Rally Live: Grand Prix of South America, Day 2

SAN FRANCISCO – CORDOBA – 21 OCTOBER 2018

Following an exhausting but exhilarating first night, participants managed between 0 and 3 hours sleep, before partaking of a light lunch at our hotel and heading off again onto the gravel and tarmac roads of southern Argentina. 

At this early point, some cars fared better than others, with some only needing a polish and a pat, whilst others, such as the beautiful MK 1 Escort, car 10 changing a head gasket. Gerold Letzbor of car 10 then went on to change the rocker cover gasket, but the crew managed to complete the stages with smiles on their faces. Thanks were passed on to their mechanics, participating as car 17 in the Mercedes 300GE.

Car 11 of Gerd Mirtl, also driving a MK1 Escort reports that he is still competing solo, as his navigator is delayed leaving Austria. Christian Trierenberg is expected in the next day or two. Still able to laugh over dinner Gerd reports that there are challenges watching the road, the GPS, the timing and the roadbook. WOW Spirit Of The Rally???

Paul Michael and John Wakeman from England reported a near loss of their spare wheel and luggage rack. Mounted on the exterior of the boot of their Triumph TR4 2.2l Argentinian blue car, they ‘yumped’ a sleeping policeman and proceeded to loosen rack and wheel and drag it behind them for some miles before discovering this occurrence. Happily they managed to reattach the offending bits.

Meanwhile car 1, the oldest car in the field, a Buick Standard Six from 1925 belonging to the charming Harry Jurgens is ‘Studying the winds’ in an attempt to keep up with the challenging timing…lets face it, his car has wooden wheels and no side windows – resulting in him briefly getting wet during a short rainstorm. Harry’s comment on the event so far sums up what many participants are saying…… ‘ At whatever level you are participating, you are pushed to your limits.’

With this in mind, by 9.30pm the bar was nearly clear of participants and support staff as an early night was had by most (if not all). But outside the hotel the champagne coloured Ford Coupe of McInerney and McInerney was also having its head gasket replaced (let’s hope this head gasket business isn’t catching!!).