RALLY ROUND NEWS - December 2015

RALLY ROUND NEWS - December 2015 After three weeks of epic driving and unforgettable sights and encounters, all the Thunder Dragon Rally participants have now safely returned home. Whilst the experience will live with them for a lifetime, there is still time to catch up with their adventures to experience the unparalleled routes and cultural highlights and view the photos and videos in the Rally Round and participants' blogs.  If these reports and pictures have sparked your interest in our Driving Adventures, download your brochure from our website, email us or give us a call. We will happily give you further information or send you a brochure and look forward to hearing from you. 2016 Haka Classic Rally With more entries for the Haka Classic Rally in New Zealand reaching Rally Round HQ, the organisational efforts for this competitive 3-week rally in November 2016 are at an all-time high.     We have carefully selected some of New Zealand's top hotels and our Route Designer Rhys Nolan has used the Monit Rally G-200 to recce the route. He is currently putting together the comprehensive road book including spectacular drives and competition, some of which are on untarmacked surfaces. Meanwhile, the UK team are busy organising additional attractions and events which have become the trademark of Rally Round and make our Classic Driving Adventures appealing on all levels to create a truly unforgettable experience.    One of the memorable rally routes on New Zealand's South Island will include the "Forgotten World Highway", famed as the No. 1 scenic drive in New Zealandand among the top 10 driving routes in the world. It spans 150 km between Taumarunaui and Stratford, winds over mountain saddles and through the Moki tunnel. This stunning scenic road is mostly sealed and features numerous lookouts and panoramic views of Mt Taranaki, Mt Ruapehu, Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe. Other highlights awaiting our rally crews include Mt Damper Falls and the tiny settlement of Whangamomona, which celebrates its independence every 2nd January with thousands of people flooding there to partake in traditional sheep racing, gumboot throwing, whip cracking and possum skinning. Perhaps it is a good thing that we will be there in November, instead.   In order to offer as many crews as possible the opportunity to take part in our amazing New Zealand Driving Adventure, we have partnered up with Hooters Vintage & Classic Car Hire in Napier. Hooters offer a self-drive hire option of their stunning vintage and classic car fleet, including a 1927 Buick Master Six Tourer, a 1930 Oldsmobile Model F, a 1937 Dodge D5 and 1953 Citroen Big 15. To find out more, visit the Hooters website or contact the Rally Round office. There are still spaces available to join us on the Haka Classic Rally from 30 October to 25 November 2016 and we would be delighted to receive your completed entry form. If you would like more information, simply download the brochure from the 2016 Haka Classic page of the Rally Round website. Alternatively you may send an email to the Rally Round office requesting your complimentary brochure or telephone us on +44 1252 794 100.   Haka Classic Rally - Current Entries   David Berks  /  Barbara Berks  -  1929 Chrysler 75 Karl Schäfer / Stephanie Schäfer - 1934 Rolls Royce 20/25 Jörg Lemberg  /  Petra Lemberg  -  1938 Lagonda LG45 Rapide Georg Lemberg  /  Isabel Peil  -  1960 Porsche Roadster Petr Uhlir  /  Petr Kejdus  -  1967 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 Andeas Pohl  /  Jaqueline Pohl  -  Car TBC Nathalie Pohl  /  Nicola Pohl  -  Car TBC Robert Peil  /  Gabi Peil  -  Car TBC Steven Harris  /  Hayden Burvill  -  Car TBC Justin Gan  /  TBC  -  Car TBC Adrian Shooter  /  Barbara Shooter  -  Car TBC Gerd Bühler  /  Birgit Deymann-Bühler  -  Car TBC John Horton / Jonny Horton - TBC Alastair Caldwell / TBC - TBC 2016 Paris-Vienna Rally We are delighted to announce that Fred Bent's Recce Report for the Paris-Vienna Rally 2016 is now complete and can be accessed and downloaded by clicking on the picture above right. It includes the road types and conditions, detailed route as well as culinary and gastronomical highlights of the rally, such as the stunning start location, the Chateau de Bourron (pictured above right) in Bourron-Marlotte/ Fontainebleau.    