By Henry Carr

After the postponement in September, forty seven crews assembled in Leyburn for the start of Ilkley and District Motor Club`s Jubilee Historic Rally. For a change it was the Masters who had plenty of time at the start, the reason being as the event would end in darkness, the Novices would be first on the road giving them the best of the daylight hours so at 08:31 it was Pete Jagger taking part in his first historic event in his Peugeot 205 Rallye with Andrew Millington who led the way with last year`s winners Steve Head and Mark Appleton Escort RS2000 being last car away.

After a short run out, it was a jogularity to start with handed out as you left the start and with the comments that timing points may be located anywhere not necessarily at the landmarks to try and keep the navigators from guessing the control locations. With five pages of instructions for the 16.5 miles and three timing points it was a gentle introduction to the event with the majority of crews just dropping a few seconds. From the start the route went via the first timing point and at a landmark before Finghall then through Hunton and the second timing point on a loop around Arrathorne to then go via Hornby and East Appleton to the final timing point on a small white layby before Lime Kiln Farm. Eventual winners Darell and Nicky Staniforth Mini Cooper S cleaned the section followed by Ken and Sarah Binstead MGB on one second.     

With the first regularity done it was straight into the second regularity and with the plotting instructions already issued it was already on the map, but the average speeds were a cumulative speed table containing additional not as map instructions handed out as you left the start in Leyburn. The regularity started with two not as map route checks before and after Great Langton within the speed table instructions then another speed table instruction taking you the long way round a triangle and the first timing point at Langton Hall. The route then went via Thirntoft and the second timing point before Streetlam to the third and final timing point at Kiplin Hall just before the morning halt. Best on this regularity were Paul Crosby and Ali Procter Mini Cooper S on six seconds and were now leading the event by two seconds from Darren Everitt and Susan Dixon Triumph 2000 with leading Experts Simon Malins and Suzanne Barker Hillman Hunter a further five seconds behind.

Paul Crosby and Ali Procter (Mini Cooper) started strongly. Photo by Henry Kitching

From the break it was into regularity three issued as you arrived at the break. The navigation being junction road colours along with plenty of speed changes that also followed on from the second regularity by containing a not as map instruction route check and with the use of a private land white it was a sterner test for the navigators. A gentle start up the old A1 and onto map 92 then via Gilling West and Hartforth and the first timing point. A loop round to Whashton and the route check on a not as map triangle being the phone number for the local mole catcher rather than an organisers code board was only missed by a handful of crews but notably by the winner of the last event the Dansport, John Haygarth in his Opel Kadett Rallye this time with John Youd. The second timing point was shortly after Ravensworth and soon followed by the third on the white but before this timing point the white had already accounted for the Novice crew of Robert Clifton Julie Clifton who found a Vauxhall Magnum size hole to park in and also the current leaders Crosby / Proctor who trying to avoid a Mini sized hole, slid off the track onto the soaking wet grass verge and were stranded. Once the white had been negotiated it was a straight forward run to the final timing point just before Marske. Best was Leigh Powley and Brian Goff,Toyota Corolla, on 9 seconds followed by Experts Graeme Cornthwaite and Lynsey Procter, Morris Mini, on 13 seconds. With Crosby / Proctor getting a maximum at the third timing point and Everitt / Dixon a maximum at the second as they had to return to obtain the mole catchers phone number, the leaders were now Powley and Goff.  

Powley and Goff (Toyota Corolla) found the mole catchers phone number ok, others didn’t! Photo by Phill Andrews.

At last, it was now time for the navigators to put the maps and their romer away as five tests followed before the lunch halt back in Leyburn. Although not taking part at the originally planned venue of the Catterick ranges the organisers had secured the use of a large farm complex near Leyburn for the test venue. The first test used the farm tracks leading to the farm itself with Novice crew Chris Haygarth Colin Martin Toyota MR2 along with the Staniforth`s stopping the clock on 1:36. A number of crews picked up a maximum by missing the two code boards including Everitt / Dixon who were later to retire from the event with ball joint failure. With a bit of a queue building up before the second test which was a figure of eight around the Slurry tank it allowed a bit of a pleasant break for the latter crews helped by the sun making a brief appearance from the constant downpour of rain in the days leading up to the event. The bogey on this test was beaten by Jonathan Amery Tom Van der Gucht Renault 5 Gordini Turbo who were in the clubman class. The quarry test followed and the clubman crew beat the bogey again on this test along with twenty other crews.  A slalom test followed on the concrete access road and the bogey on this test was beaten by four crews. A more complex test followed at a MOD site near the farm here Powley / Goff tied with Jon Dunning and Henry Carr, Ford Escort RS2000, then the Staniforth`s following a brief mid test hesitation by them to ensure they went the correct way. At the lunch break Powley and Goff had a twelve second lead over the Staniforth`s. Leading Experts were now Cornthwaite and Procter with fine a fourth overall. Also, inside the top ten and the leading Novice crew were Haygarth / Martin along with the crew currently leading the Novice category in the HRCR Motorsport News Road Rally Championship, Paul and Sandra Heaney, Triumph TR6.

Paul and Sandra Heaney (TR6) negotiating the quarry and in the top ten at lunch.  Photo by Phill Andrews

From lunch the format from the morning continued with another three regularities interspersed by a repeat visit to the test venue. The fourth regularity was an allocated start and a set of deeliarity instructions given out as you left the lunch halt. These are designed to be read on the move, only one page but with four timing points and again the use private land it looked like it was going to follow on the format of the previous regularity. From the start it went via Wensley and then onto Middleton Moor and the first timing point after Penhill Farm at 4.88 miles being half way onto the regularity. The second followed at Low Wood 2.57 miles from the first to be quickly followed by the third just 0.68 miles away on the private property at Holme Hill to the final one near the finish at Middleton. Best was expert crew David Mann and Ian Doble, MGC GT, on three seconds followed on four seconds by the current leaders Powley and Goff and the Staniforth`s.

