DROITWICH Spa teenage rally driver Tom Delaney had a Champion experience in North Yorkshire at the Trackrod event in Dalby Forest.
Tom was joined by team-mate, former factory driver and Yorkshire’s local hero Ryan Champion for the event which took place on Saturday.
In a pre-event test on Friday, Tom managed to get some seat time in his Suzuki Swift before taking Champion for spin and picking up a few tips from the vastly experienced driver.
Then the tables were turned as Champion took the 17-year-old out for a ride in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution World Rally Car, run by Tom’s father Dominic.
Tom said: “It was really useful having someone of Ryan’s experience sit with me for a few runs, he gave me a few small tips which all helped for the rally.
“To get the chance to sit in with a former factory driver in a former factory car is a very rare opportunity and then to get some tips from him as well was an experience I had to take.
“It really gave me some pointers on where I need to be in terms of performance and fitness and it’s something I will remember for a while.”
However, that was as good as the weekend got for Tom as he suffered from a poor seeding for the rally meaning he had to endure roads which were in a very bad condition.
Despite the conditions, he managed to get through Stage One and post a time 70 places above his seeding.
Stage Two was going well for the driving ace until an unlucky incident with a rock caused engine damage, forcing Tom to retire.
He said: “It was really disappointing to retire so early on, but that’s motor sport. We will be back shortly and have learnt an awful lot in what is only our second gravel rally.”
Tom and the rest of the team are next out at the Wyedean Rally in the Forest of Dean on Saturday, November 12.
