Wye Valley Car Trial

Event Report

The relatively high valley-shaped site at Hill Farm, Putley Common, offers a variety of natural features and a variation in grip on the opposing hillsides. For this year, we were greeted with a fresh breeze but no sunshine to crisp up the surface, but we wouldn’t want the trial to be too easy, would we?

With the kind co-operation of the organisers, we were grateful for the opportunity to present our Championship Awards before the start of the trial, making for a perfect shop-window for our silverware. We were also grateful that any threatened rain held off, at least while we remained on site.

Clerk of the Course Simon Harris had set out the expected mix of sections, equally split between the 2 hillsides to challenge the event’s 27 starters, of whom 15 were BTRDA members and included Peter Cox (Fabia) looking to acquire points in the Allrounders Championship. Unusually, our Championship contenders were not quite evenly divided amongst the classes on this occasion, there being 5 in Class 1, 3 in Class 2 and 6 in Class 3. Studiously following the printed Final Instructions and after the impromptu drivers’ briefing we made our way to the 2 start hills, which for me was conveniently at hill 1.

No bets were being taken on the likely winner of Class 1 but intriguingly for the 2 drivers who finished the day on equal lowest points in the Class (another tie-break, just like the last trial) over the first round they scored different points on every section. Most unusual! However, it was Henry Kitching (Corsa) who had thrown down the gauntlet with an impressive 25 points, followed by Rupert North (Alto) on 35 and Corsa mounted Gary Morris and Trevor Moffatt both on 39. On the next round Rupert reversed Henry’s fortunes on hill 1, gave a point away on hill 3 (lack of power) but matched Henry on t he other 6 sections. Trevor had mixed results on this round and Gary struggled on some difficult finishes to fall out of contention. I need to consult with Trevor on his diet for lunch, as he fought back in the afternoon to close the gap to a mere 4 points at close of play.

The above-mentioned hill 3 was to play its part in dumping Paul Myatt out of the competition when the Fiat 127’s Achilles’ heel was exposed and the car was consigned to an undignified exit. Local driver Phil Buckle in one of the well-known orange-wheeled Saxos didn’t disappoint with a much anticipated Class 2 win to leave his pal Shane Rowles in another W-K O-W’d Saxo, Peter Hilleard (106D) and Neil Mackay (Ignis) to fight it out for 2nd place. It was close enough with many same-score hills, but Neil was ahead at lunch and kept it that way, delighted to be ahead of Saxo 2. Peter did well and was unlucky to be a single point behind Shane.

Over in Class 3 we had been looking forward to seeing a return of the two Imp masters, but sadly Steve Courts had been unable to fix a gear-selection problem in the week, leaving the focus on Dave Oliver who, with Jenny, had finally emerged from a Covid-enforced absence. But how would he fair against the front-engined Duttons, Lieges and Marlins? Mark Hoppe (Dutton) was in the groove from the off with a first round tally of 6, Dave on 8, Barrie Parker (Liege) on 10 with John Charles (Liege) and Kevin Roberts (Dutton) both on 16. At the lunch break Dave had levelled with Mark, Barrie sat ready to pounce from 4 behind and the other guys fell back somewhat. Mark regained his initial 2 point lead over round 3 but wily Dave nailed a win and indeed 1st overall with a brilliant round 4 score of 1.

Another tough day out in Herefordshire, great trial and no rain to hamper our exit from the site. Just some invisible “debris” on the M5 northbound to slow my return journey home.

NM