2007 Rally Day 3

Tuesday 1st May - Sofia, Bulgaria to Dubrovnik, Croatia

After a fantastic phase on day two, day three was another blast filled with thrills, spills, cops and catsuits. The drivers left the Palace in Sofia and headed for Serbia on the first stage of the route, Pete Fenton reported excellent driving throughout the morning, with only a few rudely-placed roadworks to hamper things through this stretch of the journey.

Drivers reported the police were pretty good throughout – many waving and wanting pictures! We all took a sharp intake of breath when 20 cars were rounded up by police at the Serbian border, but there was no big deal and the cars were escorted – at 40mph. Nevertheless, the convoy made it safely to the destination. Which just leaves the little matter of the journey of the other 21 cars…..

Porsche Pilot, Bill Buckler, had mechanical problems so it was a wait with John and Billy from the Support Car until the recovery truck arrived. Two cars now held up, 19 to go…..

Crunch time came when Team 6’s Lamborghini Diablo did just that – got crunched. Both of the boys were still intact and absolutely fine; hopefully a little TLC in Dubrovnik on the driver’s day off should fix the damage. Another one accounted for, 18 to go….

The Great Carbon Black Dodgem Challenge was next up, with Chaz and Dave turning the road into a fairground for a split second when their delightful orange Lambo bit the bum of the White BMW M5. Although there was some minor damage, both cars remained driveable and arrived, albeit slightly scuffed, at Dubrovnik. Which just left 17 other teams to go loco and belt it to the finish at the beautiful Dubrovnik Palace Hotel in the beautiful walled city on the coast of Croatia.

The drivers attended a fabulous beach party to round of yet another superb day. Day four affords the boys some down time to take in Dubrovnik, with a few parties

At the Palace, Ant somehow managed to bag a palatial suite with some fourteen rooms – Carbon Black has Ant ’Fourteen Rooms’ Howarth, to add to his ever-increasing list of pseudonyms.

The drivers refuelled with a sumptious 8 course dinner and magnums of champange, and the party got underway with Hed Kandi DJs  performing a blinding set.

According to legend, Richard the Lionheart landed in the bay of Dubrovnik in 1192 after an unfortunate shipwrecking saga. Well, Richie-Baby, you may have had the heart of a lion, but what you didn’t also have were the balls of a 560lb Bengal Tiger to pull of an event like Carbon Black.

Day 3 Route Cards

 

Event Pictures