A Novice Trial 2022 - Friday 20th May 2022

The Starting PointThe ‘freshers’ couldn’t have had better instruction as A Novice Trial Clerk of the Course, Seren Whyte and her winning navigator sister Elise, took the eager 94 through the basics, from signing on to essential road book work for an hour and a half. The teams, who come from as far as the USA and range from total beginners to former Peking to Paris Motor Challenge competitors, will hope the next stage on Saturday morning will go as smoothly when their cars are scrutineered ready for road training sessions and the actual A Novice Trial on Sunday. That is what the teams will be working up to, when all they have learned will be put to the test in real competition.

So what did some of the classic rallying newbies think of their induction session?

Terry and Judy Tolbert (USA)  Car 31 Arrive and Drive Alfa Romeo GTV 1750

Terry; “We are visiting and decided that this is something we would really like to do. My wife and I have raced off road cars in the past and we tried one form of rallying in the US in an old Fiat that we have. So we thought we'd like to give this a try and see if it's something that we like.

“The first part of the course was very good, very informative, it helped answer a lot of the questions we had on the route maps and tulips and so I think it was a big help. I wouldn’t try it without it!

“Yes, we have gone all the way and hired an Arrive and Drive car, we have a little Alfa Romeo which we're gonna try tomorrow, it fits into our like of Italian cars which we have at home, so it works!”

Roger Smith and Mike Blayney, car 7 Lancia Aurelia

Roger, “It was really good, really interesting, whether it was everything or not I don’t think so, but we had all the documents so we read through those, but it just concreted everything. However, I'm sure we'll have forgotten everything by the morning!

Mike; “This is our very first time having a go at regularity rallying. We have both got classic cars, mine is not running at the moment but Roger’s is so we just thought it would be nice to use them. I think the other thing is, it's nice to meet other people who have got a similar interest and see what we can learn from them all.”

Roger; “What we aim to do is to get around in one piece on Sunday and not get lost!”

Mike; “And try not to become kind of bottom, I’m navigating so it’s all on me!”

Molly and Jonathan Walton, car 40, Triumph TR3

Molly; “It's an amazing thing. What an amazing opportunity, this is the first time that I've done something like this, and it's just made me very, very excited. I don't really know how I'm going to be at the navigation, but I'll try my best, I might need some help from Johnny, I don’t know what I’ve let myself in for!”

Jonathan; “Yes, I'm a little bit pleased that I've got the keys and driving it rather than navigating, I think I've lucked in on that one!

“We had to actually change from the Arrive Drive Fiat 124 because I was too tall basically. So now we're in the lovely TR3 instead.”

Molly; “I have never been in a TR3. I just went and had a peek before in the workshop, it looks amazing, but I've got no idea what anything does, I'm very, very new to it, but very excited.”

Keep up with the latest results in Sunday's mini rally here

https://vimeo.com/712234279