Beverley & District Motor Club

Preparation for this annual event had been going on for some months. As the Truck Rally was not officially recognised by the M.S.A. and had no permit, it had been cunningly disguised from the governing body by allowing about 75 ordinary rally cars to run as well, although they only got to compete on some of the off road sections on the Sunday rather than complete the whole route.

The format of the Truck Rally was to be rather like the early stages of the Monte Carlo Rally of old, where vehicles started from different locations covering different routes until joining up later on in the event. More later, but the final stage this year was to be something rather different!

It was encouraging to see that the entry was again larger than the previous year, as the growing prestige of the event continues to attract some serious competition. For the third year in succession I was to be navigated by Ian Gibbins, who, as you know, has proved to be a very successful 12-car and Historic Rally navigator, as well as being very adept at juggling fish and chips whilst airborne in a 7 1/2 ton truck, a talent more useful in Truck Rallying than being able to work out a regularity section or complex herringbone. With all this expertise on board another good result was hopefully inevitable.

In the other Iveco Team entry was Neil and Leah Sargent, who would share the driving, Leah to drive most of the road stages, presumably Neil felt she would put in a more competitive time over these sections. As in other years, various truck classes had to be amalgamated into one. Hopefully as entries increase over the coming years we may be able to run with at least two separate classes, one for the smaller vans as well. Unfortunately, this may mean running less cars in the other events, but who cares!

The van class this year was led away by Ian Sargent and Paul Wolfitt in the brand new Mercedes Sprinter, the first outing for this redeveloped evolution, so they were hoping for a reliable run to assess its future potential. Seeded just behind was Neil (Nelly) Middleton in an Iveco Turbo Daily, on loan for the event from Ian Sargent. No doubt Nelly was hoping Ian hadn’t tampered with the reliability of his old van to ensure he would beat him (as if). A late entry was also received from John Jenkinson in his Flat Bed Racing Truck, complete with what appeared to be a hydraulic self-righting mechanism should he be unfortunate enough to roll. I believe the idea for this came from watching Robot Wars. No navigator had been found as yet, but John was convinced he would be okay.

DAY 1

As the event was due to run from 17.00 hours on Friday 7th July through to about 20.00 hours on Sunday 9th, I had taken the Friday and Monday off work this year, as last year had proved difficult to stay awake. This gave me plenty of time on Friday prior to the event to rest and prepare for the coming challenges. The Sargent team were to pick me up at 16.00 hours Friday to collect our vehicles which were to be prepared, fuelled and waiting at M & G Competition Trucks in Hull, which was also where SS1 would start from. As none of us would have navigators for the first stage, we were solely relying on local knowledge. The route took us west via Hessle Road before joining the Clive Sullivan Way. Then north via Willerby and Cottingham, before a fast and tricky section down Dunswell Lane - avoiding the ditches, and then on to the Sargent’s premises at Tokenspire Business Park for the first halt and regroup. Unfortunately for me, I was running last on the road now having wrong slotted in the Business Park. Not my fault really, and hopefully not a sign of things to come as it appeared the Sargent Brothers had moved their entire factory prior to the event without giving out their new location. An appeal to the organisers has been entered to get this section scrubbed from the event. As I arrived, the Sargent’s were already loading ballast in the shape of water filled barrels into their lorry. I joined them, loading between us 500 into the pair of trucks. They had more, 300 exactly. Apparently they had to have 300 exactly in order to stop Leon Franks throwing a wobbly (must be some sort of strange fetish). Anyway, they had more in their truck, so I figured my acceleration would not be affected as much for the next stage.

Next stage, SS2, was due to start at 06.30 hours heading from Common Farm, south of Market Weighton. I was first away, but approximately 30 minutes late, leaving Neil and Ian Sargent still loading their vehicles. A slight detour was planned to allow me time to pick up co-drive Gibby at Molescroft, before a quick blast through Cherry Burton and on to Market Weighton, easily beating the other crews and pulling well into the lead. The rest-halt here entailed filling the remainder of the truck with straw bales. As none of my barrels had fallen over, this was completed well before everyone else. Neil arrived in the second placed truck, all his barrels had fallen over!

