Northern Road Rally Championship

BULLETIN NO. 6, SEPTEMBER 2004

It occurred to me when handing out the last excuse for a bulletin that as well as all you contenders, I have been giving event organizers a bum deal by not getting a full report on paper, so I had better start by making another apology especially for them. To this end I have written a few more lines about the Three Swans along with the most recent event, the Saint Wilfrid’s. I can’t tell you any more about the G & P Memorial because I wasn’t there, but from what I have heard it was well received and worthy of continued inclusion in the championship. As for round 4, the Witch Way, well I wrote plenty about this event but considered it more appropriate to direct my thoughts in a letter to the organizers rather than in a bulletin. I believe there are still some ‘issues’ to be cleared up from the event, so I shall say no more for now.

We have two events coming up in quick succession in September, I hope many of you will be out supporting them, although the Westmorland does unfortunately clash with the Mercian so I suspect those of you in the NEM or East Mids championships will be heading down to that. We then have a gap in October before a busy climax to the season, the Cossack, Inter Association, Beaver and CSMA and only one spare weekend in between. I hope to get a forum off the ground in mid to late October, probably on a Sunday afternoon unless I hear any violent objections. By then I should also have finalized the 2005 championship, as yet I haven’t seen next year’s dates but please check that your club has submitted its dates and registration to the ANCC if they want their event considering for the championship.

Bye for now

Iain

STOP PRESS: I HAVE JUST HEARD FROM DAVID WLISON THAT THE DANUM IS STRUGGLING FOR ENTRIES – THEY CLOSE THIS WEEKEND SO GET ON THE PHONE TO THE ENTRIES SEC (SEE BELOW) IF YOU HAVEN’T PUT YOUR ENTRY IN YET. DO IT NOW AS THEY WILL NOT BE PAYING FOR MANY SPARE PLACES. THIS EVENT DESERVES YOUR SUPPORT SO COME ON!!

PAST EVENTS

25^TH / 26^TH JUNE, ROUND 6, ‘TBM CUTTERS’ THREE SWANS RALLY, SELBY & DMC

A bumper entry of 41 was led away from Tyke Petroleum, on the A1079 East of York, by last year’s winners, Andy Beaumont & Mike Petch. There was a full compliment of marshals out too with all time controls and a few passage checks manned. The whole route this year was on map 106, with the first half heading North and East before petrol at Shiptonthorpe. As previously the navigation was given out in sealed envelopes at the start, in case marshals went astray. This seemed to work well and a good variety of plotting kept crews on their toes - the masters and experts just dropping a few minutes, while the novices dropped more but were given the chance to recover time to avoid going OTL or having to cut. The leading crews dropped time in only one place, the section down Millington Pasture, which was timed to the second as a tie decider. It was no surprise that the Beverley crews were quickest down here, this section often featuring in their 12 cars as well as their own championship round the Beaver. Dan Robinson & Ian Gibbins posted the best time, with Andy & Mike 2^nd and championship leaders Steve Webster & Roger Hage in 3^rd. Already on the retirements list by this stage were Terry Martin & Paul Taylor and Simon Tate & Richard Wilson. Soon to join them would be Mark Garroway & David Wilkinson, who parked their Fiesta at a jaunty angle down the bank at Millington and had to wait for the course closer to tow them out.

 The second half took crews East and then South of Market Weighton before heading West via Holme on Spalding Moor to the finish at Breighton. A couple of new whites broke up some very fast yellows but again only odd minutes would be dropped by most crews, a few remaining clean until the last section. This was again timed to the second and saw some spirited (!) driving as the top crews knew that the event would be decided by seconds rather than minutes. Unfortunately somewhere in the middle of  this half Dan & Ian were judged to have overshot a give way and were ultimately excluded from the results. Very disappointing for them as we could all tell at the finish but also not pleasant for the organizers, the blue book regs this year state exclusion for first offence so Clerk of Course Dave Coggins had no choice in the matter.

This cast a bit of a shadow over proceedings at the finish of what was a very well put together and enjoyable event. A repeat win for Andy & Mike by a mere 4 seconds in the end from Steve & Roger, with a storming run from Dave Chapman & David Taylor taking 3^rd only another 20 seconds back. With only 8 of the 35 finishers not being ANCC contenders I can’t list everyone else, but the most noteable performances amongst the Novices were Graham & Peter Reeson  who came home 17^th overall and 1^st in class, with James Everard & Dave Jobling not far behind in 2^nd. 10^th to 23^rd overall were covered by just over 3 minutes, which shows you how tight things were on the night.

Many thanks to the team from Selby for a good event, to all the marshals and top-toast maker Anne Stapleton for feeding the hoards who made it to the finish! Good to see an event that has struggled in the past get such a good entry, the organizing team have worked hard over the last few years to re-establish this event in the calendar, the shorter format seems to work well and long may it continue.

