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Dave Cook pictures Dean Partington cleaning Crooked Mustard on his way to winning the Cotswold Clouds
Dean dropped his only five marks on Pheasants Run, one better than fellow DP Wasp driver Mike Chatwin. These weren’t the lowest scores on this section but they both cleaned all the others. Deans success came when, along with Mike, Aaron Haizelden (Reliant Scimitar) and Nick Cleal (Peugeot), he was in the elite group that came out the top of Merves Swerve.
It was a very tough trial with the rain making Axe a real mud bath and Cowcombe Wood becoming so slippery the sections were cancelled as the access tracks were becoming dangerous.
Dean Partington had the only clean sheet on a very wet Allen Trial, clinching the Wheelspin Championship in the process.
There had been a lot of rain in the preceding week, with extensive flooding in the south west. This made the Ubley Wood sections very muddy and it was here the event was decided. Dean was challenged by Dave Haizelden and Keith Sanders, both losing only two marks on the hills, although Keith also dropped marks when he incurred a fail on the special test.
Mick Workman and Tony Underhill are pictures of concentration as they tackle the mud on John Walker (Picture by Calvin Talbot from Cstartworks)
With all the flooding there was concern that the event was going to take place. However Pete Hart and his team checked things out on the Saturday and reported that, apart from the stream at the bottom of Uplands which was impassable, the route was good to go.
There were a couple of non starters but there were still nearly 60 cars lining up at the start in Doynton near J18 on the M4.
The Travers Restart sorted Class 7
After a gentle run up Tog Hill the restart on Bitton Lane was unfriendly to Class 5 and Nick Deacon was the only one of five Suzuki X90’s to get away. Guys Hill was next, perhaps the rain had washed the mud away because there were fewer failures than usual.
The Yellows and Reds had to restart on Travers. and this certainly sorted out class 7, only the Marlins of John Hammill and eventual Class winner Dave Broom getting away. The restart also accounted for around 50% of class 8.
Ubley Decides the Trial
The four sections at Ubley Wood were just up the track. unlike the other hills, which are all on green lanes, these are artificial sections marked out on the top of a grassy hill. With no stone bottom they were very slippery and a full blooded approach was required. Only Dean Partington cleaned all four. Dave Wall and Charlie Knifton did well but succumbed to the Class 8 restart on the Ubley 1 to loose their only five marks of the day. Without a restart here Sam Holmes in Class Four, Keith Sanders in Class Five, Gary Browning in Class Six and Dave Haizelden in Class One also went clear and went on to win their respective classes.
Ubley Woods 2 and 3 were difficult but cleanable but it was Ubley Woods 4 that decided the trial when Dean was the only clear.
Big Uplands was Cancelled
With Big Uplands cancelled there were only three sections after the lunch break. It should have been plain sailing for the leaders with Dean clear and Dave Haizelden and Keith Sanders on two. That wasn’t how it finished as Keith overshot a line on the Special Test which penalises you six marks on The Allen and it dropped him down the standings promoting Dave Wall to 3rd overall in his tidy K series Dellow.
John Walker was the last section, a glorious blast though the mud and ruts just as the light was failing. It wasn’t a formality for the low slung cars though and Ian Moss dropped six in an unfamiliar and very standard looking Hillman Imp. The ruts were deep and both class winning cars of Aaron Haizelden and Dave Wall ended up with deranged front suspension..
Dean wins The Allen and The Wheelspin
So ended another well run and popular Allen Trial with Dean Partington victorious for the fourth time giving him an unassailable lead in The Wheelspin Trophy.
Class
Driver/Car
Marks
Overall
Dean Partington (DP Wasp)
0
1
David Haizelden (Golf GTi)
2
2
Adrian Dommett (Wolseley Hornet)
9
3
Aaron Haizelden (Ford Escort)
12
4
Sam Holmes (VW Beetle)
5
5
Keith Sanders (Reliant Scimitar SS1)
8
6
Gary Browning (VW Beetle)
6
7
Dave Broom (Marlin)
10
8
Dave Wall (Dellow)
5
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Dean Partington and Duncan Stephens drop 12 marks, but Best Overall awarded to a competitor in Class 0
The Ilkley continues to be an enjoyable and developing event, despite things being done very differently to the other championship rounds. A couple of the regular sections had to be cancelled because of the wet weather but this was more than compensated for by Stan Peels new find, a section called Coppy alongside Gouthwaite Reservoir although this proved damaging for some in Class 0.
With little regard for 4.1.11 Ilkley winner Mark Busfield guns his special as he charges the rock pile at the top of Watergate 1. (Picture by Unknown)
Clerk of the Course Stan Peel had been very worried about the weather building up to the weekend as some of the roads on the route were flooded. Come the day the water had receded but it was still necessary to cancel a couple of sections, including the popular Incline on the outskirts of Pateley Bridge. To compensate a couple of familiar sections at Sword Point were drafted back into use.
The event attracted quite a good entry of 38 bikes, 14 cars in Class 0 and 33 in the main classes. Most of the events regulars were present, but noticeably only a handle of championship contenders. The main car classes had quite high pressure restrictions of 15psi for Seven and Eight and 12 psi for the others. Class 0 had neither pressure restrictions or restarts
Big Hole at Strid Wood
With the first Hawpike section being cancelled the picturesque Hawpike 2 was first on the agenda. Quite a few drivers were caught out by the steep bank at the start, including Paul Clay and Nigel Hilling with their 1172 sidevalves and Graham Redmayne in his Liege in Class 0. Graham didn’t make many more errors and went on to an excellent second in Class 0.
The familiar sections at Strid Wood came next. The first wasn’t too bad for the early cars in class 0, but soon developed a huge hole in the soft surface which only Dean Partington and Stuart Lambert of the later numbers could surmount. The second hill here had a very difficult 90 right onto a track which proved too much for most cars. The few that did get round were trapped by the tight PCT markers higher up and two was the best anyone could do. David Golightly had a good try in his wonderful Model A but got rather crossed up in the process and had a rather alarming unplanned descent through the undergrowth.
Suburb Green Laning across Pock Stones Moor
There was a new section called Ellers Edge on Pock Stones Moor. The section was fine but even better was mile after mile of green laning to get to the section and more afterwards, finally emerging at the Hey Slack Section. Ellers Edge was a slippery bank which stopped a surprising number of the entry including all the Lieges apart from Graham Redmayne in Class 0.
There were the usual two sections at a cold and windy Hey Slack, attempted according to Class. They were very wet at the bottom which prevented competitors attacking the short sharp banks. Nobody climbed the easier one and in 7 and 8 only Duncan Stephens in Class 7 and Dean Partington and Charlie Knifton in Class 8 came out the top.
