Well we got off to a cracking start on our very first rally. We were seeded 71 out of 95, driving into the Yorkshire mists at 7 O'clock. I'd forgotten to put a safety arrow on the front of the car. The scrutineer was waving his finger. A bit of tape sorted the problem.

At the start of the first stage my heart wasn't beating. It was going so fast it was constant. A buzz. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Go! The surface was so slippery, the car leapt to one side and then the other. It was such a shock to see the track surface. Like driving your mums car at high speed over house bricks, I felt uncomfortable driving through the ruts. They were two feet deep in places!

I realised I had got attached to the car. I had been warned about that. A few hairpins later after some fine advance warning from Mike the attachment had gone. Sliding through the trees at 60 mph is the most exhilarating experience.

We came a healthy 11th out of the 13 Daihatsu's, and 71st overall. We aimed to finish, not come last and penalty free. We accomplished all that, which is an excellent start.

Steve and Rick, two of our student mechanics from Hopwood Hall College, are off to Daihatsu's motorsport HQ in Wales this weekend. They'll be learning how to look after our investment. A brilliant opportunity, for both the boys and the media. The COI are helping us get coverage.

We've had some excellent press coverage, appeared on BBC GMR and Live TV. I aim to ensure that our sponsors are more prominent in the coverage in future. It was difficult being the subject of the press and controlling what the photographers and journalists published. We will improve and we'll get the info' to you quicker too.

If anyone had told me how much of my time would be taken up by this venture I'd have laughed. Ha Ha!

ENDS

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