23rd January 2012 - So, just to keep you up to date, I just completed my first ever World Rally Championship event, Rallye Monte Carlo. The roads of Monte Carlo are just incredible, never driven anything like it. I decided two weeks before the event that I was just going for the finish as I was up against Subaru Impreza's and Mitsubihi Evo's in the little ST, so there was nothing to gain by going flat out and with no super rally on the Monte Carlo Rally, if I could keep the car alive and on the road I knew I may even gain positions and points. It was a real struggle to get to the rally and as stupid as it sounds we had no money for tyres either. I had the choice of 3 year old worn medium slicks RS7 and some 45 quid budget winter road tyres, not a great selection for Monte Carlo's cold and unpredictable weather lol, but it had to do.

We were seeded so high up for the first day it was crazy, 2 places behind the 2011 event winner Bryan Bouffier in his £300,000 works backed Peugeot! I knew I would be caught by all the S2000's behind me, I asked to be put to the back but there was nothing they could do. So the first couple of stages were stressful, I had to keep looking in the old mirrors and making sure I could dive out the way, you really dont want to mess up anyones's rally. Oh well, at least the high seeding meant we got to be on rally radio making myself look stupid for a bit, lol. We got put to the back in the end, which was a relief at first but then when we were starting the next stage about 8 minutes behind the current last car, everyone thought the stage had finished. So theres me going through the stage with thousands of people all over the road running out the way. There was then a LWB transit van parked across the road. I then nearly killed someones dog that was off its leash on an icy section a big 4 wheel lock up, oh my word it was mental!! There was then an accident on the road section too, and we just got to the time control with 40 seconds to spare, otherwise we were over 30 minutes late which means OTL and out of the rally completely so that was the most stressful road section I have ever had. But hey, none of it mattered in the end because we managed to be within the top 60 by day 3 to get down to Monaco, not part of the plan.

The atmosphere was just amazing throughout the rally, you could hear everyone shouting from in the car with the helmets on and engine revving. I saw a few moonies lol and hundreds of bomb fires. The support from people was amazing at the event and the support on Facebook and Twitter.

Anyway, we gained an unbelievable result of 2nd in the Production World Rally Championship, it did not come as easily as you would expect, just glad to have finished. It was frustrating to not be able to drive flat out on those amazing roads, especially with thousands of spectators egging you on :oD there is nothing in a driver's mind that wants to go slow, its actually harder than you think. I had to drive like my grandma, sometimes slower than my grandma would have lol and finish for the points. The little ST was not holding up to the mileage very well you see, she's never done more than 400 miles in total before and was now faced with 1200, so she was not happy, I had to drive accordingly. My pace notes were shocking anyway so maybe its just as well! I like to call them pace lies :o) I drove most of the rally blind to be honest.

Anyway, the goal was to finish the rally and that was achieved. It's a few months until Greece, so head down now to get 70 grand in - oh my word. Oh and I am also the first ever female to reach a podium position in the Production World Rally Championship, so that is pretty cool, hope its a start of making more history in the WRC, who knows :o) Speak soon, Louise.

Oh and thats me going insane with trying to pace note the roads lol. Massive learning curve for my 13th rally....

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20th November 2011 - Just got back from the British Rally Championship Awards Do, had a really great night, was nice to celebrate the season's results. This is what came home with us, Fiesta Sport Trophy Vice Champion awards, British Ladies Rally Champion Trophy and a Media award from M-Sport which I was really pleased with :o)

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25th September 2011 - Well, we have just finished the last round of the season this weekend, the Trackrod Rally in Yorkshire and have come home with 2nd in the Fiesta Sport Trophy and British Ladies Champion. Cant believe it, we were'nt expecting that after the non-start on the last round. Really amazing end to what has been a tough year financially and only having the car without an ECU fault on one round. The Isle of Man rally (meant to be the last rally of the season) was cancelled just before Trackrod, so it suddenly meant all scores counted. All we could do was finish this rally, we couldnt improve our end of season result even with a flat out drive. so I took it steady the whole day, was pretty dull and boring to be honest, and was probably too cautious most of the time, I just didnt want the old Fiesta to break, so I cruised her through. It paid off though. So thats it for this season, second season done and so pleased with the outcome. Massive thank you to everyone that made it possible :o)

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21st August 2011 - Back from the Ulster Rally and for me, it was pants! We decided to take part in the shakedown for this rally and all was going well, we were driving better than ever, lines were good, braking was better, it was looking like it could be a good rally after the experience in Holland. It was about to be our 3rd run on the shakedown and we got held up for about 20 minutes due to another car crashing out. It rained whilst we were waiting but it was soon time to go out but with the time delay, this meant it was our last round. So me, being me, decided to brake later this time round, try and cram in half a years learning into half a mile lol with cold tyres and brakes. I ended up braking too late on some shiny tar (it rained), I was hanging in some bushes for a while, only by a foot, and I just began to straighten her up and bang, back end hit a tree root. Doh. Bent all the rear suspension, the crew just managed to fix it in time for rally start, but I took it down the road and over the bumps it was lethal. So, with funds tight anyway, we decided to pull out from the rally. I didnt go there to limp round, I wanted to fight for a good position. The first non start of the season...depressing.

