GRIFFIN-MOTORSPORT

 Griffin motorsport has branched out in to endurance rallying

 Endurance rallying is usually run over two days with a night stage too. Endurance cars have to be standard road cars under 1.4, the only thing you have to do to them is put a roll cage in, fire eater systems and 4 point belts. This makes endurance rallying very competative.

Endurance rallying is set out with lots of tests linked by road sections to the next test. The tests are set out in many difrent ways, some are on stubble fields where you have to go through a set course of arrows and you have to stop at code boards and write a code of 5 numbers down on a sheet and hand it in at the end.

Some are set out on gravel roads where you have to get from the start to the finish in the quickest time but you get penaltys for hitting cones.

Some are set out in car park where you have to go round a course of cones in the quickest time with out touching any cones.

some are on farmers roads where you had to go through a set course stoping at code boards and pc boxes where you had to stop in a box and get a signiture and then go again.

Endurance rallying is hard work as you are on the go all day, once you had done a test it was on to the road to the next one no stops.

 Griffin motorsport took part in the bullnose rally set around oxford.

Damien rigden was going to drive his proton satria endurance rally car with Brett griffin co driving for him. This would be the first time Griffin motorsport had undertaken a endurance rally and it would be a swap round as Damien usually co drives and Brett usually drives.

The day started with us getting signed on and sitting down to look at the test maps which were very detailed, there was 25 tests to complete making this a very involved day.

The start was set at a pub and we were soon off on the first road stint to the first test, The test was set in a quarry so it was very bumpy and dusty. We set of with Damien going for it and Brett shouting instructions, we found it very tight and hard going but we made it to the end in one bit.

Second test was a rerun of the first, then it was of on the road to the next test, this one was set at a farm track, we were of finding it bumpy but fast half way through we had to do a 360 turn round a cone for the test and then up another track to a code board which we nearly missed but wrote it down and rushed to the end of the stage.

Next test was set out on a stubble field, The track was set out with arrowed gates that you could not miss else you got a penalty of 60 seconds. There was also 6 code boards to write down on the test which was hard work as it was bumpy.

 Next test was set up on a tarmac car park with cone you had to go round in the right order with out hitting them, this was hard as the cones were very tight together and set out so you had to hand brake it round most of them.

The next test was a track with a pc stop in it, this one was fast and open a we were going for it, at the pc board we stoped in the box got our paper signed and we were off again.

The nxt test was on a farm around and in a wood. We started of on grass down to a 360 round a cone then up in to the wood which was very tight with trees both sides, we made it out unscaved and then round a field back up to the wood for a nother lap we came down the strait towards the wood with a skoda in front of us which was slowing us down, in to the wood and the skoda was all over the place clipping 2 trees and then pulling over to let us past, we thanked him and went for it again in the tight wood finishing in one bit.

Next test was a gravel track in to a section with cones to go round then back on to the gravel track down to the finish, just before the finish was a sharp right that we took a bit to fast a clipped the bank on the out side as we slid round it but Damien got it under control and we finished.

Alot of the tests were repeted but in reverse, we found the day very hard and tiring as you dont stop all day but we finished and handed our time cards in at the finish which was back at the pub.

We sat down for a well earned drink and to wait for the results, Brett and Damien both were shattered and said that they would be happy for a top 20 finish as it was there first endurance rally.

We were very suprised to find out that we were 8th overall and 1st novice, Stunned we got up to receive our awards. this was a great finishish for us as there was lots of expert drivers that we had beatern. 

Griffin motorsport had a great day and will be doing this again.  

8th overall  1st novice

Essex charity stages 08 - 2nd inclass 30th overall