Northern Road Rally Championship

BULLETIN No. 4. JULY 2003

July already, two months since our last round and even longer since the last bulletin…can you remember that far back?! Plenty to report on then, so without further ado, here goes:

10^th / 11^th MAY - ROUND 5,  WITCH WAY RALLY, PENDLE DMC

Stephen and Neil Bye promised us a no-nonsense, competitive event and so it turned out to be. There nearly wasn’t an event though – the temporary loss of Alexander Forbes Insurance cover (see later in this bulletin) caused a great deal of extra work for the organizers in the week before the event. Well done to Neil for resolving the problem, meaning we had to queue a little longer at signing-on but at least everyone got a run.

 48 crews set off on the long run out to Kirkby Lonsdale where the event proper started. Navigators were kept busy, as they had the first third or the route to plot, a loop of ten successive standard sections running close to the M6 up to Sedbergh then bringing crews back to Kirkby Lonsdale. Plenty of ‘not as map’ junctions, coupled with some of the twistiest, yumpiest roads in the North of England made this a very tough section, even with it all on the map before you started. By petrol there were plenty of time penalties and a few retirements, including last year’s winners Chris Day & Ric Chalmers, who rolled their Mini half way through the section. Both were Ok and were able to drive on, but without a windscreen decided to call it a night.

At petrol we were given the second ‘loop’ of references to plot, this time it would be nine consecutive regularity sections, all timed to the second. This took us back up to Sedbergh via Barbon, then over onto map 98 and along Dentdale before heading South down Deepdale and Kingsdale, a reverse of the first sections last year. As with the first section, the timing was very tight but this time one crew managed to ‘clean’ the whole section, they went on to win the event.

The final third was the shortest, made up of nine standard sections. The route went back onto map 97 before a run down Lythe Fell to finish the competitive route just North of Slaidburn, followed by a run in to the finish back at Gargrave. Once again, everyone dropped some time and by the end twelve cars had retired. It was a great route and the prssure was on crews all night. Even with the route on the maps before each section, there were numerous reports of navigator (and in some cases driver) illness, just showing how challenging the roads in this area are. The winning crew, Brynli Thomas & Steve Herbert, vowed to go back to Wales and tell all their mates how good the event was - praise indeed – watch out for a few more Welsh crews coming up and having a go next year!

I don’t think there were as many punctures going around as last year, but there were plenty of reported incidents: apart from car 1 rolling as mentioned earlier, a number of ANCC crews had arguments with various walls, Tim Rodgers & Rodger Cunningham the only ones who ended up among the twelve retirements.

There were 26 ANCC contenders out, unusually all in the Experts class. So class points would be hard won and with only 3½ crews making the top ten, so would overall points. Pre-event favourites Carl Hawkins & Iain Tullie could only match their 2001 result of 2^nd overall, while Jon Lawson & Chris Pringle, 2^nd last year, this year could only manage 4^th but were happy with that after a few stops for Chris to be ill. Steve Webster & Lee Burgess also suffered mal de Nav but still came home 7^th, while James Thompson’s regular Co-driver, Richard ‘Plug’ Pulleyn (also Secretary of the Ryemoor) guided Stan Featherstone round to 9^th. With Gav Smith still convalescing after his Op (good that he was well enough to be marshalling), Mike Ogram paired up with Hall Trophy C of C Simon Daly, they came home 12^th, with the remaining nine ANCC crews then all fitting in between 14^th and 26^th overall. Andy Beaumont & Mike Petch had the worst night with punctures, time lost dropping them to a lowly 22^nd. So there is a bit of jumping around in the championship tables, which are with this bulletin.

Many thanks to Team Bye and all at Pendle for a cracking event, rounded off with the usual good Anchor breakfast and very rapid results. As ever thanks also to the marshals – I think I have credited points to all those of you who were out, but let me know if I have missed you. Plenty of shuffling around in the league tables has ensued, you should find a copy enclosed with this bulletin.

Further to the Insurance problems in May, the following Press Release should clear up what the current situation is:

MSA PRESS RELEASE 03/08: 17^th May 2003 - Solution for Road Traffic Act - Extended Cover for Rallies.

The Motor Sports Association, the national governing body of motor sport in the UK, has advised that a solution to the recent Road Traffic Act insurance difficulties has been found. Alexander Forbes, insurance broker to the MSA since 1996, has negotiated a new provision to cover the risk on rally road sections.

