Author: Spadeadam Motor Club

EVMC Westmorland 12 Car – February 2013

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Pete Johnson

The Westmorland Road Rally is etched into the history of Eden Valley Motor Club and its absence from the 2012 calendar had played heavy on the minds of a number of club members.  But who would be brave enough to take the helm, carrying the weight of expectation that comes from taking on the organising role of an event with such a high reputation.  Whispers were a former organiser was up to the challenge.   Like Starsky and Hutch, Dan would inevitably need a Pete to complete the organising Team.  As is the case with a lot of Dan’s schemes I was involved before I even realised it.  We initially agreed we were simply organising the February 12 car but we felt it was time to revive the Westmorland at the same time killing two birds with one stone.  Jerry Hetrick can take the credit for being the first to successfully run a Saturday night twelve car and with the ok from the route liaison officer and a permit from the MSA the wheels were in motion for us to follow a similar format.  In the past we have always tried to use every inch of mileage we were allowed to usually around 75miles but this time we were given permission to run 100 miles. Continue reading →

“Tyred Topics” – 20Years On – ­April 1993 edition.

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Barry Lindsay

Tyred Topics was A4 size back then with a B&W picture of Markku Alen on the cover (from the RAC which had been in Kershop months before). Editor was myself and it had been printed on a dot-matrix printer before photo copying on the SMC’s photocopier.

Reports included:

Spadeadam had run the Kershope Stage on the Lakeland Stages with Michael Lindsay being Stage Commander and SMC had manned the whole stage. Raymond Munro won the event from Dougie Watson Clark. Members competing were Phil Jobson  in his Mk2 and Colin Richardson was in the RRS Corolla. After setting up and dismantling the stage I had commented I wanted  Escort Cos running gear and a quick rack in the Transit Pickup….. That never happened if your still wondering! Continue reading →

Spring Autotest – 10th of March 2013

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Barry Lindsay

Longtown Spring Auction Autotest wasn’t very spring like, with flurries of snow in air and an arctic wind blowing over the car park.

Two test sites were set up and tarmac area and a loose area. Michael Lindsay & Caroline Lodge marshalled Tests 1 & 2 on the tarmac area while Ian Robinson marshalled the loose area tests 3 & 4.  15 Drivers lined up for the 10 tests that lay ahead. Barry lead the event off but was to be on a back foot from the off by clipping a cone. Newcomer Jon Stynes was quickest with 1m01 ahead of John on 1m06 then another newcomer Danny Little with 1m07.

On the re-run Barry fought back with 58sec ahead of Andrew with 59sec then Nigel on 1m08.

On the gravel test Danny showed his speed getting 1m05 in his lowered Saxo. Jon got 1m09 with the mini followed by Andrew, Nigel & George on 1m10. Wrong routes for John, Eric & Mike dropped them back.

Danny Little

On the re-run Jon & Barry tied at the top with 1m07 ahead John & Neil V with 1m09. This test also saw the retirement of Neil T & Kenton who had a brake pipe burst.

Kenton Pattinson

Positions after Test 4

1  Barry Lindsay         4m27                    8  Kieron Stynes     5m15

2  Andrew Graham    4m30                    9  Danny Little       5m16

3  Nigel Harkness       4m39                    10 Helen Gibbon   5m30

4  Jon Stynes               4m42                   11 Mike Hebson       5m32

5  John Ross                4m58                   12 Pete Johnson      5m38

6  Neil Varah               5m00                   13 Eric Ritchie         6m10

7  George Edminson  5m04

Continue reading →

Eden Valley MC 12 Car – A Run Round Westmorland

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Nigel Harkness

Back in early February, Helen had one her “good ideas”, Eden Valley MC were running a 99 mile 12 car.  The words “Fun” and “Challenging” were used. It would also be a chance to drive some unfamiliar roads, so no guessing where the route might head. There was also the consideration that we could get lost without anyone else knowing about it!

