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Rally For The Ages

HERO-ERA

7th September 2024


Rally For The Ages 2024
Winners: Jonathan Shepherd/Imogen Shepherd (BMW 325i)
Photograph: © Paul Freeman Photography

Organiser: HERO-ERA

Date: 7th September 2024

Clerk of the Course: Guy Woodcock

Route: 80 Miles - 4 tests, 4 regularities

Base: Bicester Heritage

Starters: 63


Sixty-three crews took the start at the second running of the Rally For The Ages, HERO-ERA's annual event aimed at introducing younger competitors to classic rallying. If the combined aged of a crew was under 70 then their entry fee was refunded.

The competitors faced a half day rally consisting of four tests and four regularities, with a training session for newcomers in the morning.

Motorsport UK showed their support for the initiative by providing waivers for modern cars to compete; these cars were in a separate class and ineligible for the overall awards.

The Bentley 3/4½ of Anna Getley/Louisa Getley led the cars from the Bicester Heritage start and onto the two tests at the neighbouring airfield, which opened proceedings. The father and daughter team of Jonathan Shepherd/Imogen Shepherd (BMW 325i) and the father and son team of Rob Kitchen/William Kitchen (Peugeot 205) shared the honour of being fastest on the test.

The tests were scored by the fastest in each class receiving zero penalties, while other cars were penalised for the number of second that they were behind the quickest car in their class.

After the second test, two crews still had clean sheets, having been fastest in their class on both tests; these were Stephen Venn/Elizabeth Venn (MG B GT) and Matthew Todd/Frances Todd (Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce).

Crews left Bicester Aerodrome and headed for the first of four regularities. With the route having skirted Springhill Prison, the first reg started at Shipton Lee and, fifteen miles later, finished at Addington. There were four timing points on the section.

Shepherd/Shepherd put in the best performance over the reg, picking up only two seconds in penalties, this put the team in a clear one second lead, with Christian von Sanden/Max von Sanden (Porsche 356D) in second.

The second regularity ran south to north in the lanes between Milton Keynes and Buckingham. Navigation was via a speed table, with three timing points en route. Tim Sawyer/Jack Love (Ford Escort Mexico) dropped two seconds to be best on the section, this put them in second place overall, tied on 14 seconds with von Sanden/von Sanden. Shepherd/Shepherd now had a lead of three seconds.

Rally For The Ages 2024

A mid-point coffee break was taken at the Barley Mow at Paulerspury. While most crews had a leisurely break, others only had time to dash in before having to check out on their designated time from the Time Control situated at the pub.

The route now headed back towards Bicester, on a track to the west of the first half sections. The third regularity started at Whitfield and finished at Mixbury; there were two timing points on this seven mile sector, which was defined by another speed table.

The BMW 325i of John Evans/Elise Evans put in a perfect performance on the reg, hitting both timing points exactly on time. Shepherd/Shepherd were able to pull out another second over von Sanden/von Sanden, to increase their lead to four seconds.

Things were however to go wrong for the von Sandens at the very start of the final reg, which wound its way around Shellswell and Tusmore Parks. They wrong slotted and were almost four minutes late at the first timing point. Despite the maximum one minute penalty at a TP partly saving them, in such a tight contest this dropped the father and son pairing out of the top ten.

Roland Thomas/Tamzin Thomas (Mini 1275GT) were joint best on the section and this moved the pair from fifth to second. Their total for the reg was matched by Chris Beer, who had Bob Rutherford Scholarship winner Danielle Poole navigating in his Suzuki Ignis; as well as this success, the driver ended the day with the lowest total time over the four tests for any competitor.

Imogen Shephard guided her father to a third best for the section of four seconds; this increased their lead to 15 seconds.

Two more tests at Bicester Aerodrome completed the day's competition. Shepherd/Shepherd added 12 seconds to their total over the tests; this allowed Thomas/Thomas, who were best in class on both tests, to cut the lead to just three seconds at the Finish. These two crews took the top two spots on the podium. This was Imogen Shepherd's rally debut and, impressively, she also had the lowest combined score for any navigator over the four regularities.

The third podium place was taken by Sawyer/Love, who had only teamed up two days before the event.

Matthew Evans/Taylor Evans brought their glorious Hillman Imp into fourth place and a class win. Meanwhile sixteen year old Jack Harvey guided father Jon Harvey to fifth place in their MG B Roadster, gaining Jack the award for the highest placed competitor aged under 18. They were two seconds ahead of Greg Sadler/Wilf Sadler (Porsche 911), giving the navigator second place in the Under 18 category.

Of the 63 starters, 50 crews were able to claim the entry refund for being under a total age of 70.


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