The latest confirmed entry for the Paris-Vienna Rally 2016 comes from Thunder Dragon Rally competitor Mark Robinson, whose entry form we were pleased to receive only a week after his return from Bhutan and India, where he took part in Rally Round's unparalleled tour with his co-driver Yvonne Fuller in his 1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30. Of course, Mark is no novice to the rally world - he has already competed on several different continents including the South American Challenge and Paris-Madrid Rally 2014.   Mark's entry takes the field of competitors for the Paris-Vienna Rally 2016 to 42 confirmed entries, with some competitors waiting for confirmation of co-drivers to send in their entry forms. As previously mentioned, there is still time to take part in our Paris-Vienna Competition to win a free entry for this rally worth £ 5,500, which will be drawn at the London Classic Car Show in February 2016. We will also add all current entries into the competition box to give them a chance to win.  As the latest development, we are excited to let you know that competitors of the Paris-Vienna Rally 2016 will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to book a flight in a Zeppelin airship near Lake Constance on day 2 of the rally. Operating out of the largest hangar in Southern Germany, the Zeppelin NT can accommodate up to 12 passengers and flights are offered to the rally crews on a first-come, first-served basis. Flights cost 210 euros per person for 30 minutes or 320 euros for 45 minutes, to be paid to the Rally Round office on confirmation. Further information can be found on the website of the Deutsche Zeppelin Reederei GmbH or from the Rally Round office. To enquire or confirm your interest, please contact us as soon as possible, by 15th January 2016 at the latest.   Those of you who would like to participate but do not have a suitable car ready could participate in a classic or vintage hire car from Classic Averne Vintage Car Hire. Among the  cars on offer are a Mustang, TR4 and an MGA - please see the company website for details.   Please visit our Paris-Vienna page to view or download a brochure and online entry form, email or call us on +44 1252 794 100 for any queries or to order your complimentary copy of the rally brochure and recce report.     Paris-Vienna Rally - Current Entries   Peter Roberts / Colin Beasley - 1905 Bianchi Speedster 50 HP David Royds  /  Natasha Newman  -  1917 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost John Harrison  /  Catherine Harrison  -  1917 La France Roadster Charles Bishop  /  Nellie Bishop  -  1924 Vauxhall 30-98 Mark Seymour  /  Chris Seaton - 1925 Rolls-Royce Silver GhostJeff Robinson  /  Glenda Robinson  -  1926 Dodge Brothers Tourer Albert de Mey  /  Nicolas Leonard  -  1927 Bentley Tourer John Raker  /  Melinda Raker  -  1928 Ford Model A Ken Fraser  /  Jane Fraser  -  1929 Bentley 4 1/2 litre William Brandt  /  Jo Brandt  -  1929 Chrysler 75 Le Mans Harry Jurgens  /  TBC  -  1930 Packard 740 Bob Meijer  /  TBC  -  1931 Bugatti T46 Roland D'Ieteren / Dominique Gasse - 1931 Invicta S Nicholas Phillips  /  Barbara Phillips  -  1932 Alvis Speed 20 Arthur Manners  /  TBC  -  1933 Lagonda M45 T7 Chris Evans  /  Nick Evans  -  1934 Lagonda M45 Simon Mackenzie-Smith  /  Charles Gooch  -  1934 Lagonda M45 Simon Shaw  /  Maria Shaw  -  1934 Bentley 4 1/2 litre Irvine Laidlaw  /  Christine Laidlaw  -  1935 BMW 319 John Burton  /  TBC  -  1935 SS 1 Tourer Melvin Andrews  /  TBC  -  1935 Bentley 3 1/2 litre James Mitchell  /  Anya Jackel  -  1936 MG TA Dougie Lawson /  Kate Lawson -  1936 Lagonda  LG45 DHC Mark Robinson  /  Simon Parfitt - 1936 London Talbot 105 Michael O'Shea  /  Clive Venning  -  1938 SS Jaguar MkIV Andrew Bailey  /  Philippa Spiller  -  Bentley (year and model TBC) Damian Perl  / Maria Perl  -  1955 Mercedes-Benz SL300 Coupe Steven Collins  /  Domonic Rowe - 1958 Jaguar  Pierre Hallet  /  TBC  -  1958 Jaguar Special (model TBC) Peter Holmes  /  Graham Clifton - 1960 Porsche James Fenner  /  Katja Fenner  -  1960 Porsche 356 BTS Jan Woien  /  Jan Erik Hansen  -  1962 Maserati 3500 GT Mike Chilman  /  Sally Chilman - 1964 Austin Healey Mk III Stephen Duckworth  /  Vanessa Duckworth  -  1965 Jaguar Mk2 3.4 Tom Hayes  /  Frank Donagh - 1965 Ford Mustang Michael Eatough  /  Peter Godwin  -  1966 Mercedes-Benz 230S Fintail Petr Uhlir  /  Petr Kejdus  -  1967 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 Rally Michael Kershaw  /  Marlies Kershaw - 1969 MG C GT Andrew Bailey /  Philippa Spiller  -   Bentley (year and model TBC) Gerd Bühler  /  Birgit Deymann-Bühler  -  TBC Tim Wilkinson  /  Julie Wilkinson  -  TBC Alastair Caldwell  /  TBC  -  TBC Return of the Thunder Dragons After some of the "most spectacular driving in the world" during the Thunder Dragon Rally 2015 (in the words of participant Max Stephenson and others), all the crews have now safely returned home. Much praise has been received for the Rally Round team for their vision, professionalism and tireless work and for our shipping partners CARS UK for the exceptional services they provided before, during and after the event. Another big "Thank You" goes to Mark Appleton for his excellent road book, which has been highly praised by the participants.   There is still time to follow the cars' and crews' heroic exploits and breathtaking experiences, enjoy the participants' blogs, photos, videos and stories to share their unforgettable and once-in-a-lifetime Driving Adventure to the Kingdom of Happiness on the Rally Round website and on Facebook.   Thunder Dragon Rally Competitors Max Stephenson / Julie Stephenson  (AUS)  -  1923 Vauxhall 23/60 Bill Bolsover / Biddy Bolsover  (GBR)  -  1927 Bentley 3/8-litre Chris Lunn / Nicola Lunn  (GBR)  -  1929 Bentley 4.5-litre Le Mans Sir Gerry Acher / Lady Joyce Acher  (GBR)  -  1931 Ford Model A Tourer David Cohen / Adele Cohen  (CAN)  -  1931 Ford Model A Mark Winkelman / Dorinda Winkelman  (USA)  -  1932 Plymouth PB3 Coupe Mark Seymour / Chris Evans / Louise Seymour / Sophie Evans  (GBR)  -  1936 Ford Type 68 Xavier del Marmol / Ines Bodmer  (BEL) - 1937 Chevrolet Master DeLuxe DHC Richard Cunningham / Paddy Walker  (GBR)  -  1937 Buick Coupe 40hp Mark Robinson / Yvonne Fuller  (GBR)  -  1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30 Frank Bird / Ross Oakman / Belinda Oakman  (AUS)  -  1939 Willys Sedan Jorge Ruiz / Agustin Panes  (SUI)  -  1955 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn Jose Romao de Sousa / Maria Romao de Sousa (POR) - 1956 MG Magnette Adrian Shooter / George Harding  (GBR)  -  1958 Morris Oxford Dougie Lawson / Kate Lawson  (GBR)  -  1959  Jaguar XK150 DHC   Peter McLaughlin / Jane Kitchel  (USA)  -  1965 Buick Skylark Jan van Gemert / Marion Huijbregts  (NED)  -  1965 Ford Mustang Alastair Caldwell / Snjezana Poljanec  (GBR)  -  1968 Porsche 912 Roger Allen / Maggie Gray  (AUS)  -  1971 BMW 2800 CS Alan Pontin / Carol Pontin  (GBR)  -  1973 Jaguar E-Type V12 DHC [Gerd Bühler / Birgit Deymann-Bühler (GER) - 1979 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC]   And finally....! Now that Christmas and the New Year are almost upon us, we would like to wish you all a peaceful and joyful festive season and a happy and healthy 2016. Please read our Christmas blog here. We look forward to seeing many of you at the starting line of the Paris-Vienna Rally in June and/or the Haka Classic Rally in New Zealand in November for our next epic Driving Adventure. Happy and safe driving!

