[BRGT350]

For Adventure month, I traveled to New Hampshire with the Fiesta ST to attend the Team O’Neil Rally School and Car Control Center. I took the 1-day “Fiesta Experience” and learned the basics of left foot braking and car control using the original Fiesta Movement cars. The 2009 European Fiestas were modified with a skid plate, carpet removed for cleaning, 2-point roll bar installed with 4-point harnesses, Bilstein HD shocks/struts, and snow tires. There were also some “special” modifications done to the computer to remove the throttle cut-off when the brake is applied, plus the ESC, TC, and ABS have been disabled. The result is the perfect car to learn the fundamentals of driving a rally car. The school starts with classroom instruction, and then moves to the skidpad. Each driving lesson is preceded by a classroom lesson and then is shown with an instructor driving. There were 11 students and 6 instructors rotating between 6 different Fiestas. At the end of the day, we got a tour of one of the Fiesta R2 rally cars and lessons in car set-up for running on gravel. The rest of the students headed home after school, but I stuck around to do something unique. Check out the video to see it!

Trip to the Team O'Neil Rally School by Bryan Redeker BRGT350, on Flickr
What happens if you let Tim O’Neil borrow your ST while you are in class

Trip to the Team O'Neil Rally School by Bryan Redeker BRGT350, on Flickr

Trip to the Team O'Neil Rally School by Bryan Redeker BRGT350, on Flickr

Trip to the Team O'Neil Rally School by Bryan Redeker BRGT350, on Flickr

Team ONeil Rally School 061 by Bryan Redeker BRGT350, on Flickr

Team ONeil Rally School 100 by Bryan Redeker BRGT350, on Flickr

Team ONeil Rally School 134 by Bryan Redeker BRGT350, on Flickr

Team ONeil Rally School 152 by Bryan Redeker BRGT350, on Flickr

Team ONeil Rally School 167 by Bryan Redeker BRGT350, on Flickr

Team ONeil Rally School 163 by Bryan Redeker BRGT350, on Flickr

Team ONeil Rally School 161 by Bryan Redeker BRGT350, on Flickr

 

[9]

Nice. Can't wait to see what they do with that ST.

 

[captainmorbid]

Did you see your old car BRGT?

 

[BRGT350]

Did you see your old car BRGT?

I saw a twin to my car and it was built 5 cars after mine. The Magenta car I started with on the skidpad without the graphics was the twin to my old car. Tim thinks the car was shipped to Scotland where it was a recce car and may be a R2 rally car now. My old Fiesta loved to be hooned and driven fast around trees, so it was a natural rally car.

Last weekend I met the car that is one build number different than my ST. The car is exact twin since the blue cars all were built together. I will have pictures of it soon. The car is not part of the Fiesta Movement, but rather a test car.

Cinderbike, watch for SEMA this year to see what Team O'Neil will do to their ST project car. I am sure it will be awesome, since they specialize in awesome.

 

[captainmorbid]

Very cool too watch this little car claw it's way into our hearts. Wicked provenance!

(I think I might do the ESC mod, just for more tree hugging! )

 

[Stevelach]

So cool!

 

[drop360]

Hell yes!! I had no concept of left foot braking until I was schooled at Team O'Neil, and now I'm on a mission to remove brake override on any front wheel drive car that I own or will own in the future. Did they give you any indication if they will be offering any sort of "fix" for the override on the ST?

 

[BRGT350]

They suggested looking at Cobb or another tuner to change the timing of the brake/throttle cut issue. The school cars required a lot of electrical work to turn off all the systems, and would not be something possible on a street car.