As we had quite a tight schedule once we were loaded, we were off into SS3. We now had the additional navigating talents of Graeme Potter, fresh from guiding us to a fourth overall result on The Three Swans Road Rally in the slightly smaller Laguna Estate (only slightly). It had now just started raining, leaving the narrow lanes from the farm at MR 106/863388 very slippery. Once clearing the overhanging asbestos roof by two or three inches, into SGW, ‘T’ junction right, bit of wheel spin and 400 metres into a 90° R, slightly sideways on the exit and 400 metres into the 30° L after yump, weeeeee!! Now we’re trucking! 300 metres into another yump and slight R, then 800m into SGW and L.

Now into Holme-On-Spalding-Moor and follow the A163 to Bubwith and our first major problem, Half a mile past the cross-roads with the B1228 and just into Bubwith village, I tried to force my way past the chip shop, but Gibby was too quick, slam on the anchors and out he gets, claiming all he wants is a menu and a phone number for later. Oh yeah! Still had to buy some chips though. If he doesn’t eat them quickly I thought, I’ll try and make him spill them with a quick lap round Gunby. We were greeted at the entrance to the venue by the landowner who was foolish enough to try and steal a chip from Ian. He didn’t get one of course and hopefully his greed will not jeopardise securing the use of this venue in future years.

It was decided to do some testing on this next stage around the airfield, SS3. As we did each bit, we unloaded a few of the bales and barrels around the circuit to assess the handling characteristics of the truck with different weight loads. Hopefully this would pay off in how we set up the truck on different stages as the event went on.

On to SS4 and then a short run north to Melbourne Airfield and SS5. As the weather was drying up again, there were no real moments and we were able to do a fairly quick lap around Melbourne, sensibly deciding to off load the rest of the ballast so we could put in a quick time on SS6, back to the regrouping halt at Common Farm. This was easily achieved and we were still in the lead, Neil only arriving after we had reloaded our truck with 250 bales for ballast. This time our tactics were not to work.

As we headed off onto SS7, back to Beverley, we were behind Neil in his 7 1/2 ton Iveco and Ian in the smaller sprinter and they were both pulling away up Market Weighton hill. I could see my lead ebbing away now and was determined to catch them up once over the hill. They were both slowed by traffic ahead and I was closing the gap now. We had caught them just as we turned off to Cherry Burton, so finishing the stage now in 3rd overall. This was an encouraging first day and hopefully we could build on this during the longer stages on day 2. It was also heartening to find out that Neil’s truck was slowed by gear selector problems towards the end of SS7. Apparently stuck in 4th gear due to a blockage in the memory banks (he forgot to change gear).

DAY 2

The event was due to restart at Elvington airfield at 07.00 hours, Saturday. All trucks would now follow the same route as opposed to Friday’s concentration runs. We would have to have several runs at this venue as we had to compete with various loads on each stage. The stages also got more complex as the morning went on and we unloaded cones, barrels and bales around the circuit. We were due to leave by 11.00 hours but by 13.00 hours we were only just ready to leave.

Nelly and his co-driver, Martin Allison, got away first and had a good lead on us by the time we started SS9, Melbourne, for another run after lunch on this stage. I eventually set off into SS9 behind the Sprinter of Ian Sargent, now navigated by Geoff Allison. Gibby had opted out of this section to navigate Graeme Potter in the event chase car to pick up lunch on route to the rest-halt at Melbourne. It was therefore obvious by now that we would be having fish and chips for lunch. A steady run through Elvington and Sutton-On-Derwent Villages before opening up on to the faster section on the B1228. We were gaining on the charging Sprinter as we approached the narrow Hagg Bridge just as another vehicle was approaching in the wrong direction, too late to back off now, so just hang on and go for it. Whoooooa!!, that was close! Finished SS9 into Melbourne just behind Ian in the Sprinter, but both well behind the Iveco Turbo Daily with Nelly and crew. Lunch was now to be delayed until after SS10 as it hadn’t yet arrived. Nelly had already completed more of the stage as I set off after Ian’s Mercedes. As he stopped to clear a way past a tight chicane, I jumped out of my cab and cleared my own way through ahead of him to finish the stage a comfortable second to Nelly.

