Richard and Barry began the arduous five hour journey from Warwickshire to Cornwall on Friday afternoon, with the remainder of the team following later.

The Tour of Cornwall was a charity event in aid of Mount Edgcumbe Hospice and the second round of the GPR National Tarmacadam Championship. The two day rally was based in Hendra, with 22 stages located at various venues (airfields and closed rounds) around Cornwall. The event is always one of the most competitive of the tarmac rallies with an entry of 95 cars including 30 four-wheel drive and ex WRC cars.

The little Peugeot made the event scrutineers job simple again and Richard and Barry headed off to their accommodation – a luxurious caravan! A wonderful meal at a local carvery, some lively banter and an early night followed.

The first day of the event covered 120 miles, 80 of them competitive. The opening stages were “spectator friendly”, less than a mile long around Camborne College. Stages 3 and 4 were on the perimeter roads of a local airfield, about 9 miles long, which allowed Richard and Barry to develop a “feel” for the new Peugeot Sport gearbox and ZF differential. Alan Knight (Peugeot Sport) recommended the lower diff ratio which proved beneficial. The car accelerated well and inspired confidence – a good decision! The gearing was a little short on the open airfield stages but was superb on the narrower tarmac sections, especially the Penhale Coastal Road (a favourite of Richards). The new gearbox and differential should suit forthcoming events at Epynt and Otterburn.
Violent Cornish rain soaked the final few stages but the red 106 finished the first day very wet but problem free 27th overall and 2nd in Class. The Team spent Saturday evening drying the equipment, checking the 106, and swapped slicks for intermediate tyres having listened to the local weather report for Sunday.

An unfortunate accident meant Stages 1 and 2 were cancelled but Richard and Barry drove slowly through and made notes for next years event. Two of Sundays sections included blasts through the campsite watched by local news crews and over 500 spectators. Richard and Barry continued to push finishing a proud 24th overall and second in Class.