Classical Gas
www.classictrials.co.uk
June 2004 Part 1
Falcon's Spring Fever Autotest
Arnold Lane set FT at Falcon’s season opening autotest but it was far from a forgone conclusion. Richard Tompkins was leading at lunchtime and if it wasn’t for a disastrous test immediately afterwards could have taken the win. It was very much a Lane occasion with Rachel winning the production car class and Andrea was Clerk of the Course.
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Arnold at full Chat on his way to FTD
Bob Tatum had an excellent day in his Fiat Panda
David Manning sported in new shell for this years autotest campaign.
Keith Pettit bought along a roof for his first autotest of the season.
Laura Dudley shared Andews Escort.
Mark Ibbotson and Simon Benoy with their Imp.
Martin Cheshire set some good times early in the event.
Richard Tomkins came close to an overall win.
Simon Robson started slowly but stomed through to finish third at close of play.
Keith's A35 worked very hard with Jonny and Danny Tovey driving it as well as Keith.
Organisers Andrea Lane and Mike Hayward attracted eighteen entries for the Spring Fever Autotest in the meadow behind Neil Bray’s house at Upper Caldecote. There were a couple of notable absentees. Simon Groves non-started his Metro as he was home fixing the engine of his trials Escort so he could compete in the Ilkley Trial the following week. We were missing our host as well as Neil was entertaining at a family birthday party.
Arnold Lane started the day with fastest time in his familiar Mini, nearly a second faster than Richard Tompkins in his very smart yellow Imp. Third quickest was David Manning his Mini. This was an un-familiar colour as David’s old shell had finally fallen victim to the dreaded tin worm so David had transferred the engine and best of the mechanicals into a new shell.
The second test saw Richard Tompkins quickest and into the lead of the event with Bob Tatum just behind after an excellent time in his familiar Panda. This test must have really suited Fiat’s, as Bob’s co-driver Mark Lines was fourth quickest here. A familiar name was fasted on the third test but in an unfamiliar car. Keith Pettit had forsaken his familiar Sprite for his tin top A35 so that Jonny and Danny Tovey could share the car in the Production class. Keith actually built this car for classic trialling but has only used it on the hills one, the occasion when the prop shaft broke and dug in on Bamford Clough!
The last test before lunch saw the fourth fastest driver and this time it was David Manning. Richard Tompkins second fastest time saw him go to the break just over a second quicker than Arnold who was followed by David Manning and Simon Robson.
In the production class Laura Dudley had a real battle with Rachel Lane for the first three tests but then Rachel had a storming fourth test, setting a time some eight seconds quicker than Laura, putting her into a lead she was not relinquish for the rest of the day.
Not to be outdone her Dad flew round the first test after lunch to set fastest time, establishing an overall lead after Richard set a particularly slow time. Although Richard fought back with some fats times it wasn’t enough and Arnold retained his position for the rest of the day to set FTD.
Simon Robson had been creeping up the leader board to finish third overall ahead of David Manning, Bob Tatum and Roger Dudley.
Click here for Results and Analysis in PDF
