Northern Road Rally Championship

BULLETIN NO. 7, SEPTEMBER 2003

6TH / 7TH SEPTEMBER – ROUND 9, HALL TROPHY RALLY, CLITHEROE & DMC

 

Before doing the report for this year’s event, I thought I would look back over the 2002 and 2000 reports. The details are quite contrasting, 2000 being very well received, 2002 not so, but one thing that is clear in both is the amount of work put in by the Clerk of Course, Simon Daly. He and his wife, Liz have done all the PR work themselves for each of the last three years, to put together a cracking route each time. This year Simon recruited a few more people into the organizing team, to hopefully share the workload. These included championship contender Simon Bentley, who has himself run events in the past for Alwoodley. Between them I don’t think they could have done any more, but unfortunately a couple of people let them down and circumstances conspired against them on the night, so the event turned out to be some way off meeting both their and the competitors’ expectations.

 

I think one or two of our more ‘Southerly’ crews decided not to make the trip up after last year, as we only had 11 full crews and one half out on this year’s event. With the addition of ANWCC and SD34 contenders, half a dozen historics, the total entry was 44 for the National B event plus 7 doing the Clubman’s. Starting from the grounds of Clitheroe Castle provided something different, but the weather rather put a damper on this as most crews stayed inside, apart from those who ventured to the local kebab house…

 

People don’t like change. So, when an organizer tries to do something a bit different, unless it is explained very clearly before hand, he is generally on a loser. Some of you may have tackled last year’s Rally of the Dams – the theory behind that was good and within the MSA rules, but unfortunately the competitors did not really know what was intended and the results turned into a shambles. The theory behind the Hall was actually pretty simple – give out a load of references to plot in advance, each of which has a number, then on the night the nav handouts just give a list of numbers and you play ‘join the dots’. This style has been used with mixed success on a number of other events, but not within recent memory on an ANCC round. One little twist was that some of the points would be via’s, some ‘Not As Map’ diagrams and some black spots, we would receive a list of ‘what was what’ at the start of the first competitive section.

 

Unfortunately, a few of the references (which were sent out with the finals) raised questions as to whether they were on junctions or not and the first nav handout, which was in the rally packs issued at signing on, was incorrect. So by the time of the drivers’ briefing, even those navigators who thought they knew what was in store for them, were totally confused. Simon D. did his best to try and explain what we were supposed to do but I think it was an impossible task by then! The first hand out was re-issued, which (just about) took us to Gisburn Forest, where we would start the competitive stuff. Here we should have received the afore-mentioned list of ‘what was what’ along with the first route handout, but we didn’t get the handout, so we charged off into the forest, reasonably confident that the promised arrows would show us the correct route and that we would get a handout at the end.

 

Alas, there were no arrows (somebody had decided they ‘weren’t necessary’) but the junctions were taped off so you could at least follow the route and there was no handout at the end. There were more plotted points if you turned North out of the forest and when you got to them they seemed to match the NAMs in the 18 page book of diagrams we had been issued with, so on we went until we stumbled across a time control. Still no handouts though and here is where guessing the route became impossible, there were cars going everywhere at Keasden crossroads, eventually and with varying amounts of lateness accumulated, everyone cut to MTC B, the only rejoin point we had been given at the start. CSMA’s Steve Johnson didn’t have any handouts for us here either but pointed us all in hopefully the right direction and contacted Simon B, who was able to reach TC10 near Arncliffe to get some paperwork for us and then carry on as course car (the original course car had broken down on the way to Gisburn…).

 

Even with Steve’s instructions though not everyone made it to TC10, which meant that they would not find out where petrol was and so went home early. However the majority of the crews were then able to tackle the rest of the event as it was originally intended. Most of the old ‘classic’ roads on map 98 were used, along with little used whites at Bainbridge Pasture and West Witton Moor.  The number of NAM’s on each section made the timing very tight and the navigator’s job a tough one, flicking frantically through the book to find each diagram. An enormous amount of work had gone into marking these out, although I guess by the time the tail-enders got to them many of the arrows, ‘gates’ and codeboards may have been flattened by previous competitors!

 

After a brief and uncharted foray onto map 99, we came back down Coverdale, over Park Rash, via Nab End and Malham Tarn to Settle before the final section back on map 103. This was shorter than intended, as the last section on some private tracks was lost at the last minute so we headed for an early breakfast in Worston, just off the A59 a mile East of Clitheroe. Results understandably took a while, in the end everything after petrol, plus the forest at the start stood (more than half the event, both in terms of mileage and number of controls).