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10th July 2011 - WOW! I contested my first rally outside of the UK this weekend, the Exotic Green Rally in Holland to work on my tarmac technique! I was warmly welcomed, the Dutch showed an enormous amount of support which made me feel at home :o) I got to grips with my new note system by stage two but my tyres were not happy - they were turning into marshmallow - wrong compound!! Thats all we had with us though, so our times did suffer. The Dutch tarmac is so abrasive! The third stage was a route around a large Industrial Estate which you looped around three times. Normally I am knocking on the doors drumming up sponsorship on Industrial Estates, so it was ironic to be driving flat out round one, I loved it! The rally continued to challenge me, driving with slicks on the mud, cobbles, sand and gravel! Got to the last 3 stages though and the stupid engine would not rev above 5000, a strange electrical fault had developed. Tried turning her off and back on - worked for a while but then returned to limp mode. Our times dropped right down, which was a shame but we still managed to hold onto 1st in class and 32nd overall from the 65 entries. I am chuffed to bits with the result, just need to find out what this engine problem is before Ulster....

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29th May 2011 - How much fun was the Jim Clark Rally!!! So many flat out jumps and crests, it was just the best. Launching the car over jumps is my favourite bit of rallying so I was one happy bunny. The recce went terrible though, my co-driver was so ill that I had to recce the stages alone!! Lol, that was pretty hard actually!! The rally itself went surprisingly well considering! We were catching some of the faster Fiestas. We would have set a third fastest Fiesta Stage time if we hadnt made friends with a chicane and overshot a hairpin!! Lost loads of time there, but it was good to know we were setting some good times. On the last bunch of stages we used old slicks as we couldnt afford any more, so hense the moments lol. Ulster Rally next though, Northern Ireland on the 19th August. Bit of a break to raise some much needed funds. Coming to get you Kent Industrial Estates!!!! He he he. Speak soon...

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7th April 2011 - The Pirelli Rally was tough :o( We had bad notes for the first stage and it was run in the dark the second time through - double wammy!! Then with the car's camber at 2.5 degrees, only half our tyre was being used and the clutch was slipping most of the second day, so our times suffered. Hardest rally yet, hung in a few ditches but managed to get her to the end! I have never been so fast though, literally all four wheels off the ground at one point at over 100mph over a blind crest! Not done that before! Lol, that bit was reem! Ha. So, with a failing car and some time penalties, we didnt get the best result. Onwards and upwards!!

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7th April 2011 - A big thanks to the Kent 2020 Show for letting me have the rally car on display today and for allowing me to walk round the exhibitor stands to tell everyone about my Promotion50 campaign. A massive thank you to everyone that supported me with £50 today, I am SO grateful :o) We are getting closer to our 500 target that we need for the season! I am a happy bunny, can you tell....? lol.

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3rd April 2011 - Well, that's four gravel rallies under my belt now, all good experience, just a shame we never got to the bottom of the ECU fault. So, down on power again at the Bulldog International Rally, Wales. I was pretty annoyed by the 3rd stage seeing that stupid engine system fault light flashing at me, seemed to drive a bit aggressive ha :o) Then we had a slow puncture on stages 5 and 6 after Service, bad decision on a front to back tyre change, we dropped 3 minutes :o( Oh well, at least we got to the end. I found 2 seconds a mile by the end of the rally, that was the goal, so I am well happy about that. Pirelli Rally next!!

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28th February 2011 - Back from Race Retro, it was cool to give passenger rides and take people round the Race Retro rally stage, it was to help raise money for the Colin McRae Vision. It was fab to meet the legendary Tony Mason who interviewed me that day as well :o)

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26th February 2011 - Got through Rallye Sunseeker - the first round of the Dulux Trade British Rally Championship. It went well, I had to write my own pace notes... oh my word! They were okay though - didnt crash on them so must be half right! The first stage we had no intercom so I couldnt hear a word my co driver said, think he had a sore throat after that stage!! Second stage went well, just getting into it. Then 3 miles into the third stage, the Engine System Fault light came on :o( so down on power for the rest of the rally, dammit! Still, at least the old Fiesta kept going and I managed to get some much needed miles in the car....

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22nd February 2011 - Wow!! Take a sneak peak at the Fiesta's makeover! All thanks to the amazing Spyder Creative in Sittingbourne, Kent. They vinyl wrapped the whole car, cant believe it used to be blue! Check out their other designs. Great stuff :o) The Fiesta loves her new look! Hehe

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8th February 2011 - Off I go to Sweden for some pre season training. I hope the lake is fully frozen again this year! Now for the 1300 mile journey..... Fun fun fun