Ivinghoe Spring Trial

The Ivinghoe Trial held by Falcon MC is quite a long way south near Dunstable, 3 hours 15 minute away. I set off at 5.30 full of hope and promise. The weather was meant to be awful and I drove through masses of heavy rain but as I approached the venue it was looking dry. The drive down was made more interesting by loads of modified and unusual Japanese cars on their way to “Japfest” at Silverstone racing circuit. Towing a Kei car covered in stickers was getting attention as they passed.

Turns out I should’ve gone there!! Fellow competitor Mark Hoppe had brought his 3 door Alto out for the event, and I was hoping to have a good day competing against him in the same car and the rest of the class, it’s always more interesting when every mark counts and there is something to play for.

I feel I ran out of luck or talent or both….recently I’ve had a good run, won a load of cash at poker, won £20 on a scratch card and back to back wins on the car trials. It all came crashing down…reckon it was the weight of my inflated head!!!

Couldn’t seem to find grip anywhere, I was either matching other people’s scores or losing handfuls of marks to them. By the end of the first round 18 away from the front of the class, no way I am getting that back. Round 2 was a very low scoring round which made me 4 times worse than the guys on 0.

By lunch break I was a whopping 22 marks off the pace and stone cold last in a class of 6. Wondering where it had all gone wrong.

The afternoon was more of the same I carried on to the end but must have been one of my worst outings in years. The final damage was 46 at the back of the class to 4 marks dropped and the event winner newcomer to the championship Tim Dovey.

Old enough to accept an off day or a mistake but gaps like that do leave you wondering what happened? Writing this on Tuesday the 25th of April with the southern double weekend starting Saturday the only thing I can think to do is swap tyres, maybe the ones that were great in the mud of Wales were not as happy on the long lush grass down south.

I met up with family after the event and had a meal at a local pub, my cousin lives close to the venue.Setting off from there I was expecting a clear run home but that wasn’t to be…. various hold ups meant I didn’t get home till just before midnight…unloading the trailer in the dead of nights not fun everything you touch bangs and clangs!! After the highs of Wales the lows of Dunstable was a day to forget.

If you’ve made it this far I’d like to take this moment to thank organisers , marshals and everyone who make these events happen, I know it’s a lot of work.