The weather was better at the sheltered Peels Wood 1 where the routes were split, class 8 having to descend to the bottom before attacking a steep grassy bank. Only one competitor surmounted this bank and nobody will be surprised that was Dean Partington. The other classes had a much easier route and there were few marks lost.
Only the higher Classes tackle Wilson Wood
Wilsons Wood was only attempted by Classes 7 & 8 and didn’t take too many scalps this year. The only two retirements occurred here. Steve Lister had problems with his blown Dellow and there was no Charlie Knifton as his Subaru powered Scorpion had stuck in gear leaving Peels Wood.
There was a lunch break in the farmyard before Brimham Lodge, with a much appreciated refreshment wagon and toilets. The Brimham Lodge section was in fine form. Cleanable, but it wasn’t easy and about half the cars didn’t succeed in getting up without a tow. David Golightly in the Model A was penalised 50 marks here, presumably for tyre pressures and this cost him a class win. Incidentally the tyre pressure check was at the top of the section, so no chance to adjust them if they didn’t satisfy the marshals gauge. (1)
New Section at Coppy was Rough
With the Incline Sections cancelled due to the wet ground the route went through Pateley Bridge and alongside Gouthwaite Reservoir to a new section called Coppy. This had a relatively gentle gradient, the challenge was the ruts, rocks and mud. The majority of the Class 0’s running at the front of the field had problems and had to back out. Before long pretty much the entire field were queued on the main road. Fortunately some of the senior competitors stepped in and marshalled the cars onto the adjoining grassy field otherwise there could have been a nasty accident.
The main classes were not without their problems, but even those that cleared the section had a struggle with the hairy drop into the stream on the exit track.
After Coppy the route continued to follow the reservoir road to Longside Wood, introduced for last years event. Stan Peel had taken pity on the lower classes and allowed them to start after the tight hairpin at the bottom. The section is a magnificent long blast up a track through a Bluebell Wood, finishing with some tight corners. These were the downfall of the few competitors who got that far, all except Mike Chatwin who was the only clear in his DP Wasp.
On the Moors above Pateley Bridge
Watergate lay back down the reservoir road, through Pateley Bridge and up onto the moors. Watergate 1 is one of the jewels of the Ilkley Trial, a real classic section in a picturesque setting, such a shame about the car damaging unnecessary artificial bit at the top. There were no restarts for the lower classes but even so it the section claimed scalps on the lower reaches.
Watergate 2 was a dive into and out of a quarry, cleaned by all but one competitor.
The Cock Hill Mine section was higher on the moor. Bleak and exposed it was a new variation for most classes, marked PCT style and routed over some big rocks before a tight 90 left onto the exit track. This was quite tricky but competitors in most of the classes managed a clean, including three in Class 2, John Bell (MG TB) and Richard Parker and Sebastian Welch in their Austin Seven’s. David Child did some damage to his Pop here and he missed the remaining sections.
Back to Peels Wood
There was a second run at Peels Wood on the way back to Otley, with a relatively straightforward restart for those who didn’t have to deviate. The Class 8’s had their deviation again and once again it was only cleaned by a DP Wasp, but it was Mike Chatwin this time. Dean dropped seven, loosing the overall win in the process.
Two familiar sections at Sword Point weren’t included originally but were drafted in a few days before to replace those lost to the wet ground. The first one had a more attainable route through the trees before the step up to the track. Very few in the lower classes could surmount that so well done to Sam Holmes (beetle), David Golighltly (Ford Model A) and Paul Clay (Ford 10 powered A7) who crested the summit.
Sword Point 2 was another weave though the trees with a tricky restart on some soft peat thrown in for good measure. This proved a real challenge and only John Bell and Sam Holmes got away. The higher classes didn’t fare much better, most of them failing to get away.
Finish and Reflections
With so many sections and some substantial delays, later numbers were still trickling into the finish for their supper past 6pm, which was shame for those who had a long journey home followed by work on Monday morning. For those that had the time to enjoy it there was a nice supper, included in the entry fee.
On reflection the trial was much rougher than usual in places and Class 0 had no respite from these sections on this event. The overall winner came from this class but considering they had no restarts, free tyre pressures and were in a road going Sporting Trials car this attracted quite a bit of comment.
Having made these comments The Ilkley has never fitted into the mould of the other championship events. Those who come back each year know what to expect and enjoy the event for what it offers. Just a shame it was rough for those who choose Class 0 to avoid damage to their cars.
Class
Driver/Car
Marks
Overall
Mark Busfield (CWB Trident Ford Special)
11
0
Graham Redmayne (Liege)
35
1
James Shallcross (Peugeot 205)
32
2
John Bell (MG TB)
34
3
Nigel Hilling (Ford Anglia)
71
4
Sam Holmes (VW Beetle)
23
5
Kraig Mycock (Riley Nine)
62
6
No Starters
7
Duncan Stephens (Dutton Melos)
12
8
Dean Partington (DP Wasp)
12
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Dean Partington won his third March Hare Trial in a Blizzard, just pipping Mike Pearson on Special Test Times.
It was a memorable March Hare, both for the narrowness of Dean’s victory and the weather, which couldn’t have been worse. A couple of sections had to be cancelled but the rest held out and provided a real challenge. The real heroes of the day were the marshals, who went home wet and cold after providing the competitors with a fine days sport.
Dave Cook captured Dean Partington restarting on Water Tower & Mike Pearson clearing Coombe Hole in the snow before the weather got to his camera’s
No sooner had competitors started to arrive at the start than down came the rain that was to persist throughout the day, when it wasn’t snowing of course! With scruitineering in the sensible hands of John Blakeley and family competitors were soon on their way east, for a series of byway sections in North Hertfordshire. These were enjoyable and contained a fair amount of green laning, but apart from the restart on Cress Beds didn’t affect the results.
Luton Airport
The first sections were at Copt Hall, on private land were in the shadow of Luton Airport. Had they looked down passengers in the big jets would have seen the first struggle was to get to the sections, nearly three quarters of a mile from the metalled road. Everyone made it in the end but this could have been a section in itself.
First came a Special Test, with past March Hare winners Dean Partington and Mike Pearson sharing the honours with Liam Rafferty. Mike and Dean were to have a day long battle for the lead, Mike pipping Dean here by 0.5 seconds, split by Liam who was second fastest.
