Well, after a big year of trials, fun times and setbacks, McMRallySport achieved first outright in the ARC2 2WD competition and achieved a goal we set, but thought we might have trouble achieving.
It was tough. Our year got off to a rocky start when we were unable to activate cam control in our ECU system. A check of the ECU program showed an error and this caused a few headaches. It was resolved after a couple of trips to the dyno and long discussions with the engine builder Neil Trama and Sean at Boostworx.
Next on our list and our first real hit out in Port Lincoln was a broken gearbox. But that wasn’t before we struck a hay bale ripping the right rear bumper off the car. A hairpin R1 and a change down to first selected 2 gears at once. It stripped 1st and 2nd gears and ruined the input shaft. A call to Quaife to discuss what had happened, and we had to pay to get a new input shaft. With this installed, we were ready for our next event. Round 1 of the SARC. This turned out to be a good run, and a nice proving ground to discover what the car could do. We finished 7th outright and 1st in class P3.
NatCap was next up. It was our first nominated ARC2 event for the year. We travelled from Adelaide with high hopes, only to fail again. At shakedown, our first run was interrupted by Lewis rolling in front of us. We trundled back to the start and lined up again. On set off, there was a bang and we rolled to the side of the road. We had snapped a driveshaft. We fixed it in the service area at Kowen and headed back to the event service proper at Canberra Airport to ensure no other issues.
From the start of day 1, we were doing well. We were keeping pace with other 2WD vehicles and getting some speed into the car. Halfway through the morning’s long stage, a big dip into a jump compressed the rear end a bit too much, and busted the remote mount point of the suspension canister, sending it into the dirt and it snapped off shortly after. We completed the morning s loop, but at service we identified we were out of day 1.
We were able to find some factory suspension courtesy of Neal Bates Motorsport and started day 2. 8k into the stage we heard some funny gearbox noises when suddenly the gearbox let go. Also, some gear teeth decided they wanted to explore the country side and left via a big hole in the gearbox case. On removal of the box once home, we found the input shaft had sheared at the clutch end. Bad. We were lucky to have completed enough kilometres on day 1 to score points in ARC2, so a little consolation. Once home, we contacted Murray from MCA and designed some new shock fittings. We piggy backed the canister to the back of the shock. It keeps it out of the dirt, and out of the damage area. They look good, and fit up well. We also decided, we have had quite enough of Quaife. We have tossed the sequential and opted for an H pattern factory box. This has had a Jubu final drive and Hollinger gears inserted into the internals.
Event 4 was Robertstown in the SARC. It would be a test of the new gearbox, and the new rear suspension. We finished 8th outright and first P3. We had enough speed to get past some 4WD’s so were pleased with our progress. Our new rear suspension worked without a hitch, as did the new gearbox setup. We maxed out at 185kph, but it got there very quickly. The car was performing well.
Event 5 was Rally of South Australia. After a strip down and some tweaks we were ready to show our speed. Alas, this was not to be. Our speed lasted but 2k into SS1. A right 3 down was enough to pull the RHS driveshaft from its cup. We rolled out of the stage and were towed back to service. With the shaft fixed, we re-joined for the night stages. 8k in, and the left driveshaft parted company. Again, we made it out of the stage and fixed the problem, and were able to check into parc ferme. Day 2 needed to be a compromise, and would see us trundle through enough stages to see us classified as finishers and score points in ARC2. We had now qualified for Coffs Harbour, and were excited. Time to start on the prep.
The following months saw us have new longer custom driveshaft’s manufactured. New lower control arm bushes installed as the others had failed and were a partial cause to our retirement from RoSA and not something you could see unless you removed the arm completely. Everything was being checked over.
November 10 arrived, and the car hit the ground for the first time since RoSA at 8pm. We were to leave for Coffs and the 2000k drive the following morning and our first WRC. So no time for testing, driving or alignments.
