The North East Section of the Historic Rally Car Register organised their first rally, The Quality Scotch Corner Hotel Classic Rally, on August 9th. In the belief that a motor clubs first duty is to organise events for its members, the rally was the brainchild of Vic Ryland who was the founding member of the NE section. Given that 12 people is a good turn out for one of their monthly meetings, to organise a rally that was to be observed for inclusion in next year's Speedsport Design Championship was a mammoth undertaking. Vic and his team coped very well under the circumstances, a slight hiccup in the route instructions and a slow production process on the results being the major criticism, writes Paul Wignall.
Starting from The Quality Scotch Corner Hotel at the junction of the A1 and A66 in the sunny North East, the event attracted a high calibre entry of 40 crews, many who had travelled vast distances to support the event. Well known names such as Neil Wilson/Willy Cave, Nicky Porter/Colin Francis, Robin Eyre Maunsell/Norman Henderson, Mike and Gina Barker were joined by other well known local crews. Anne Hall volunteered to marshal and was promptly given the role of flagging the cars away on a gloriously sunny Saturday morning for the 150 mile plot and bash route, masterminded by Ned Brook. This included four regularity sections and a number of tests at such well known North Eastern venues as Catterick, Raby Castle and Steatlam Camp.
First Away was the XK120 of the Barkers, who had started their journey north on Friday in their TR2, only to reach the A1 and have a pipe detach itself from the radiator, which meant a return home courtesy of the RAC, bed by midnight and then a restart in their XK120 at 4:00 am in time to reach the start! If there had been a spirit of the rally award they would have got it! Ever cheerful Mike was later to remark that it was 25 years since they did a plot and bash event, and now he remembers why!
The variety of cars extended through the normal Cortina GTs and Cooper S to Mike Smailes' Jowett Jupiter, Stan Appleton's Gilbern, the rare Vauxhall VX 4190 of the Leevees, who were making their first foray into Historic Rallying. The skill of the crews was also varied, from the maestros like Cave and Francis to the 14year-old novice, Heather Appleton, who was to go on to a remarkable fourth overall navigating her Dad, who combined driving with lessons in plot and bash at the same time.
The route began with a short section in the environs of Catterick to TC2 where an over enthusiastic marshal confused a number of crews by booking them in early (penalties were later scrubbed). A series of further time controls with the route being handed out took crews over the Atops and down into Wensleydale in glorious sunshine. On the way they visited Catterick camp for two tests. Porter demonstrated that he was in determined mood with a time nine seconds quicker than second place man Eyre Maunsell who threw the Sunbeam Alpine round to good effect, eventual winner Bryan Walker was third quickest in his Ford Anglia. Three Mini Coopers filled the top three places on test 2, Porter and Francis beating Wiseberg/Simmons who in turn beat Tyson/Harrison.
The first regularity followed a route down the northern side of Wensleydale with spectacular views to the south before turning north over Askrigg common and down into Swaledale before heading up to Tan Hill. It was evident by this early stage that the likely winners were going to come from the experts in class C1 with eight of the top times coming from this class. Griggs/Williams were on seven seconds in the Anglia with the Appletons on nine and a gaggle of experienced people including PorterlFrancis, WilsonlCave, Simmons/Wiseburg and Green/Briggs on 13, the eventual winners being on 15 seconds.
Lunch was at Brough on the A66 and famous for its prominence on winter road weather reports, where the control was situated at the Grand Prix Garage - so called because it once had the Grand Prix driver Cliff Allison as its proprietor. This was also the site of another test utilising a central pylon and four points of the compass denoted by pylons which had to be visited with a trip back to the middle each time, all very confusing but great fun nevertheless, despite the dusty conditions. Julien Lucking was complaining that he had something large and black dangling between his legs on the regularity, but to the disappointment of the local spectating talent, finished the story off by saying that it was his steering column mounted rev counter that had dropped off!
With the route touching Cumbria it then headed back east via a second regularity where Payne/Preston started to make a bid for the lead in their Cortina GT with a penalty of nine seconds, the Anglia crew of Griggs/Williams were even better with a four second penalty. The fancied crews of the Cl class fared less well, however, by the end of the first five tests Porter was the quickest man, followed by Walker/Eyre Maunsell in the Alpine who was next fastest - a very credible performance in what was never an ideal autotest car!
Taking the regularities into account the Griggs' Anglia was bettering the Cooper S of Debbie Simmons and Adam Wiseberg by five seconds and they were three seconds better than the Appletons on 18, closely followed by Payne/Preston on 21.
Equal fifth on regularities at this point were Porter/Francis and Ali Green/Mick Briggs. Adding the two disciplines together showed Porter/Francis leading ahead of Walker/Gibson, with Simmons/Wiseburg third ahead of Payne/Preston in fourth and the Appletons in fifth.
Everything to play for as they headed for a navigational section between TC 18 and 19. Unfortunately a route error had overlooked the fact that there were two spot heights the same on an 'avoid these spot heights' section with the result that there was no feasible route to the next control, all roads having been barred. Crews therefore cut to Raby Castle where they were expecting a test, but were confronted by a short regularity around the estate roads, with three changes of speed and three timing points in as many miles. One of the average speeds was 5 mph at the request of the landowner, through a farmyard where children were present. This threw a real curve in as nobody's speed tables went down this slow! At the end of this section there was a driving test on grass before rejoining the main road and heading off in the general direction of Barnard Castle for the finale of the event which was a very quick test at Steatlam Camp, a well known and used local venue.
Opinions at the finish were unanimous that it had been a good day out and a good route, but it was regrettable that so much of the afternoon's route had been lost. Results were a long time coming due to a shortage of help, another facet that will have to be addressed before the event is held again. Local lads Bryan Walker/Andy Gibson won the event which is pretty good considering that they hadn't raliied together before. They were chased home by another local lad, Nicky Porter/Colin Francis and Ali Green/Mike Briggs came in third which was just reward for their long journey up from the south coast
Our thanks are due to Stockton and District Motor Club and Durham Auto Club for their advice and help in running the event and for providing so many marshals on the day.
| 1 | Bryan WaIker/Andy Gibson | Ford Anglia |
| 2 | Nicky Porter/Colin Francis | Mini Cooper 'S' |
| 3 | Ali Green/Mike Briggs | Mini Cooper |
| 4 | Stan & Heather Appleton | Gilbern GT |
| 5 | Rebecca & Dominic Barron | Mini Cooper Mkll |
| 6 | Julien Lucking/Jerry Hettrick | Saab 96 |
| 7 | Sandra Holt/Carol Ottoway | MGA |
| 8 | David Griggs/John Williams | Ford Anglia |
| 9 | Neil WiIson/Willy Cave | Porsche 356 |
| 10 | Peter Tyson/Neill Harrison | Mini Cooper `S' |