Navigating for Russell |
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So, you’re sat in the stalls at the Albert Hall, waiting for Clapton to come on stage, when you get a tap on the shoulder. “You can play Chopsticks on the piano. Steve Winwood can’t make it and Eric needs a keyboard player”. If you can relate to that, you’ll have some idea how I felt being asked to navigate for Russell Brookes on the recent Valvechatter Rally. Star struck doesn’t even come close. I’ve stood in Welsh forests watching Andrews Heat for Hire cars blast past. The man is a legend to British rallyists. The Valvechatter started out just like any other Mercian 12 Car. The start and finish would be at The Stag, on the A46 west of Stratford. I’d entered as usual with Chris Valentine, but on the Monday before the event Chris scratched our entry due to car problems. These things happen, we’ll marshal. On the Tuesday, Mike Dowling had to drop out leaving Rob Walter without a navigator and I was drafted in as a last minute replacement. Then Rob arrived at the start with a very sick motor car, and decided he had better head straight home. Back to Plan B. I’d exchanged a few words with Russell at signing-on, when he told me he’d only called in for a quiet pint on his way home. I’m not sure what made him change his mind, but having put my stuff back in the car and got ready to help Chris with MTC1, I got the tap on the shoulder. Car 1 was lining up on the start line, while I was back inside the pub signing on for the third time (first as Rob’s navigator, then as a marshal, and finally for Russell). I shook hands with my chauffeur for the evening, we introduced ourselves and then I found myself sitting in the passenger seat of his Audi, waiting to be counted down to our departure time. To be honest, I don’t remember much about the early part of the event. We were at STC2 before I knew who, never mind where, I was. However, by STC3 I’d got used to the situation and was starting to enjoy myself. Keeping to time wasn’t a problem. Apart from the 51 secs we dropped at IRTC5, we were on our minute at every control, despite stopping for petrol part way through the event. I suppose I shouldn’t have expected any different, after all we are talking here about a multiple British rally champion and works driver, but we didn’t seem to be going quickly at all. The only slight moment of any drama was the lightest of extra braking when the bend I’d called turned out to be sharper than described. For the rest of the time, we could have been going down the shops – everything was smooth and unhurried. However, we clearly weren’t hanging about as the absence of time loss proved. On one occasion I looked up from plotting to see that the road was white over. I suggested that it looked a bit frosty. “Sheet ice” came the quiet comment from the driver’s seat – but he didn’t lift off. The evening was a joy for me. There was a complete absence of “I’m a star and you’re an oik that nobody’s heard of”. I was entertained with a selection of stories. I particularly enjoyed hearing about the pre-event recceing of Welsh road events, so that they went into selectives with full pace notes. Ah, the glory days of road rallying. This was when it came home to me that Russell’s previous road rally navigator had been John Brown, the man who pretty much defined rally navigation in this country – so no pressure then (talk about a hard act to follow). The only downside to the evening was the fact that as Code Board spotters we were not in the Premier League, and the resultant fails put us well down in the results. I suppose I should have been disappointed, but I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. I phoned home and next day told everyone “you’ll never guess who I navigated for” I didn’t expect to get the chance and I don’t suppose I’ll ever be able to do it again. It was an evening to remember. When the results were announced and Chris Faulkner / Chris Thorley were declared winners, Chris F thanked Russell and said that it had been a privilege to take part in the same event. To do it and sit in the same car was unbelievable. Dave Barratt |