The lunch break finally arrived and was to be taken in the picturesque surroundings of the pig farm, the country atmosphere being more than noticeable as we munched through our fish and chips. Everybody was now so in need of a break that I think we would have eaten sat inside the pig sty. There was a bit of light hearted banter after lunch during which we found the jacket belonging to Senior Official Mr M Atkinson which he had left in one of the trucks. As a gesture of thanks for putting the event on, we thought that a stuffed effigy of him would be a fitting tribute to his magnificence. So a couple of wooden stakes, some plastic tape, tie wraps and lots of straw, with a box for a head was manufactured in his honour. We hoped he would be chuffed on seeing it! (who wouldn’t - Ed.) Lunch over, back to business. Straight into a service halt and regroup across the other side of the airfield where we were due to rendezvous with our chase car which was bringing along a young girl to accompany us for the afternoon. Once we had her on board, we were ready for setting off onto SS11 towards Breighton again and into the old airfield at Gunby.

With Ian back on the maps and calling the bends, we were hoping for a good time on this section. Even with our extra guest we were pushing the truck much quicker as the day went on. My confidence was gaining as well and braking into the corners was getting later, cutting seconds off our stage times, much to the delight of Caroline, Ian’s daughter who was enjoying the ride immensely - see, it’s not what you thought it is? Anyway, with Ian full of chips again our team was working well and we carried on into SS12, Gunby, in good humour and buzzing with excitement for the remaining stages.

Once clear of Gunby and by now running very light on fuel and ballast, SS13 was to take us along the A163 to Holme-On-Spalding-Moore, via a small lane north of the village. Ian had been eager to go down it every time we had been past on earlier stages, so we were ready to go for it this time. It went past the site we had used as an emergency service area last year when we lost the sump guard on the road section before it. Close up behind us was the Turbo Daily of Nelly, but once into the twisty lane, their little van was no match for the might of the big truck on a charge. With Caroline squealing with laughter we rounded a tight right, to be met by half a tree on the left side of the road, the oversized door mirror getting slammed flat to the glass, throwing leaves and branches everywhere. Without losing too much time, Ian opened the window to realign the item risking his life and nearly getting sucked out of the window with the vacuum created by the speed. Onward beyond Holme on to the A614, slot R down the yellow towards the end of the stage. Ian called slot 90R on 2nd brow, came in too quickly leaving 20ft of rubber past the junction and flying finish. Surely we must be back in the lead by now.

In to SS14 around Beacon Farm and to the finish at the church on the hill. This stage is my favourite squeezing the truck through the little tracks is always a laugh. Our first major problem came as we tried to exit the stage through the cattle grid on to the A614. After taking the long downhill R into 90L over cattle grid, it was too narrow to fit through, but at this angle, no way! So, lots of revs and a reverse hill start, I tried to line the truck up with a bigger swing over the grass to the right to get square into gate, still no way! By now we were stuck into gateway and it was going to take a lot to get back out with us in full left lock, facing a steep downhill and the right side of the truck on the grass. So, lots more revs, off with the air brake and back we go, wheels spinning and clutch slipping, clutch slipping some more, now burning, severely smoking, s..t - I think the clutch has caught fire! Clouds of smoke were billowing from underneath the truck as I got back onto the tarmac. At this point I turned the engine off to let it cool down, hoping that we would be okay to complete the one remaining stage of day 2, heading back to Beverley and the overnight halt. With us blocking the exit to SS14, the times for this stage would be scrubbed, as we all had to turn round and go out of the stage, WD.

Onto SS15 towards Beverley. This was a repeat of Friday night’s last stage and without the full load of the previous night we were able to keep up with the other lighter trucks and would go into Day 3 still in touch with the lead. The overnight halt allowed time to refuel the truck, which had now used 3/4’s of a tank. The top up of £40 put it back to 3/4’s full, the only other job left tonight being to reload the lunch box and have a bath (what, all of you? - Ed.).

DAY 3

Sunday was again a 7 am restart, this time at Melbourne. Our third crew member today was Phil Burton, Deg’s son, who was joining us for the 2nd year running, to help with the driving later in the day on some of the off road stages. A fast run through Melbourne SS16, all okay, and straight into SS17 through

Everingham and Shiptonthorpe before heading north towards Nunburnholme cross-roads. A scary moment here as we headed out of Shiptonthorpe down the "yellow" to the north. We came around a corner to find the lorries from the Trans-Wold Pipeline (see Tim Rodgers for details as to what’s in it and where it goes) had deposited thick mud everywhere. With much opposite lock and sliding, we managed not to hit anything, much, and made it to the end of the stage. A quick halt here while we unloaded the generator for the radio controller who was sat there all day in his caravan. Apparently he was something to do with the car rally running over some of the stages on the Sunday only. As they gain in experience, maybe they can do the full event another year (with a weight penalty - Ed.).

