Blackdog1

Sadly I have just sold the Escort Cosworth to a new buyer in the UK, having not competed in the last year, it made no sense it sitting in the garage while I am here in the US! But here was a little fun I had with it for a week in Norway last year in January!

I did John Haugland's Winter Rally School, a course I have wanted to do since I first started competing in 1996. For much of the course I had Sean Gallagher (Current PWRC driver) sitting next to me, teaching me the finer points of snow and ice rallying, versus what I have been used to on Tarmac! It's a completely different driving style but after a while quite fun. Unfortunately the car was set up for Tarmac and really just was not soft enough for the conditions, but that just made her a little more tail happy! Which a 4x4 should not be!

For those who dont know, this is the Ford Escort Cosworth that was made in Europe that never made it to the US, mine was a 1995 car, 2.0litre engine with Garret T34 Turbo, 4 wheel drive, roughly 280bhp, "Dog" straight cut 6 speed R&D box, which was geared to give us a little over 100mph in 5th.

We hit 5th a few times on this run, and this was a guy called Dan who is the co-driver from one of the other competitors that was also doing the course! This was only his 4th run alongside me, but I think he enjoyed it!

Was truly a great experience and what I love to do for fun, when not destroying the SLA in ArmA!

http://exposureroom.com/0d8e3e5c7fc9...dccbda52e2901/

Hope some of you petrolheads enjoy!

Br's
BD1

1812lsd

Nice vid, great car & "Well Held"

__________________

Superfast

It's almost like watching me driving around in wintertime!!! Excellent driving!

__________________

TurkishDelight

Pfff give me a R6 and I will do better!

Just kidding of course

I like those Fords, I wish we had them here

__________________
|TG-X|Turkish

Acreo Aeneas

Wow that last part was almost a straight drive. The guy talking about "4 left, titan, open" blah blah is that gear shifting?

__________________

Xmaster

Nice one BD. But with this title, and coming from you, i was expecting something like Two Girls One Cup.

Nice driving there buddy.

__________________

Blackdog1

Heheh yeah toward the end of the stage it got pretty quick, but as you saw, even on the last corner if you dont have the car really burried into the ice with grip, a slight lift in at the wrong moment and its off through the snow bank and into the trees!!

We also had Moose walking around, so there were times when you just didnt know if you would come over a crest and be faced with 2 tonnes of Antlers and hooves!!

The pace note system I use is 1-6. 1 Being tight like first gear and 6 being completely flat out (6th gear), you then add the direction, left and right and then fine tune the note with plus, minus, opens or tightens. For example:

"4 right-, tightens over crest into 3 left opens to 5 left 400."

I know from this I am looking at roughly a 4th gear type of corner (depending on surface condition) that is going to come toward me as I go over the crest, therefore I want to keep the car left on the entry to the corner for as long as possible before turning in as I know the corner is going to come toward me and tighten and thus the 4 right with a "minus" is off the gas, changing down to 3rd possibly 2nd as the next corner is a "3" left but it "opens" to a 5 left which means on the entry to the "3 left" I must be in exactly the right gear to excellerate HARD through the corner as it opens to a 400 yard long straight and I have to be coming off the corner as fast as possible.

Exit speed is king, which means it is always much better to be slighly slower into the corner, so that you and not your car defines the position and angle at which you come out of a corner in order to get as much speed down the next straight for however long that might be!

People who "think" they can drive fast, 9 times out of 10 are absolutely horrible in their driving technique into a corner and thus the car is never exiting as quick as it might ordinarilly do when positioned and balanced correctly on entry.

Snow and Ice really is completely different driving style to Tarmac, which is a lot faster and straight smooth lines are the fastest way. On snow and ice, heavy aggresion on the brakes and throttle are essential to keep the car planted.

Either way....tonnes of fun!

PS - Xmaster...you are so wrong on so many levels, from pink shirts to "cup" watching......dammit we need to tighten up the 22nd recruitment policy!

Harpo245

Hehe, great run. Rallying is truly a great sport/hobby/whatever you see it as :P

Was it Shaun Gallagher, the Irish driver, showing you the ropes? If so, what was he doing in Norway :P

Shame to sell it. Since you're into rallying, you'd probably have some fun with RSRBR.

__________________
TG Pathfinder

Realistic games are not those which accurately simulate ballistics or have true to life sounds or have the most detailed weapons. Realistic games are those which force you to make moral decisions and take action on an informed conscience.

Rtoups

I wish Rallying was bigger in the U.S.

__________________

Blackdog1

Well good news my friend... Discovery HD Channel has just signed a deal with the World Rally Championship to begin coverage from October!

Watching the sport in 1080i will be SERIOUSLY impressive!

Spaz

I have driven a little bit of folkrace but I always wanted to try driving on a proper rally stage with anything else then my dads Saab.

I also been riding dirtbikes since I was 5 and been racing since I was 14.

Oh and btw it would be interesting to see a 2 tonne moose sometimes.

Spulat

You. Sold. Your. Cosworth.

Seriously.

BAD!

__________________

"It's a sad and a strange thing / but it's time and I am changing / into something good or bad, well that's your guess..." -Dar Williams

War.mongeR1

You're my hero, Blackdog! The Cosworth shall be missed. Rally racing is so epic. It's a real shame we don't have much of it here.

__________________
"Common sense is not so common." -Voltaire

Rtoups

Wooohooo, I have Discovery HD!

The only TV coverage of rallying I've seen are "recaps" of things like Dakar, and those I can just read on the internet.

__________________

Ghost02

Looks fun! I might want to try it out.

__________________