The first observed section here was quite tricky, starting in the mud before twisting and turning through the trees before climbing a disused railway embankment. Only a select group of Class Eights went clean, headed by the Derbyshire contingent of Dean Partington (DP Wasp), Charlie Knifton (VW Scorpion) and Liam Rafferty (DP Cannon), joined by local Mike Pearson (Dellow Mk2 Replica). A special mention here for Kevin (son of Brian) Alexander who manged to get his diminutive Fiat panda through the mud at the bottom, nearly making it up the railway embankment.
Strangely the second Copt Hall section wasn’t that muddy and was cleaned by most of the entry.
Binghams Wood
With all the rain the organisers had wisely cut out the lower reaches of Beetle Drive, but that still left a heavily rutted section, where the Yellows and Reds had to restart before assaulting Verduns Bank. Only an exclusive group got to sample the exit track. John Plant was the only non-restarter in his ex Adrian Tucker-Peake Peugeot 205. Kevin Barnes joined him in his supercharged Liege, aided by local man Simon Robson in the passengers seat. In Class Eight only Dean Partington went clear, putting him in the lead of the trial.
Just up the track Webleys Wobble wasn’t subdivided but in the conditions proved difficult, especially with a Class Eight restart. Nobody went clean, although Dean managed to come out the top, dropping back a few feet after the failing the restart and driving out!
Kensworth
As the route wound its way too the top of Dunstable Downs the rain turned to snow. It was very cold and windy as well and, with no respite on the horizon, some crews in open cars decided to call it a day.
Proceedings here started with a Special Test round the barn. With all the mud it was a struggle to complete the route but most manged it in the end. Dean Partington set the fastest time with Mike Pearson just behind. This was to give Dean a ST total of 25.1 to Mikes 25.3 which at the finish would decide The March Hare Trophy. Two Observed Sections were planned here but one had to be cancelled when it became to difficult to reach it.
The section that ran was a blast through the mud, followed by a stony track before turning off onto the grass for an adverse camber S bend. Mike Pearson was the only one clear here. Dean understeered off on the snow covered grass for two, putting him on eight, the same as Mike. Many of the other competitors failed to reach the grassy bit. Of those that did only Dave Oliver (Peugeot 205), Michael Leete (Beetle) and Kevin Barnes (Supercharged Liege) equalled Dean’s score.
Two sections were planned at this new location but this was cut back to one in view of the conditions. Called Coombe Hole it looked like a gentle drive through a copse. Rounding the final corner revealed the sting in the tail, a long dead straight track with a fair gradient. There were only two cleans and by now you won’t be surprised that they were Dean Partington and Mike Pearson, albeit with very contrasting styles! Charlie Knifton came very close to joining them but couldn’t quite coax his VW Scorpion to the section ends board.
There were some spirited attempts in the lower classes and three very different cars managed a four, Dave Oliver and Kevin Barnes were joined by Jade Bray in dad Neils Mk2 Escort with car builder Tony Underhill coming across from the Cotswolds as passenger.
Hawridge Lane and Hill Farm
Neither of these nice two byways had restarts this year which was a shame. Hill Farm in particular can be quite competitive if the line is put in the right place.
Back to Binghams
The snow had stopped by the time the field returned to Binghams for the final section. Falcons Folly has a nasty tree rooty restart for the Yellows and Reds. The lower classes didn’t have to restart but even so only Dave Oliver, Michael Leete and Peter Manning (MG Midget) went clear. For those that had to restart it proved impossible for all but two drivers, and I don’t think it takes much guessing to work out they were. Dean Partington and Mike Pearson both ended the trial with up 8 marks, the win just going to Dean as a result of being 0.2 seconds quicker on the Special Tests.
Charlie Knifton was third overall in his recently acquired VW Scorpion and Dean had better watch out when he gets the hang of this Subaru powered machine. Michael Leete was delighted to be 4th overall on 21, just pipping Liam Rafferty (22), Kevin Barnes (24) and Dave Oliver (25).
Nigel Jones overcome gear selection problems with his MGF to finish the trial and win class six. Kevin Barnes headed class 7, followed by Roger and Christina Dudley who was second after a close fought battle amongst a quartet of Marlins.
Back at The Finish
In the warmth of the Chequers Inn there was much talk on the relative merits of bad weather gear and common agreement that the marshals were the real hero’s of the day. So concluded an event that will be remembered both for the weather and the closest finish the March Hare Trial has seen. Congratulations to Dean Partington on a well deserved win and to Mike Pearson for making it go down to the wire.
Class
Driver/Car
Marks
Overall
Dean Partington (DP Wasp)
8
Best Falcon
Michael Leete (VW Beetle)(
21
1
Dave Oliver (Peugeot 205)
25
2
Ivan Sharrock (HRG)
39
3
Jade Bray (Ford Escort)
30
4
Michael Leete (VW Beetle)
21
5
Peter Manning (MG Midget)
29
6
Nigel Jones (MGF)
34
7
Kevin Barnes (Liege)
24
8
Mike Pearson (Dellow Mk2 Replica)
8
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Dean Partington won the Northern Trial with the only clean sheet. Fellow DP Wasp driver Mike Chatwin wasn’t far behind, dropping a solitary mark. Duncan Stephens was third in his Melos.
The Fellside club organised some challenging weather for their annual trip to the forests around Bassenthwaite Lake. The early morning rain turned to sunshine, but snow started falling around noon, followed by hail. This caused problems on some of the sections and Routens Romp had to be cancelled when it became difficult to get to the start. Some of the later numbers either called it a day or missed some sections after this. All this didn’t prevent plenty of smiles at the finish after what most reckoned was a grand event.
Charlie Knifton lifts a wheel as he applies 1800cc of Subaru Turbo Power to the task of restarting on Lothwaite Side. It was a real shame that Dave Cook couldn’t have found a more scenic backdrop 🙂
The rain was pouring down as the early numbers left the start at the “Stocksman”, clearing as they reached the first section and special test at Allhallows Colliery. This was an artificial affair, up and down some very slimy spoil heaps, with some tight corners thrown in. The right right hander after the start was to catch out the majority of the field, who understeered off for a ten. There were only six clears, Bill Bennett joining in with a select group of 7 & 8’s . Nigel Jones had problems when the rivets holding his sumpguard in place sheared and he needed to raid Colin Perryman and Michael Leete’s spares to find some replacement bolts.
Delays at The Black Hole
There was a 15 mile run to The Black Hole, the first of many forestry sections. This is a lovely hill, pretty much straight up, muddy on the lower reaches with some serious ruts where the gradient steepens in the 7 & 8 restart area. The only problem with the section is that even the cleans have to back down, with the inevitable delays. Around half the entry failed this one, mainly in the restart area. Colin Perryman’s trial came to an end hear when his BMW transmission went clunk and had quite a struggle to get recovered back to his trailer.
