First of all an appology as due to time constraints there are no pretty pictures for this post, hopefully normal service will be resumed next time.

Round 2 Round up:

Round 2 of the TORA Rally Championship saw us at the world famous Nurburgring for the TORA Eiffel Rally 2010. The team were feeling much better about this round after the head ache that was Round 1, with days rather than hours to set up the Impreza and new tire sponsor Falken Tires bought over from Slider's Drifting exploits to replace the sub-standard Pirrell'is used in the previous Round, the team were feeling quietly confident of imporoving on the 5th place finish at Round 1.

Stage A: Stage A is the first quarter of the famous Nurburgring circuit and probably the fastest of the Rally with speeds reaching over 150mph on more than on occasion in the Rockstar Impreza STi. This was a good round for Slider with a clean but fast run which put him 3rd on that stage and Fastest Subaru.

Stage B: Stage B is the second quarter of the Nurburgring Circuit and the one Slider was looking forward to the least after several high speed accidents in shakedown. However a typically controlled run again put Slider 3rd in stage and fastest of the Subarus. Things were looking good for a great finish.

Stage C: Stage C is the third quarter of the Nordschlief and features the infamous Karussel Corner a chink in the Armour of Slider who has always struggled with that one corner. More Luck than skill carried Slider through safely and quickly with a worryingly high line, "i must have been just an inch from being spat out of the top of the banking and out into the barriers" commented Slider after the Stage. However again 3rd place in stage and a podium place in the Rally was looking achieveable for the team.

Stage D: However Stage D was where this great run would come undone, in the remaining portion of the Nordschlief. Just three corners in a Mistake from Slider saw the car hit the rev limiter hard and flick the ECU into "safety get you home" mode and cut power by 15% making a competitive time practically impossible. Slider Tumbled out of the top 10 on that stage and lost any chance of a Rally Podium. After the sateg Slider commented "15% doesnt sound much, but when you consider this car is running around 357bhp here, cutting 15% of that is basicly cutting 40bhp off and turning the engine into a Standard spec Impreza, Dissapointing but things happen."

Stage E: And so to the Final stage which was a Full lap of the Fearsome Nurburgring Nordschlief. This was a chance for Slider to make up for his earlier mistake and make up some time with mistakes being punished hard on the over 8min lap. Slider pushed as hard as he dared in his usual "drive to arrive" style of cautious but comitted and managed an 8th Fastest time of the stage.

This was enough to bag Slider 4th in class just loosing out to SBR Boss Sam Billing1991 in his Privateer ex-Petter Solberg Impreza STi '05. Dissapointed but happy Slider had this to say "It would have been nice to be higher up but this was the round i was looking forward to the least as i just dont feel fast here, 4th is a great result and were Really happy for Sam who grabbed the Podium spot." Sam Went on to Win the Rally outright in his Privateer Castrol Celica GT4 HRC.

Round 3 Preview:

Round 3 sees us leave behind the frankly Bleak weather of Germany for the sunny skies of Italy for the TORA Rally Italia 2010 held in the sleepy town of Positano which will be closing its streets for us to unleash our Rally beasts. The twisting and undulating tarmac offers a completely different challenge to the Eiffel Rally which procedes it, with straights at a premium and the walls and crowds right next to the stages the margin for Error is tiny.

The Team are feeling quietly confident about what the car can achieve this time out with Positano suiting both Sliders driving style and the Rockstar Energy Drink Impreza WRX STi '05 really well. "We've had a few group tests there a few weeks ago and i did rather well indeed in the Impreza so im feeling quite good about my chances, hopefully we can improve on our finish last time out."

The Line up remains unchanged within the Team from last time out with Tires being supplied by Falken Tires and Girlfriend and Co-driver Emma Clements staying on to guide Slider through the Italian Streets. The only change is the engine, A last minuet problem with Slider's race engine meant one had to be borrowed from somewhere for the team to compete, luckily Friend and SBR boss Sam Billing1991 leant Slider an Engine for the Eiffel Rally, Which Slider promptly broke in Stage D. Slider will be running his Engine at the Rally Italia which he is really excited about, "this is a great engine and itn transforms the car! Its better in every way than the engine we ran at Round 1 and will be great around these tight and twisting Italian Roads."

Good Luck to Mike (Slider) Emma and everyone competing Tonight!