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Fine season's end for Saab crew
2009 Maxsport champions - Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks
Keith Jenkins and Tony Brooks ended their Maxsport season's campaign by taking a fine maximum points score on the last ever Ilfracombe Rally, top historic as well as fourth overall. The Ilfracombe Rally has been running since way back in Motoring News days and has been a regular end of season fixture for both the old Nocturnal Challenge and latterly the Maxsport Historic Championship. The tight North Devon lanes, inevitably muddy and wet conditions and the vast experience of organisers Derek Drayton and Stuart Wood always guaranteed a classic event.
It was therefore a very appropriate event on which to end HRCR's links with championship night rallying. A full article will be appearing in Old Stager covering the five years of a stand-alone night championship as well as reviewing the current state of UK night rallying in general. It was also appropriate that the final event - and the final championship - have been won by a crew who have hardly missed a round in its five year history.
Second historic on the Ilfracombe was taken by Dick Appleton and Peter Blackett in a Cooper S. Dick too has been a longtime supporter of the Ilfracombe back into the 1990's and possibly before. Next came Giles Pursey and Mike Burrows in a Mexico; Giles has always supported his local West Country events but has found it hard to take time away from his farming to travel further afield while Mike has swapped from daytime events to night and back again with ease.
Local crew Jack Curran and David Bardwell took their Lancia to fourth historic and were followed by a second Saab crew, John Tatlow and Julie Westwood on their first championship outing since the Carpetbagger at the start of the season.
So ended an era in HRCR rallying. Although the championship is no more, I'm sure we shall still see Minis, Mk1 Escorts, Saabs and Amazons in the lanes for a little while yet, but times have changed, competitor numbers have dwindled and there are far fewer events from which to form a championship. Let's just look back on our memories, of great events, great competition and great cameraderie.
Provisional year end results are on a linked webpage and will be posted to registered contenders.
Added: 24th November 2009 [permalink]
Jenkins & Brooks take Maxsport crown with a round to spare
2009 Maxsport Champions - Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks - not forgetting the trusty Saab 96V4 !
The Saab V4 crew of Keith Jenkins and Tony Brooks have become the 2009 Maxsport Historic Champions following their third position on Morecambe Car Club's Illuminations Rally, once again held in the torrential conditions that so often seem to beset this event. Keith and Tony have been among the most ardent supporters of HRCR night rallying since well before the night-specific series began five years ago and it is very fitting that they have won this, the final championship.
Top points on the event were taken by Andy Nixon in his RS2000, this time accompanied by the very experienced Paul Taylor as his usual navigator, the unrelated David Taylor, was away chasing Richard Egger Clubmans points on the Regis Rally. Paul is no stranger to HRCR though having been a regular navigator for Jon Wood in his own successful season.
Second place went to an interesting combination. Dave Pedley had moved across to the driving seat of the RS2000 that he shares with his brother Mike and was navigated by Steve Warrington. The combination seemed to work though and while they were ten minutes behind Nixon/Taylor (? two missed codeboards) they finished just a few seconds ahead of Jenkins/Brooks. Mike and Dave Pedley were the only crew that had previously been able to beat Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks for the title and with Mike absent and Dave swapping seats Keith and Tony only had to secure a reasonable finish to be assured of the championship spoils.
The night seemed fraught with crews making small errors. Nixon and Jenkins both missed the same codeboard whilst Pedley missed a different two. Brooks had a two minute wrong slot then hesitated at a part-closed gate (which gently nudged open !) while Paul Taylor lost time returning to a card-collection point where he had handed in the wrong timecard !
The Pedleys look to be secure in second championship place; although Andy Nixon is now just 29 points behind Mike Pedley with 30 points available for a win, Andy has now scored on the maximum of seven rounds and must start to drop scores whilst Mike can keep whatever he earns on the final round, North Devon MC's Ilfracombe Rally on November 14/15. Dave will miss Ilfracombe as he is otherwise engaged - driving their mighty TR7V8 on the Roger Albert Clark Rally.
