By Barry Lindsay

Only a week after Grizedale this year due to resurfacing on Croft the Christmas stages were brought forward (and the Jack Frost has moved back to February).

Several Spadeadam crews were at the event and as always, the weather added its Christmas sparkle, this year in the form of ‘Ice rain’ the day before. Getting to the event proved challenging with Stainmore closed some had to travel via Newcastle.

Image © Martyn Petry

After a week of getting the 106 ready, by swapping dated items such as seats, belts, fire systems from the gravel 206 to the tarmac 106 Caroline & I were seeded at 12 out of the 90 crews tacking part. Barrie Thomson & Jerry Hettrick were at 29 in an Evo9. Nigel & Helen Harkness were at 82 in the Corsa followed by Darren Martin & Martin Steele at 90 in an Escort Cosworth. Continue reading →

By Barry Lindsay

Grizedale has been the final forest rally of the year for many a season for local drivers. A lot of memories amongst most drivers of the forest of 1000 corners. Caroline and I took part this year despite having already won the ANECCC championship of which this was the final round. Caroline’s local event from before she left her home town. Whilst I have memories from my first year in 1993 in a Sunbeam, then my first class win on a rally in 1998. Things have moved forward a lot in 20 years from when I competed in a Peugeot 205 1600, that year was extremely icy, and we finished 11^th O/A.

Back to 2018, the top twenty were almost all 4×4’s and the weather wet. Phil Jobson & Mark Casey were seeded at 29 in ‘Snowy’ the Mk1 Escort after its summer break since the Pirelli while Phil took to tarmac events in his Mk2. Caroline & I were in the 206 seeded at 31. Darren Martin & Pete Johnson were back at 67 this time using a Mk2 Escort. Rob Graham & Helen Harkness were at 70 in the immaculate Mk1.

Image © Ashleigh Blunt

Following the ceremonial start in Coniston crews entered the forest half way down the water side. The stage then worked its way around in the forest heading south then north, west then east more north, then west. The result was a stage 17 miles in length and used most roads in the complex!

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By Allan Cathers

I was due to go across to the Isle of Man in September to co-drive for my old friend David Mylchreest in his 1963 MG B, unfortunately Rally Isle of Man had to be cancelled.  We immediately decided to enter the Pokerstars Rally which would run on the 9th and 10th of November. Although it doesn’t really have a proper Historic class, we entered anyway to compete in the same class as Classic Mk 1 and Mk 2 Escorts and an Avenger Tiger. Reminds me of competing with Colin Rowntree on 12 cars in his Tiger lookalike in the mid 1970s!

Having competed many times on the Island with David, I was able to produce a set of descriptive pace notes for the six separate stages, to use for the reconnaissance. With the information supplied by the organisers I was also able to factor in the chicanes and artificial tightened junctions, of which there were many.
Wednesday 7th I headed for Heysham and the 4 hour sail on the Benn-my-Cree. On board I bumped into Stuart Egglestone and Brian Hodgson also going to the rally, we had good crack going over and the journey really flew.

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By Barry Lindsay

With the SG Petch Championship sown up the week before Caroline & myself were still to make the start of the Malton Rally. The car was prepared ready before Cheviot and the entry was in and paid weeks before. Malton stages despite being very similar each year I’m not really getting to know them. Only when were committed to a corner that I realize Oh its that bit! However, this year has pretty much been a year of concentrating on the notes and doing what I’m told.

Leaving Carlisle at 4am to head over to Thornton le dale for scrutineering at 7, drivers briefing at 8 then start the event just before 9.

With all the pre-event checks done. Our service crew Jonathan & Kenton doing chase with Michael in main service which would be visited 3 times at Addistone Field. Continue reading →

By Barry Lindsay

This event had followed a summer break in the SG Petch ANECCC championship. Caroline and I had done the Pendragon a non-counting round to check the 106 was straight following its rejig after the last visit to Otterburn. So, with championship in mind I had worked out that between the next three rounds I needed an average finish on one, but Caroline needed two good scores if the opposition won his class on the remaining three. However, when I said to Caroline we need to finish this one she replied ‘yes but were still going to push on aren’t we!’ In my head I thought we might be 4^th in class as it was a really strong class entry. Phil Jobson & Jerry Hettrick had entered in the tarmac Escort to see if the electrical problem was sorted before the bad weather sets in.

To the event the Saturday recce we altered more notes than normal adding bumps, holes and corners we could cut but the route was the same roads as Tyneside so majority of the opposition had done them in the summer. Continue reading →

By Allan Cathers

Rory and I got back from Morzine in the French Alps on 10th September where we competed in the Rallye Mont Blanc -Morzine 2018 in our Scottish Christmas Tree’s backed Ford Fiesta R5 run by Dom Buckley RSC. The Rally is part of the French Championship and had a good entry of 180 modern cars and 60 classic cars. There were about 28 x R5 cars and 2 x WRC cars which meant it would be a hard-fought Rally. Rory and I were seeded at No. 30 and the event was 240 Kms spread over 14 Stages around Morzine, Samoëns and the surrounding area.

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By Barry Lindsay

Getting to the start of this event was a race against time as the 106’s disastrous year continued. Following needing a complete side and rear suspension following the gatepost indiscretion on the April Warcop. The Tyneside was short lived. A bump on a cattle grid on a quick corner saw the 106 rear pitched into the air and landed on the loose road edge then grass and saw the 106 head first into a bank then spinning down the road. Coming to rest on what was left of the suspension and only two wheels blocking the road.  With only three weeks to the Pendragon could it be repaired? Oh, and the club’s Blue Streak to help organise which would remove one of the two weekends.

The stripping started as soon as the car was dragged off the trailer into its garage. Early diagnosis was I should withdraw the entry. Both chassis legs had moved, boot floor was twisted, and the floor and tunnel had moved where the seats were mounted. Then there was the bolt on stuff Bumpers that the paint was hardly dry on! Trims, radiator, panels, lights, complete rear suspension the list went on and on. Continue reading →