7^TH / 8^TH AUGUST, ROUND 7, SAINT WILFRID’S ROAD RALLY, RIPON MSC

As a round of 4 championships as well as ANWCC Historic, Ripon attracted an entry of 53 to their HQ for the start, among them over 60 of our championship contenders. This was an excellent turnout especially with half a dozen more organizing the event and the same number again out marshalling. Most of the usual suspects were out, I was hoping to record my first finish on an ANCC round this year, while Andy Beaumont had enlisted Paul Taylor with usual nav Mike Petch away on holiday. Adrian Green admitted to being a little nervous, seeded at 2  with East Midlands Guru Charlie Wheeldon on the maps, ahead of an illustrious top twenty, plenty of likely winners with the runner up in the 2003 Drivers’ Championship Malcolm Holdsworth down at number 20.

A run out to Thirsk meant we were soon onto map 100, a third of the field dropping time at the first couple of controls, as the first route handout with grid lines and spot heights proved tricky with nothing on the map in advance. Then it was into the  first regularity section, in-order map references leading up the not as map bends of White Horse Bank, with two triangles and two more code boards to record before the intermediate time control. Everyone would drop time here, Andy Beaumont quickest on just four seconds ahead of Stan Featherstone on 9. The next intermediate was only timed to the minute but proved tricky as a dozen crews missed the code board in the car park at the top of Sutton Bank. Next followed another North Yorkshire ‘Motoring News classic’ – Caydale Mill ford. A tricky slot, manned passage check and a triangle defined by a herring bone meant that even if you cleared the ford without problems, as most did, it was still tight to the intermediate control and only a handful of crews cleaned it. The final section of this time card took crews off the B1257 down a white at Rievaulx Bank, which wasn’t rough but proved hard to navigate down, with all-roads tulips defining the route. The last triangle was also tricky, so much so that only 13 crews managed to find it and most of them probably over-shot and went back – the smallest penalty on this section was 1min 53 secs.

A good job then that the next section was time recovery, through Helmsley and we were told at the start that the second time card was the easiest of the three so nearly all crews were able to complete it and get to petrol. The first section took us Westwards to the North of Ampleforth for the series of junctions at Tom Smith’s Cross, before heading down towards Wass. Again, only a the leading crews would clean the section but the majority of penalties were only a few seconds as crews made sure they got the code boards and passage checks in the correct order. The route then continued West on the fast yellows North of Easingwold and Boroughbridge with navigation by grid lines and spot heights and included two intermediate controls where again the majority of crews picked up just seconds rather than minutes.

A short run South of Ripon took us to Monkton Moor Garage for petrol, tea, biscuits and a post mortem on the first two thirds of the event. The verdict seemed that it was very good, some cracking roads but perhaps the nav was a bit tough on the first card. The remainder of the event would be a loop to the North west of Ripon, starting with a white and a field at Clotherholme Farm. This raised one or two complaints as the field section seemed to be a bit too ‘not as map’, always a bit of a problem when you set up and arrow a section in daylight but then run it in the dark. Still it was well worth including and certainly seemed to produce a few grins, great to have a farmer so supporting of motor sport. From here it was onto the private land at Potgate Farm / Lightwater Valley and an intermediate control where everyone dropped time, quickest this time were Steve Webster & Roger Hage on 1:23 from Nick Topliss & Mick Fern on 1:34, neither of whom had the advantage of doing the section on last year’s event. The next few standard sections used regular ‘Wilf’s’ territory, including the whites at Fearby before a very tight intermediate past Ellingstring, where Dan Robinson & Ian Gibbins were quickest on 0:28. There were then just a few penalties but numerous ‘moments’ over the yumps at Cocked Hat to the next ITC, before the final section South towards Masham.

Breakfast back in Ripon was possibly the best this year, although the ‘Dinner Lady’ issuing instructions on how to clear up was perhaps a bit over the top - I think everyone escaped without lines or detention. Results from the 061 boys were typically efficient but it was only at this stage that the impact of crews missing that tricky triangle in the Rievaulx section became apparent. Without the 5 minutes Steve & Roger would have won, while Stan Featherstone & Mike Ogram would have been 3^rd, as it was they both found themselves in the lower half of the top ten so it could have been worse. Leading East Midlands crew Mark Whitford & Steve Porter also seemed a little subdued at the finish, settling for 8^th having only decided to compete rather than marshal the weekend before the event. Mike Monaghan & Iain Tullie were soon confirmed as winners, ahead of the hard charging car 18, Richard Chown & Mark Wagstaff, making it a 1-2 for red 205’s! As well as progressing up the leagues in our championship, this excellent result sees Richard & Mark take the lead in the ANEMMC series, well done to them. Next up was the afore mentioned Team Holdsworth, just two seconds ahead of Dan & Ian with Andy & Paul just four more seconds further back.  The most notable performance among the rest of the experts was probably Frank Evans & Dan Spittlehouse who maintained their top five positions in the championship with 11^th overall.

First novices home in 16^th overall were Antony Baren & Ian Beech, some 16 minutes ahead of the second novice crew, Kevin Wilson & Paul Caunt. Quite an irony this, Kevin is a former ANCC champion navigator and was Clerk of Course of this event back in the early 90’s. Well done to them also for an excellent 5^th overall on the Welsh Enduro back in July (a Clubmans event, in case you were wondering how come they are still novices).