Days of Thunder!

Days of Thunder!   • Can-Am celebration grows into a 2016 race series • 50th anniversary celebration culminates at Silverstone Classic • Three-venue challenge adds to the birthday excitement • Early Bird tickets available, making the perfect Christmas gift  Silverstone Classic’s recently announced plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary Can-Am Championship have blossomed into what is certain to be one of the most eagerly-anticipated highlights on the 2016 motor sport calendar.   The pair of very special commemoration races at next summer’s Classic (29-31 July) will be the amazing culmination of a not-to-be-missed, three-round Can-Am 50 Interserie Challenge being organised by Masters Historic Racing.   The addition of curtain-raisers at Brands Hatch and Donington Park will provide owners of these extraordinary Can-Am racers with a pair of extra incentives to dust off their monster machines and be part of what is going to be an astonishing celebration.   “There’s been an incredible buzz since we announced our intention to include Can-Am races in 2016,” reported Nick Wigley, CEO of Goose Live Events, the company responsible for the Silverstone Classic. “Now the addition of these two extra races will just fuel those fires and ensure the 50-year milestone is marked in memorable style with some truly fantastic races next summer. Rather like Group B in rallying, these fearsome Can-Am creations have rightly reached legendary status and to have so many of them back racing is really going to catch everyone’s imagination.”   “Can-Am cars always stop people in their tracks,” agreed Rachel Bailey, Masters Historic Racing event manager. “They look exciting, sound superb and we are very pleased to be organising this celebration series in tandem with the Silverstone Classic where the cars will take centre stage. We are sure that many cars from across Europe will seize the opportunity to take part in this series and it will be wonderful to see them return to the circuits again. We are keen to attract a wide range of cars into action and offer fans a snapshot of the history of Can-Am racing.”   To ensure massive grids, the must-see Can-Am 50 Interserie Challenge will include classes for 1960s and 1970s cars along with a category for the later, smaller-engined sports-prototypes that ran in the Masters Interserie Revival series a few seasons ago.   Launched in 1966, the legendary North American-based Can-Am Championship spawned some of the world’s most outrageous sports racers, often boasting well over 1,000 horsepower. Moreover, with very few technical restrictions, these amazing, cutting-edge Can-Am powerhouses were among the first race cars to sport wings, ground-effect aerodynamics and aerospace materials.   McLaren, Chaparral, Lola, BRM, March, Shadow and Porsche were among the notable constructors rising to the challenge, with their mighty machines driven by many of the era’s top aces – heroes such as Jackie Stewart, John Surtees, Bruce McLaren, Peter Revson, George Follmer, Jacky Ickx, Jackie Oliver, Denny Hulme, Mark Donohue and Alan Jones.   The inclusion of these incredible sportscars will be a major attraction at the 2016 Silverstone Classic. Fans wanting to savour these  machines can take advantage of Early Bird tickets now on sale for the Classic, offering significant savings of up to 17 per cent. There is also the all-new Family ticket available for 2016 – this includes camping for two adults and two children across the whole weekend and gives a discount of more than 20 per cent on advance tickets if bought individually.   Full details of all tickets (which must be purchased in advance) – as well as hospitality packages and weekend festival camping – can be found on the event website at:www.silverstoneclassic.com.

