Engine Punk

At the start from left to right, 1900cc BMW 316 of Rob and Michael Holden, 2 litre Escort of Ken Bassett and Liam Hartley, Class winning X90 of Simon and Charlotte Lewis and Darren Ruby with Lisa, Ashley and Zak in their BMW E36 Compact. The 2021 Presidents Trial took place on 18th April, organised by the redoubtable Camel Vale Motor Club and back to its usual slot after Covid caused it to be postponed to October in 2020. After a freshen up of my steed during the winter lockdown and survival in the MCC Pop Up Trial, I entered the Arkley-MG as a singleton although I could have had a bouncer. What we can, and cannot, do changes frequently and I tend to lose track of where we're to. I wasn't the only driver without a bouncer but if you had an MSUK licence holder in your bubble you were laughing and if you didn't you could still laugh but behind a mask. This 454 CID Range Rover  was on recovery duty Conditions were very dry, much drier than when Stuart Palmer and I competed in ...

Car 54 where are you? On Chilli Bridge (Photo : Steven Price) The 2021 MCC Pop Up Trial was no push over. Although conditions were uncharacteristically dry for April, there were twelve difficult sections, many with restarts. Over 130 road miles and including hills regularly used in the Land's End Trial, the Pop Up Trial took competitors through a landscape they were lucky enough to only ever seen by moonlight. If they were unlucky, they got to not see it, as it was shrouded in mist or hidden behind sleet reflected in their headlamps. That's Exmoor in the dark for you. Last year's Land's End was postponed and then cancelled due to Covid 19. Subsequently, neither the Edinburgh nor the Exeter Trials took place, despite hours of preparation work behind the scenes. The postponed Presidents Trial took place last October  when restrictions were briefly lifted and I dabbled with some autosolos and autotests run by local motor clubs. In anticipation of MSUK permitting a gradual ...