Bill Bennett Best Car.
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Bill Bennett picks his way through the rocks at the Dob Park
Watersplash on his way to winning The Ilkley Trial (Picture by Dave
Cook) |
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The Ilkley Club were lucky
with the weather. It was a nice early summer day for the event, but wet
weather during the week spiced the sections up a bit. Bill Bennett was a
decisive winner, dropping only two marks after the second slippery PCT
section. The higher classes had some extra challenges, including an
"impossible" section at Peel's Wood. However, even without these Bill
would still have won.
The competitors all enjoyed
this unique event which, incorporating a lot of grassy sections, PCT
marking and stopping to have score cards marked on each section, falls
somewhere between a conventional Classic and a Production Car Trial.
The Start
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The Start and Finish were at Ilkley Rugby Club
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Skodas of the World
Unite! Nigel Jones and Ted Holloway discuss strategy.
(Picture by David Hunt).
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The grounds of Ilkley Rugby Club provided ample room
for parking and formalities although one wondered if the club
should have been there as the burglar alarm was in full song for quite a
while!
Carr Side
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Two adjacent PCT style
sections on Grass
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Nigel Jones got to the summit of Carr Side One but fell foul of the
PCT marking when he clipped the seven marker.
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Falcon's
Nicolas Cross in his Marlin (Pictures from
The Ilkley Trial Website)
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The
first two section sections were pure PCT affairs in a grassy field and any
doubts if there were penalties for hitting the markers were dismissed when
Nigel Jones was penalised for brushing the seven marker on the first one.
This was cleanable though, with a gentle foot, and about half the entry
managed this. The second section was similar in nature but a sharp right
hander got the diffs working and John Rhodes was the only car to go clean.
No other car got further than the six. Bill Bennett dropped nine here in
his MG J2, his biggest loss as he was to drop only two more during the
rest of the event.
Browns Wood
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Short Classic Track with a restart on a sharp LH
corner.
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This super little section had a restart on a sharp left hand corner. You
had to get going of the start line first though and two didn't, including
Boyd Webster from the organising club who couldn't coax his Canon away,
dropping 12 marks that would hand the class award to Dean Partington at
the finish.
Dob Park Watersplash
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A short distance down the lane
from Browns Wood traditional section has been used since the early
part of the previous century and is pictured in the Ilkley Clubs book
"So this is Yorkshire"
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Wendy Wood tackling the
water with the respect it deserves, setting one of the fastest times,
although the idea was to go slow! (Picture by Dave Cook)
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You get the feeling that
John Grainger isn't going to tackle the section with the same
enthusiasm! (Picture by Keith Oakes)
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There were quite a few unique aspects to The Ilkley and the special tests
were one of them. You had to go as slowly as possible, incurring a fail for
stopping. Times ranged from 6.3 seconds to the 53.9 of John Rhodes.
Sword Point 1, 2 and 3
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These first two of these three
adjacent sections were grassy PCT type affairs. The third was a a
muddy weave through a wood with a fearsome bump near the summit.
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Ted Holloway and Jim
Walsh in the queue.
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Ted attacking the muddy
section.
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The two
grassy PCT sections required a very delicate foot on the throttle,
especially the second one where the higher classes had a more difficult
alternative start, they were possible though, unless you were in a front
wheel drive car! The third one was completely different in nature, a
muddy, bumpy blast through the trees and there were only three cars, all
in class eight got to the top.
There were a
couple of retirements here, neither Richard Parker (Austin Seven) or Derek
Reynolds (DAF 66) going any further.
Fewston
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Two sections on Private
Land. The first was a grassy PCT section with a
difficult alternative start for the yellows and reds. The second
started on grass, again with a more difficult alternative for the
higher classes ascending a rocky track.
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Robert Issacs storming
Fewston 1 (picture by David Hunt)
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Richard Peck was the
first car to tackle the grassy higher class approach to Fewston 2 and
didn't have enough speed when he came to the rocky bit.
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Both of
these sections severely penalised the higher classes and only three cars
reached the summit of Fewston 2, these included Dudley Sterry who achieved
notoriety the previous year when he nearly went sideways over the steep
bank.
Peels Wood
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Grassy farm track with a difficult and rather hairy
deviation for the higher classes
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The marshals help John
Rhodes extricate his Dutton Melos after failing the deviation at Peels
Wood. (Picture by Keith Oakes)
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Any hopes anyone in classes six, seven or eight had of beating Bill
Bennett were dashed here. While the lower classes had a gentle poodle up a
gentle grass track the yellows and reds had a horrendous deviation down
into a gulley where they had to assault a steep, slippery grass bank after
which they had to make sure they kept straight while reversing down to
make sure they didn't turn over!
Looking
through the results only Falcons Ed Nikel (Dellow Mk2 Replica) conquered
the bank and even he dropped three.
Hey Slack
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PCT style section on Moorland
adjacent to the rest halt. Yellows and Reds had a deviation through
some mud.
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Barry
Clarke directing Dudley Sterry though the bog the higher classes had
to divert through. (Picture by Dave Cook)
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Having successfully negotiated the bog Steve Lister pilots his Dellow
Mk1 through the markers at the summit (Picture by Dave Cook).
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The final
section of the morning was on Moorland on top of a hill that would have
been very windy had the wind been blowing. Inspection was permitted and
the higher classes could see they had to fight their way through a bog
before tackling a steep bank. The lower classes skipped the bog but
everyone had to start by going over a steep bump where you could ground
out if you weren't careful and this is what happened to Falcon's Nicolas
Cross, Ted Holloway and Michael Leete. The club had moved their chuck
wagon giving those who weren't running late a chance to grab a bite to
eat.