BORN AGAIN CONCEPT CARS TO DEBUT AT LONDON’S TOP CLASSIC CAR SHOW

BORN AGAIN CONCEPT CARS TO DEBUT AT LONDON’S TOP CLASSIC CAR SHOW   Highly accurate recreations, not replicas, bring two bold Jaguar  icons from the ’60s and the ’90s back to life   Two concept cars from Jaguar – originally built more than three decades apart – have been accurately recreated by classic car experts, who plan to offer exact reproductions for sale. The first is the mid-engined XJ13, a possible Le Mans contender built in the 1960s, while the second recreates 1999’s XK180, originally crafted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the much-loved Jaguar XK120. Both evocative recreations will be unveiled at the 2016 London Classic Car Show (ExCeL, 18-21 February) – the first time either will have been seen in public. The original XJ13 was completed by Jaguar in 1966 and was powered by a prototype quad-cam 5.0-litre V12 engine. Just one car was completed and it claimed a UK speed record after racing driver David Hobbs lapped the banked MIRA test track at an average speed of more than 161 mph. Remarkably it held the record for 32 years. It was later badly damaged in a high-speed crash, also at MIRA, but the rebuilt XJ13 (below left) – still owned by Jaguar – was rebodied and differs in a number of respects from the 1966 original. Its swooping lines have been replicated before, but the version lovingly built by Building the Legend (www.xj13.eu) is unique because the company’s driving force, Neville Swales (above), is ensuring his recreation accurately reflects the original car... right down to the last rivet. It will be even be powered by one of the original six prototype quad cam V12 Jaguar engines. “The project has been supported by surviving members of the original XJ13 Project Team and we have enjoyed the co-operation of Jaguar Heritage which has allowed us unfettered access to its archive. There is considerable international interest in the project and the London Classic Car Show will be the first time the general public will be able to see ­– and hear – the car,” said Swales. As well as being on static display, the XJ13 will be driven along the Show’s unique Grand Avenue highway, hopefully by one of the original test drivers. In the passenger seat will be Mike Kimberley – the original XJ13 project manager. Swales will also be showing the first customer car, which will be powered by a later SOHC V12 engine. When Eric Fintelman stumbled across the story of the Jaguar XK180, he liked the car so much he decided to build one for himself. He bought a replica glass fibre body which he put onto a classic Jaguar XJS chassis, but he quickly realised the car was not an accurate recreation. “It looked wrong… and I discovered the measurements were taken from a 1:18 model and scaled up,” he said. He then decided to make his own recreation from scratch. Given access to Jaguar’s two existing prototypes he took photographs and exact measurements and then teamed up with Dutch company JePe Specials (www.jepespecials.com) to reproduce a perfect aluminium-bodied XK180. Like the original concept (below right), the Jaguar XK180 reproduction by JePe Specials is based on XK8/XKR underpinnings and features a unique two-seat speedster body. The first recreation uses a XKR convertible chassis with a supercharged 4.0-litre V8 engine, though customers can specify an XK8 chassis and any engine if they prefer. Those seriously interested are invited to attend a special ‘guest hour’ being organised on Thursday evening at the London Classic Car Show by contacting sales@jepespecials.com. Crammed with innovative features, exquisite classic cars and a long list of celebrity visitors, the London Classic Car Show is the one that’s setting the standards. It is staged by Brand Events, the company behind the hugely successful Top Gear Live and CarFest festivals. Tickets are on sale now and start at £23 (including booking fee) for single adult entry on Friday, Saturday or Sunday and rise to £65 for entry to Thursday’s Premium Preview Evening. This includes fast track entry, the best views of The Grand Avenue at the Turning Circle Viewing Platform, access to the exclusive Premium Lounge, a Show Handbook and even a glass of Joseph Perrier Champagne. To keep up-to-date with all the news from the London Classic Car Show visit the dedicated website –www.thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk – or go to the show’s interactive Facebook page. Just search ‘London Classic Car Show’ from your own page and 2016 show news and 2015 highlights are there to be enjoyed.

