Carlisle rally co-driver Rachel Medich was in action again last weekend when she contested the Procare Stages at the Three Sisters race circuit near Wigan. Rachel was competing in a Talbot Sunbeam with Martin Lynch and they finished 25th overall after 12 stages at a very sunny venue. It was the second time Rachel had competed at the venue in the MGL Transport Ltd backed Sunbeam, she enjoyed last year’s event so much she returned for more in 2009."This rally last year was one of the few times we managed to get to the finish so we were keen to return," said Rachel.
"I think it's a fantastic venue with a very reasonable entry fee, it's the type of place you go to for a tarmac test or even just to get a finish, it's good fun, you can entertain the crowd for sure."
"Martin thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the ‘drifting’ corner. It was run in both directions but he seemed to go quicker when we were using the circuit right handed. He's finished every time he's been there so far and he says he's definitely a tarmac man but, although he may not admit it, I think he has a big soft spot for the forests and he's entertaining in there!"
The Sunbeam crew kept both spectators and rally officials entertained during the day, almost crossing the finishing line backwards a few times.
"We came out of a hairpin right around 50 yards before the finish and as Martin put the power down the back end of the car tried to overtake the front resulting in a full-on broadside slide over the finish and a cheer from the stop line! That’s what makes rear wheel drive extra special, not only is it good fun in the car, the crowds love it too!"
Their rally nearly came to a premature halt on one of the stages, the car almost tipping over on the circuit.
"We managed to clip a kerb and nearly rolled the car. I wouldn't mind but I was concentrating so hard I didn't notice until we thumped back down onto the track. Of course it was me up in the air which makes it even stranger that I didn't notice. I did however see the looks on the marshals’ faces, poised for action springs to mind!"
After a series of retirements in the Sunbeam it was a relieved Rachel that arrived at the event finish with the car still in one piece.
"I’m very happy for Martin, he has the worst luck of anyone I've known in rallying. It's not just the Sunbeam we've had retirements in, we didn't fair much better in ‘The Beast’, an Opel Ascona-engined Peugeot 306 painted in battleship grey matt paint which went VERY sideways. We had a joke going into one of the final stages that we were so tired because we never usually got that far and our bodies had already switched off. Martin has won the Kirkby Lonsdale Motor Club's "piston broke" trophy for two years in a row, it's awarded to the person with the most retirements, we don't want him winning it again."
Rachel’s next event will be in June at Weeton Camp near Blackpool where she is part of a 50th birthday present for the father of one of her drivers – the top secret plan is to present him a car, racesuit and co-driver so he can compete on the rally.
"We have a feeling he's going to love it!"
