Stevie Brown made a spectacular exit to the Pirelli National Rally last weekend (April 19), when he experienced a high speed crash, and now faces a race against time to prepare the car in time for the Mitsubishi Station Garage Granite City Rally this weekend (April 26).

The Five Mile Garage supported Fiesta ST crew were hoping to repeat their VK Fiesta Sporting Trophy championship opening round win, but as Stevie explains things didn’t go to plan.

“We over shot a hairpin and lost some time on the first stage, but we were still among the lead group” explained Brown. He continues, “On the second stage we had a puncture which lost us about 30 seconds, but we couldn’t get the jack to work on the road section which meant we were late for the start of the next stage which resulted in a 40 second penalty.”

The Nicolson Maps backed driver would experience further problems when the front shock absorber top mounting would break. “It’s not ideal when you’re in 5th gear doing 100mph and the cars wondering all over the place” explained Stevie.

At the first twenty minute service halt the service team worked as fast as possible to repair the front suspension. The team did a fantastic job and took just five minutes over their twenty minutes, and although it earned the team a further fifty second penalty, Brown and Morrison were lucky to still to be in the event.

Stage five of the day and the Scottish crew picked up another puncture on the rough surface. “It was on a fast left corner going over a crest and we hit a big rock which punctured the front right wheel. We had to stop and change it which lost us about four minutes.”

The Mackenzie Kilt hire crew, were now just focusing on getting to the end of the rally in a bid to pick up some championship points, but on the last stage of the day the suspension broke on a fast left corner sending the crew flying into the scenery, and finally coming to a stop upside down. “We turned into the corner and were on the line we wanted when suddenly something snapped and sent us into a barrel roll down the side of the road” explained Stevie.

Thankfully both Stevie and Ian were unharmed, but now face a race against time to get the car repaired in time for Stevie’s home event the Station Garage Granite City Rally. “We have the car stripped down, our main concern is the parts don’t arrive in time to do the rally” said Brown.  The MSA British Rally Academy member has been invited to take part in the event forum on Friday evening at rally HQ, Thistle Hotel Altens from 20:30 hours.

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Web:    www.steviebrown.co.uk 

Scottish Rally Championship www.scottishrallychampionship.co.uk

Rally Academy Elite Scheme: www.msabritishrallyelite.co.uk/index.asp

Fiesta ST UK Championship: www.fiestasportingtrophy.co.uk