Many thanks to everyone involved in putting the event on, you should all be very proud of a job well done. Clerk of Course Adam Roper says he is retiring but he shouldn’t as the event has gone from strength to strength in recent years.

Whether he carries on or not, Adam has asked me to draw your attention to some poor driving standards on this year’s event – the main issues were noise and spotlights in quiet sections (remember these are designated as such deliberately to try and prevent PR issues creating black spots) and failing to stop at give ways in competitive sections. Clearly that fact that one of our crews lost an event win on the Three Swans is not enough of a warning to people about this. Equally I find it disappointing that someone was observing crews failing to stop but did nothing about it on the night, so I am putting together some advice for organizers on policing give ways and we already have a ‘Championship Driving Standards Observer’ lined up for 2005, so that we can try and get some consistency throughout the year. More on this later, but please heed the warnings.

A glance at the championship tables shows that little ground has been made up on our runaway leaders. Steve Webster & Roger Hage have been leading since their win on the Ryemoor, they are the only crew to have finished every round so far this year, a finish on the Danum will give them their eight scores and then it is time to start dropping. However they can be caught; remember they are both officiating on the Cossack so will only get marshalling points for that and Roger is missing for the Westmorland as he has entered the Mercian. Among the drivers, any of the top six and even the late charging runner-up from 2003, Malcolm Holdsworth, can challenge Steve. Meanwhile in the navigators, Paul Nelson’s first retirement of the year allows Ian, David and Dan to close in on second place. Looking further down here it appears that Graham Raeburn will now be concentrating on the fight for the North Western championship while I will be relinquishing my title whatever happens, as I will be missing both the Cossack and the Beaver. Two ‘dark horses’ from outside the top ten could be Paul Taylor and Mike Petch if they get enough events in.

I have prattled on so much this time that I haven’t left room for the club championship tables. Eastwood currently hold a narrow lead over Beverley, with Ripon and Lincs Louth in an equally close tussle for third. The full table will be included along with who is doing what amongst the Novices in the next bulletin, which will be after the Westmorland.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

11^TH / 12^TH SEPTEMBER – ROUND 8, DANUM RALLY, LINDHOLME MSC

On maps 112 and 113, definitely one for the navigators this, so if you like your plot and bash then this is a must do event. If you don’t want to take up the challenge then please come out and marshal instead, there are free breakfasts and a marshals’ draw to reward your hard work. Starts in Scunthorpe and finishes at Caenby Corner near Gainsborough. David Wilson is the contact on 0114 244 1971.

25^TH / 26^TH SEPTEMBER – ROUND 9, WESTMORLAND RALLY, EDEN VALLEY MC

Following a familiar format for the many of you who have ventured up to this event before, it starts and finishes at M6 Junction 38 Services, Tebay. This year’s route sees 140 miles on maps 90 and 91, using less than five miles of white roads. For 2004 the organizers have set up a ‘marshals reward’ scheme in an attempt to encourage more support. Unfortunately this has hiked the entry fee up to £65 as you should already know having received regs. If you have not, Tom Wilcox is the man to contact on 07968 342425. Will the 2003 champion driver be making his first competitive outing of the year to defend his win on this event in 2003?

6^TH / 7^TH NOVEMBER – ROUND 10, VISUAL PACKAGING COSSACK RALLY,  EASTWOOD & DMC

I don’t need to tell you anything about this event, the Eastwood publicity machine is up and running so you should have a flyer with this bulletin. Regs are out very soon, all I will say is enter early to avoid disappointment!

12^TH / 13^TH NOVEMBER – INTER ASSOCIATION RALLY, NORHERN IRELAND

Yes the date is correct, this is a Friday night – they do things a lot differently over there! If you fancy finding out just how different then let me know, we are the defending champions (since there was no event in 2003) and so have to put up a good show. Some form of financial support will be available from the Association as obviously this is a fair haul. Drop me a line if you would like to know more, those who have already expressed an interest should have a bit of extra info with this bulletin.

27^TH / 28^TH NOVEMBER – ROUND 11, BEAVER RALLY, BEVERLEY & DMC

Advanced warning that Beverley will be sending out flyers rather than regs to registered contenders, those without internet access will be sent a set of regs upon request. From the middle of October if you are able to visit www.bdmc.org/beaver you will find more information and even be able to enter on-line. This year’s route will be 147 miles on maps 100, 106 and 107, the format will be similar to previous years but with fewer handouts.

4^TH / 5^TH DECEMBER – ROUND 12, CIVIL SERVICE RALLY, CSMA (NORTH WEST)

No, you weren’t seeing things when you opened the envelope last week and discovered a set of regs for this event. If only every arm of the Civil Service was this efficient! A ‘biggie’ to round off the year – 180 miles, two fuel halts. Maps 98, 102 and 103. Starts and finishes near Clitheroe. Put the regs somewhere safe or you’ll have forgotten about them by November.

Here is something that may be of interest for both expert and novice navigators.  Half a dozen or so of you are already having a go. It is a good way of learning / practicing solving navigation without the pressure of an impatient driver sat next to you!

.