Added: 25th October 2009 [permalink]
Jenkins/Brooks take the lead in Powys lanes
Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks/Saab 96V4
Keith Jenkins and Tony Brooks showed that they are still in good form with an excellent result on the latest round of the Maxsport Historic Rally Championship, Welsh Border MC's Breidden Rally. Along with the Carpetbagger this is widely regarded as one of the very best of all current night rallies and its Welshpool start brings back the atmosphere and sense of anticipation that old hands will remember from Newcastle Emlyn on Cilwendeg night. The event never strays far away from Welshpool and gets the cooperation of many local landowners for the use of their farm tracks (and even their barns !) for parts of the route. Higlight of this is the run through 'Mad' Mick Jones' woodyard where spectator numbers were said to rival the Turini !
The event attracts the absolute elite of night rallying so their top 30 place is a great achievement in a very underpowered Saab 96V4 and pays tribute to the experience of both crew members. The Pedley brothers had initially entered but were unable to make it so navigator Dave sat alongside Simon Harrison on his way to a top 10 place in a non-turbo Impreza.
Several weeks back, Keith and Tony had taken top Maxsport points on Kirkby Lonsdale MC's Devils Own Rally ahead of Mike and Dave Pedley's RS2000. The Pedleys had held a small lead following the afternoon tests but the Saab crew pulled this back convincingly on the night Jogularity sections. Andy Nixon/David Taylor broke another halfshaft in their RS2000 putting paid to any realistic championship hopes particularly as David was to be Clerk of Course on the following round, the Yorkshire Revival.
Both the Devils Own and the Yorkshire Revival had very healthy numbers of historic entries for their night sections. Andy Nixon was accompanied in Yorkshire by non-registered Jon Tubman and was able to take a healthy overall win on his home turf, after 18 tests and a full 140 mile night rally. Duncan Stonier and Bernard Northmore had made the long trek from Somerset to Yorkshire with their Volvo 142 and were rewarded with a good result and 27 points for Bernard.
After eight rounds the Maxsport Championship has now developed into a two-horse race. Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks have overturned their early-season deficit to take over the lead with 169 points (from 7 scores) with the Pedley brothers on 149 points from 6 scores. Keith and Tony must start dropping scores now beginning with a 2-point score from their PK Memorial retirement. There's still all to play for on the remaining rounds, the Illuminations and Ilfracombe. Andy Nixon looks comfortable as third placed driver but Bernard Northmore could easily move ahead of David Taylor in the navigators' rankings, particularly with the final round on his own home ground.
Added: 5th October 2009 [permalink]
Pedleys continue their form in the Mid-Wales lanes.
Mike and Dave Pedley have shown they are the historic crew to beat on the last two rounds of the Maxsport Historic Championship held just two weeks apart.
Bala and District MC's PK Memorial Rally ran to a different but popular format on 27/28 June beginning around 5pm with nearly 40 miles of quite brisk 'Welsh regularity' sections held in Penllyn, Aberhirnant and Legends Park forests. A three hour supper halt then gave navigators plenty of time to plot the night leg as well as good opportunities to socialise.
The forest leg gave a small lead to Mike and Dave Pedleys RS2000 just ahead of the similar car of Andy Nixon/David Taylor. Sadly Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks got no further than the final forest test at Legends Park when a front wishbone let go forcing retirement. Series coordinator Stan Appleton was out in a 'modern' Peugeot 205 with Roger Tristram; despite 30 years of rallying together Roger had never before driven in a forest and was finding it quite a learning curve, not helped by a puncture costing them several minutes.
Although the night leg was 'only' 120 miles long there wasn't a wasted section as crews used the tightest lanes, many farmtracks and a short section of Clocaenog forest all confined to the lower half of map 116. Several farmtracks were new discoveries whilst others were PK regulars including a downhill-only bridlepath where Tristram/Appleton decided to cut out two hairpins by going straight down a bank and through a gorse bush, still setting a competitive time !
Both Maxsport RS2000 crews were having a great night, with the widely experienced David Taylor declaring "what a cracking rally, I'll do this one again." The Pedleys though were proving to be more than just serious historic contenders and were delighted to finish inside the overall top ten on this 90-entry WAMC/ANWCC/AWMMC event - basically as tough a school as it gets.
