A bumper turnout at last weekend’s Throckmorton Challenge at RAF Pershore in Warwickshire meant that the annual reliability trial pulled in more entries than any other Historic Rally Car Register clubman fixture.
More than 80 classics were put through their paces at the Historic Endurance Rallying Organisation’s annual trial on 15 October.
The event was limited to pre-1984 classics and involved a variation of tests, said HERO event director Peter Nedin: "The format of the challenge was the same as last year.”
“There were 15 manoeuvrability tests against the clock around a set course and four regularities where drivers had to adhere to a set average speed with their performance monitored at secret locations along the route,” added Nedin.
“The sting in the tail was the four-mile regularity on site which caught out many people, including a number of experienced crews".
The reliability trial was recognised as an HRCR Clubman Event – which was won by Michael and Simon Baker in a Porsche 911SC, with John Rondeau and Dennis Greenslade in a Jaguar Mk1 just behind them while Andrew Buzzard and Rob Lyne’s Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTV was first in the National Group B category.
The pair beat off the Triumph TR4 driven by Tony Sheach and Richard Lambley while Graham Walker and Sean Toohey’s Lotus Elan Sprint, along with Jon Wood and Iain Tullie’s Morris Mini Cooper, scooped third places in each class.
HERO’s Patrick Burke was upbeat about the future: "We have more than doubled the number of vehicles that took part last year and the event is being recognised nationally as an important part of the classic car calendar."
