Northern Trial

Rare overall win for a Class 2 Car

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Nicola Butcher took Ben, Thomas & Barnaby on a weekend break to the Lake District, helping smooth out some of the tracks while she was there (Photo by Fred Mills)
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Nigel Jones is missing the view of Bassenthwaite Lake, the only body of water in the Lake District to use lake in its name, as he concentrates on cleaning the Where Eagles Dare section. Photo by Dave Cook. Click Here to view and purchase one of Dave’s economically priced prints or Hi-Res downloads

It looked like a Class 2 win more or less from the start of the event when Bill Bennett was the only car to clean the slippery Telfs Challenge. The overall win slipped away from him when he was penalised on one of the Special Tests and then dropped a nine on the appropriately named Big Cockup! This left the field clear for fellow Class 2 competitor David Read in his Austin Seven who finished his trial with a smooth climb of Sandale.

Nicola Butcher was second overall in her familiar Class 4 Beetle and Mark Smith third in his similar Class Six machine. There were only a couple of retirements. Kieran Bartlett whose clutch failed on his Cannon after only a couple of hills. Hal Branson got a bit further but was troubled by a grumble from his new prop shaft and a gremlin with the Marlins electronic wizardry that prevented the car from idling. Continue reading “Northern Trial”

Change to the Site

Just to let you know I have removed the “Triallers” Twitter feed from the right hand menu bar. The reason is that some of the tweets were either too “rich” or “political” for my vision of the Classical Gas Site. The Tweeters are of course totally entitled to make the Twitter posts its just that I don’t think they are appropriate to appear on my website. Hopefully I will spot their trials, car, motorcycle etc related tweets and retweet them so they appear on my timeline https://twitter.com/ClassicalGas

You can of course directly subscribe to anyone on Twitter.


Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns welcome:-

Launceston Trial

Matt Facey was best car in his BMW. Ben Tonkin headed an excellent entry of nine sidecars

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Matt Facey on his way to best car overall. Picture by Jonathan Kelly who can supply copies of his photos

Matt started his day clearing the first six sections, establishing a lead he was to retain for the rest of the day in his Class 3 BMW. Matt finished the day dropping 22 points ahead of second place Ryan Tonkin on 41 in his Class 8 Buggy. Just behind were the battling class sevens of Adrian Booth (Arkley) and Philip Thomas (Melos), both on 43.

Launceston and North Cornwall MC had attracted and excellent entry of nine sidecars for their single event Classic in Lew Woods. Ben Tonkin and Michael Curnow dominated the day dropping only 8 points. Keelan Hancock was best solo Continue reading “Launceston Trial”

Tough Cotswold Clouds

Ryan Eamer (Cannon) was the provisional winner of a closely fought battle with Tris White (Troll), Richard Hayward (Escort) and Dave Haizelden (Reliant Scimitar)

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Simon Jones captures Ryan Eamer working hard to get away from the Bulls Bank restart

Videos from Crooked Mustard by Duncan Stephens, Mike Eliis’s Dad and Duncan Stephens

Stroud and DMC received their usual full entry for their well established trial. The first half of the route included many traditional hills, some dating back before WW2, even if some like Crooked Mustard have changed their name in the intervening period! Continue reading “Tough Cotswold Clouds”

Exmoor Trial

Paul Merson overcame the slippery conditions for first overall in the cars. Guy Windsor was best motorcycle

Some Video by Martin Hitchcott, Chris Bonnett, James Smith and Norton Selwood

The organisers were challenged by the severe weather in the weeks preceding the event. They nearly lost the finish venue when it was threatened by floods and Hurscott had to be cancelled. Water had come cascading down the hill, eroding the lane so much it left a very deep ditch to one side of the track.

They had to make some other adjustments but come the day competitors were delighted with the trial. Paul Merson dominated class eight and was best car overall dropping ten marks. Keith Sanders was second in his Scimitar, dropping 15 marks, with Stuart Highwood third in his Marlin on 16, one better than David Haizelden with his Scimitar.

In the motorcycles Kathy Martin was best in Class B1 on Humphery the Honda.

In Car with Mark and James Smith


Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns welcome:-

 

Cold Exeter This Year

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Kevin Sharp receiving his Triple from MCC President Jonathan Laver at the evening presentations. Kevin was also awarded the Field Trophy for best car on the Lands End in his Class 5 Suzuki X90. Photo by Dave Cook who has an extensive library of photos on his website where you can order inexpensive prints and digital downloads

The header picture shows Stuart Roache’s HRG bathed in morning light as they stop behind David Ellisons Ford Model A. David had to retire the Model A while Stuart went on to clean all the sections and win Class Five.

Click Here for the Main Trial Report

Click Here for Class 0 Report


Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns welcome:-

Camel Classic

Aaron Haizelden and Chris Dustow were best car and motorcycle respectively

Car Videos by Norton Selwood

This years Camel Classic was as tough as ever with lots of mud to spice things up. Aaron Haizelden came away with the premier Car Award, dropping 31 marks. It was a close thing though as Roger Hancock in Class Eight was only one mark behind.

Motorcycle Videos by Norton Selwood

Chris Dustow was best Solo with a clean sheet and Alan Keat best Combination.


Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns welcome:-

First ACTC win for a Liege on The Allen

Ray Ferguson won The Allen Trial with one of two clean sheets. His Liege was faster than Tim Naylers BMW Z3 on the Special Tests

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Ray and Hannah Ferguson had no time to enjoy the view of the lake as they clean one of the sections at Ubley Woods on their way to a clean sheet and a win on the Allen Trial in their Liege. Photo by Calvin Samuel. Click here for more of Calvins work.

Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns welcome:-

Challenging Tarka

Stewart Green was best car in his Class 8 Gruffalo and Ben Dyer best Solo in this wet event with some tough restarts.

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Mark and James Smith restart on Hurscott in this photo by Becey Macey. Click Here  for their InCar Video of the Trial. You can find more of Becey’s photos here.

This years Tarka was an ACTC Championship round for both Cars and Motorcycles after Woolbridges Hardy Trial didn’t take place. North Devon MC had the benefit of quite a bit of rain to toughen up their trial with only two cars in Class Eight finishing in single figures. Continue reading “Challenging Tarka”

Keith Sanders Won The 2017 Bodmin Trial

Videos from Castle by Norton Selwood

Videos from Broadhawk by Norton Selwood

Videos from several sections by Duncan Stephens