Two weeks later and it's off to Bishops Castle for Knighton MC's Pacemaker Rally, another event with a top reputation, having been voted best WAMC road rally last year. Sticking to a traditional format and largely to the tarmac the short summer nights limit the mileage but again the best lanes of South Shropshire and East Montgomery are crammed in to a 120 mile route. More details will follow but Mike and Dave Pedley again took top spot in their RS2000 with Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks some way behind having picked up eight fails with yet another problem but at least making it to the finish despite a failing clutch. Andy Nixon/David Taylor's fortunes are unknown, with David travelling hotfoot from a fine second place on the Ross Traders. The Pedleys' 13th place overall was again achieved against the 90-car might of the Welsh and West Midlands championships.
All of this gives Mike and Dave Pedley a decent lead in the Maxsport Championship ahead of Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks. The championship now moves 'oop north' with the Devils Own Rally (now on 15/16 August) followed by the Yorkshire Revival on 12/13 September (and on which David Taylor can't score as he's CoC). Regs for both are available, online and if necessary as hard copy.
Added: 15th July 2009 [permalink]
Pedleys take victory on Border 100
Mike & Dave PedleyMike and Dave Pedley took their smart Mk1 RS2000 to a 12 minute victory among the Maxsport historics on a very compact Border 100 Rally. The fierce local competition and their lack of inside knowledge of some of the slots stopped them from breaking in to the top 10 overall but it was a very creditable performance on such a dry and dusty night where power and tyre choice became critical. They had been leading Maxsport crew right from the opening section and continued their domination all night by being quickest on 12 of the 13 'droppers', Nixon/Taylor taking the other by just one second !
Andy Nixon/David Taylor had never rallied on Map 125 in their lives but loved the atmosphere at the Llanfyllin High School start and the enthusiasm of the vast number of spectators who were out. Andy had invested in new halfshafts to avoid any possible repetition of his Moonbeam failure. David meanwhile found it hard to believe that a full 120 mile rally could all be plotted in a map area no more than A3 size; the area is full of tight backlanes, whites and farmyards and the intricate nature of the route soon became apparent.
After problems on the last two rounds Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks had a better-protected exhaust system on their Saab 96V4 but encountered the same problem as the Pedleys and Giles Pursey had met on the Carpetbagger - wiper failure. It was thought that the impact of a rough white had caused the collapsible steering column to compress, shorting out the dashboard and switches though thankfully not the lights. A dry first half was followed after petrol at Llanrhaedr by a very wet second half testing their RainX to the limit. Keith's weak handbrake needed sorting too and the Saab needed a lot of shuffling around the many hairpins - including the hidden one in front of the championship coordinator. In contrast to Nixon/Taylor, Keith had past experience on Map 125 - or at least its imperial predecessor 117 - back in 1976 when driving a semi-professional Lancia Fulvia !
For various reasons they were the only three Maxsport crews out on the Border 100 but all aquitted themselves well and were delighted to all have finished. One or two famous road rally names from the past were seen about - Dennis Quinn drove course car while Keith Jenkins had brought former MN champion Edwyn Evans along to marshal. John Bloxham, the 1969 MN champion driver was marshalling too whilst keeping an eye on his two rising-star sons. It was good to see well-behaved spectators at so many points; rallying is in the local DNA and visiting caravanners had entered into the spirit too with roadside barbecues - at 2am ! Action continues one map to the north on 27/28 June with Bala MC's PK Memorial Rally. It's early days but Jenkins/Brooks now lead the Maxsport Historic Championship with 80 points, the Pedleys have 62 points, while Giles Pursey is third driver with 52 points and David Taylor third navigator with 29 points.
BORDER 100 MAXSPORT RESULTS
1. Mike Pedley/Dave Pedley RS2000 25.27
2. Andy Nixon/David Taylor RS2000 37.54
3. Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks Saab 96 49.03
Added: 4th May 2009 [permalink]
Moonbeam shines dimly on Maxsport crews
Mike & Dave Pedley took top points in their smart RS2000
They say that the best events stand out even if you have a poor result on the night so it's easy to see how Telford AC's Moonbeam Rally has been a past winner of 'Best AWMMC' and 'Best ANWCC' road rally awards. This year's event wasn't kind to the Maxsport crews but the welcome from Tim Hobbs, Maurice Leech and his team were only matched by the magical atmosphere at the start at Telford Car Auctions and by the intelligent way that the South Shropshire lanes had been used. The Maxsport crews may have been down the tail end of the results but all were keen to come back next year, indeed Telford are ready to reserve places for us so keen are they to see our cars and appreciate our approach to the sport.