Wilsons Wood
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Clean Grassy Track. Hairpin left
followed by a straight climb with a hard to spot deviation.
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Jim
Walsh approaching the top. Unfortunately like a lot of others he
failed to spot the PCT deviation, he should have been to the right of
the marker.
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After the lunch break the route passed the mushroom
globes at Mentwith Hill Station, complete with machine gun totting police
at the gate. Wilsons Wood was off quite a busy road. The section was a
grassy track, starting with a couple of sharp corners then a gentle climb.
Unfortunately there was a big snag in so much as the official route
deviated off the left to run through the undergrowth parallel to the
track. This caught out nearly half the entry who followed the track
itself.
Brimham Lodge 1 & 2
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The first section was a grassy
track, starting with a gentle gradient but getting steeper after a 90
left with a really steep bit at the top. The second was a "go slowly"
special test on a muddy farm track.
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The farmers tractor is
called into action to recover a Class 2 competitor
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Jim Walsh
stormed the fast part of the section and was only defeated by the
final rise, failing at the one marker
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The special
test was another "go slow" affair through a puddle. The section was a nice
challenge however, making excellent use of the venue and ending with a
steep bank as a sting in the tail. The results show three of the FWD cars
clearing the section which is surprising as most of the other cars in the
lower classes failed apart from the on-form Bill Bennett.
Incline 1 and 2
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Incline 1 was a grassy track
between stone walls. Incline 2 was only attempted by the Higher
Classes.
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Class 3 winner Nigel
Hilling proceeding gently up the lower slopes of Incline 1
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John Rhodes and Brian
Colman approaching the mud on Incline 1 (Picture by
Keith Oakes)
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The club had some PR problems here and some of the
later runners were delayed for half and hour while the officials sorted
out some irate locals. Once that drama was over there was a shallow
deceptively slippery grass track between stone walls too climb. No problem
if you were gentle on the throttle but if you gave it to much welly
and the wheels started to spin there was no hope, as Ted Holloway, Michael
Leete and a few others discovered.
Incline 2 came shortly after and was attempted only
by the higher classes with quite a few making clean climbs this year.
For many
Watergate was the best hill of the event, a real classic section. There
was a ford at the start and it needed plenty of welly to climb the stony
bank the other side. After this the track got a bit rocky and ground
clearance became an issue, defeating the Skodas of Ted Holloway, Nigel
Jones and Myke Pocock.
Cock Hill Mine
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Stony Track with a hard to spot deviation between
the marker posts.
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Like Wilsons Wood there was trap if you didn't look out
carefully for the markers half the cars missed the "gate" at the nine
marker, including Ilkley member and well know rally driver Tony Fall who
was driving a Nissan Micra and appeared to be enjoying every minute of it
judged by the smile on his face.
Tony wasn't the only one to miss the nine marker as
class eight contenders Dean Partington and Dudley Sterry did the same
thing. Nigel Jones ended his trial here. Nigel and David Hunt had been
struggling with the clutch on their Skoda for sometime and having used up
all the adjustment decided to call it a day.
Strid Wood 1 & 2
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Two sections laid out in a field with a peaty
surface.
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Ed and Steve Nikel
conquering the peaty gully on Strid Wood 1
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Richard Peck turns off
the track to weave between the markers on Strid Wood 2
(that's the Strid Wood 1 gully in the background)
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Strid Wood 1 was a nice friendly
little affair but Strid Wood 2 was pure PCT and required considerable
agility from car and driver. It was certainly a problem for long wheel
base cars and Keith Oakes and Dudley Sterry dropped marks here.
Hawpike 1 & 2
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The first section was pure PCT in a grass field,
the second a grassy route through the trees following natural
features.
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John Rhodes trickling
Brian Colman's Dutton Phaeton though the markers on Hawpike 1 to take
the Class Seven win.
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Some friendly walkers
watch Stephen Kenny trickle through the trees on Hawpike 2.
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Hawpike 1 was another pure PCT
section. There wasn't much space between the markers and the marshals were
watching out for the slightest touch, even penalising Bill Bennett for his
only lost mark of the afternoon.
High Field Farm
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Special Test on a grassy bank
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The final competitive section was
a very strange affair. Another "go slow" special test on a grassy bank.
The problem was that the marshals didn't impose the "four wheels out" rule
so some cars deviated a long way off route without penalty. John Rhodes
had the longest time of 167 seconds but somehow incurred a six point
penalty, although he was sufficiently in front of Stephen Kenny to keep
his class lead.
The Finish
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Ilkley Rugby Club
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Back at the finish their was an excellent pie and
peas supper to entertain competitors while they waited for the results
which showed Bill Bennett a conclusive winner. Everyone seemed to enjoy
their Ilkley Trial. Its different to its southern counterparts but accept
it for what it is and its a super day out, not just for the sections but
the route through the Yorkshire countryside as well. It's a nice time of
year to hold the event as well as the club would have had problems with
all the grassy sections in the winter.
RESULTS FOR 2007 ILKLEY TRIAL
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Best Overall |
Bill Bennett (MGJ2) - Class 2 |
11 |
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Best IDMC |
Boyd Webster (Cannon) - Class 8 |
36 |
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Class Winners |
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1 |
Nick Pullen (Nissan Micra) |
60 |
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2 |
Don Griffiths (Austin 7) |
33 |
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3 |
Nigel Hilling (Ford Pop) |
64 |
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4 |
Jim Welsh (VW Beetle) |
25 |
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5 |
John Bradshaw (Morgan 4/4) |
63 |
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7 |
John Rhodes (Dutton Phaeton) |
29 |
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8 |
Dean
Partington (D. P. Wasp) |
25 |
Page added 11 June 2007 and updated 12 June 2007
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