Also in 1979 we started to compete in some small map reading rally's with a group of friends from some local garages.
we were using a Fiat 131 1.6 roadcar with a self made roll cage.

My father was driving ( because i did not yet have a licence) and i was the co-pilot.
I was really good in mapreading and we wone some events.

When i finally got my drivers licence ( in 1981 ) we changed position in the car and i became the driver.
Somewhere in 1982 some drivers from Belgium were asking us if we did not wanted to come and drive in Belgium and do some real Rally's.
Of course i did not have to think twice so we started to prepare our Rallycar.

My very First Rallycar was a Black Fiat 131 1600 TC Gr 2 ( 160 Hp ).
we have built the car ourselfs and the engine was made by 'Denspeed' in Belgium

My First Rally did not last very long.....in the First Stage and 2nd Corner i put the car in a ditch !! ( see gallery)
My father was not impressed as i did not really listen to the Pace notes, but from then on i started to listen.

We built a new Rally car, again a Fiat 131 1600 TC ( Group 2 ).
this car was fast enough to challenge for the lead and i soon won some regional events in Belgium.

I was driving in the Belgium Regional Rallychampionship from 1983 / 1986
we finished 2nd in the 1985 ( - 25 year Championship )

As we were starting to drive faster and faster my father decided it was wise for him to stop being co-driver ( we had a few high speed crashes and maybe that was the reason ? ) and i had to look for somebody else to be the co-pilot.
I did not really find anybody that i could trust reading the pace notes and i decided to stop and do something else.

I had aready some contacts in Rally Cross and that got my attention.