About this site

My name is Ian Holmes. A few years ago I discovered the branch of motor sport known as road rally. Along with my wife, Lorrie, we road rally our 2014 Ford Focus in regular road rallies and my 1976 MGB in classic road rallies. In 2015 I took over the co-drivers seat for local rally driver Dan Little. This blog describes my adventures in all forms of rallying.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Passing on...

Nemadji. My first event in the Mazda
It is with a heavy heart that I write this post, for I recently received some sad news.
Dan has sold his rally car. The Mazda has moved on to pastures new.
I felt a twinge of sadness. For this Mazda MX-3,  car number 958 was my introduction into motor sport. (I know road rally is also motor sport but not at the same level of recognition.) I went from knowing all about rally to knowing something about rally as a result of competing in it.
I know I've only run two rallies in the Mazda but the outcomes were pretty successful. But there's more to remember about the car than the podium finishes.
I vividly recall applying my name and the flag of Lincolnshire on the side of the car. Especially on the co-drivers side of the car, for on that side of the car my name is on top. That really was the moment that a long held dream started to become real.
A great memory
As I was proof reading this article ready to hit "Publish" I remembered something else. The first time we cut a corner. It was out on the shakedown run before Nemadji. Uphill into a long right hander. Dans side of the car was on the gravel road, my side was on the grass. It was quite exhilarating. We've cut many a corner since, with tree and hedge branches clattering on my door as we speed by. But that first time was, something different.
Then there was the very first time I was strapped into the co-drivers seat at the Nemadji Trail winter rally. At that time it wasn't anything I could do by myself, Dan and Ben did the task. I was well and truly strapped in. I tried to reach my stage notes resting on the shelf in front of me. Not a chance.
Not.
A.
Flipping.
Chance.
"Pass me my stage notes will you?"
I was one with the seat. To my surprise there was more movement around my head and neck even though I was wearing a HANS device. If I didn't have what I needed in my hands already then I couldn't reach it. Woe betide me if I actually dropped something.
Finally of course, there's Headwaters. Finishing first in class despite the car not being set up correctly, and getting to spray champagne everywhere, even over the car. Something I will never, ever, forget.
Four great memories that the Mazda gave me.
But Cars are just lumps of metal aren't they?
I shall miss the old 958, but as the number stays with Dan there will be a new 958. What is it going to be? I don't know. Hopefully it will be as successful and be responsible for as many good times and memories as the Mazda was.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Rally Personals



After two successful podium finishes in the 958 Mazda MX-3 rally car. I find myself in the position of being able to offer my services as co-driver for the upcoming Ojibwe Forests Rally, out of Detroit Lakes, MN on August 26th and 27th.
How did this come about?
Have Dan and I had an acrimonious split over spraying too much champagne at each other during our victory celebrations for coming first in class at Headwaters Rally?
No, far from it.
Dan finds himself in the honoured position of being a speaker at a major GIS conference in Germany speaking on GIS in racing, (GIS = Geographic Information Systems) whilst the rally is going on. Clearly taking part in the OFR is not on the cards.
"If you're not going to be in the country during Ojibwe, then I'll have to find myself a driver." I teased as we were running recce for Headwaters.
"Sure." He said. "By all means do. If you can get a co-drive that'll be great."
It would certainly be good experience for me. To work with someone else, see how they work as a driver and to adapt what I do to them. I do have several co-driving friends who have been, or still are "co-drivers for hire". Despite being recently laid off from my job of 14 years, it's certainly not going to be a career move. I'd just like to co-drive at OFR, and I'll contribute to entry fees as well.
If I'm going to do a really hard sell on me. The stats speak for themselves. Though I've only completed two rallies as co-driver, both times we've podiumed. A third in class at Nemadji in December and first in class at Headwaters a few weeks ago, so I must be doing something right. As of now I'm more successful as a rally co-driver than the Minnesota Twins are as a baseball team...
If you need a co-driver and would like to use my services, you should also expect to have our rallying endeavours reported here. If none of this puts you off, then leave me a message in the comments or if you know me through Facebook, you can message me there.


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