For a number of reasons only a modest number of historics came out and when Garry Preston/Mike Sones couldn't get their Dolomite Sprint ready in time they chose to come out in Mike's Citroen Saxo - hardly historic. Most of the other top crews were out however and the potential top historic couldn't be forecast, particularly now that Andy Nixon has a new RS2000 to replace last year's Mexico. Once out of Telford the action began, with a mix of open lanes, a few farmyards and the field whites for which this event is known.
The first casualty sadly was the new RS2000, Andy's halfshaft failing after just 15 miles leading to an early return to Yorkshire. The other crews were running well though on sections around Cressage and Wenlock Edge and at the Craven Arms petrol halt Mike and Dave Pedley's RS2000 was just a minute clear of the Saab 96V4 of Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks, with Giles Pursey/Bernard Northmore further back in the Mexico, Bernard being a late replacement for Mike Burrows who had lost his voice.
The second half took crews west of the A49 and immediately caused problems for the two leading historics. Keith and Tony had suffered from exhaust problems on the Carpetbagger and found this recurring when they beached on a hairpin into a white, removing the back box. They nursed the car to the control at the end of the white, embarrassingly manned by coordinator Stan Appleton, then proceeded slowly in a big loop to retrieve the silencer. They did so successfully but the delay meant they needed to cut several controls, nevertheless they know that finishing is critical in this championship so pressed on having fixed the exhaust properly.
Shropshire is an agricultural county and good use is made of field-whites on this event, easy to overshoot as their entrance is often just a hole in the hedge. Mike and Dave Pedley missed one of these and found themselves back on the route but further on, climbing up the slopes of the Long Mynd on a narrow white where returning against rally traffic was unthinkable. They too had a long loop to recover ground and later cut controls too.
Giles Pursey/Bernard Northmore were proceeding steadily but the pace and complexity of the route led to the need for them to cut controls too even though the car was running well. The final competitive section finished right outside the finish venue each of our crews arriving in the belief that only they had suffered a poor night and relieved to find it had been shared. The Pedleys had come out on top (with eight fails etc !) from the Saab and the Mexico. But what of Garry Preston/Mike Sones in Mike's 21st century Saxo ? Let's just say that it's as well they're longstanding friends and that Garry runs a bodyshop !
Keith Jenkins now leads the Maxsport drivers' table from Giles Pursey and Mike Pedley. Tony Brooks heads the navigators from Dave Pedley and Dave Sanderson/Bernard Northmore. Action resumes on 2 May at Llanfyllin with the Border 100 Rally where several more crews are due to open their accounts. A number of additional crews are preparing cars which will come out later in the year, including at least five crews from stage or endurance rallying.
HISTORIC RESULTS
1. Mike & Dave Pedley RS2000 8F 25m7s
2. Giles Pursey/Bernard Northmore Mexico 10F 48m25s
3. Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks Saab 96V4 16F 21m25s
Added: 19th March 2009 [permalink]
Mixed crew heads-up Saab 1-2 on soggy Carpetbagger
John Tatlow/Julie Westwood in one of the shallower fords on the Carpetbagger
Over the last couple of years we've not been surprised to see a Saab 96 at the top of the historic leader board, but this year's Carpetbagger gave us a new pairing at the top - John Tatlow and Julie Westwood. John and Julie have been plugging away at some of the West Country events but always seemed to be in the shadow of the similar Saab of Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks. Conditions on the 'bagger were appalling but John and Julie didn't miss a beat to take top points taking a number of scalps on the way.
The Carpetbagger has become legendary with quotes like "toughest event I've done since 1983" (John Kiff); "best event in my 22 years of rallying" (Kevin Wilson); "I made it too easy with only 190 miles" (Roger Hunt, Clerk of the Course). As a result it attracts the top modern crews from across the UK and has been a popular round with the historics for the last seven years as they seek to measure themselves against the best in the country. Eight historics had entered but sadly the McCleans, Chris Jenkins and Worth Birkill had been forced to withdraw, leaving just five crews to contest the historic section.
