Geoff Hodge and Geoff Spencer in their Reg Taylor built, Dellow inspired, RDT

• Pictures by Barry Walker
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• Video by Michael Leete
• Videos by Julian Lack
• Results

Clerk of the Course Verdun Webley was challenged by dry conditions, responding by devising some new variations to the usual mix of Brickhill sections. Peter Morley wasn’t to enjoy them though as the dynamo on his Beetle failed on the way and headed for home while he still had some battery left. Robin Howard got to the venue OK but didn’t get to enjoy many sections as his creaking diff let go on the second hill. Still on the mechanical front Ross Nuten didn’t get much further. His Dellow Mk2 had retired on the Edinburgh with electrical issues. Ross thought a capacitor change had done the trick but it was not to be as the car got a fit of the sulks as soon as it saw a trials hill. It looks like the problem is the bearings on the Aldon distributor as the whole mechanism is slopping around in the body.

The first round of eight hills saw the pattern of the day with Mike Pearson (Dellow Mk2 rep) going clear as did Geoff Hodge and Geoff Spencer in the RDT. Ed Nikel would have joined them but for clipping the nine marker when the door of his Dellow Mk2 rep flew open on the first section. Philip Hyde so nearly joined the elite group in his Liege but clipped the one marker on section seven. Geoff Spencer lost his clean sheet on the second round but Mike and the other Geoff carried their zeros into lunch.

Verdun spiced things up for the afternoon and everyone lost marks. Geoff Hodge dropping 14. He was nearly caught by Philip Hyde who had excellent afternoon. Mike was third and Julian Lack fourth after a good afternoon.