We went to the 2022 Welsh 150 with a slightly different game plan to 2021. We decided to concentrate on completing the full 150km which would be a great achievement. We quickly set up camp and walked the course which took us nearly 4 hours, we was all proper done in:).
Saturday saw us take off the starting line down the big steps into the arena and out into the distance that is Walters Arena. We were totally made up to see our truck first truck back into the arena, this was because we had bypassed all the winch sections. It was good to see cos it was a bit of a shake down for the truck as a lot of the work we do we don’t get the chance to test till race day.
The sessions were split up into 4 lap sessions over 2 days plus a 2 lap night stage on the Sat. On the third lap of the first session Mikey came over the radio “we got a problem”. They had snapped a rear shaft! We got the truck into the pits and decided to call an end to that session so we could get the shaft changed ready for the second session. We had a few problems changing the shaft. The snapped shaft was stuck in the diff so we had to change the diff and I had built up a wheel bearing that wasn’t quite pressed in all the way so it wouldn’t sit right. We got it sorted in time for the next session and the truck took off again at full speed into the distance! Session 2 went perfect no issues and we completed all the laps..fast! When we got the truck back to pits we checked it all over and realised both front hi steer arms were snapped! Shit! Mikey and Dylan were pushing the truck harder than it had ever raced! We managed to weld up the arms and get the truck ready for the night stage.
We totally flew round the night stage and our 2 laps were the fastest 2 laps of the night! Truck was flying and Mikey and Dylan were on it!
Sunday morning we took off on stage 3, it was soon clear something wasn’t right with the truck. The weather had turned to major rain and the lap times were a lot slower but the truck was struggling to get up stuff. We brought it into the pits and realised we had a front snapped shaft, probably snapped it on the night stages. We got the truck back to the pits and started to strip it. We changed the front shaft with no major issues but we had to take the front diff out this time. Was a proper pain stripping and rebuilding wheel bearings etc but we all pulled together and got it done.
Cant remember exactly but think we had 2 laps to complete on the last stage which shouldn’t of been a problem until we realised the truck was late back on its final lap of the event. We were waiting on the finish line for the truck to come in and complete the 150. What we didn’t know was the rear diff had exploded and shat the pinion out:(. The lads tried to drive the truck back in front wheel drive with the front locker on and only got few hundred yards and broke another front shaft.. We were out and it was over! Dylan walked over to the marshalls and heard over the radio “just waiting on Kirkby Signs coming over the line, they will be the first ones to complete the 150”
We was all gutted! As always we had put so much hard work in and as usual we had had loads of problems but cracked on and got them all sorted. We would of loved to finish the event and we came so close. Lots of lessons to take away with us from this one. Everyone telling me “to finish first, first you got to finish.” We will be back at Walters for the King of Britain in July and hopefully we will be a bit more wiser and wont have as many problems.