The new arrangements are vital for motor sport competitors involved in disciplines that use public highways, such as stage and navigational rallies. The alternative faced by large sectors of the sport would have been for competitors to buy extended motor insurance policies for their vehicles, rather than being covered under the Alexander Forbes' scheme.

The potential problem arose from recent amendments to the Road Traffic Act, made following an EU directive, which resulted in the RTA applying in any 'public place', whereas before it applied 'on the public highway'. This revision to the act has fundamentally changed the risk from insurers' perspectives.

The new arrangement works on the same basis as before with a declaration made when competitors sign on, if they wish to make advantage of the scheme. One key aspect of the scheme is that it is intended to be a long term solution to the issue of cover on such events, rather than a stop-gap measure.

Providing an added benefit to the sport, Alexander Forbes is passing on its increased revenue from the new scheme to the Motor Sport Safety Fund.  As a broker, Alexander Forbes generates income from its commission on premiums and although these have risen by 50% in this case, it has not created a similar increase in work for the company.  It has therefore decided to restrict its earnings to the same level as under the previous scheme and donate the surplus to the fund.

A couple of other items following on from bulletin 3: firstly, I understand some of you never received it, those of you who are reading this electronically will have it attached again, while those who only receive bulletins by post will have a paper copy enclosed; secondly, my apologies to Peter Reeson, for incorrectly reporting that he had an ‘off’ on the VK Derbyshire when in fact he retired with a broken gear linkage on Dryhurst Farm; thirdly, as far as I know Selby are running the 3 Swans on 23^rd / 24^th August, regs are due out any time soon; finally, as you haven’t had this sooner you will have correctly assumed that I was not able to sort out a Forum for early July: the intention is still to run one, there are now some extra topics to discuss with the publication of some proposed amendments to section K in the blue book, which appear in the latest issue of ‘Motorsports Now!’: I will also soon have all the 2004 dates so next year’s calendar can also be a topic for discussion.

As usual there are details of forthcoming events at the end of this bulletin. I have just heard that the Seven Dales will not be running, Lindholme are now going to run the Danum on that night instead; additionally, the CSMA Rally which was down as reserve, is now definitely the final round of the championship, on 6^th / 7^th December (thanks again to Beverley for moving The Beaver to 20^th / 30^th November to accommodate them).

I am not going to start a ‘small ads’ section, but we have a driver and a navigator looking for partners – John Livermore is looking for a nav, call 07974 663470. Graham Gardner looking for a drive, email graham_p_gardner@btopenworld.com. Who knows, we may even see them out together!

Finally, please note my new email address, as at the bottom of the page. This is a permanent change, while the mobile number may soon revert back to my old one, though you should be able to get me on either or failing that on the landline.

I hope to see many of you over the next few weeks as we resume championship action again! Bye for now,

                                                Iain

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

19^th / 20^th JULY – ROUND 5,  RMT SLATING & TILING MATT RITSON MEMORIAL WESTMORLAND RALLY, EDEN VALLEY MC

32 entries for this weekend’s event. Marshals still needed if you can make it up to M6 junction 38 services for 8.30pm, or contact Mark Hodgson on 01748 884865.

 9^th / 10^th AUGUST – ROUND 6,  MONKTON MOOR GARAGE ST WILFRID’S ROAD RALLY, RIPON MSC

You should already have regs for this event on maps 98, 99 and 104. If not, contact Adam Roper on 01423 871094. 130 smooth and twisty miles with straight forward but time-consuming navigation – a round of 4 other championships so don’t leave the entry too late.

23^rd / 24^th AUG – ROUND 7,  TBM CUTTERS / COTTINGHAM MOT CENTRE 3 SWANS RALLY,  SELBY & DMC

Regs due out any day. 120 miles on maps 100 and 105, starting near Selby, finishing near York.

30^th / 31^st AUGUST – SHAW TROPHY RALLY

140 miles in Northumberland, starts and finishes at Knowlesgate just north of Newcastle. About 10 - 15 miles of (smooth) whites - (exact amount is dependent on land owner). Mainly plot-and-bash with some pre-plot, but all navigation is straight forward, no 'silly stuff'. Whites can be done at speed in a standard car. Contact: Richard Holdsworth 07816366808.

30^th / 31^st AUGUST – RALLY OF THE DAMS

120 miles on map 110. Contact Craig Hardman on 01909 470664