Here comes a small report from the Sweed with the Alfa and Extra-Life.org as the main sponsor
Didn't get much practice but thank god I have a good understanding of the car, helped a lot for getting a average safe setup for most stages, that said I made misstakes a bit of everywhere I'm affraid.....
SS1 - Kaihuavaara:
A Stage that I love but mighty difficult with Heavy cload and rain/snow and what not on the windscreen
Took it very easy and kept the car in one piece after that stage, not an impressive time but happy I didn't crash out
SS2 - Mustaselka:
Had done a practice run in the Snow Show event with the Volvo and knew this would be a proper pain of a stage with the FWD low powered Alfa....
And it was, messed it up completely in the double hairpin section, on both run throughs, and lost lots of time just by not knowing where I was on the first run through and I did need some straintghening stuff after that stage.... Was one scary thing.....
SS3 - Peklo Snow R: Thought I would be able to do allright on this stage... those thoughts ended early in the stage as I got about 6-8 turns in, "Medium Left, tightens", which saw me in a straight on collision with a tree and my first retirement of the Rally.....
I hope the times after the service counts
SERVICE
SS4 - Kaihuavaara: Same conditions as the first run through but felt more at home and I think I did rather well, got trough without any mayor offs and so on
SS5 - Mustaselka: Reprise of SS2 but with a slightly better time
SS6 - Peklo Snow R: Oh for devils' sake.... Got past the same tree by wacking it with my right side door which I survived unscaved, just, but only got another 30 seconds into the stage until I locked up after a slight misstake and hit a tree.
CFH and damaged gearbox, stuck in 3rd so not too bad....
SS7 - Falstone: I will give the Alfa credit for being able to survive with damaged radiator and fairly full reving it in first the whole stage..... Lost quite a bit of time but got a feeling for how the Power stage would look
SERVICE
SS8 - Sikakama: First "night" stage of the rally and boy did I enjoy that one
Got into a very nice and good rythm in the dark and made no misstakes what so ever and was quick, faster than Erik in his GrN and not that far off the Faster class car ahead
SS9 - Chirdonhead: Oh dear... Not again
Made a misstake in the fast, 4th gear in the Alfa, section in the woods when you have a easy left, fast right over a crest and an easy left, where I went wide at the right hander, locked up and hit a tree.....
CFH and again a damaged gearbox and radiator, this time in 4th gear.....
Still managed to keep the speed somewhat allright except for the K-rights where I dropped loads of time
SS10 - Autiovaara: Again credits to the Alfa for withstanding the thrashing of first gear full rev for the whole stage, I was avaraging 70 KPH everywhere except for a roll I had when I turned in to early not seeing the road properly
SERVICE
SS11 - Sikakama: A lot more misstakes (was on a good run until some ill-placed photographers ended in an unpleasent way....), was pushing to hard, needed to roll it before I calmed down, no bit damage thank the devil so I could finish the stage, slower than I would have liked after my night run but still a fairly good time
SS12 - Chirdonhead: We-Hay, took it a lot easier where I made the misstake in the first run through of the stage and posted a much better time, no misstakes, some close calls with a wide rear end but that is FWD Rallying for you
SS13 - Autiovaara: Ummm......
Rolled it, damaged the rear of the car, it was flingy in right handers and lost some time, still a time I'm not too too dissapointed with
SS14 - Falstone:
Rear end damage fixed it seemed, no problems with it and gave it my all and some less as I wanted to finish. Might have posted a time that will challange some of the drivers
All in all enjoyed the rally but was hoping to do better overall. Will wait with a complete verdict until I see the standings
Cheers