Author: Spadeadam Motor Club

Spring Autotest 2011

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Barry Lindsay

The first Spadeadam Autotest of 2011 was held on a stubble field at Longpark ,Scaleby on Sunday 15th. Ten competitors lined up for 5 different tests and with two goes at each. The three club cars had been brought back from there hibernation for the winter, a little work by myself, Neil & Joe Thomlinson and Ian Robinson in the week running up to it.

With the tests set-up on the Saturday afternoon the field was quite hard and dry, and Neil set about cutting down the Thistles which had thrived over the winter, some were 2ft high hiding the cones!!

The day of the autotest was wet but thankfully faired up as we arrived but left the top of the surface very slippy and clarty.

The first test Jerry was quickest with 1m 34 with Nigel next nearest on 1m 41 closely followed by Barry, Neil V & John on 1m 42. Test two was a repeat and for the later runners got slippier, Jerry again quickest but slower with 1m 40. John only 1 second slower and Barry another second further back.

Jerry Hettrick
Jerry Hettrick

Continue reading →

Who’s That? #4

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

Time for the SMC 2010 number 7 driver..

Phil Jobson

What car do you rally ?

‘Snowy’ a Ford Escort Mark 2 stage rally car fitted with 1600cc Rover K series engine‘. It’s been in the family ( so to speak) since I acquired it from Neil Routledge in 1987. Then it was fitted with an all steel crossflow 1600cc producing around 122bhp. Modern engines have progressed so much that the current engine produces nearly 200bhp and possesses much more favourable driving characteristics. It’s just a shame that the potential of the driver has progressed equally in the opposite direction!

I also rally ‘Silver bullet’, a road rally spec mark 2 Escort, fitted with a 1600cc crossflow. I bought it as a 4 door left hand drive from the brother of Richard Hill (he of Evo and Historic fame) he later asked if he could buy it back!

How long have you been rallying and what was your first event?

I started in 12 car events driving as Mark 1 Escort, navigated by Ian Robinson – who will remember being stranded in the middle of a hedge at a square left just outside Little Orton with ½ a tree protruding through the footwell.

My first stage event was competing against Colin McRae ( well his name was on the entry list to). On the Fellside stages in West Cumbria. My navigator was Billy Murray from Brampton, we had loads of problems including a leaking fuel tank, culminating in a roll leaving us upside downacross a farm track near Pica. Isn’t it funny how you remember every detail of where your rally ended!

Phil Jobson & Chris Hunter - Scottish Rally

Phil Jobson & Chris Hunter - Scottish Rally

Continue reading →

Rally Results (April 2011)

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

Legend Weeton Camp saw Keith Taylor finished 2nd Overall in the Border Caravan
Subaru Impreza. Nigel Hepburn / Fiona Gourlay took his 1600 Peugeot 206 to 22nd O/A
(6th in class). Peter Taylor took the recently acquired Clio to Ireland for the Monaghan
Stages finishing 54th Overall and winning his class. Ingliston saw Barry & Michael
Lindsay finished 3rd Overall (1st in class), Geoffrey Harkness & Caroline Lodge were 18th
O/A (4th in class) & (first lady). Nigel Hepburn & Fiona Gourlay were 38th OA (8th in
class), Richard Clark & James McWhir were 39th O/A (5th in class) after loosing 2 min
on the grass almost at the finish. Barrie Thomson & Jerry Hettrick retired with a
misfire.

Who’s That? #3

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

We are now on to our number 8 driver of 2010

Nigel Hepburn

What car do you rally ?
Peugeot 206
How long have you been rallying ?
I have driven for about 6 years – I used to navigate in the eighties.
What’s your Best result ?
Won my class on the Jim Clark in 1400cc Puma in 2006
What is your favourite car?
My favourite rally car is 1600 Puma Kit Car but my favourite road car is
Porche 911 996

Nigel Hepburn & Fiona Gourlay

Nigel Hepburn & Fiona Gourlay

Who is Your Favourite Driver ?
Colin McRae
What is your Dream Rally and why ?
Rally Barbados, it looks like a very good rally and it has good weather.
Any Plans for 2011?
Prom Stages, 3 of 3 Sisters, 2 Weeton, Pendragon

(Photos © B. Lindsay / Spadeadam Motor Club)

Ingliston (23rd of April 2011)

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Barry Lindsay

Dunfermline CC organised the fourth round on the North of England tarmac championship on the old Ingliston Racetrack now the Highland show ground. A damp morning welcomed five Spadeadam crews to the event. The first stage still damp but with drizzle I opted for Intermediates on the rear and slicks on the front knowing the abrasiveness of the track it would eat front tyres. 11th fastest was a steady setoff with 8m 36. Barrie Thomson & Jerry Hettrick running intermediates got 8m 55, just 2 seconds behind was the Slick shod Corsa of Geoffrey Harkness & Caroline Lodge with 8m 57 and they had passed on stage the 206 of Nigel Hepburn & Fiona Gourlay who got 9m46. Richard Clark & James McWhir in the 205 getting 9m 45.

