Midland Centre Autumn Trial 29 Sept 2024
It wouldn't be an Autumn trial report without a discussion about the weather. We always check how much time farmer Maggie’s cows spend on the ground, but then again perhaps they're just chewing the cud. We look at how high the swallows are flying; whether the bees are in the hive, or as they say in Wales if you can see the hills it is going to rain, while if you can’t it probably is! The other problem was that our long established date has been the last Sunday in September; but this year the MCC’s Edinburgh trial had booked it, so we pledged to take the 22nd. The MCC knew something - the 29th turned out wall-to-wall sunshine all day, as was our set up day on the 21st, hustled along with the willing labours of John Fry, Roger King, Nigel Whiten and Mike Dinsdale to lay out a sporting total of 6 hilly grass sections and 2 timed tests to raise the pace and heartbeat – great fun! Quite a teaser though for Clerk of the Course Adrian Tucker-Peake, trundling around in his own MGF and setting out hill courses on bone dry grass, while mindful of a monsoon forecast on the morrow!
On the 22nd it didn't take long for the rain to hiss down and by the trial’s lunch break we had to withdraw all the Marshals and suspend the event until things improved. The rain eased a bit after lunch, but the heaven’s onslaught was done, mud emerged from the soaked grass and some ‘cricket’ scores accumulated. It kept our skilful Land Rover recovery team of Matt Boyce and Nat Hales very busy, then we called it a draw after the third round (normally 4 or 5).
Before the early lunch after 2 rounds there was nothing to choose between the Imp of Steve Courts on 5 marks, the pristine polished alloy Dellow of Jim and Bob Jennings on 6 and the Troll driven by Mark and Amanda Hobbs, also on 6, all lost on a tough hill, winding section number 9. Paul Watson driving Dan Staines MX5 stormed 9 with a clean on the 1st lap, he was very pleased judging by the noise he made. Paul and Kate Price, Liege, did the same on the 2nd round. The rest of the entry was doing well on the 2 early sections with plenty of cleans, the last 4 hills escalating to present increasing levels of technical trials driving challenge.
Alongside the wizards, our four Tasters included an MGF and Midget, local man Marcus Dawson giving his 12 year old son his first motorsports experience, while the sight of Madison Whiten’s Peugeot 107, bearing Learner Driver plates, was most encouraging for us organisers. One of our long-time trial stalwarts, Frank Vautier, ventured across from deepest Wales, undaunted by the prospect of a soggy cockpit in his lively TA, but a great pity to be thwarted early on by a recalcitrant cooling fan, OK for the road, but not the mud.
At the finish Steve walked off with the Autumn Cup for the umpteenth time on 8 marks lost, Warren Blain won the Allen Cup for the best MG in his 1500 Midget. Eileen Hilleard did a double drive in husband Peter’s Saxo VTR, pipping hubby and best of 8 FWDs in Class 1 with 34 lost, well done to her. Jim and Bob Jennings’ tidy Dellow lost 11 to win Class 5. Dan Staines claimed best novice in his howling MX5. Dave Sullivan’s new Marlin shared with Pete Eden won Class 7 on 43. Mark Francis and his Peugeot 107 was judged the most improved novice of the Taster trial entry.
One of the timed tests, our draw decider, is revealing: in the morning Mark Hobbs set 26.9 secs with Dick Tompkins Imp on 27.1, while after lunch and heavy rain Mark did 37.4, Dick ran 44.9. grip had plummeted – drivers enjoyed their slides around our cones but needed care to avoid a finish line overshoot!
We’d struggled a bit with entries and then received a deluge of no less than 14 from the Stroud and District Motor Club, what a saviour that was, making the day financially viable and competitive at a stroke, enormous thanks to them. Jonathan and Pat Toulmin deserted the comfort of their X90 and volunteered to marshal, the Marque of Friendship rising to the challenge, warmest thanks to them too.
Our gazebo was popular at lunch time in the rain but needed someone tall in each corner to tip the rainwater out! Maggie Mason once again made us welcome at East Lodge Farm, and Ellie’s hog roast did a roaring trade to great acclaim. A drivers’ donation tin enabled us to donate £90 to the local Air Ambulance charity.
Report by - Adrian Tucker-Peake and Tony Lake
Photo courtesy of Steve Crockett