1996 Alnite Rally

Kent Rally 1996

With the entry comprising 14 experts from the disappointing 22 crews entered, and the multitude of black spots within 40 miles of London it was hard to see where the organisers expected to get a result. Fortunately many crews fell into the simple navigational traps they had set. A direction of approach to one map reference forced the section to TC10 to include two extra loops. With many crews having to go back for them penalties abounded. Biss/Woodman spotted, and avoided, the trap immediately, Upham/PRAR going two minutes up the wrong road before doubling back. The rest of the field was in tatters with many double figure penalties recorded for the two minute section!

With both the top two showing the field a clean pair of heels, the contest was to be the best of the local crews. First into the fray were Tony Michael/Paul Barrett in their familiar orange RS2000. They fell for the navigational trap and had accrued a total of 12 minutes by half way. Next in were Colin Rodger/Sue Speller up from Sevenoaks in their 205 GTi. After some initial trouble they were well and truly confused by the tracings section. This caused them to drop 15 minutes (a massive penalty by today's standards), and by petrol it had slipped to 20 minutes. Next escort into the equation was that of Simon Larner/Gavin Rogers. They were to emerge as best of the locals, but still managed to run up an 8 minute penalty on the section defined by 7 map references. A further slip on a tulips section saw them arrive at petrol with 9 minutes on their time cards. They did however hold 4th spot a minute behind Thurbon/Buxton.

Ian Mepham/Martin Smith distinguished themselves as the only other crew not to drop time on the map references section. They had however made a complete pigs ear of the previous section and fallen from contention. They did pick up the award for 'best performance by Noreaster virgins', managing to be the only virgins to make it to the finish! Down in the semi-experts Chris Pratt/Nick Arden were acquitting themselves well, arriving at petrol without any fails. They held this position through to the end, placing first in class and 10th overall. They had been running as high as 5th, but a 16 minute penalty in the middle of the second half knocked them back quite a bit.

Despite the dramas of the first half, the positions were actual quite close at half way. Biss/Woodman were clean, with Upham/PRAR apparently close behind on 2 minutes. Opportunities to make up time on Biss/Woodman are few and far between, one did present itself as they went on a half mile wrong slot on the first section out from petrol. They did however scramble through and just avoid dropping any time. Rodger/Speller took this opportunity to make up time on the field, correctly solving the navigation and comfortably cleaning the section. This moved them into 5th position where they remained. The rest of the field were scattered far and wide.

Upham/PRAR took a small convoy for a tour of the Stanstead Airport complex, believing this to be the intended route. It was not, and penalties started to mount. Fortunately for them both Thurbon/Buxton and Larner/Rogers were unable to capitalise on the error, and indeed Upham/PRAR were able to consolidate their second place. Larner/Rogers moved up to tie for 3rd spot with Thurbon/Buxton. Biss/Woodman continued their clear run, cleaning the tie deciding section, Larner/Rogers coming closest to them with only a 9 second penalty. This put split the tie for 3rd place, with Larner/Rogers going ahead. With the rest of the second half rather emasculated by a late PR problem there was little change to the overall standings. This is not say that both drivers and navigators did not enjoy themselves, but with navigation and route pitched directly at the semi expert and novice competitors, the experts did have an easier time. This did not prevent Larner/Rogers throwing their position with a 7 minute wrong slot prior to TC32.

The semi experts award fell to Pratt/Arden, who were head and shoulders above the rest of the semi-experts. Mick Perchard/Alistair Varley took the novices trophy after a tight tussle with Rick & Maggie Chapman. With dominant performances like this it is hard to imagine Biss/Woodman loosing their London Counties crown, but with so many good crews the championship is already hotting up. With 8 rounds only to count, from 16, and four more events in close secession it could almost all be over by Easter!

PRAR

Final Results:

Pos Driver/Navigator                    Car              F M.S
 1  Mike Biss/Cath Woodman              Nova GTE         Clean
 2  John Upham/PRAR                     Volvo 244         7.17
 3  Alan Thurbon/Ian Buxton             Nova SR          15.37
 4  Simon Larner/Gavin Rogers           Escort           21.09
 5  Colin Rodger/Sue Speller            205 GTi          21.23
 6  Tony Michael/Paul Barrett           Escort RS2000    22.40
 7  Paul Wright/Mark Goodman            Escort           23.35
 8  Ian Mepham/Martin Smith             Golf GTi         30.18
 9  Gordon Milbank/Paul Sharp           Escort           33.22
10  Chris Pratt/Nick Arden              205              41.37
11  Allan Goddard/Stephen White         306d          1F 11.40
12  Gordon Popperwell/Graham Coker      Escort        1F 28.45
13  Paul Dutton/Gerry Fordham           Escort        6F 65.08
14  S Penrose/Alan Askew                Astra         8F 51.05
15  Simon Millington/Richard Whitehouse Cavalier      9F 82.30
16  Nick Perchard/Alistair Varley       Escort       24F 33.32
17  Rick Chapman/Maggie Chapman         309 GTi      25F 17.13