CLASSIC GRIDS ON POLE POSITION AT NEC SHOW

CLASSIC GRIDS ON POLE POSITION AT NEC SHOW   • Historic F1, Can-Am, Group C and GP bikes set to wow crowds • Meet bike racing legends Wayne Gardner and Phil Read MBE • Special ‘When We Were Kings’ display at Autosport International   Stars from the Silverstone Classic will again be out in force at next month’s Autosport International, staged at Birmingham’s NEC from 14-17 January.   The world’s biggest classic motor racing festival has teamed up with Classic & Sports Car magazine to create a very special showcase putting the spotlight on many of the mouth-watering grids that will feature on the action-packed racecard at the 2016 Silverstone Classic (29-31 July).    Presented under the evocative ‘When We Were Kings’ banner, the prominent display at Autosport International will include iconic F1, Le Mans and Can-Am sportscars from the sport’s golden eras plus, for the first time, some illustrious Grand Prix bikes from yesteryear.   The presence of celebrated two-wheeled machines follows the inaugural World GP Bike Legends event held at Jerez circuit in Spain earlier this year when past champions including Wayne Gardner, Phil Read MBE, Kevin Schwantz and Freddie Spencer rolled back the years racing on their much-loved period machinery.   Gardner and Read will be at the NEC to meet fans, sign autographs and share their magical memories. Read will also be signing copies of his autobiography ‘Rebel Read’ on Saturday and Sunday. Among the outstanding bikes on display at the show will be Read’s Suzuki RG500 from 1976 and the Suzuki RGV500 that Schwantz famously rode to the 1993 world title.   Looking ahead to next summer’s Silverstone Classic schedule will once again bring together all of Europe’s finest historic racing grids together with some dramatic new crowd-pleasers, too.   As tradition dictates, the stunning sights and sounds of the Masters Historic Formula 1 Championship and Group C prototypes will be among the headline attractions – and it’s no surprise that both series will be represented in the special Autosport International display. Ronnie Peterson’s celebrated John Player Special Lotus 72 will be on show alongside the equally esteemed Canon Porsche 956. Entered by Richard Lloyd Racing, this car finished second at Le Mans in 1985 with Lloyd, James Weaver and Jonathan Palmer sharing the driving duties through the day-night endurance epic.   Next summer’s extravaganza will also be celebrating 50 years since the birth of the legendary Can-Am Championship in North America in 1966 . With very few technical restrictions, these outrageous Can-Am sportscars – often boasting more than 1,000 horsepower – were among the first to sport wings, ground-effect aerodynamics and aerospace materials.   Marking the anniversary, two spectacular Can-Am races are on the 2016 Silverstone Classic bill. To whet the appetite, several of these mighty motor sport monsters will be wowing visitors at the NEC. Among those already confirmed is a brace of Chevrolet V8-powered beasts from the early seventies – a 200+ mph March 717 and a 8.8-litre McLaren M8C/D.    Fans wanting to savour these incredible machines in action can take advantage of Early Bird tickets now on sale for the Classic, offering significant savings of up to 17 per cent. There is also the all-new Family ticket available for 2016 – this includes camping for two adults and two children across the whole weekend and gives a discount of more than 20 per cent on the advance tickets if bought individually.   Full details of all tickets (which must be purchased in advance) – as well as hospitality packages and weekend festival camping – can be found on the event website at: www.silverstoneclassic.com.

Golightly seals 2015 VSCC Trials Season Championship

Golightly seals 2015 VSCC Trials Season Championship

                                                                                                                                                  2 December 2015

Following confirmation of results from our Cotswold Trial, the traditional season closer, the standings have been finalised and we are delighted to announce the winners of the Club’s prestigious Annual Trials Trophies for 2015.

The silverware  for our Short Wheelbase cars (Class 1) – originally awarded across both classes – is traditionally supported by the Club’s current Insurance Associate, Hagerty whilst a second trophy for our Long Wheelbase (Class 2) was introduced ten years ago, donated by long-time discipline supporters, Frost Auto Restoration Techniques.

As is habitually a feature of the Club’s Trials, the short chassis, high-powered and more manoeuvrable cars of Class 1 are invariably the front-runners, particularly the Austin 7s, who have long supported the Club’s Trials in good numbers. Often mixing it with these for the spoils, you will also find the long wheelbase Frazer Nash and GN cars whose solid rear‐axle and chain‐driven transmissions offer a perceived inherent advantage. 

Other heavier and less nimble touring cars, with wheelbases exceeding an 8ft dividing line, go into Class 2 comprising the Long Wheelbase cars.  These may have an overall comparative disadvantage but competition is fierce, particularly amongst the ubiquitous Ford Model As, and sees them battle one another for their own honours, whilst one or two regulars every so often make a claim for the top spot.

The VSCC Trials season comprises seven events from February to November, located in Exmoor, Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Scottish Borders, Wales, Lake District and Cotswolds. Trophy Points from a maximum of six events are counted towards the Annual Trophies – the Club’s annual Welsh Trial has always been restricted to Vintage & Edwardian cars only (i.e. Pre-1931) and therefore would put those drivers of Post-Vintage Thoroughbred (PVT) cars at an immediate disadvantage.

Recent winners of the two Annual Trophies include:

PREVIOUS TRIALS TROPHY WINNERS
Year	Short Wheelbase Cars		Long Wheelbase Cars
2014	Matt Johnston	Austin	Paul Jeavons	Vauxhall
2013	Donald Skelton	Austin	Jonathan Miller	Chrysler
2012	Donald Skelton	Austin	Jeremy Brewster	Lea-Francis
2011	Mags Diffey	Bugatti	Stuart Cooke	Morris
2010	Donald Skelton	Austin	Gareth Graham	Bentley

The Short Wheelbase Class for the Hagerty Trophy proved an epic battle all season long between the Ford Model T of David Golightly and Donald Skelton, a 3-time Championship winner in his Austin 7. The first part of the year saw the pair share the victories, with Golightly holding the advantage at the season’s halfway stage, having triumphed at the Derbyshire, Herefordshire and Scottish events.