Snow in Whinlatter Forest
The sections came thick and fast when the event entered Whinlatter Forest. “I’m Back Darling” was a wonderful long hill. The first part was loose stones, the second loose rock! This was the end of Nigel Jones Trial as the MGF’s sump guard got pushed up onto the gearbox linkage. Nigel managed to get it going but retired after the next hill.
After Sheepfold there was a long drive through the forest. The track climbed and climbed, with magnificent views over Bassenthwaite Lake before it started snowing! Lord’s Seat was a grassy forest track with a sting in the tail, a very sharp left hand hairpin, preceded by a restart for 7 & 8. This really sorted out the higher classes, only the DP Wasps, Charles Knifton in his recently acquired, Subaru 1800 Turbo powered, VW Scorpion and Duncan Stephens in his Melos going clear.
The snow had stopped coming down out of the clouds to Ullister Hill where it was replaced by hail! This was cleanable but the final bit was a bit artificial and it was difficult to get past the one marker. Quite a few did, but not Mike Chatwin and the one mark he lost was to give the overall trial win to car builder Dean Partington.
Across the road to Hobcarton Plantation
There were two sections in the adjacent forest. Long Crag was a straight blast which didn’t trouble the leading contenders. Ladyside was a very different hill, not much gradient but some fearsome mud and ruts after the track came out between the trees. There was only one way to go clear here and that’s to drive a DP Wasp, consequently Dean Partington and Mike Chatwin were the only two to experience the exit track.
Problems in Wythop Woods
There should have been five sections in Wythop Woods but there were problems at Routen Romp. The plan was for this to be one of the events stoppers but there was chaos when a lot of cars couldn’t get to the start line. The problem was that the long entrance track was blocked by cars so everyone had to be towed up. The entire field was soon blocking the track and the section had to be cancelled. To get out those in the queue had a half mile reverse before they could turn and go to the next section. In the confusion most of class 0 and one or two of the main trial missed some or all of the sections in Wythop Woods which was a shame.
Falcons Crest and Browns Challenge were both mud baths at the bottom, almost every one floundering for an 11 and 12. Not if you were in a DP Wasp of course and Dean and Mike both blasted through for clears, as did Duncan Stephens on Browns Challenge.
Little Cockup has a real sting in the tail, exiting up a really steep bank. About half those that attempted it went clear though and Myke Pocock in particular was delighted. Chris Maries nearly made it in the heavy Suzuki for a two but this was good enough for him to win Class 5 after Stuart Bartlett was penalised on both special tests and Jonathan Toulmin missedx sections in the woods. Michael Leete choose a really bad line, stopped at the five and reversed into the same tree that he hit a a few years ago!
Louthwaite Side was the final forestry section and Dave Cook was there to take photos on the spectacular rocky hairpin. Fortunately almost everyone was able to go clear and enjoy the long exit track to the tarmac road.
Sandale, What a Hill
It was around 12 miles to Sandale, the best known section on the Northern Trial and what a hill it is. Not that steep but the mud, ruts and spectators make up for it. A northern Crackington if you know what I mean. There is a restart for 7 & 8, right at the muddiest bit where there is a sort of chicane. For the non re-starters the technique is to build your speed on the lower slopes so you are flat out by the time you get to the restart chicane. You will most likely bottom out but with luck you will have enough momentum to slide over the mud on the cars belly and pop out the top like a cork from a bottle!
Thats the theory but its not that easy and even the experienced Bill Bennett failed, perhaps aided by the fact the track of his MG is so narrow it doesn’t fit in the ruts! Perhaps Bill needs DAF as the results show Derek Reynolds cleared the section and that would have raised a cheer! For the restarts it was a question of power, something a Liege doesn’t have that much of, but despite picking up a three here Kevin Barnes was able to win the Class 7 award.
A new section at Carlislegate Lane
John & June Blakley and Alex were here and had a long day as the field was well spread out by the time they got here. There were only a couple of failures on this long muddy track but its a very nice addition to the route as it had a different character to the many forest sections.
Nice Meal at the Finish
There was a super autocross style Special Test on the way back to the finish where a super meal was available. There were many tales to tell but the consensus was that it had been a cracking trial, despite the problems and delays.
Class
Driver/Car
Marks
1st Overall
Dean Partington (DP Wasp)
0
2nd
Mike Chatwin (DP Wasp)
1
3rd
Duncan Stephens (Dutton Melos)
9
0
Keith Thomas (Buckler)
64
1
James Shallcross (Peugeot 205)
34
2
Bill Bennett (MG J2)
26
3
Nigel Hilling (Ford Anglia)
61
4
Michael Leete (VW Beetle)
36
5
Chria Maries (Suzuki X90)
58
7
Kevin Barnes (Liege)
33
8
Charlie Knifton (VW Scorpion)
31
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With unusually dry conditions there were nine clean sheets, across five classes, so special test times came into play to determine the results.
It was an excellent trial, with some new and reintroduced sections,although the dry conditions made stoppers like The Jenny Wind and Easthope cleanable by mere mortals. The event was notable for the bumper Class Two entry with the VSCC coming out in force to enliven the proceedings.
Clee Hills Winner Dean Partington enjoying the classic section at Castle Hill. Picture by Dave Cook
Clerk of the Course Graham Austin and his Midland Automobile Club Team were rewarded by a bumper entry for this years Clee. A few weeks before numbers were a bit thin and consequently Graham decided to do away with the events familiar double loop system. Come the day there was a full entry of 80, with some prospective competitors turned away. The system worked well though and there were very few delays.
Although there were 22 sections they were not attempted by everyone, as the comprehensive plan sent out with the final instructions revealed. The idea was to more or less eliminate the necessity for restarts by deviations, differential start lines and alternative sections for the different classes.
Muddy Strefford
A muddy Strefford Wood 3 was first on the agenda for 1,2,7 and 8. This defeated all in classes 1 and 7 with Pete Hart doing best to get to the three. Unfortunately some of the VSCC contingent in class 2 had trouble with the entrance track and it was abandoned for them, but not until Bill Bennett stormed to the 5. It was on for the Class 8’s though and half a dozen of them went clean.
Class Eight Flounder
Those who didn’t start at Strefford Wood commenced battle at a reintroduced Flounders Folly, now without the gate on the twist at the start. This proved relatively straightforward for the lower classes, who turned off before the mud started. Classes 7 & 8 had to go straight up where the mud and increasing gradient saw only eventual winner Dean Partington and fellow DP Wasp driver Mike Chatwin go clear. Despite having picked up two punctures already Duncan Stephens came close in his Class 7 Melos, getting to the two, one further than Tim Smith (Marlin). As it turned out these first two hills decided 7 & 8 as the leading contenders were to clean the rest of the sections.
