by Rob Wilkins
Nicky Grist was at the 2006 Rallyday recently and
Crash.net Radio caught up with him there to chat to him about that event and his last outing in the WRC back in Australia at the end of last year. He also talks about the X-Games Rally, which gets underway this week in the USA, running from August 2-6 and the current state of the WRC...
Q:
Nicky, I know you have only just arrived at the Rallyday, but what are your initial impressions?
Nicky Grist:
It's a great day out for the rally fan. I mean you can see a fantastic selection of cars here. It is hard work to put this event together but it has been growing and growing every year and I think the word is really getting out. It is a must-be at venue for the rally fan now and with so many stars here it is a good chance for them to get some autographs.
Q:
Of course this time last year, you were out in action or about to go out and compete in the Skoda Fabia WRC with
Colin McRae. You almost took a podium with it too on the Rally Australia...
NG:
Yeah it was so sad that it all had to come to an end the way it did. I felt sorry, not so much for myself, but for the team, when they had been working hard for years and years and years, with absolutely no reward and here we were in a position, we were fighting for second place and we were confident we could get it and then we came into service with a perfect car and then we went OTL [over the time limit] through a silly clutch change. The team was distraught, I have never seen so many grown men cry but that is the way it is. Skoda in their wisdom decided to go in a different direction this year - we had a possibility to perhaps go out and perform ourselves with them, but as it is, we have not done any serious competition WRC wise now. We have done a few events, just for fun, but everybody has to stop sometime and while we are still competitive, it is a great time to bow out.
Q:
Do you miss competing though at the sharp end or do you really feel now is the time to draw the line?
NG:
To be honest we have been dabbling with a few events here and there. We were out on the Donegal Rally in Ireland some weeks back, with Colin's old 6R4, which we had some great fun with. We have done some events in his Escort as well - we did the Pirelli International and did some great slides there. That is a proper sounding car, none of these turbo charged things. We are off to California soon too because we are competing in a competition called the 'X Games', which is a televised event through-out the US.
Q:
That is quite a big event in America isn't it?
NG:
Well it is the first time they have ever run it for rally cars. They have run it for motocross and tricks, where they do these rotating spins and all that kind of carry on. But now they are having this purpose made part for rally cars and it is the first time it is going to be used. They have invited us to go over there and compete against the top American championship runners, so we will see how we get on. It is though going to be an interesting event, I am sure.
