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HERO Challenge Three

HERO-ERA

5th October 2024


HERO Challenge Three 2024
Winners: James Holt/Alistair Leckie (BMW 325i)
Photograph: © HERO-ERA/Ian Skelton

Organiser: HERO-ERA

Date: 5th October 2024

Clerk of the Course: James Phillips

Route: 140 Miles - 9 tests, 5 regularities

Base: Scunthorpe

Starters: 89


Scunthorpe was the base for the third and last of the HERO Challenge rallies of 2024. The one day event format was proving to be popular, with a near capacity entry being received.

Eighty-nine cars took the start at 08:00 on Saturday morning. They faced five regularities and nine tests during the day. The Challenge series was also to be decided, with a number of individuals still in contention for the titles.

The 140 mile route was based at the Forest Pines Hotel near Brigg, which was both the start and finish venue. The course went into the Lincolnshire Wolds, reaching as far south as Alford, before heading back north.

The first reg started near Caistor and finished at Bully Hill; it contained three timing points. Four crews shared the lead after it, all were on one second penalty. The four crews were Andy Harrison/Henry Carr (Austin Mini), Ed Linton/John Youd (Hillman Imp), Dick Baines/Harry Baines (Mini Cooper S) and Nigel Woof/Sally Woof (Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint). However, at this point, more than half the field was on ten seconds or less.

One crew who weren't amongst these were Dan Willan/Danielle Poole (Volvo PV544), the Bob Rutherford Scholarship winner having her fourth outing as part of her win, however on the reg they were delayed by civilian traffic and dropped 55 seconds.

After a coffee halt at the familiar Black Horse at Donnington-on-Bain, there was a second regularity. This started just outside Donnington and ran via Goulceby and Scamblesby to finish at Burwell. Again it had three timing points. This split the field up slightly.

Baines/Baines now had a clear lead, but only of one second, over Harrison/Carr, Christopher Day/Claire Day (Mini Cooper S) and Bron Burrell/Suzanne Barker (Austin Maxi).

HERO Challenge Three 2024
Challenge Cup Series Winners: Simon Ayris/Matt Outhwaite (MG B Roadster)
Photograph: © HERO-ERA/Ian Skelton

There then followed three tests at Strubby Airfield. The tests were scored on the usual class improvement system.

Day/Day were fastest on both Tests 1 and 2; this put them into the lead, Baines/Baines had a problematic Test 1 where they had to retrace their steps to go around an island. Day/Day then had problems themselves on Test 3 and were only thirteenth quickest in their class and fell to sixth place overall. John Lomas/Natasha Lomas (Riley Sprite), with two fastest class test times, moved to the top of the leader board after the three tests.

A couple of crews had problems at the venue. John Dickson/Amber Dickson (MG B Roadster) had cooling issues. These were resolved by the sweeps and the pair rejoined the rally at the lunch halt. More seriously, Ali Procter/Lynsey Procter (Peugeot 205 GTi), who were within the top ten, were forced out with an engine problem.

The third regularity of the event used a London Map, where points are provided beforehand, with directions of approach being issued later. Simon Ayris/Matt Outhwaite (MG B Roadster) were best through the three timing points, dropping just one second over the reg. Mark Lillington/Alan Petit (MG B) were on two seconds for the section and this put them into the lead, as Lomas/Lomas, along with a number of others, missed the first timing point.

Lillington/Petit now led 2023 Challenge Three winners, Stephen Chick/Alex Chick (Datsun 260Z), by three seconds, with Ayris/Outhwaite in third, one second further back.

The fourth test of the day was at Withcall Farm, just north of Cadwell Park. Lillington/Petit, were once again, fastest in Class 4, as they had been for the first three tests, and therefore maintained their lead as crews headed for the lunch halt at Kenwick Hall, Louth.

By this point Adam Davies/Graeme Presswell had become the second retirement of the rally, their MG B suffering a failed diff. The Ford Escort Mexico of George Haxby/Mike Rands joined the non-finishers list when the car's clutch broke.

At Lunch, Lillington/Petit held a lead of eight seconds, with Ayris/Outhwaite and Day/Day tied for second place. These two crews had seven others within eight seconds of them.

HERO Challenge Three 2024
Third Placed: Ken Binstead/Sarah Binstead (Triumph TR6)
Photograph: © HERO-ERA/Ian Skelton

A string of four tests followed the lunch break, these were repeats, or near repeats, of the four morning tests. Lillington/Petit were fastest in their class on three of these and exited Test 8 with a slightly increased lead of nine seconds. Day/Day were in second, but were sharing the position with James Holt/Alistair Leckie (BMW 325i), who had been fastest in Class 7 on all four tests. Ayris/Outhwaite were one second behind in fourth place.

Reg 4 was 13 miles long and had four timing points. It started near Grimblethorne Hall and ran north to Rothwell. It was to have a dramatic affect on the lead as Lillington/Petit wrong slotted and were 33 seconds late at the third timing point; in such a tight competition, this dropped them out of the top ten.

Holt/Leckie led after the reg, but were only two seconds ahead of Ayris/Outhwaite and Day/Day, who, once again, were tied for second place. Ken Binstead/Sarah Binstead (Triumph TR6) were in fourth place, eight seconds off the lead.

The final reg was a tight and tricky ten mile affair, with four timing points. It started north-east of Elsham and ran through Worlaby, Bonby and Saxby All Saints.

Ayris/Outhwaite were best over the section and pulled to within a second of Holt/Leckie, who still led. Binstead/Binstead were now in third, but were 19 seconds behind the leaders. Chick/Chick, who had been in sixth place, suffered fuel feed problems and had to cut the last half of the reg. Fuel issues also caused delays for Martin Jelley/Nigel Fraser (Volvo Amazon 123GT).

With just one second between the two leading crews, only the final test remained, this was at Field House Farm. Both Holt/Leckie and Ayris/Outhwaite took fastest in their class on the test, so remained on the same penalties, giving the BMW pairing the win. However, Ayris/Outhwaite had done more than enough to secure the Challenge Trophies; it was the first series win for Ayris, but the third for Outhwaite. Holt moved up the championship table to take the runner up spot.

Binstead/Binstead took the final podium spot, with Steve Robertson/Julia Robertson (MG B GT V8) in fourth.

Eight-six crews made it back to the Finish.


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