Cleared Callow
The next section was just across the car park and the clearing refers to the organisers efforts with saw and brush cutter to make the section usable. It was a straight blast for everyone but class eight, who had a wicked deviation that was too much for 50% of them, including Adrian Marfell (in his special rather than the Beetle he had entered) and Dudley Sterry. The other classes had to contend with differential start lines which resolved Class 6 as Gary Browning went clear and remained so, while Vic Lockley dropped his only mark of the day. A couple of the Class 0’s went clear, Andrew Isherwood wasn’t in this group, dropping six in his Dellow Mk1. However, these were the only marks he was to lose all day and he went on to win the Class.
Hungerford Returns
2011 saw the return of the marvellous Hungerford, at least if you weren’t in 7 or 8 who gave it a miss. The lower reaches were dry with the exposed rock steps to contend with, not too bad if you took it easy. Once out of the gully the gradient eased and the rocks stopped, replaced by mud and deep ruts that went on and on, a truly marvellous section, if you have the ground clearance. The VSCC contingent did well here but only Rob Wells could coax a Suzuki X90 over the muddy hump at the end, even Jonathan Toulmin, who has done so much for the event, needing a tow. After a Class 0 only section at Harton Wood they were given a taste of the action here, which was perhaps a little unfair for the lower slung cars as some of the ruts were really deep.
Lots of Grip on The Jenny Wind
Everyone attempted The Jenny Wind, but how different can a hill be. It was very dry and there was plenty of grip everywhere, apart from the very top where the gradient increases as the section meets the cross track. The majority of the entry cleaned the section, many for the first time. Most of those that didn’t at least saw the summit, defeated by the mud at that last little rise. This group included Clee stalwarts and Northern Trial organisers Fred Mills (Marlin) and Derek Reynolds (DAF). Having lost Lee Huck at the first section all the class 1’s stormed up, at the expense of a CV joint for Dave Haizelden’s Golf which he soon repaired. Nigel Jones was delighted to go clean in his MGF but decided to retire afterwards with gear selection problems, caused earlier in the day when the sump guard was pushed up onto the linkage,
Into the Woods
Going back through Much Wenlock and onto the B4371 there was a new route into Easthope Wood and its one way system. 7&8 had Major’s Leap and Hill Top on the agenda. Everyone in Class 8 cleaned both and most of the Class 7’s as well.
Classes 1 to 6 were treated to a relatively dry Easthope, cleaned by all but a few who struggled with the bump at the top. Ippikins Rock followed. Its hairpin bend was on form but those that got round were disappointed as it had to be taken out of the results following some confusion regarding the instructions.
Heywood Common
Classes 7 & 8 missed out on this nice little BOAT, that proved surprising difficult. It was rocky, rutty and being shaded the mud hadn’t dried. It certainly sorted out the Class 0’s, only a couple of Dellows a Melos and a Marlin getting to the summit. It defeated quite a few of the VSCC contingent as well. Surprising with the large entry, there were only two Class 3’s in this years Clee and neither climbed Heywood Common. James Smith was to win the Class in his BMW while Derek Reynolds had to retire after Castle.
Castle
The organisers are to be congratulated for finding this fine old track. Everyone had a go and there were no failures despite being restricted to road pressures. It is truly a magnificent setting, providing a stunning backdrop to Dave Cook’s photos.
Rattlinghope & Gattens Gamble
After a nice run over The Long Mynd there was a the usual special test at Rattlinghope followed by Gattens Gamble, run the normal way round this year. It was nice to see the land owner talking to some of the competitors at the start of the section. The club are very lucky to have him support the event with such enthusiasm. He is well known in the area for taking his daughter to school in his tank! The views at the top of Gattens Gamble are truely magnificent, as they were through the Gliding Club on the way to the Priors Holt Complex. One of the many reasons why competitors are attracted to this event.
Priors Holt 4
This was a new hill, despite looking very much like Priors Holt 3. Everyone but Class 0 attempted the section which had differential start lines. The first part was steep muddy rock, although there was plenty of grip, before a sting in the tail when the route dived off into deep muddy ruts before finishing back on the main track. As it happened it didn’t prove a problem to the regulars, although Nick Cleal bogged down in his Peugeot 205
Enterprise Observed Test
There was a long run round the perimeter of the wood to this new special test. The finish line was on a steep bank where, perhaps surprisingly, most people managed to stop astride. Former Clee Clerks of the Course Simon Woodall and Jonathan Toulmin managed the finish line OK but fell foul of line C-C.
With several clean sheets the two observed tests were important. Dean Partington was inch perfect to make it a DP Wasp one, two with Mike Chatwin in Class Eight and take the Fray Cup for the overall winner.
James Shallcross kept to his winning ways in Class 1 while in Class 2 I’m sure even Bill Bennett wouldn’t have minded being pipped to the class by John Bell in his slightly more modern MG TD. Class four was the other category to be decided on test times and John White made it decisive, by nine seconds, over Sam Holmes.
The Slab
This was the first year the lower classes had been let lose on this twisty, bumpy little section. Although tricky there was plenty of grip in the dry and the main contenders had no problems. It was easy to lose control though and David Jackson dived into the bracken in his FPS but was able to continue. Not so Dean Yarranton who retired his Reliant Goose Special in the Priors Holt Complex with a broken diff. Julian Fack was spectaing and promptly sold him a new one!
Priors Holt 1
Adjacent to The Slab, and attempted by only 7 & 8, PH1 is long with loose stones, mud and a steadily increasing gradient. It turned out to be tricky, stopping more than 50% including Ian Davis who had dropped only one mark till then.
Priors Holt 2
The lower Classes were spared the fearsome reverse down PH1 this year but still had PH2 to contend with. This is a very long hill, stony at the bottom, mud and ruts at the top with a restart for 3 to 6, their only one of the day. There was plenty of grip and the section claimed only a few victims. A couple on the sharp corner at the bottom and a few more in the ruts after the sharp right hander at the top.
Strefford Wood 1
The lower classes were off to the finish to sign off after the Piors Holt Sections but 7 & 8 went back across the A49 for Strefford Wood 1 to tackle the full section this time. Things had dried out considerably since the morning but the gully was there to trap the unwary. The section proved a sting in the tail for Andy Curtis who went up the class 7 route in his Buggy, losing the award for second in class in the process.