I lined up a wheel alignment in Coffs on Monday at the Quinn’s workshop on our way over. Little did we know we were in the presence of the soon to be ARC Champion. We discovered on the ramp, that our camber was out 2 degrees. To get close to zero to ensure full tyre contact with these new MRF’s I would need to return to the service park and cut into the strut top on both sides. The right side was easy. The left side, not so much. In the workings on the left side, I managed to pull the driveshaft out too far and release the box fluid all over the service tarp. With this fixed, and the box refilled, I returned the next afternoon after day 1 recce to find the car almost spot on. A small tweak to set it straight and away we went. Our service crew arrived in Coffs during Wednesday whilst we were out doing day 2 recce. They identified a fuel pump issue as they could smell fuel and fixed it. The O-ring seal in the surge tank had failed and was in turn leaking fuel into the cabin. A few more quick fixes and adding event stickering needed to be completed before scrutineering. A few little things we had organised for Thursday meant we would miss the shakedown. Not ideal, but we had a feeling everything was spot on and ready.
Thursday night arrived and we rolled over the start line. There were plenty of people around to see us and the WRC drivers off and into the event.
Day 1 of competition. With everything in hand we entered SS1. It was rough and very slippery. We took our time to come up to speed, and were taking time out of our competitors in the same class. Our benchmark competitor for the weekend would be Adam Kaplan in his RX7. Down on seat time in the car and a little bit of horse power, we were running 1.7 seconds slower per k than him. This made us happy to know we were close. Day 1 completed without error or damage. This was more than we could say for what was about to happen on Day 2.
Day 2 had the longest stage in the rally. A 50k monster! The first pass was fine, but a little hot and starting to cut up. We made it through and headed for service. On the second run through the total stage length, they had broken it into 2 separate stages. On the first half of the stage, we hit a bridge edge which broke a rim and flattened a tyre. It also pushed the control arm back into the wheel well. We were one of perhaps 30 to suffer on this hazard. Not enough to put us out, but enough to inflict a slowing influence. It took us 6 minutes to change the tyre as the wheel had stuck onto the brake caliper. We had to be wary not to hit or kick the wheel too much so as to knock the car off the jack. We merged back onto the stage after a car 2 behind us went past. We were sucking dust and pressing the push to pass when we could see.
After a bitumen section, we were able to pass and had a clear run to the end. We slowed in the next stages to ensure no punctures. The night’s super special was up next. People were leaving in their droves. A shame really! It would have been good to have the WRC cars run last so the crowd got to see everyone. Not a good run for us here. We suffered another flat in similar circumstances to the first. An exposed concrete edge cut the tyre and caused instant deflation. No busted rim though. We drove back to service on the flat. The crew identified some bending and worked miracles to fix it in our allotted time. We made Parc Ferme and were relieved.
Day 3 dawned, and it was wet and overcast. On our way to the first service it rained heavily. On entry into the first SS of the day, the road conditions were diabolical. Rivers of water were running down the wheel ruts and making it hard for the car to progress. The creek crossings were now twice as deep, and would become car killers. The uphill of the last 200 metres of the stage almost put us out. We were only just able to make traction in the limited grass and rough on the side of the road to make it to the top. With the cancellation of this stage after we finished, we would not need to make it here for a second run. The next stage was not much better. 3k in a WRC car had misjudged the slippery clay over a crest and clouted the bank on the outside of a right hander. It then rolled into the gully on the inside of the corner. Rivers of water were running down the wheel tracks and were forming huge puddles in the bottom of dips, which slowed us similarly to the previous stage. We arrived at some corners to see nothing but brown water and no hint of road. We did this stage at a slower speed than we did it in recce. It was damn hard. A long transport to the next stage of Wedding Bells, and the sun started to come out. Much of this was the filmed SS and last stage of the event. We would tackle it twice. The stage was a mix of grip and slush. 2k from the finish on run 1, we slid wide at 30 kph and headed towards the trees. We managed to pull the car up in time, not head off the embankment and completed the stage. We could not get a lot of grip out of the sharp turn 1 corners and up the hills. We returned to service and had one stage to complete. A quick clean and we returned for the final Stage.
