After a 10 month lay off due in no small part to the Foot and Mouth epidemic, Mark II Motorsport were finally back in action at the ex-RNAS base at Colerne, just up the road from Bath.

This high-speed venue has in the past, been a stage of the Lombard RAC rally, or Network Q as it's now known. With a new to the team, but previously owned GpA Escort Cosworth, resplendent in bright yellow and backed again by Bluecol Brands, Get Zet Go and Springwood Aviation Services, the team were mainly out to evaluate the performance of the car, and ascertain the areas where improvements are required to make it a rally winner.

Driver Mark Welch explains: "Whilst the car has the right credentials, we'll only know how good it is, and how rusty I am, after an event against serious opposition".

The opposition was indeed serious! A full field of 100 cars including three MG Metro 6R4s, two high speed Darrian kit cars, an ex-works Vauxhall Astra kit car, numerous Escort and Sapphire Cosworths and one WRC engined Escort Cosworth provided some very serious competition.

Seeded in fourth, the team quickly realised that unless it rained, they had a major fight on not only with four-wheel drive machinery, but also with the quick tarmac 2wd specials.

Mark was co-driven by Bruce Taylor who normally spanners for Mark II, but has co-driven for the likes of former British champion, Ian Roberton.

Eight fast stages on smooth tarmac were the order of the day. SS1 was surprisingly quick given all the factors (unfamiliar car etc.) with Mark and Bruce recording 4th fastest time.

"The car feels good, and the time bears that out." said Mark. He also added "but the brakes are crap!"

The order was Lloyd (6R4), Furzeland (6R4), Tregoning (Darrian), Welch, Lambert (Darrian) and Palmer (Astra kit car). This left Andy Orchard (WRC Escort) and Nigel Pratt (6R4) trailing in Mark II's wake.

The car ran faultlessly and despite some lurid moments due to cold tyres and badly adjusted anti roll bars, the team continued to set competitive times.

As the day progressed, the second Darrian driven by Lambert and the Astra kit car squeezed ahead of Welch and Taylor, who were more interested in trying different settings and generally getting back into the swing of competition.

On SS6 however, disaster struck Lambert. A stage layout change caught the crew out, and the subsequent wrong route taken on the stage saw them slip out of contention.

With two stages to go, the gap between the Mark II Motorsport/Bluecol Brands/Get Zet Go/ Springwood Cosworth in 5th and the flying Astra kit car in 4th was down to a mere 16 seconds. But this was too great to close so this is how they finished:

1st Lloyd - 6R4
2nd Furzeland - 6R4
3rd Tregoning - Darrian
4th Palmer - Astra
5th Welch - Cosworth
6th Orchard - Cosworth WRC
7th Pratt - 6R4

So all in all a satisfying result for the team, a trophy for first in class as well. With a small (but expensive) list of improvements to be carried out to the car prior to the SM Stages Rally at Oakington on 12th August, things are looking good!

"I suppose we really came hoping for a top ten finish," said Welch. "Considering I had driven the car five miles prior to the event, I think we've done pretty well - shame it didn't rain! Mind you, those brakes have gotta go…"

Mark II Motorsport would like to thank their sponsors:
Bluecol Brands, Get Zet Go/Get Rallying and Springwood Aviation Services.

Special thanks to DOME and Rallygallery.com.