The Finish
Back at the finish there were a happy crowd of competitors who had enjoyed a near perfect event. OK it was a shame that some of the awards had to be decided on the Observed Tests but the organisers couldn’t have expected things would be so dry. At least it gave some of the stalwarts of the entry list the chance to see the top of a few hills they had never seen before. There were a few criticisms but in true Clee spirit Graham Austin and Adrian Tucker-Peake didn’t defend the situation but vowed to sort them out for next time. Its that attitude which brings competitors and marshals back to this excellent event.
Class
Overall
Dean Partington (DP Wasp)
0
0
Andrew Isherwood (Mk1 Dellow)
6
1
James Shallcross (Peugeot 205)
5
2
John Bell (MG TB)
7
3
James Smith (BMW 318 Si)
6
4
John White (VW Beetle)
0
5
Keith Sanders (Reliant Scimitar SS)
0
6
Gary Browning (VW Beetle)
0
7
Duncan Stephens (Dutton Melos)
5
8
Mike Chatwin (DP Wasp)
0
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Dean Partington won the Allen Trial with the only Clean Sheet. It was a DP Wasp one-two as Dean’s sister car was 2nd in the hands of Mike Chatwin. Mike only failed the muddy Ubley Woods Three which claimed most of the experienced drivers and potent cars.
As well as the Field Trial sections at Ubley Woods Big Uplands was also on form, ensuring that the all the classes were decided on the hills and not on Special Test Times.
It is testament to the reputation of The Allen Trial, and its organisers that it attracted 63 entries at a time when entries are significantly lower. Not just in Classic Trialling but in all forms of Motorsport. The Allen was known for being run exclusively on classic lanes. In recent years some of these have been lost and this year five of the twelve sections were at private venues.
Fine Weather
The weather was ideal, wet overnight, with a bright sunny day for the event itself. The opening section at Tog Hill, only a few hundred yards from the start, didn’t cause any problems. Not so at Bitton Lane where the restart claimed the scalps of all four of the Suzuki X90’s in class five. There were only a couple of other failures, but these included the Escort of eventual Class Three winner Dick Bolt, who would need all the horsepower of this mega machine to blast through the mud on the later sections to claw back this loss.
Big Uplands on Form
Classes 1 to 6 had their visit to Big Uplands in the morning, while 7 & 8 went straight to Guys Hill. This arrangement is to save time for the the long reverse after the inevitable long list of failures towards the top. This year didn’t disappoint and big names like David Haizelden and Dick Bolt weren’t in the select half dozen who cleaned Big Uplands. Special mention to Peter Jones who came so near in his Suzuki X90. Also too Steve Potter and John Wilton went clear in their marvellous Trojans. Class six was to be decided here as Dean Vowden got out in his Type 3 Notchback while Claire Rippon stopped at the five.
Incident at Guys
Over at Guys Hill the organisers had to help the police and local farmer to sort out a road traffic accident on the exit road. Fortunately all was well when the cars came along. There were a few who might have preferred the section was cancelled as the tree roots were on form, making life particularly difficult for the re-starters in 6, 7 & 8.
More Roots at Travers
The route headed west of Chew Valley lake for the historic Travers section where 6, 7 and 8 had another battle with a tree rooty restart, which eliminated all but Dean and Claire for Class six honours and failed many in Class Seven.
Muddy Ubley
The Ubley Woods complex lay just up the track, where three sections and a special test were laid out on the top of the hill with magnificent views of the Bristol Channel in the fine weather. The observed sections were very muddy and only Dean Partington retained his clean sheet. Simon Woodall was the only other driver to clean the three Ubley’s but had failed at Guys Hill earlier in the day. Simon was to drop further from contention when he failed the restart at Burledge. He wasn’t the only one and the section is returning to competitiveness after many years following its resurfacing.
Pete Hart and his team had put a lot of work into the Lakeside sections since last year. Unfortunately everything didn’t go too plan, with Mullholland Bank having to be cancelled after PR problems. Then Chimney had to be abandoned for 7 & 8 for safety reasons after a couple of incidents with rear engined cars becoming too light on the front end. Fortunately this didn’t affect the overall result as Dean Partington had gone clean before the closure.
Magnificent John Walker
Seven and Eight had their attempt at Big Uplands on the way to the events finale at John Walker which was as magnificent as ever. Well perhaps not so magnificent for Nick Farmer who dropped six after a puncture resulting in a tyre come off the rim.
Another Classic Allen
So ended another classic Allen Trial. Charlie Kifton was delighted to win Class 1, a rare defeat for Dave Haizelden in this class. Sam Holmes won an event long battle with Hans Viertel and Ryan Tonkin emerging class four winner with his performance on the Ubley sections. In Class 7 Mal Allen won the battle of three Marlins followed by Kevin Barnes in his newly rebuilt supercharged Liege.
Class
1
Charles Knifton (Peugeot 205)
11
2
Adrian Dommett (Wolseley Hornet)
7
3
Dick Bolt (Ford Escort)
15
4
Sam Holmes (VW Beetle)
11
5
Keith Sanders (Reliant Scimitar SS)
17
6
Dean Vowden (VW Type 3 Notchback)
24
7
Mal Allen (Marlin)
10
8
Dean Partington (DP Wasp)
0
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With dry conditions all the sections were cleanable and mistakes cost dearly. The six clean sheets were distributed between three classes, but Dean Partington really flew on the Special Tests, to win the March Hare Trophy.
Dean Partington in typical relaxed mode as he successfully restarts on the last section to gain a clean sheet and win the March Hare Trial.
With entries on most trials down, the March Hare organisers were delighted to have an over-subscribed entry for their route through Herts, Beds and Bucks.
Looking through the entry it was roughly split into three. A third were regular Classic Triallers, a third occasional or class 0 triallers who don’t do the rough events and a third locals who mainly do PCT’s.
With some withdrawals and a couple of non-starters 48 cars left the new start at the Chequers in Redbourn after an excellent breakfast.
With no restart or diversion this year this stony lane was a nice ease in to the day and there were no failures.
After a couple of miles of green laning to get to the section the lower classes enjoyed a run straight up the lane, and even the restart didn’t claim any victims.
Originally classes 6, 7 and 8 were to deviate off into the wilds but Chief official Murray MacDonald took mercy on six and seven, leaving only class eight to enjoy the excitement!
The steep bank reduced the hopes of many and Mike Pearson and Ed Nikel in their Dellow Mk2 Replicas and Tony Christy driving Ross Nutens Dellow Mk2, were the only local drivers to go clean.
This was a new hill this year, and to the best of our knowledge has never been trialled. Its a wide muddy lane with lots of ruts.