We ran this with good grip levels and a bit of laughing. It was much more fun in the dry. We were able to get a bit of speed. The slippery R3 we almost went off on was now dry and we were able to launch the car a bit off the jumps. No bouncing with the car landing and placing well.
Hooray. A few beeps on the horn, and we had finished, and had won ARC2 for 2wd. It was a shock to the system and a huge relief. I did not know whether to laugh or cry. A huge weight had been lifted from our shoulders.
It was great to finish. We got 2 runs over the podium and 2 champagne sprays.
First was for placing 3rd outright in the 2WD class of the ARC and 12th outright.
Second was for placing First ARC2 2WD.
YYYYYeeeeeeeesssssss. Result achieved.
I did not think we would arrive at this day. We were stoked. Fiona stated she had a dream earlier in the year that we would be successful. A good thing she did not tell me at the time. We headed out for a celebratory dinner and a few ales with the crew.
Now we are at the end of our season, and things need to come apart to reveal what needs to be fixed or replaced in preparation for our competition season, I would like to thank the following, without whom this could not have been achieved.
Fiona. Team Manager and leader. Always there, and always with the best support. She absorbed my questions and frustrations. She was my rock, and my organisational buddy. Super Job, love you lots.
Matthew Harriott. Navigator supreme. I gained so much from you this year, it was amazing. Assisting in road reading, the ability to tell me what I should be doing and reinforcing decisions and all the queries I had. Your skills shone, and my driving improved tenfold. Many many thanks. Here’s hoping we can team up again if the time and new job allows.
Greg Foord – Your assistance in building the car with me, and to get it to where it is has been superb. Your ideas and engineering skills could not have gotten any better. It has been super fun.
Michael Brown – A chance meeting found me a superb service crew chief. Years of experience and a wealth of knowledge. Here’s too many more years of assistance. Thanks for making the trip over to Coffs and putting up with my bad jokes. Loved it all.
Neil Trama – Engine builder supreme. The 2zz has performed faultlessly all year. You have been there to answer questions when needed and always had time for us. Many thanks for your time and support. Seeing you in Canberra was a treat.
NEAT Gearboxes – Sam. Many thanks for fitting me in, and at short time frames. Building boxes to last, and offering huge amounts of input in relation to solutions. Especially with that so called motorsport sequential supplier. My box will be visiting you soon for a quick checkup.
Designwire – Dan. Huge ups to you for installing and creating a wiring system that has lasted through the wettest and driest conditions I have had the opportunity to compete in. The updates you have performed and the small tweaks that enabled us to move forward have proved superb. Everything just works.
Findon Carline Mufflers – Peter. Man, excellent job. The exhaust has taken a beating, but has lasted out against it. Version 1 was superb, but cannot wait for version 2 and those tweaks which will make the exhaust indestructible.
LSE Sign Writing – Dan, many thanks for the items you have provided to make our car stand out. That, and providing stickering for our service vehicles has been great.
Evans Waterless Coolants – Not once have we had a problem with temperature in the cooling system of the car. We have always sat around 85 in the heat of competition. A credit to your product.
And to everyone else that has helped us and offered assistance throughout the year. We could not have done it without you.
Thanks to the organisers along with the volunteers, who have put the events on this year through rain and shine. I hope we have provided some excitement for yourselves and you’ll be out again next year to see what goes on. We hope you enjoyed our vehicle cards as a thankyou for giving us your time.
To those who have liked our page, offered support and helped in any way, we thankyou for your interest. We will be back better and quicker next year along with a new website. It will have some of our build-up details and photo’s to show what we have done. I’m trying to track down all my posts I made on BMSC about the build-up and add them to the site.
And, with that, it is back to the shed after a short break to start prep for the 2018 season.
Hope to see you all out there, Merry Christmas and best wishes.
– Stephen (Smee)