for 2013. But we'll be back.... |
Regrettably in terms of the RAF Championship we came up
short with 2
nd in the Co Drivers championship and 3
rd in the
Drivers’ championship. Full congratulations
to the winners Phil Bruce from Blackstone racing and Mike Smith on their 2013
success and thanks to all our fellow competitors, the amazing Spookworks crew
and boffins, and all the organisers marshals and of course of sponsors and
partners. See you all in 2014 when we
will move the competition up a notch, if only geographically on the map!