 An entry was secured and with entries in high deamand, we were committed to doing it. A few days before, I located the appropriate maps (no running around trying to find them the afternoon of the event). Cleaned the car, removed the junk from the boot, tied everything else down. We were ready. Continue reading →

Roger Albert Clark Rally 2012

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Phil Jobson

It’s been a quiet Stage Rallying year for me, so I thought I would treat myself to a crack at the full RAC. It seemed that every map reading nav in SMC was either already committed to another team, or wasn’t available for other reasons. So a quick call to Chris Sheridan who’d accompanied me on the Countdown secured a competing crew. Richard Clark & Squirt (Joe 90 or James McWhir) know Snowy inside out & were agreeable to service for us.

The plan had been to service with only a newly acquired Mitsubishi Pajero 2800 (dubbed ‘Chevy’, as in Chase), but it soon became apparent when formulating the service plan that a van was going to be necessary, at least to move tyres around. Barrie Thomson obliged, but also offered his Transit too. We’re grateful to Barrie who turned out to be indispensable.

 The journey to Pickering was uneventful other than a slight engine temp increase in Chevy causing us to switch trailer to Barrie’s Transit halfway up Stainmoor. Continue reading →

Rally Results (January 2013)

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

Christmas Stages saw Barry & Michael Lindsay finish 7th Overall and a class win. Geoffrey Harkness & Caroline Lodge were 45th Overall (10th in class).

Jack Frost Stages saw Barry & Michael Lindsay finish 8th Overall and 2nd in class. Geoffrey Harkness & Caroline Lodge retired with a ball joint failure.

 

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

AWARDS NIGHT 2013

Thursday 7th March

Skitby, Smithfield

8.30pm

The evenings entertainment will include a raffle, free buffet and the presentation of awards.

Dress code: Smart Casual

Award winners

Dan Haynes                                              Pete Johnson

Johnny Brass                                            Tom Wilcox

Caroline Jobson                                         David Love

Mark Taylor                                              Neil Varah

         Zach Varah                                               Jonathan Lodge

       John Ross                                                Ashley Thomson

   Rory Young                                              Allan Cathers

     Peter Taylor                                             Caroline Lodge

    Richard Thomson                                   Barry Lindsay

         Neil Thomlinson                                     Michael Lindsay

 

Christmas Stages (29th of December 2012)

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Barry Lindsay

The Xmas stages is a popular event run on Croft racetrack between Xmas & New Year. 80 Entries for the event on the tarmac track and thankfully no snow but it was wet and cold.

The first round of the 2013 North of England Championship saw us seeded at 11 behind last year’s NE champion Paul Swift. Geoffrey Harkness & Caroline Lodge were at 68. Continue reading →

Autosport International Show 2013

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Richard Thomson

So, where can you see live motorsport in the UK in January? The Jack Frost Stages, I hear you cry? Well yes, but I was thinking of somewhere where you didn’t have to contend with the wind/rain/sleet/snow/sun, (Not very likely this last one!!), whilst spectating. In fact, I was thinking of the Autosport International Show at the NEC near Birmingham

It had been a few years since my last visit, and this year I decided to take along my two and a half year old, car mad, son Stewart for the first time. Having let the train take the strain we arrived at the NEC at lunchtime. If you have never been to the show before, the thing that will amaze you is just how much there is to see. In fact you could probably spend the whole weekend there, and still not see everything! We only had 4 hours, and that included an hour or so in the Live Action Arena. Among the static exhibits were several cars from last year’s Roger Albert Clark Rally. These included the Bikini Porsche, which still had the chunk missing from its front bumper, sustained on the Saturday of the event from memory. Stewart amused himself by spotting several examples of Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, but was particularly impressed by the mock-up of the Bloodhound land speed record car. My personal favourite was a choice between a collection of Group C Lancia sportscars, a red and white Porsche 917, and a Top Fuel dragster. Continue reading →

Pirelli Richard Burns Foundation Rally 2013 Update

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By David Love

So what do I know!  In my last scribblings about this years rally I said we were keeping International in the name, which at that time we were, but things constantly change in the run up to the event.  We along with Pirelli are honoured to be associated with Richard Burns name and are pleased to be in a position to help promote the work of the Foundation.  I was amazed to discover that it was 20 years ago that Richard won the Pirelli and then I was depressed to realise that I started marshalling on the event 10 years before that.  No Geoffrey! There wasn’t a man with a red flag walking in front of the cars. Continue reading →