It’s now June and half way through the year and when the EAC is complete we will also be half way through the Championship.  Despite this year’s event being the last time that Paul Brewerton will be the Clerk of the course, Interclub entry numbers are still not where there should be even after efforts by the organising team to increase the entry.  However, the Classic run has boosted numbers to more respectable levels.

This year the EAC will run in a new format as a two-day event, starting late Saturday afternoon for a first leg consisting of three road regularities, an off-road regularity and a couple of tests before returning to the Dragonfly Hotel in Bury St Edmunds for a well-earned supper and social evening.

Re-starting after breakfast on Sunday morning there will be another five regularities and six tests at venues that proved popular last year, finishing early afternoon back at the Dragonfly for a buffet awards lunch.

Last years winning navigator Ryan Pickering will be out once again but this year with local Owen Turner.  Also out, fresh from their success at the HERO Challenge 2 are the chuckle brothers, Angus McQueen and Mike Cochrane, but who sits on which side remains to be seen!  It sure to be a tight fight at the top with John Haygarth and Martyn Taylor there, whilst last years HRCR Drivers champion, Ian Crammond, is reunited again with Matthew Vokes in the Mercedes 280SL.  A slight change to the norm and certainly one to watch will be Niall Frost out driving with Amy Henchoz in a Volvo 142.

Ryan Pickering will be looking to repeat last years win, this time with local Owen Turner.  Photo by M&H Photography.

There is a good mix of Experts competing including Andrew Parr and Bob Duck who will be looking to improve their scores and consolidate their position at the top of the Experts championship.  However, I am sure Lewis Ayris and Matt Outhwaite in the very quick MGB will be looking to maximise their points as will Mark Goodwin and Anthony Davis in the Dolly Sprint who managed a very credible 13th place on the Gremlin.  Nick Bloxham is competing with Emily Anderson on the event and certainly one to watch after being by far the fastest car on the tests during the recent HERO Challenge 2.

Mark Goodwin and Anthony Davis (Dolomite Sprint) will be looking to add to their points tally on the EAC.  Photo by Chris Huish.

There are 10 novice crews out on the EAC interclub including Jeff Wincott and Anne Tweddell who are second and first respectively in the HRCR Novice championship.  They will be out in their familiar Austin A40 up against the more modern Vauxhall Nova of David Crooks with Ian Mitchell alongside and Alan and Paul Hawdon in their Peugeot 205GTi. The contrast couldn’t be more distinct. We shall also see the red Healey of Richard Warne and Chris Deal out once again and the lovely MGA of Rupert and Carole Burn.

Jeff Wincott and Anne Tweddell (Austin A40) leading Novices going in to the EAC.  Photo by M&H Photography.

As this is Pauls’ last event, I am sure that we will be in for great regs and very entertaining tests.  We send him our sincere thanks for all the work that he and his team have put in over the years and the enjoyment that we have received as a result.

Ken Binstead