The Naked Rallye with Blue Steels

[Orta]

Without the "Saxo and Renault lot" the French Car Scene is actually maturing nicely and Pugfest is the pinnacle of this. So what you lose in the diversity of the car's on show, and this year's turnout was indeed a little disappointing, you gain in actual decent folk to talk you.

I decided not camp, which meant I missed out on the tug-o-war and other activities, but couldn't justify another night away from home when I'd been away all week with work. You've gotta have a little face time with the mrs every now and again don'tcha?



After several hours of cleaning the car Saturday night it kindly rained overnight so when I came out to the car at the ungodly hour of 05:30 the car was soaking wet. Decided to dry it off quickly and begun the 2.5 hour journey, made all the more gruelling thanks to a dicky right knee!

Made good time and arrived just before 8am making it onto the front row of the club's "stand" before most of the camping lot had awoken from their beer fuelled slumber. (10.30 and Matt still hadn't taken his tent down!!!)

I'd previously been nervous about taking the Rallye on the track; 1). for fear of stacking it, 2). fear of embarrassing myself with my poor driving and 3). not wanting to hurt anyone else or damage anyone else's car. Well the opportunity to tackle a hill climb instead at least eliminated fear number 3 and with less of a crowd lessened number 2 somewhat. So I'd prebooked 3 hill climbs, not realising you received a discount for the fourth, all AM slots which fortunately I could use during the "early bird" session.

After a couple of passenger rides with Sam (cheers mate!) and a few pointers I went out for my first run. As I rolled beyond the climb's guardian, who decided to share the story of how some people had tried to go up the hillclimb without a wrist band (a story he'd share with me each run) I nervously crept the car forward to the second yellow line. Terror instantly gripped me as I remembered how rubbish the Rallye clutch pedal is (new cable needed really) and how, as I seldom drive it, much I wasn't used to doing fast starts.

However seconds after making a (slow and quiet) start and with the redline for 1st being dispatched and then hit in 2nd, I found that terror replaced by exhilaration. Even at my, relatively low, speed, the lift off and long turn 1 just after the bridge before hitting the throttle to 2nd's redline again before ploughing down on the brakes into the first harpin, was great fun. Of course I ballsed up that first harpin, I managed to kick it down into first but turn into the latter half of the corner far to quickly and lost to much speed.

The second harpin I dispatched in a (heavy) application of the brakes (too early), followed by taking it wide with fear of grounded my impractically low car and bashing it into first again. I then proceeded to corner into the esses far to much, losing more speed, before jamming first again round the next bend (I don't do corner names I'm sorry!)

Then floored it up into second before panic set in when I was confronted with the drop away on the outside of the final corner. Letting off after the "finish" marker was a relief but, I thought to myself, I'll do better next time.

Unfortunately this wasn't the case as in true style for me, practice doesn't make perfect, and my last two runs were simple repeats of the first. Making the same mistakes, of turning in to early on the first harpin, to wide on the second and not carried enough speed anywhere, both times. But hey ho it was still fun! More climbs next year I think!

With the car now very hot I shot back to the stand (where I almost got my old space back) for it to cool off. Managed to hitch a couple more rides with Sam (cool calm and composed as always), a couple with Luke (retropug) who did much better than his fellow first timer (IE: ME!), and then all four of DumDum's runs (which were fun, and terrifying in equal measure ) Then rounded off the day by taking a stroll through the rest of the car, stopping to idly chat to some 309 owners club people who were gracious enough to answer some 309 questions I've had for a while (god I want a black 309 gti ), found some old friends from gti6.com and then ate a sandwich.

It's really left me with a hankering to do some more track action. Disappointed I can't make the Spring Action Day in September (on holiday!) but gonna try and go to something nearer me like a random track day at Cadwell Park or something in the near future.

And well that was pretty much it. Great day tho!! Didn't take a single picture of my car, and only took one span of my favourite car at show:


Peugeot 309 1.4 (Carb) XE 3 Door, the thing was bang tidy!

So if anyone has any pics of my car I'd appreciate it if you could put 'em up here to add to the thread

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The FCS pictures from their facebook page!