Ryan Pickering and Andy Ballantyne took overall honours at last weekends ‘Rally of the Tests’ in their Triumph TR4, ex Rallycross champion Dermot Carnegie and his navigator Paul Bosdet were 2nd in the Volvo PV544 and David Morgan and Martyn Taylor rounded out the top 3 in their Volvo 123GT.
Last weekend was HERO’s Rally of the Tests, one of the tougher ‘Expert’ challenges that the Historic Endurance Rally Organisers offer. This year course planners Guy Woodcock and Anthony Preston excelled themselves in providing plenty of challenges to catch out even the regulars! The event started on Thursday in the town of Buxton with 89 cars making the start, the first of which left at 17.30. The prologue took in Buxton Raceway catching out ex Rallycross champion Dermot Carnegie the Volvo PV544 who took on a few war wounds as a result. Some late night tricky navigating helped remind competitors what they were in for, on their weekend ahead.
The first full day started in Buxton and ended in Llandrindod Wells just over twelve hours later after taking in 9 tests and 6 regularities. These included Darley Moor Motorcycle Race Circuit, a visit to the Peak District, the Shropshire Fells and ending up in Wales with a tricky section using the edge of Black Mountains followed by a tight test around a farmyard – all in the dark!
Day 2 started and finished at Llandrindod Wells, via a trip through the Cambrian Mountains then along the coast at Aberystwyth via some Welsh Forest. The crew of Roger & Leigh Powley ended the day with almost one and a half minute lead over Andy Buzzard/Robb Lyne. Day 1 leaders Howard Warren/Iain Tullie (nursing a sick gearbox) were holding third just 33 seconds in front of de Vargas Machuca/Toohey quietly creeping up the time scores in their 911.
On the Final day competitors were treated to glorious sunshine as they headed off to the Brecon Beacons. Previous bad weather causing landslips challenged the organisers to a last minute re-route. Crews took in a second visit to the motorsport venue of Caerwent and down to Chepstow all before lunch. By which time Andrew Buzzard and Robb Lyne pulled time back out of The Powley’s, reducing the deficit to just 40 seconds. Howard Warren/Iain Tullie lay in third just 33 seconds behind Buzzard/Lyne.
A short regularity from Mitchel Troy and led the competitors back to three long tests in Caerwent which brought the action to a close and sent the crews heading back to Bristol to be greeted by a large gathering of well-wishers applauding as crews passed under the finish arch.
In the overall awards, Ryan Pickering/Andy Ballantyne held a slender lead into Caerwent over Dermot Carnegie/Paul Bosdet. The top three was rounded off by David Morgan/Martyn Taylor in another Volvo, just over a minute behind Carnegie/Bosdet and this is how the results stayed to the finish.
Next up on the Hero Calendar is LeJog Hero’s toughest and longest event from Land’s End to John O’Groats which kicks off on the 6th December. Reliability is the key here open to any cars pre 1986, and deemed ‘Expert’ level for drivers and navigators.
Source: Hero – a full version of this race report can be found here.
Photos from : F&R Rastrelli
