Gold/Silver Star Finals

Event Report

Josh Veale wins second Gold Star in Dad’s Car

Josh Veale won the Reis Motorsport Insurance BTRDA Sporting trials Gold Star for the second time in three years at his home site in Crewkerne Somerset, while Nick Speed won the Silver Star for second tier of drivers similar repeating his success of two years ago, like Veale.

Forty three crews headed from all reaches of Britain and a bumper contingent from Northern Ireland battled over the thirty sections set by outgoing champions Ian and son Sandy Veale. With regular passenger James Washer, Josh had borrowed his fathers car for the day, having only driven it competitively once before two years ago, an event he also won. Veale led all day, with a superb first round on a high scoring day following some magnificent trickling and blasting as conditions changed on the massively long challenging hills. Simon Gracey with young son passengering was the nearest challenger but a poor second round damaged his hopes of a maiden Gold Star finishing fourteen points behind in the end. Reigning double British champion Roland Uglow had a terrible first round that saw him down in fifteenth place, but then was best for the rest of the day to climb upto third overall with Laura Wilks passengering. John Fack who won the last qualifying event and regularly stars at the final made a couple of mistakes which stopped him challenging the podium with the unforgiving conditions and new tyres all were running. Andrew McKinney travelled from across the water with his ex Brian Edgar Gold Star winning Crossle and finished fifth just ahead of Julian Fack and committee chairman Simon Kingsley all winning awards for best competitors from regions. Scores were high despite the very long hills with multiple stopping points. Gold Star debutant Trevor Aston finished just inside the top ten, with John McKinney best live axle in tenth.

Meanwhile the second tier of competitors in the Silver Star saw Nick Speed in his Crossle have a great day to finish fifteenth overall and win the category for the second time following some great climbs in the second round. Colin Flashman sprung a surprise by pushing him hard finishing second and twentieth overall on his first attempt at the final, with veteran Tom McKinney in third. Mark Campbell has recently returned to the sport and just missed out on a podium place in fourth with Car Trials expert Steve Courts completing the top five.  
The coverted Gold Star trophy thus remains in the Veale household for the third year, with Josh about to debut his new car similar to his dad’s winning Sherpa.

Gold Star

1.     Josh Veale / James Washer, Sherpa, 108points
2.     Simon Gracey / Samual Gracey, Crossle, 122
3.     Roland Uglow / Laura Wilks, Crossle, 123
4.     John Fack / Andy Gowen, MSR, 128
5.     Andrew McKinney / Chris Millar, Crossle, 133
6.     Julian Fack / Meg Marrion, Crossle, 135
7.     Simon Kingsley / Jo Edwards, Crossle, 138
8.     Andy Wilks / Mark Smith, RCAP, 139
9.     Trevor Aston / Andrew Aston, Crossle, 139
10.     John McKinney / Ryan McKinney, Concord, 145

Silver Star

1.     Nick Speed / Mike Baker, Crossle, 152 (15th overall)
2.     Colin Flashman / Neil Chapman, MSR, 166 (20th overall)
3.     Tom McKinney / Clive Gracey, Concord, 169 (21st overall)
4.     Mark Campbell / Mark Watson, Concord, 178 (23rd overall)
5.     Steve Courts / Matthew Kingsley, Facksimile, 180 (25th overall) 

The 2017 Reis Motorsport Insurance Sporting Trials championship commences on the 12th February with the Geoff Taylor sporting trial near Telford, organised by Hagley and District Light Car Club.

Photo of Gold Star winner Josh Veale and James Washer, supplied by Calvin Talbot, CSTartworks.