FILTRATE TROPHY PCT
At 24 hours notice Ilkley & District Motor Club succeeded in changing the venue for their Filtrate Trophy PCT to Bolton Abbey, after it was judged that access to the original site closer to Harrogate would not be feasible after so much rain. The Bolton Abbey site proved popular with the modest entry of 15 and gave no difficulties to the club as it is a long-standing venue available to them.
With generally fair weather on the day but understandably softish ground conditions the event was set to challenge the waiting competitors – and so it did! With no margin for error only 3 drivers could be singled out to have mastered the conditions – Garry Preston (Fiat 127) in Class A and Dave Oliver and Steve Courts driving their usual Imps in Classs D. With overall penalties of 22, 5 and 7 respectively, these compared most favourably with many scores that fell between 100 – 200.
In Class A the usual front-runners enjoyed mixed fortunes, with Les Andrew (Peugeot 104) closest to Garry on 51 and Neil Mackay on 60. Derek Barnes (VW Golf) was the sole entrant in Class B whilst in Class C the interesting mix of MGB GT, Mazda Eunos and Suzuki X90 gave Rich Harrison a broad smile when stepping forward to take the honours after driving the red "B" to a class win.
Closest all day was inevitably the 2 impish drivers in D. Steve's car was being shared with David Bastable who finished on a credible 45 with local man John Rhodes in a Dutton Phaeton on 34.
A really challenging event, enjoyed by all, but once again deserving of many more entries.