Into SS18, a fast downhill into Nunburnholme village. I wanted to slot R towards Warter, because that’s the way we always go, but not this time. Onwards to the NW and onto the B1246 at Kilnwick Percy, before dropping into Pocklington, Barmby Moor and onto the A1079 as we had to get to Elvington by 8.30. We had a long rest-halt here while we watched the cars having a play for an hour or so. A bit of light entertainment and time for a sandwich and coffee before we’re off again. While spectating, car 28 retires nearby and kindly offers us his competition number as we didn’t have any. So, with ‘2’ on one door and ‘8’ on the other, we were ready for a serious attack on the last days stages. As soon as the ‘little cars’ had stopped playing, we were off round Elvington, SS19, nearly completing the stage before the Mercedes Sprinter of Ian Sargent arrived. We were now well ahead on stage time although he still managed to start SS20 to Gunby ahead of us. This was another mad dash, both of us arriving just too late. Our tight schedule only allowed us 30 minutes here to race around with the other trucks, pick up as much stuff as we could before unloading so that we had no extra weight on board for SS21 back to Elvington. This was to be vitally important as we were to be pitched head to head against John Jenkinson in his Flat Bed Racer on this stage, just like a Super Special Stage. John wasn’t sure why we loaded and unloaded so quickly at this point, feeling it was a waste of time. The reason was tactical as we were able to dump the navigator, Mr Gibbins, on loan to John for this section, while young Master Burton co-piloted me.

With Ian having loaded himself up with fish and chips for 2 days, I thought the weight loss might benefit us with him in John’s lighter truck. This was not to work, with John easily pulling away on the straights, leaving me with no option but to pull out all the stops and hurl the beast into every corner with minimum braking, very late, and lots of tyre squealing. Phil did well on this section, and his encouragement kept us in touch with John and Ian, even though we did have to settle for 2nd on this stage. On arrival at Elvington again we had to wait until the cars completed their runs on stage 22, before we got our chance to go in.

A long stage for us, SS22 would take us about 3 to 4 hours to complete, before heading back on the last leg. The first retirement of the day occurred here, as the Iveco Turbo Daily of Nelly, Jon Meacock and Andy Hogart died mid stage in the farmyard at Elvington. Had the Sargent team tampered with their old van after all? - I hope not as this sort of practise could bring the sport of Truck Rallying and its reputation into disrepute. Putting this behind us, after offering what little assistance we could , we went off into SS23 to Melbourne for the last visit. The day was drawing to a close now and only two stages remained. As everyone was now getting tired, the thought of the finish, a drink and bed was all that was holding us together. We were now heavily loaded with bales again after Elvington and had to take it fairly easy on SS23, winding along the B1228 and around Melbourne village. The final run around Melbourne airfield, SS24, saw no further problems and we managed to come out of the stage, cramming the last bale and barrel into the truck before heading off onto the final stage, SS25, Common Farm, to unload, All that was left now was a run to the finish and meet up for a drink with the other crews.

The organisers sting in the tail came in now, as we were informed of the extra Super Special Stage back at Beacon Farm. It appeared that some of the rally cars on the Sunday stages had proved their inexperience by spraying stones on the turfed grass next to the track on parts of the stage. Rather than letting us have a well earned drink, the organisers had felt it a good idea to make the last stage a tie break by seeing which crew could pick up the most stones off the turf before it got too dark to even see your feet.

By now it was 22.00 hours and some of the organisers had joined us as well, obviously not wanting to miss out on any of the fun. We finally got away some time after 10.30 to go back to Beverley and drop off Ian before refuelling the truck with another £75 worth bringing the total to £115 over the 3 day event (cheap! - Ed.). Now home, bath and bed. Hopefully the last stage will not be used if its turfed next year, or the organising team may have to set it up themselves and pick up their own stones. Otherwise, it was yet another enjoyable event, which will hopefully attract every club member not involved in other areas of the event to come out next year for the Truck Rally. If you weren’t there, you should have been.