31/10/2023
A few words on our first outing with the Fairview Farm Machinery and Gregg Motorsport prepared RZR Pro R.
We decided to test the new Polaris RZR Pro R at Round 7 and 8 off the AWDC club safari championship held at Walters arena.
It would give us an idea of how the new Pro R drives and what possibly could break before we head up to Scotland in November to the Scottish Borders Hillrally.
We also wanted to give our friends and current championship leaders Doug and Melanie Devonald-Batt some support in their Polaris XP PRO Turbo.
We finished preparing the RZR on Friday before the event so no time for testing. We fitted some Insa Sahara Turbo Tyres on just loaded up and got gone.
Walters weather didn`t disappoint and yes we arrived late evening to rain.
Saturday morning came and we duly got scrutineered ready for drive round.
Now anyone who knows me and my driving style will know I love technical and demanding tracks and the look see lap of 6.2 miles around Walters did not disappoint with lots of wet slippery tracks, puddles (lakes) drops and trees to catch the unwary.
This was right up my street, now the question was what was the Pro R like to drive at speed?
I have been racing up until this event a 2cyl 925cc 200Hp Polaris Turbo XP which we built end of 2016 ran very successfully for a few years, sold it to a friend for a year, traded it back in and raced it until this weekend. What was the new 225HP 4cyl Pro R going to be out of the box?
We were the first car off the line so 5-4-3-2-1 and gave it some welly, felt good the suspension seemed to be working well so after first 5 or 6 corners I kept pushing it harder, the more I pushed the more it came alive, the Insa Turbo`s were getting tested to the limit the going was very very slippery but feedback through the car was good so again I pushed harder.
Now I have to say my Navigator is normally on it and very good at giving directions with plenty of chat in between. Although sometimes I could do with switching the intercom off as it can get a bit distracting.
Not a word! Not even a sarcastic comment, nada nothing! I glanced across and his eyes were like saucers, so taking advantage of the silence 🙂I pushed on harder. Finished the lap without any dramas came to a stop over the finish line and all I heard was what a ******* machine.
Turns out we set fastest first lap.
Second lap, as we were newbies to the club, we were set off behind a few cars which were a little bit slower and a huge thank you to all of you who gave me enough room to pass. Again the Pro R felt good and we were putt in another good time and my Nav had started to talk so all good, I think!
After that we just kept pushing to see what the limits were and if we could break anything or shake something loose.
Finished the day with a good lead overall and just a spanner check on the Pro R. No punctures the Insa Turbo`s doing us proud.
Second day a change in the course took us on some faster tracks with some great sweeping bends and the odd caution board to ignore at your peril!
This lap was 6 miles long and now the sun was starting to come out it was starting to dry slightly. I think it was lap three when I was getting a bit overconfident and found the track that was not getting any sun and lets just say that we got well out of shape and were very lucky to get away with not trying the strength of the trees vs the chassis! We all know what that's like eh James Tennant!
I think it was possibly the 4th lap and we saw that Mark Hones and Andy Degiulio were putting in fast times. So, head down and let's get some quicker times in, we set fastest lap of the day but when we finished realised that Doug had retired and Mark was having some punctures leaving Andy and myself to battle it out for the overall title. Andy realising, he just needed to finish to win the 2023 AWDC Championship backed off and finished all his runs to take the title.
We carried on but backed off slightly and finished to win the weekend getting 1st overall on both days and taking the AJS 100 Trophy.
All this without any punctures and no breakages or problems apart from the link between the steering wheel and the seat running out, momentarily, of what little talent he had on lap 3!
The Pro R, what can I say about it, we didn`t run on full power all weekend because we struggled for grip on the wet stones and rock, suspension with over 24" of travel on each corner was phenomenal. The Insa Turbo Sahara`s gripped extremely well and not a puncture says it all. A really good test weekend all round.
Looking forward to the Hillrally.
A few well deserved thank You's.
A huge thank you to my team without whom I could not race!
To the land owner, the set up team, marshals, scrutineers and time keepers who did such a fantastic job.
Sponsors:
The AWDC Championship sponsors Britpart and PAR Homes.
Saturdays round 7 sponsors Rob Bool and S Llewellyn
Sundays round 8 and AJS 100 trophy Andy Sargeant.
