Stage 2, much cleaner and drama free, amazingly a minute slower than Leo's run.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l49oiwghOo

Stage 4. After stage 3 we knew Leo had blown his motor, and because of the lost time with our flat tire we'd fallen to second, 8s behind Martin and Angela. For this stage we decided we had to go hard and try to take the lead and build up a bit of a buffer so we could back off our pace later to save the car. Everything finally clicked well between us for this stage and our pace was good. We won the stage by 26s, giving us an 18s lead. Not enough to back off, but we didn't have to go crazy either!

As an interesting aside, the flying finish crew of stages 1, 3, 4 and 6 had a radar gun to record speeds across the finish line. For stage 1, the first running of this stage, we'd crossed at 134km/h and this time at 133km/h. Given this finish is a straight drag race out of a slow corner, I find it quite interesting to compare those speeds to our competitors: Leo stage 1, 148km/h. Martin stage 1 and 4 both 142km/h. Ian managed 142 and 139. Looks like we're at a bit of a power disadvantage!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56Re3au2vDA

Here's Jeff & I's vids from the Swift.

We went out on Stage 1 and put in a decent effort, although I had brand new (to me) tires I was getting used to and I hadn't driven on gravel since November. Still, the Swift felt good so far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0JKJL8XOZM

After the stage, I started feeling light headed and felt like vomiting. Bloody hell it was hot in the car. That sucked. I downed half a bottle of Gatorade and felt better by the start of stage 2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1HNpeluGiA

Stage 2 seemed to go uneventfully but sometime during the stage the front engine mount ears on the block all sheared off. The engine header is holding up the engine on the skidplate. During the reseeding before stage 3, we discovered this. The timing belt cover was being destroyed rubbing up against the mount, and the belt itself was pretty close to the mount as well. We decided screw it, I have extra heads and the block is screwed now anyways, so an engine swap/rebuild is inevitable. We baby the car for stage 3 to get back to service. I haven't posted this video for the stage, because it's boring.

Back in service, we routed a ratchet strap from 2 of the remaining mounts around the oil pan, the block and the transmission, and are able to get it up off the skidplate. We decide to baby it for the remainder of the rally. It's not fun at this point, but we may as well keep going and try to get some championship points.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfWOwe_ff9M

Unfortunately, even going slowly, the same problem as last year takes us out again. Last year, the right rear knuckle shock mount cracked ending our rally. This year, the left rear breaks. The wheel is now rubbing against the body. DNF, we can't continue for long like that, let alone 2.5 more stages.

I've said forget it for the rest of the year. Galway Cavendish Forest Rally is only a month away, and I don't have the time and motivation to do a complete engine removal, swap & rebuild and fix the knuckle problem, in addition to dealing with the flooded basement. Then, Tall Pines in November is basically the same roads, so there's no point running it if I know it'll probably just break again. So, I'm taking the rest of this year and the next year off from driving. I'll either get custom knuckles made or look at going back to shock + spring. It's time for some co-driving or volunteering it appears.