Overall Report of 2014 Rally
As a person who has made a lifetime career of competition driving, the Monte Carlo Rally is the ultimate driving test not only for skill but for stamina.
Just to get an entry for this prestigious event is down to the individuals driving C.V. which is submitted for approval by the ACM (Automobile Club de Monaco). Once accepted a huge amount of work goes into the planning, preparation and p.r then gets under way.
With major sponsors in mind i.e. Millers Oils and Minispares the object is to keep the car running until the end. The concentration run is a brutal 1000K over 2 days nonstop driving over mountain passes often in atrocious conditions. This was successfully executed by the Team and PRX.
A short rest was allowed before the start of the special stages, with a new navigator coming to grips with the on board navigation equipment mediocre results were achieved on the 1st day of the special stages (ZR’s).
Day 2 saw PRX slowly climbing the leader board having completed the stages in heavy snow conditions, however low brake pressure was detected at the end of the stage before the run into Park Ferme at Valance. A quick bleed at the roadside brought the pedal up to its usual position.

Day 3 at PRX’s 1st service it was discovered a small leak from the caliper, however no time was allowed to change the faulty unit. With 3 stages in constant succession great concern of the leaking caliper became a major issue as towards of the end of stage 3 of that day the brakes were lost completely, finishing the stage at a most reduced speed with only the handbrake to stop the car.
Progress up the leader board was halted and a number of places lost. With the 2 final stages at the Torini it was decided to change the caliper and bleed the system at the service point before park ferme in Monte Carlo.
PRX headed out to the infamous Torini Stages, expectations were high as from past experience PRX would be very strong. All was going according to plan on the 47k stage, PRX reaching the summit with a good turn of speed at this point both navigator and driver noticed some dimming of the headlights and spots.
As the decent on this stage is very dangerous our speed was hampered by lack of vision, however PRX achieved a great result beating many rivals. No time was allowed to check and rectify the lighting issue. The start of the final stage of the Monte the lights suddenly extinguished as did all the power to the engine leaving Bill and his Navigator Geoff to rethink the strategy to stay in the rally, a quick thinking decision and it was decided to turn the mini round and try and roll 6k (luckily downhill) to the starting point of the stage and meet our chase car with jump leads in hand, a quick charge to the battery allowed the mini to spark into life and attempt the 60k dash to the finishing ramp in Monte Carlo, hence sadly cutting the last stage out.
With only a few minutes to spare PRX with its almost flat battery made the finishing ramp. Heavy penalties were imposed on the team for cutting the last stage, however PRX and the joyous team were classified as finishers of the 2014 Monte Carlo Rally.

Footnote
This is a great achievement for our dedicated Team the Crew, Griffi, Paul and Michael (driver of the chase car). Our Major Sponsors Minispares, Millers Oils and L and G signs, our Navigator Geoff O’nion and of course PRX’s driver Bill.
Hopefully the team with come together once again for the 2015 Monte Carlo Rally event.