Heavy rain had been forecast but held off at the Charmouth start leaving the opening section of South Devon lanes just very muddy. We had two early casualties - Mike and Dave Pedley had come out in a recently bought very smart pukka RS2000 but found that as soon as the rain came that their wipers failed and couldn't be coaxed into action. Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks had an exhaust problem on the opening regularity and although they only took twelve minutes to fix it they nevertheless had to cut as the first sector of the event had only 15 minutes maximum lateness, so that marshals could move ahead to their next control.
At first petrol John Tatlow/Julie Westwood already had the lead, from Steve Powell/Dave Sanderson who were debuting 'another' Avenger, Giles Pursey/Dion Casey in their Mexico, Keith and Tony's Saab and the struggling Pedleys. By now the rain was coming down in stair-rods and the standing water was fast becoming as much of a hazard as the fords. Steve Powell was having wiper problems too and Giles Pursey was losing count of the number of times he drowned out in the floods. Even marshals were having problems getting through as coordinator Stan Appleton found when he encountered two separate fallen trees as he tried to get to his second control of the night.
The Pedleys called it a night; it was quite impossible to continue without wipers in those conditions but the leading Saab crew stuck to their task and maintained their lead in the historics at second petrol, where the Avenger remained second but the other Saab had moved ahead of Giles' Escort. The rain may have eased slightly but the water on the roads deepened as it ran off the fields and streams burst their banks. Wipers and electrics were sorely challenged in all of the cars and at times both the Avenger and Mexico were found wanting. This contributed to Jenkins/Brooks moving up through the field and into second historic position as the third sector unfolded with Powell and Pursey both having to cut to avoid OTL.
The final ford of the night looked more like a raging torrent, made worse by the red mud off the Devon fields but the two Saabs made easy going of it. Not so Giles' Escort nor several of the modern crews who spluttered through. There are some excellent pictures on the M&H Photography website at www.mandh-photography.co.uk/events/Carpetbagger2009/ . Positions didn't change further but time penalties got greater as some crews were forced to cut due to the conditions. Mike Pedley has a theory that perhaps the historics are dragging their own personal stormcloud around the country - the Devils Own, Illuminations and now the Bagger have all been run in similarly awful conditions in the last four months ! Watch out at the Moonbeam !
The Carpetbagger is considered by many to be the toughest single night road rally in the UK calendar - and that's in more benign conditions - but crews keep coming back. This year's must be one of the toughest ever so credit to all the finishers, which incidentally includes HRCR vice-president Philip Young, out driving Peter Scott's Daihatsu Sirion but with Peter alongside him. Road rallying like it ought to be !
1. John Tatlow/Julie Westwood Saab 96V4
2. Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks Saab 96V4
3. Steve Powell/Dave Sanderson Hillman Avenger
4. Giles Pursey/Dion Casey Escort Mexico
5. Mike Pedley/Dave Pedley Escort RS2000
Photos by M&H Photography (Andy Manston)
Giles Pursey/Dion Casey setting off down the slipway at 10 knots
Mike & Dave Pedley before wiper failure
Steve Powell/Dave Sanderson - the New Avengers !
Keith Jenkins/Tony Brooks heading for second place
Added: 25th January 2009 [permalink]
2009 Maxsport Championship launched at Gaydon Open Day
Silver Jubilee winners Keith Jenkins and Tony Brooks were among the early registrations at Gaydon Open DayMore information including regulations, event details and a registration form are now available from the 'General' part of this Maxsport Championship website.
Interest at the Gaydon launch was encouraging with several registrations and enquiries from regular crews, returning champions and some new names - including a former Motoring News champion navigator, a successful BHRC competitor and a refugee from endurance rallying.
Photos by M&H Andy Manston
Current champion Jon Wood claimed first registration at Gaydon
Steve Powell - one of our first registrations
The Kiffs will be out in 2009 - but in what combination ?
2006 Champion Chris Jenkins returns with a freshly rebuilt Mini
Those Pedley brothers are back !
Added: 12th January 2009 [permalink]
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