It's been a long slow start to the year rallying wise for Tomsport, with the foot and mouth epidemic canceling almost all the rallies, and the events that were to run soon became over subscribed. So, when the Peugeot GTi Autosport Club (PGAC) invited us (expenses paid) to show the Peugeot, we though "what the 'eck, we aren't doing anything else"

We arrived in the early evening at Long Marston Airfield, Stratford-upon-Avon and set up our camp. After a hearty barbeque, accompanied by a few beers (we would not be driving in the morning) we took a stroll around the pit area of the drag strip. The machinery parked up for the night was foreign to us, and resembled a time warp of Americana, with huge engines.

During the night it rained, with the accompanying sound of boom boom boom from a minority of boy racer campers. We wondered what we were doing here.

Morning broke early, and during breakfast, a never ending stream of modified Peugeot GTi's "cruised" onto the site. Mark Dow, the organiser of this PGAC event came over and introduced himself. All the cars were to be parked in groups by type; 306's together, 205's together, etc, but the rally car would have it's own pitch adjacent to the organisers marquee - we felt welcome and respected.

So, we packed up camp and set up our "display" next to the marquee. 

During the day, the 309 attracted a steady stream of visitor. We answered questions politely, and gave out leaflets to interested enthusiasts. The car was also the subject of a number of photographs (I can't quite see us making the cover of Max Power magazine though)

Of course, we took the opportunity to have a wonder round ourselves, but in whatever direction we went, we always appeared to end up at the drag strip. The drag races were not just limited to the American mussel, the Peugeots were having a go as well. Hats off to those who put their money where there mouths are.

But, at the end of the day, it was all about the Peugeots and the owners who lavish untold amounts of money and spit 'n polish to make their Peugeot the most individual and desirable.

We thank PGAC for the opportunity to experience a different angle on owning a sporting Peugeot, and in return. we hope that we have promoted rallying as a motor sport.

www.peugeot-gti.co.uk 

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