by Rob Wilkins
TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH LORNA SMITH: CLICK HERE
2004 and 2005 MSA British Rally Championship Ladies title winner, Lorna Smith was at the Castle Combe Rallyday in the UK last weekend.
Crash.net Radio caught up with the Suzuki Swift star to get her thoughts on that event - and to discuss how her own season has been going in the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship and the Irish Tarmac Championship, where she has already taken the N2 class honours...
Crash.net:
Lorna, talk us through the day so far for you at the Rallyday.
Lorna Smith:
We have just been going out around the British Rally Championship spectator stage and taking a few guests out around there and having a bit of fun. We have used it as a shakedown for the Cork Rally as well. It has been a great day. There are heaps of people around and the weather seems to be alright – although it is a bit hot in the car. It has been going really well.
Crash.net:
Do you enjoy events like this?
LS:
It is good fun and it gives us a bit of a chance to speak to spectators and spend a bit more time chatting to people. To be honest during the rallies you don’t have much time at all and you almost feel a little bit rude sometimes. You get back to service and you think: ‘I’m sorry, but I have got to run to the toilet and I have got to get back in and go back out to the rally again’. It is nice then to be able to spend some time chatting to people and to be able to tell them about the car and how we are getting on.
Crash.net:
Thus far this year you have been doing the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship and the Irish Tarmac Championship. Generally speaking how have things been going?
LS:
Really good - the car and the team have been absolutely cracking right from the start. We have had a few moments but so far, touch-wood, we have been getting to the end of all the stages and all of the rallies and we have now won our class in the Irish Championship. We have got one event to go there but we can’t be caught. It will be quite good then going into that one with no pressure. Then we have got two more rounds of the British championship left and we are leading that at the moment. But it is all getting close and with double points at Rally GB I think it is going to be a fight to the end on that one.
Crash.net:
With the Rally Yorkshire coming up how have preparations been going for that event?
LS:
Good. We have got the slight problem that we have got Cork in between and the pressure is on to try and keep the cars tidy there and then the boys will be working a few late nights getting it changed over to gravel spec. Then it is up to Yorkshire. I think we are well set for it. I am looking forward to getting back onto gravel again. Tarmac has been fantastic but we have been on asphalt all summer. The Pirelli was the last time I have been out on gravel. I have done the Trackrod a few times before and I should know the stages quite well. They are brave stages – we have just got to keep our foot in!