David Mann and Ian Doble (MGC GT) best on the Deeliarity and 20th overall.  Photo by Mike Cowlam.

Regularity five quickly followed which was pre plotted with the average speeds given out at the regularity start which started at Ulshaw and again containing a not as map instruction which directed crews into a farm yard shortly after the start at Hutton Hang and the first timing point. The second timing point soon followed at Stoop House Farm and the regularity was then soon over at the third and final timing point just after Barden. It was the leaders Powley and Goff best on four seconds closely followed by the Staniforth`s on five.

A repeat of four of the morning tests now followed the farm tracks surface holding up well after the weeks deluge of rain and the first run through of cars. Test five started at different location on the farm tracks before joining the track used in the morning to finish before the slurry tank. Quickest here were Dunning / Carr on 1:10 followed by novices Richard Wardle Gareth Frank Escort on 1:13 and the leaders on 1:14. Next up was the slurry tank figure of eight test this time run in the opposite direction and in trouble here were the leaders Powley and Goff as the engine stopped mid test. The coil lead had come off and by the time it was back on 30 seconds and the lead had been lost. The quarry test followed and with bogey now adjusted to match the change in test layout due to a stock pile no longer being there it was not beaten this time with Powley and Goff trying to recover some of the time lost on the previous test on 49 seconds followed by Haygarth / Martin on 51 seconds. One more test remained again the same one as the morning at the MOD venue Tim Tordoff Ian Frazer Peugeot 205 GTi beating the bogey followed by Dunning / Carr. Stopping on this test with a suspected broken driveshaft were James Griffiths James Howell Mini 1275GT. 

Jon Dunning and Henry Carr (Ford Escort) 2nd overall, in the gloom by the sludge tank.  Photo by Mike Cowlam.

All that remained was the final regularity but a definite string in the tail!  Thirty miles with seven timing points and four route checks. The route was defined by a London Rally map, you had been given an old one-inch map showing the lettered point locations and at the regularity start you were given the instructions of which points to visit and the average speeds. The organisers expected this section to change the leader board as it was going to be tackled in the dark for the later crews on some of the classic Yorkshire roads from the road rallies of the past. With the time loss on test seven by Powley / Goff, the Staniforth`s now had an eleven second lead with Dunning / Carr in third nine seconds behind Powley / Goff so it was all to play for. In the expert class Cornthwaite / Procter had a commanding two minute lead over Malins / Barker and in the novice class it was a bit closer with Haygarth / Martin thirty seconds in front of the Heaney`s who at the finish thought it had been an excellent event with the right number of tricks and they found all the code boards. It was really good fun and enjoyed the darkness, wanting to end the season with a good result which they did with a first in class.

The start of the reg was near the test venue and headed north across Grinton Moor which had more traffic on it than usual as the B road from Grinton to Richmond was closed. The first route check was another not as map location the car park south of Grinton as the route then headed south towards Redmire using the gated road over Redmire Pasture and the Wensleydale railway white. The next route check on a small section of an old road white at Carperby saw the final demise of Crosby / Proctor with the loss of drive. Then via Aysgarth and the white leading to Thoralby followed, before going via Thornton Rust, Worton and the impossible junction at Newbiggin the organisers making it a bit easier for crews by going short way round. It was then back on the moor roads over Summer Lodge where Nick Pullan and Ian Canavan, Peugeot 205 GTi, lost the use of their spot lamps and some time. The section finished at Low Whita at the penultimate timing point as there was an issue with the clock at the final control. Best over the six timing points were the Staniforth’s on 26 seconds. Second on 27 seconds were Dunning and Carr and with Powley / Goff getting the speed change wrong before the fifth timing point this moved Dunning / Carr into second place, eight seconds behind the leaders. Powley / Goff dropped to third. No change in the other categories so first Expert and sixth overall were Cornthwaite / Procter and one place behind and first Novice were Haygarth and Martin.

Darell and Nicky Staniforth (Mini Cooper S) Winners of the 2022 llkley Jubilee Historic Rally.  Photo Henry Kitching.

In terms of the 2022 HRCR Motorsport News Road Rally Championship thanks must go to Ken Binstead for co ordinating this year`s successful championship. The Speedsport Design Trophies for overall driver and navigator had already been decided on the Dansport with Dan Willan the championship driver and Brian Goff the championship navigator. With James Griffiths and James Howell stopping on test eight Leigh Powley consolidated his runner up driver position and Henry Carr took the navigators runner up spot. With solid performances from both the championship Expert and Novice crews on the Jubilee the Ian Kelloway Memorial Trophies for the first Experts went to Les Andrew as driver and Suzanne Barker as navigator. The Speedsport Design Novices were Paul and Sandra Heaney who had to change car from the originally entered Lancia to their TR6 after the gearbox on the Lancia failed on Rally of the Tests. This caused a bit of a problem for Crow`s HRCR Internet Table Top championship running at the same time as one of the legs used the Jubilee entry list and specifically the age of the car entered.

Thanks to Ian Mitchell and his team along with the rest of Ilkley and District Motor Club for putting on a well balanced event between the regularities and tests in a new area for the Jubilee that was very well received by all those who took part.

Photos by Phill Andrews