by Geoff Mayes
Neville Jones and George Gwynn might not have won their class but they certainly provided plenty of entertainment for the gathered spectators on the Dukeries Rally last weekend as the pair endured a couple of hairy moments after going the wrong way with the set-up of their Vulcan Fasteners-backed Subaru Impreza N12.
A year on from the scene of their first time together in the car Jones and Gwynn were re-united on the Southwell based rally and after a strong opening stage, where they were eighth fastest in class, the pair were happy to be back in the groove.
However they courted disaster early on in the very next stage, Blidworth, when they hit a rut which spun the car around at high speed. The Geoff Jones Motorsport Impreza disappeared into the undergrowth backwards. Incredibly no damage was sustained and the pair, shaken but otherwise okay, continued albeit now hampered by a puncture.
Top ten class times for the next three stages showed that Neville had overcome his earlier moment and set up changes in service helped restore his confidence. Heading out for a repeat of the morning stages Neville and George were languishing in 32nd position but considering how lucky they had been the pair were just grateful to still be in the rally at all.
The afternoon went well, although Neville admitted that the set-up was perhaps still too stiff for the roads, which had cut up worse than he had expected. This was no more apparent than on Stage 8, the second run of Sherwood Pines, when they hit a rut under braking and bounced off towards a rather solid looking gate post. Neville reacted well and brought the car to a halt in the undergrowth before reversing back onto the stage and carrying on, to much applause from the spectators.
"What a day. I did a test earlier in the week which helped a lot, but I still underestimated how rough the stages were," said Jones. "George was, as always, fantastic, and we had a lot of fun today.
![Neville Jones. Malcolm Wilson Rally. March 1 2008. [PIC CREDIT: Geoff Mayes Media]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/412994.jpg)
