THE Rally of Tests took place recently, starting at Harrogate and finishing in Bristol. The route covered approximately 250 miles each day. The event was only open to cars produced before 1968 and was organised by Hero events from Bridgend.

The event was very intense and it kept all the crews on their toes. The event consisted of tests timed to the second on private land and at regular intervals. This involves maintaining an average speed over the set distance with controls set up at intervals, of which the crews are oblivious to their whereabouts.

An average speed must be maintained throughout the whole distance, which can be difficult with other traffic on the route. As competitors do not know where the time controls are going to be it is almost impossible to increase speed to gain time.

The event came to South Wales and Ross and District Motor Sports Club manned some controls around Earlswood and local Commons. There were also off road tests in the dark and Caerwent training camp. Competitors overnighted at the Celtic Manor Hotel in Newport.

The following morning, they did three tests at Chepstow race course, then drove across the bridge to compete in Somerset and the Bristol area, finishing at the RAC control with a final test in Bristol.

The overall winners were Paul Wignall and Mark Appleton in Car 7, an Alpha Romeo, followed by Car 1 driven by Dan Willan and Martyn Taylor in a Volvo PV544.

Stuart Anderson and Leigh Powley also won, driving in Car 2, a Bentley Derby 4 1/4 litre open top. The pair won their class, which was not the best car to be driving in the pouring rain that day.

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