Geoff Taylor Sporting Trial

With another storm due, the crews were keen to get the 3 runs done asap. It was a two horse race with Richard & Joe Sharp taking an early lead before Josh Veale & Jim Lewis got the lowest round score of the day, on the 2nd pass, to take a 1 point lead into the afternoon. With just 1 point separating the top two it was hill 5 that proved crucial as Veale scored a 5, with Sharp clearing the hill. In the end Sharp took victory by 2 points with Veale 2nd overall. Bob Packham & Mark Tallon just held on to 3rd overall, after a high scoring 3rd round almost cost them dear.

BTRDA Sporting Trials, Gold & Silver Star Championship

Back down to Crewkerne for the 2022 Gold & Silver Star championship and the opening round of 9 hills saw Thomas Bricknell & Lester Smith take an early lead, with 6 points scored. Peter & Liz Fensom were 2nd with 9 points and there were a further 4 crews all on 10 points. Round 2 saw Simon Kingsley & Beth Carroll score 9 points as they went into the final round tied for the lead with Bricknell. The final round saw Kingsley score just 5 points, which was enough to secure the Gold Star Championship. Bricknell was 2nd, just 2 points behind with Ian & Keil Wright jumpin up to 3rd overall, after being joint 7th after 2 rounds.

Geoff Taylor Sporting Trial

Despite the recent constant rainfall the well drained soil meant the hills used on the Geoff Taylor were not as bad as they could have been and it was Josh & Tristan Veale (Sherpa) who led Richard & Joe Sharp (Cartwright) by a single point, after round 1. Ian & Sandy Veale (Sherpa) set the lowest score of round 2 to make it a three way tie on 10 points with one round to go. Josh had a poor 3rd round dropping to 4th overall and it his father Ian who set the joint lowest score with the Sharp’s, taking victory on countback. Completing the podium in 3rd were John Fack & Paul Leyser (MSR).

BTRDA Sporting Trials, Gold & Silver Star Championship

The 2020 BTRDA Sporting Trials, Gold & Silver Star Championship returned to Huntington, 4 years after it saw Josh Veale secure the title. The 10 hills set out provided a varied challenge and it was Bryan Walker & Mark Simpson who took the lead with only a single point scored on hill 9. Josh & Tristan Veale were joint 2nd with Andy Wilks & Mark Smith on 4 points. 2019 champions Ian & Keil Wright were early retirements and unable to defend their title. With the hills getting trickier Walker could only manage to keep to 10 points but maintained the lead. Andrew McKinney & Chris Millar were the class of the round, scoring just 6 points and leaping up to 2nd overall, just 3 points behind Walker. Veale and Wilks matched each other to hold joint 3rd with John & Ryan McKinney join them after a good 2nd round.

Spring Sporting Trial

Another double header weekend saw us take in the Spring Trial at Long Compton. The weather held out, just about, for the 30 crews who entered in what is the closing event of the sporting trial season before the summer break. Paul Price & Kate Kirk took victory after a consistent run across the 4 rounds of the 8 hills on offer.

Motorsport UK Championships Update

Welshman Tom Cave scored his first BRC win in a four-wheel-drive car with victory on the West Cork Rally.

Motorsport UK – Championships update

The podium was completed by Richard Sharp on nearly double Kingsley’s winning score. Andy Wilks won the blue independent class in fourth, with BTRDA Chairman Stuart Beare just behind.

Geoff Taylor Sporting Trial

A modest entry of 21 crews started the 2019 season opener the Geoff Taylor Sporting Trial, on the Apley Estate. With fog shrouding the 8 hills the first two runs provided low scoring as the damp conditions did not challenge the crews as much as was expected. With the hills made more challenging in the sunny afternoon conditions Simon Kingsley got his season off to a great start with a score of 14 points and victory in the process. Ian Veale was just 2 points back in 2nd place with Andy Wilks just a point further back, completing the podium.

BTRDA Sporting Trials, Gold & Silver Star Championship

Fourty three crews arrived at an unseasonably dry Frocester site to contest the 2018 Gold and Silver Star final. Ten long sections were laid out across the deceptively dry site and with the threat of rain looking slim it looked like a low scoring day was in store. Roland Uglow and John Fack running two cars apart set the early pace in round one of the 2018 Gold Star, with Roland’s two marks dropped closely followed by John’s three. Richard Sharp matched John’s score to sit in a tie for second with Bryan Walker a point further back on four with Ian Veale completing the top five on five.

Gloster Sporting Trial

Ian Wright ended his championship winning season in a fitting manner by winning the Gloster Sporting Trial. Without a victory since September, Ian found the conditions to his liking as he powered his way to victory. Wet conditions underfoot met the 32 starters, and as the day wore on and intermittent rain showers broke up the dull conditions, the early grass disappeared and engine revs began to rise on an enjoyable day’s sport at this super site. Josh Veale and Roland Uglow led the way early on with Josh holding a slender point lead at lunchtime on 17 with Roland on 18 and Ian Wright two points further back on 20.