Stage 2 was a repeat and the weather wasn’t drying up. We pushed a bit more getting 8m 27 which moved us to 3rd in class. Geoffrey & Caroline lost time finding it slippier getting 9m08. Richard & James also improved to 9m 32. Nigel & Fiona dropped a bit with 9m 57. Barrie & Jerry got a maximum for missing the split but basically were passed by the class leader Chris Greaves on his second lap and Barrie followed him the wrong way at the split.

Richard Clark & James McWhir

Richard Clark & James McWhir

Continue reading →

Rally Results (March 2011)

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

The Malcolm Wilson Rally kicked off a busy month for Spadeadam members. Peter Taylor started his season off with 49th OA (3rd in class), Caroline Lodge navigated Dave Edwards in his Astra to 58th OA (4th in class), Phil & Caroline Jobson finished 62nd OA (5th in class) following being late at MTC. Epynt followed for Peter finishing 29th (1st in class). Border Counties saw Peter Taylor’s good form continue with 28th Overall and winning his class. Barry & Michael Lindsay had a gravel outing finishing 37th OA (4th in class). Phil Jobson & Jerry Hettrick retired when the gearbox stuck in 4th gear at the start of SS2. Allan Cathers went OTL during the event. At Three Sisters racetrack Nigel Hepburn & James McWhir finished 27th OA (5th in class).

Who’s That? #2

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

This month we have the driver who came in 9th in the SMC  2010 Rally Championship:-

David Rutherford

What car do you rally ?

Up to now a Vauxhall Nova, which we have developed and are currently building it into a Corsa shell.

How long have you been rallying and what was your  first event ? 

I’ve been into rallying all my life, but driving for 4 years and my first event was the 2007 Autumn Stages at Drumlanrig.

What is your best result?

Probably getting a finish on the 2010 Galloway Hills, but results wise, 26 o/a 4th in class at Halburn 2009,  or 32 o/a 7th in class in the 2009 Galloway Hills.

David Rutherford Hallburn, 2009
David at Hallburn, 2009

Continue reading →

Border Counties Rally Report (March 2011)

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Barry Lindsay

Round 4 of the SG Petch ANECCC championship was the Brick & Steel Border Counties. Based in Jedburgh with a very compact route with four stages totalling 40 plus miles in Wauchope & Keilder forest. Four Spadeadam crews entered the event with upto 1600 cc and historic cars running infront of the main field brought out a lot of 1600 cars. Peter Taylor & Andrew Roughead were seeded at 107 in the Fiesta R2 fresh from his strong performance at Epynt the week before. Phil Jobson & Jerry Hettrick were at 111 in the MKII, Barry & Michael Lindsay, brought the 106 out on a very rare outing into the woods, were seeded 120.

Peter Taylor & Andrew Roughead

Peter Taylor & Andrew Roughead

In the main field Allan Cathers was with Rory Young in the Evo at 17.

Rory Young & Allan Cathers

Rory Young & Allan Cathers

Crews left Jedburgh via the back roads as the A68 was closed that weekend bringing them to Wauchope. Rory & Allan were quickest of the Smc members with 7m 35 (16th fastest overall) Peter & Andrew were the fastest 1600 with 7m 59. Barry & Michael struggled with a wrong rear suspension setting making the backend bounce a lot got 8m 28. Phil & Jerry got 8m57 despite a quick overshoot which saw the MkII temporarily disappear up a slip road. Continue reading →

March 12 Car Report

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Paul Allen

Crews met up at Westlinton layby on the A7 for the March 12 car organised by Barry Lindsay. It was a cold, windy night with the threat of showers but the roads were mostly dry. The first expert clue looked like a list of 3 directions, but it was actually 9 craftily grouped together and they were giving us the direction that we were to depart grid squares. The route took us up around the 1542 battle ground, across the A7 and to 1 mile east of Longtown. TC2 to TC3 was a 4 min section using clock directions which did in fact take 4 mins due to the narrow and twisty lanes used. Continue reading →

Malcolm Wilson Rally (5th of March 2011)

/ Spadeadam Motor Club

By Caroline Lodge

Late last year team ‘Mull Daves’ decided to have a crack at the Grizedale stages, unfortunately, but rightly, the event was cancelled so we focused our efforts on a run on the Malcolm Wilson Rally.

Dave has never done this event before and it’s a while since he last competed on a forest event, but we got our entry in and plans got under-way. It would be interesting to see how the Grizedale roads were after having a ‘year off’.

Other SMC members out were, Phil & Caroline Jobson and Peter Taylor with Paul Hughes in the navigators seat.

Peter Taylor & Paul Hughes
Peter Taylor & Paul Hughes

Continue reading →