A few days before it would have been a stopper for many but the dry wind changed the conditions completely and Jonathan Baggot, who is more often seen driving a Van Diemen in the Monoposto series, was the only failure in his Marlin. Chief Official Simon Robson has a master plan for next year, involving blocking off the easy route!
The final public byway section in the Hitchin area featured the familiar restart by the Watercrees beds. The week before the trial the step onto the road looked so fearsome that Clerk of the Course Arnold Lane made a visit with a van load of concrete to make it easier. In consequence it was pretty easy to pull away and nobody troubled the scorer.
The first visit to private land had two sections and a special test at a new Falcon location right alongside the Luton Airport runway. The special test was a nice simple affair on broken tarmac where Dean Partington set the standard, a second and a half faster than Tim Foster in his Eskimo special.
The first observed section was a tight PCT affair on grass. The dew had gone by now so there was plenty of grip. However, the turns caught out a few, including three of the seven Suzuki X90’s in the trial.
The second Copt Hall section was very different, utilising the embankment of the disused Hatfield to Dunstable railway, closed in 1965 when it got the axe from Dr Beeching. Marshaled by West Suffolk Motor Club, the section had a variety of surfaces and some tight turns.
Around a third of the field picked up penalties here. Both Kevin Alexander (Fiat Panda) and dad Brian (Suzuki X90) dropped nines and Chris Maries and Clive Cooke were the only X90’s remaining with clean sheets. The section wasn’t friendly to Class two either. Peter Thompson dropped two but all the others in this class failed at the nine as did Kevin Barnes in the blown Liege.
The first visit to the Woodland near Hemel Hempstead further reduced the clean sheets. Beetle Drive ends on a rutted bank with a restart for 7 & 8 and the Mobil 1 The Grid film crew in attendance.
In the lower classes only Keith Pettit in his Frogeye Sprite, and the three Beetles of Sam Holmes, John White and Michael Leete went clean. Kevin Barnes was the best in Class 7 but even he dropped two.
It was left to six of the Class Eight’s to show how it was to be done and even they had to work hard. Even so a number of them lost their clean sheets here, including Mike Pearson who was carrying the TV crews camera.
The second woodland section was mild in comparison. There was a class 8 only restart and although half of them failed it didn’t affect any of the clean sheets. Unfortunately Roger Dudleys Marlin developed engine problems and he had to retire here.
There were three sections at this familiar Falcon venue. The first two were typical PCT affairs. The third utilised the rutted track around the barn and had a re-start that would had been tricky had it not been for the dry conditions.
After a longish road run there was a special test and two observed sections in the familiar setting of Brickhill that has been trialled for the best part of 50 years. Dean Partington was fastest again in the sandy ST with Tim Foster second again, this time by only a tenth of a section.
Brickhill 1 utilised the track up the gully, a marvelous blast through rutted sand before restarting and turning up the bank. Most went clean but there were a few failures in the gully for those who didn’t have enough momentum to get through the power sapping sand.
Brickhill 2 started in the woods at the far end coming back up to the paddock through the ruts formed at the Falcon PCT a few weeks before. There was a restart here where the Suzuki’s struggled although Howard Blackwell used his experience to go clear. In the higher classes the only failure was John Parsons who has organised many events at this venue but was struggling with a very fluffy type 4 engine in his VW Buggy.
With no restart this year this county road wasn’t too problematical.
Despite the dry conditions Hill Farm always catches the unwary. Apart from 1 & 2 all the classes had to restart. This was definitely not Suzuki friendly and again Howard Blackwell was the only Japanese machine to go clear.
The event finale was back in woodland for the final two sections. The Falcons Folly restart wasn’t as difficult as usual this year with only a couple of failures
The last section has decided the outcome of The March Hare for many years. Its all about a rutted hairpin bend, with a restart for class eight only. It was no problem for class 1 & 2 who all went clear. Not so for Class 4 as both John White and Michael Leete failed. Sam Holmes got though to retain his clean sheet and win the class, one year after his Classic trial debut.
Keith Pettit in his Frogeye went clear to retain his clean sheet and win Class Five. Peter Manning was second in his Midget on 11, narrowly pipping Clive Cooke in his X90 who had been second until failing Binghams Warren. Brian Alexander proved the Japanese machine could get around the hairpin but earlier fails kept him out of the awards.
In Class 7 Harry Bounden arrived with three but that went up to nine after failing here, just pipping Kevin Barnes to the Class win.
Although half of the class eights couldn’t get away the four with clean sheets all did, so their class was decided on ST times. These made Dean Partington (DP Wasp) the overall winner, Tim Foster (Eskimo Special) the Class 8 award, followed by Liam Rafferty (Cannon) and Mike Chatwin (DP Wasp)
The Finish
Despite the dry conditions the organisers were pleased to get only six clean sheets and the fact they were spread amongst the classes proved the restarts used to handicap some of the classes worked.
The event seemed to go down well with the competitors. Some commented that a couple of the new sections were too tight but we can reply on the organisers to sort this for next year.
The day was characterised by a great variety of cars from Simon Diffys Humber Nine Twenty and John Wiltons Trojan in Class 2 to the highly developed DP Wasps driven by some of the sports most successful drivers in Class 8, all enjoyed by those participating, marshalling or viewing the event.
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He came close last year, this time he did the business. Dean Partington won the weather shortened March Hare Trial, one of four clean sheets.
After a glorious morning the rain came down in buckets just after lunch, resulting in the cancellation of some of the afternoon sections when too many cars got stuck. These included some of the sub-divided “stopper” sections so there were four clean sheets, Dean in his Class 8 special, Steve Kenny (Liege) in Class 7 and the Class Four Beetles of John White and Michael Leete. Once special test times had been taken into account the order was Dean – John – Michael – Steve.
March Hare Trial winner Dean Partington successfully restarts on Hill Farm. Peter and James Mountain skilfully positioned the line to catch out many of the experienced competitors (Picture by Dave Cook).
This is one of the tracks that changes from year to year according to the amount of water that has run down it over the winter. This year Falcon had to contend with the landowner resurfacing it! Simon Robson had arranged a deviation for classes seven and eight towards the summit but even so everyone went clear.
Last year was the first time the modern March Hare has used this section although it may have been used back in the 50’s. Competitotrs who went up it last year weren’t expecting much of a challenge but drivers in 7 and 8 were in for a surprise as Chief official Murray MacDonald had devised a route up an adjacent grassy bank to test them. It looked daunting, it was daunting and the seven competitors that cleaned it deserve a special mention. Jack Endley, Mark Endley and Steve Kenny, all in Lieges in Class Seven. Ed Nikel (Dellow Mk2 Replica), Dean Partington (DP Wasp), Duncan Welch (Austin Healey SS) and Mike Chatwin (Troll) in Class Eight.