Victory at the Welsh Trial in October saw Skelton close the gap. However, challenging conditions at the Lakeland Trial delivered below par results for both our front-runners, ensuring it would come ‘down to the wire’ at the Cotswolds. Whilst neither could ‘hit the heights’ of the early season with another overall victory, David’s 1^st Class award was enough to beat his rival and claim his first VSCC Trials Championship crown.

The well-deserved success proved a satisfactory end to a well-spirited contest over the season, which also saw the pair swap cars for an event with our friends at the Preston & District Vintage Car Club, raising over £500 for the local Air Ambulance Charity.

Ahead of the final round, Paul Jeavons looked to have tied up the overall victory in the Frost Trophy standings for Long Wheelbase Class in his Vauxhall 30-98 for a second consecutive year. Following several consistent performances throughout the season, including Class victory at the Derbyshire Trial in March, he entered the Cotswolds trailing Robert Hodgkinson’s Ford Model A in the standings by less than a dozen points, having only competed in five events – thus his weekend’s score was still to count. Although just outside the awards on the day, his score was strong enough to deliver the expected season triumph.

TRIALS TROPHIES 2015 – FINAL SCORES
The Hagerty Trophy				The Frost Trophy
1	David Golightly	Ford	2059	1	Paul Jeavons	Vauxhall	1692
2	Donald Skelton	Austin	2022	2	John Chilman	Chrysler	1486
3	Richard Houlgate	Austin	1846	3	Robert Hodgkinson	Ford	1485
4	Phil Longhurst	Austin	1835	4	Dennis Bingham	Ford	1469
5	Peter Kite	Austin	1815	5	Richard White	Morris	1404
6	Kraig Mycock	Riley	1769	6	Tim Dutton	Ford	1378
7	Andrew Fox	Austin	1750	7	John Higgs	Morris	1169
8	Keith Hill	Singer	1713	8	Tim Kneller	Morris	1152
9	Matthew Johnston	Austin	1688	9	Steve White	Riley/Ford	1105
10	Alexandra Milne-Taylor	AJS	1679	10	James Bell	Chrysler	1045
11	Clive Press	Austin	1667	11	Ben Collings	Bentley	989
12	Stewart Rich	Austin	1638	12	Jeremy Flann	Ford	977
13	Nigel Glover	Austin	1611	13	Graham White	Lea-Francis	971
14	David Rolfe	MG	1585	14	Norman Lloyd	Bentley	936
15	Simon Price	Ford	1556	15	Peter Garland	Vauxhall	915

Amongst the ‘Standard’ cars, both Russell Hennessy (Morris Bullnose) and Dennis Bingham (Ford Model A) enjoyed a well-deserved ‘lap of honour’ in the Cotswolds following their strong and consistent performances throughout the season to dominate their respective standings, with Bingham’s total enough to place him fourth in the overall Long Wheelbase standings, amongst much more modified machinery.

TRIALS SCORES 2015 – STANDARD CLASSES
Standard Short Wheelbase				Standard Long Wheelbase
1	Russell Hennessy	Morris	1144	1	Dennis Bingham	Ford	1469
2	David Rushton	MG	743	2	Christopher Batty	Ford	830
3	David Johnson	Austin	672	3	John Wiseman	Ford	809
4	Mark Smith	MG	575	4	John Dobson	Ford	728
5	Will Odell	Riley	502	5	Roy Newton	Ford	686
6	Charles Gillett	Morris	498	6	Chris Williams	Ford	658

We thank Club Member and Trials Marshal, Peter Livesey for again collating scores on behalf of the Club in 2015 and all those who competed or marshalled across another successful VSCC Trials campaign.

-Ends-

David Golightly and passenger, Carla Smith put the 1927 Ford Model T through its paces at the VSCC Herefordshire Trial

earlier this year, on their way to claiming the Club’s 2015 Trials Championship.

Photo: Geoff Robinson