Sponsored once again by the motorsport division of RN Electronics and established as the only Historic Road Rally in the East of England, the EAST ANGLIAN CLASSIC on the weekend of 6/7 May 2000 was won by the post-historic Escort Mexico of local crew John Parsons and Gavin Rogers. Second was another local crew, Ian Phillips/Jim Bowie (Firenza) while Dick Appleton and Andy Gibson (Mini Cooper S) in third place were the best historic and best Azorie HRCR championship crew.
The Saturday Day leg consisted of regularity sections and driving tests in the Norfolk countryside. Many of the tests were fast and flowing - the space available at venues such as RAF West Raynham allowed such tests to be set up in complete safety.
The Saturday night route took place in the lanes south of Norwich, finishing with an airfield `driving test'. The route used traditional, but straightforward East Anglian plot and bash navigation. Crews arrived back in Norwich in time for a good night's sleep after a nightcap (or two) in the hotel bar.
Sunday morning consisted of driving tests, linked with 40 miles of un-timed road sections, and concours judging, before a complementary buffet lunch and prize giving.
EAC Results: Latest Rally Results.com
COMMENTS FROM
COMPETITORS
What a great event.
Good sport.
Good weather.
Good tests.
Good navigation.
Lots of new friends.
Just one question. Cleaned the car three times now. How do you get rid of the b....y smell???
Thanks to everyone for a fabulous weekend.
Pat & Paul Robinson (22)
The best organised and "thought through" rally I have ever done. I enjoyed the format immensely and I will be back in 2001, see you there?
Brian Mead, Austin A35 (Car 1)
I'm glad we broke the Sabre in Wales the week before, because otherwise it would certainly have let go in the "smooth dirt roads" of the night section. Major thanks are due to my neighbour Steve Cottle for turning out on the Thursday night to help me chisel outthe steering column pinch bolt which had decided to strip its thread; Paul L. might pass a door handle which "just came off in his hand", but not a steering wheel jumpig up and down half an inch !
Just getting to the rallies can be an adventure in its own right, we took over six hours to travel 180 miles, but were rewarded with some of the best weather of the year. It was almost too good, at the end of test 3 the Sabre and the Jaguar pulled in together and did a synchronised bonnet lifting display, they to gaze at boiling brake fluid caused by hitting the brakes at 70, us to gaze at boiling radiator fluid caused by trying to go fast enough to justify hitting the brakes at all. I took a chance that the regularity would go through some shaded roads, and we were lucky enough to find a flooded lane where the water sprays took over 10 degrees off the head temperature. At lunchtime I put half a gallon back in the radiator and scavenged all the empty plastic bottles in the litter bins to make sure I had enough spare water on board.
Navigation in this rally was very satisfying, we had no special treatment for once, and struggled, especially in the night, but still managed to solve enough of the handouts to get round.
We had another synchronised session with the Jaguar in the unashamedly "night stage" section, going into a ploughed portion side-by-side, and managing to reverse out together, much to the amusement of Robin and friends marshalling at that point.
Sunday morning, probably the easiest part of the whole rally, with us needing to finish all the tests to keep out place, and the cooling fan decides to stop working on the drive up. After a fraught 20 minutes we were back on the road, almost last at the remaining tests, but able to keep our noses clean and get round all of them. It was both a relief and a disappointment to learn that the Cattle Market thrash was off.
Finally, just like the Powderham, an excellent wind-down session in the Hotel. This rally is a must, certainly worth the drive there and back. We are already looking forward to next year.
Adrian Stapley. Reliant Sabre