 

Four of our crews decided to head home early: Sandie & Paul Taylor and Andy Whittaker & Chris Pringle cutting their journey home considerably by departing at the Northern end of the route, while Ripon crews Bernie Watkins & Adam Roper and David Howell & Stephen Taylor were among a number of cars who had a run in with an angry farmer so headed home. Nick Topliss and Mick Fern are curiously down as retirements despite making it to breakfast, not sure what went on there. All the ANCC competitors were in the experts class, the seven who finished were all between 3rd and 14th overall, so scored a good few points. The event was won by the very rapid Nova of Steve Head & Graham Raeburn, with 2000 winner Chris Astley in 2nd.

 

My commiserations to both Simons, I know how much work went into the event and it is far more disappointing for the organizers than the competitors when all that work doesn’t produce a good event. The idea behind the navigation was good, if a bit of a paperwork overload for the navigator and the route was an absolute belter, even those who went home cursing had to admit that. I know Simon Daly has already resigned as Clerk of Course, at this stage Simon Bentley and Terry Martin are hoping to run the event next year, probably in a reduced format. From a championship point of view however, I have a number of other events requesting inclusion, so I think the Hall has to be dropped for 2004, when hopefully it will run more successfully and may regain its place in 2005. Those of you who were out have the usual opportunity to agree or disagree with this decision, via the questionnaires, which the navigators should find with this bulletin.

 

Mr Lawson’s absence and an excellent 4th overall has pushed Malcolm Holdsworth into the lead in the drivers’ championship, but both he and Andy Beaumont in 3rd are now dropping scores so will need good results on the remaining four rounds if they are to stay up there. Dave Chapman, Danny Robinson, Stan Featherstone and John Haden could all move up dramatically over the closing rounds, as could former champ Carl Hawkins if he gets the events in between trips to North Western rounds. The race for the navigators’ crown will not be quite as exciting unless Chris Pringle can finish in the top two on all the remaining rounds, a task which is certainly not beyond him. There are awards down to 5th at the end of the year though so plenty to fight for still.

 

Apparently the results of this year’s Moorlands & Meadows have been deemed ‘null and void’ by the MSA, following a recent tribunal. However I have seen nothing official to back this up yet, but please be aware that there is a strong possibility that championship points from that event may have to be scrubbed. This could be quite a contentious issue but let’s leave the debate until it happens, or not, as the case may be.

 

That’s it for now. I hope to see you all out on the Danum next weekend.                        

Iain

 

 

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

 

4TH / 5TH OCTOBER – ROUND 10, DANUM RALLY, LINDHOLME MSC

Regs should have reached you for this event, which was postponed from earlier in the year. 140 miles all on map 112, with less than five miles of unsurfaced roads. The start is in Swinefleet, just a few miles South of M62 junction 36. This is definitely a navigational rally, but there are no nasty tricks – examples of the nav and previous years’ routes are available if you aren’t sure. If you still don’t fancy it, marshals are needed, as on all our rounds. For entries contact Nick Huntridge on 01302 537419, to marshal phone Anne Stapleton on 01709 874791.

 

1ST / 2ND NOVEMBER – ROUND 11, VISUAL PACKAGING COSSACK RALLY, EASTWOOD & DMC

I said in the last bulletin that there was less publicity for this event this year – well, it has started in earnest now – see the enclosed copy of the ‘Cossack Times’! All the details are in there, so I don’t need to say any more – just get your entries in early to avoid disappointment.

 

29TH / 30TH NOVEMBER – ROUND 12, MAPLE GARAGE BEAVER RALLY, BEVERLEY & DMC

Beverley are once again saving a few rain forests by not sending out paper regs unless requested. Regs and entry forms will be available on the web site www.bdmc.org.uk from 11 October. All contenders will receive a flier through the post, in early October so those who are not on line are not disadvantaged. The event will be on maps 106 and 107 both version 'C' and starts as usual at Maple Garage in Sproatley MR 106/2302535000.

 

6TH / 7TH DECEMBER – ROUND 13, CIVIL SERVICE RALLY, CSMA NORTH WEST

A new event provides this year’s final round and it is back over to Lancashire for 130 miles on maps 98, 102 and 103. Regs are already out, if you weren’t at the Hall Trophy where they were dishing them out or have not received any details through the post, contact C of C Steve Johnson on 01254 392663. Steve is also only too happy to provide copies of last year’s navigation, as this is definitely a plot and bash event – no ‘mastermind stuff’ though, he promises!

   

Starts and finishes at Eaves Hall, 103 / 737448. If you are marshalling rather than competing, contact Mick Conboy on 01254 871283. Early entry is rewarded with free breakfasts, cheques will not be cashed until 10th November, they want to make sure they get entries. Full refunds promised if you have entered and then trash your car between now and then or cannot compete due to illness, sounds pretty fair to me. Also the last round of the ANWCC and SD34 so enter early, it is limited to 50 cars.

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