This is another section that has lost its bite after resurfacing. These days its all about the restart up onto the road which usually catches a few competitors. This year Clive Hillier was the only failure in his Marina. Unfortunately he retired soon afterwards.
Kensworths grassy slopes weren’t to much of a problem for higher classes but the saloons and sports cars had problems finding grip.
There was a rest halt after the two Brickhill sections. Time for the trial to regroup and for the mornings marshals to move to their afternoon duties. It also saw a change in the weather. The morning had been gloriously dry but now the rain started.
Rain was falling by the time the cars arrived at Ivinhoe. Unfortunately the observed section was to ambitious given the conditions and it had to be cancelled.
Although this track is yet another to suffer from resurfacing Ian Davis had placed the restart in just the right place to catch the unwary. It certainly did its job and around a third of the entry didn’t get away.
Back at the finish at the Bull in Redbourn the results indicated there were four clean sheets, Dean Partington emerging the ovearll winner by virtue of the special tests. It was a shame that the weather had curtailed the end of the event as the Binghams sections are more than capable of resolving the results on the hills.
Plans are afoot to make Binghams more “rain proof” for next year by constructing better escape routes.
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It was a close run thing. Dean dropped all of his three marks in the Lakeside complex with his Toyota MR2 based DP Wasp. Dave Foreshew was the only driver to clean these three sections in his Ford Dingo special, but hadn’t got away from the Guys Hill restart earlier in the event so had to settle for second. Simon Woodall was third in his familiar VW Buggy.
David Bache on his way to the muddy pool on the first Lakeside section.
Pete Hart and his team ordered good trialling weather for The Allen Trial. Nice and damp but with the rain holding off until the drive home.
There were problems after the introductory Tog Hill, when a police motorcyclist closed the A439 in the village of Wick after half the entry had passed because a wide load was on its way out of Bristol. This delayed proceedings for quite a while and some competitors retraced their steps to make an off-routecard diversion to Bitton Lane. In the end everyone regained the original route, but the running order was mixed up for the rest of the trial.
There were two challenges at Bitton Lane. The restart and getting to it! From the start it looked smooth enough but after the 90 left there were deep ruts on a 90 right and this stopped a lot of cars with limited ground clearance. The restart was in the usual place, a left hand bend surfaced with polished stones. This caught out a surprising number of people, including Mike Hobbs in his Class Six Beetle and Mike Workman, Bill Foreshew and David Bache in Class Eight.
Uplands was next, approached along the normal flooded track, although the water was not as deep as a few years ago. The Yellows and Reds cruised up the resurfaced Little Uplands on a non-competitive transit. They were to have their go at Big Uplands later, the morning was for the minnows in Blue and White who were able to make their assault without having to restart. It was tough enough though, the ruts were fearsome. All the diff draggers in class three bottomed out, leaving the glory to class two who all went clean, even the low powered Austin Sevens!
Guys Hill was next, not to much of a problem for those who didn’t have to restart but the steps and tree roots awaited those that did. Few of the re-starters could get away. Dave Foreshew was one of them and dropped six, which transpired to be the only marks he would loose on the trial. If he had gone clean here Dave would have won the event! Andrew Rippon retired his VW Baja with a broken transmission, concluding that a powerful engine and grippy Matador tyres don’t mix! Michael and Colin Weeks retired their MG Midget here as well. Mainly PCT drivers they had entered The Allen to prepare for The Exeter.
Travers was another traditional Allen Trial hill with a restart for the Yellows and Reds, situated on a nasty rocky area. The non re-starters should have been able to carry enough momentum through the rocks for it to be a trouble free section. However, it wasn’t so easy for some, and three of the Austin Seven’s failed, only Emma Wall going clean in her ex Peter Trelving car. Colin Perryman (BMW 2002) and Michael Leete (VW Beetle) also failed and both should have known better! The Yellows and Reds had quite a challenging restart amongst the rocks. Mike Hobbs made up for his failure on Bitton Lane by being the only class six Beetle to get away. A Marlin was definitely the wrong car here, only Jonathan Ellwood succeeding while all the non-Marlins were successful. Most of the leading runners in class eight were OK, apart from Dave Wall, in his smart Dellow Mk1, which dropped him out of contention.
At the top of Travers competitors turned left into a muddy field for the two Ubley Woods sections and the first special test. The sections were similar, both very muddy, starting on the flat and turning 90 right up a greasy bank. Tyre pressures were free and going as low as possible was definitely the order of the day. Although decidedly out of character with the body of the trial these two sections placed a premium on driving skill and throttle control and while there were a lot of failures the leading contenders in all the classes cleared them both. The trial lost Steve Johnson here after suffering half shaft failure on his Triumph Special.
There was a rest halt beside the reservoir at Chew Valley, with hot meals available in the visitor areas cafeteria for those wanting them. Burledge was just up the road, not the same challenge now the ruts have been filled in, nerveless Simon Groves and Michael Leete both failed the restart under the eagle eye of John and June Blakeley who were marshalling here.
It was back to the mud for three sections at Lakeside. The first was a strange affair, a gentle run up a tree lined muddy bank before dipping into a watery pool with a very sharp right-hander around the trees, taking care to avoid a hidden tree stump, which a kindly Mark Hobbs was pointing out.
Up until now there had been some clean sheets but Dave Haizelden (Golf GTi), Nick Cleal (Peugeot 205), Tristan White (Class 7 Hillman Imp), Dean Partington (DP Wasp), Charlie Shopland (Shopland) and Ian Davis (VW Buggy) all lost them here, failing to get around the right hander in Mark Hobbs pool and dropping either one or two. This left only Adrian Dommett clean in his supercharged Wolseley Hornet. The other two Lakeside sections were PCT style up a muddy bank. Adrian surmounted the first one but failed to get around the bend at the bottom on the second, dropping nine and falling back to fourth overall behind Dean Partington, Dave Foreshew and Simon Woodall.
And that’s how it remained at the finish. The Yellows and Reds had their attempt at Big Uplands and the wonderful John Walker section rounding off the event in fine style but not impacting the leading positions.
Best Overall
Dean Partington (DP Wasp)
3
Class Winners
1
David Haizelden (VW Golf GTi)
10
2
Adrian Dommett (Wolesley Hornet)
9
3
Andrew Martin (Ford Escort)
12
4
Giles Greenslade (VW Beetle)
14
5
Peter Jones (Suzuki X90)
44
6
Adrian Marfell (VW Beetle)
16
7
Tristan White (Imp)
10
8
David Foreshew (Ford Dingo)
6
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Classical Gas 