2024 UK Targa/Road Rallying Thread
Discussion
Any updates with the second half of the season kicking off?
We kicked off with the Targa at Portreath. Great mileage in the venue but a sea of cones and some undefined routes made for some confusion and the occasional dangerous situation with cars going in all directions. Some refinement and it would be a fantastic event.
I missed the Hatsford Targas with my regular driver but we were out today on the Bovington Targa.
Very rough, very wet and very sunny all at once. First time seeded in single digits after a few seasons of climbing the ranks. We picked up a misfire on an early test after a rather deep puddle so limped through the first loop.
Thankfully it sorted itself out after a brief rest and we set some very encouraging times up at the sharp end to justify our seeding.
Unfortunately the second test after lunch saw the clutch cool itself and we had to call it a day.
A very positive and fun day out but expensive after with four new knobbies on the car, a broken windscreen from a rock flicked up by the car in front and a new clutch needed.
Pretty high rate of attrition on the event but great flowing tests with minimal interruptions.
We kicked off with the Targa at Portreath. Great mileage in the venue but a sea of cones and some undefined routes made for some confusion and the occasional dangerous situation with cars going in all directions. Some refinement and it would be a fantastic event.
I missed the Hatsford Targas with my regular driver but we were out today on the Bovington Targa.
Very rough, very wet and very sunny all at once. First time seeded in single digits after a few seasons of climbing the ranks. We picked up a misfire on an early test after a rather deep puddle so limped through the first loop.
Thankfully it sorted itself out after a brief rest and we set some very encouraging times up at the sharp end to justify our seeding.
Unfortunately the second test after lunch saw the clutch cool itself and we had to call it a day.
A very positive and fun day out but expensive after with four new knobbies on the car, a broken windscreen from a rock flicked up by the car in front and a new clutch needed.
Pretty high rate of attrition on the event but great flowing tests with minimal interruptions.
We did the first one last year, it was well organised and run.
Some of the venues were a bit rough at around 0.8x Bovington (a new scale perhaps?).
We only got to half way before collecting a puncture and clutch failure at Bicester 2.
Some different venues this year I believe, looking forwards to it.
Some of the venues were a bit rough at around 0.8x Bovington (a new scale perhaps?).
We only got to half way before collecting a puncture and clutch failure at Bicester 2.
Some different venues this year I believe, looking forwards to it.
The Exmoor Targa was brilliant.
Three forest tests run twice. The tracks were in good condition, very slippery in places too.
And then over to Porlock toll road for 4 runs in total. Also quite slippery under the trees but dry and quick up the top.
All run to time, great marshals, fab weather.
Pretty much a trouble free event from my side. although we had an O2 sensor break free from the exhaust before lunch, a baked bean tin and some metal tie wraps applied during lunch fixed that enough to continue.
Looking forward to Rushmoor next. A compact event but quite technical.
Roll on 2025.
Three forest tests run twice. The tracks were in good condition, very slippery in places too.
And then over to Porlock toll road for 4 runs in total. Also quite slippery under the trees but dry and quick up the top.
All run to time, great marshals, fab weather.
Pretty much a trouble free event from my side. although we had an O2 sensor break free from the exhaust before lunch, a baked bean tin and some metal tie wraps applied during lunch fixed that enough to continue.
Looking forward to Rushmoor next. A compact event but quite technical.
Roll on 2025.
It’s been a while since I updated my story of 2025.
I can’t say it’s been the best year for my rallying, pretty crap really.
I got back in the Imp for the Cotswold Historic, that went OK, but as we were running in the clubman class ( driver only has an RS licence) the navigation was simplified and it was difficult to gauge the result ( 3rd in that class).
Next on my planned event list after the postponed July De Lacy Targa was to be the St Wilfred’s HRCR round….. but Ripon pulled the plug on that one and cancelled it!
Dave Crooks came north and did the Northern Dales Targa in the Nova instead, that went OK, mid field position, he’s still, finding his feet in the car.
After a worrying few weeks the Ilkley Jubilee came together, the MOD played ball and we got the full use of Catterick and a respectable entry. One or two paperwork indiscretions and biblically bad weather didn’t detract from a cracking day for everyone. Whilst officially we had full permission for everything we were running on the ranges, one wood was occupied by the Dutch Army training the Ukrainians, they were entertaining themselves by throwing smoke grenades at the cars! Then their CO must have decided enough is enough and blocked the regularity after car 12 and we lost the last two controls of that one!.
My Alfa was running as 000 car on that, with my brother driving and me handing out instructions etc. trouble is it wasn’t at all happy, misfiring badly. It eventually expired completely in the middle of Catterick in a massive rainstorm and the bottom of a deep ford! Fortunately we managed to get it out of the ford and the Clock Car arrived ( a nice big pick up truck!) they towed us out of the Reg to next test start, I jumped in the clock car to continue my Job, Steve was left to get the dead Alfa back home! ( fortunately he did).
So continue my duff year, next event should have been the Dansport in the Alfa, but it’s now in many pieces in the Garage so that never happened.
The 12 car season is now back in full, swing though. I managed an Ilkley and District MC scatter at the beginning of the month with a new driver, a Welsh chap who seems very keen. His Audi RS4 was a bit over kill for the scatter though! Especially when we couldn’t see beyond the end of the bonnet on the hilly area we chose for the route!, we came 4th.
A De Lacy 12 car was run with Brother Steve in the Corsa, this used Rallyapplive for all the timing and PC’s and it did seem to work well. I made a balls, of one section and Rallyapp didn’t let us get away with the WD! 4th again……
In theory I should be out again on and IDMC 12 Car tomorrow, but I’ve been laid up in bed with Covid for a week so unless I can get a negative test I can’t see me doing it. Shame as it’s running full with some star entries too and a couple of reserves.
Looking forward, at least De Lacy have got their Targa back up and that’s happening in November, it’s a poor entry so far though, so if anyone is looking for a good day out in the north of Englands best Rally venue come up give it a go.
I can’t say it’s been the best year for my rallying, pretty crap really.
I got back in the Imp for the Cotswold Historic, that went OK, but as we were running in the clubman class ( driver only has an RS licence) the navigation was simplified and it was difficult to gauge the result ( 3rd in that class).
Next on my planned event list after the postponed July De Lacy Targa was to be the St Wilfred’s HRCR round….. but Ripon pulled the plug on that one and cancelled it!
Dave Crooks came north and did the Northern Dales Targa in the Nova instead, that went OK, mid field position, he’s still, finding his feet in the car.
After a worrying few weeks the Ilkley Jubilee came together, the MOD played ball and we got the full use of Catterick and a respectable entry. One or two paperwork indiscretions and biblically bad weather didn’t detract from a cracking day for everyone. Whilst officially we had full permission for everything we were running on the ranges, one wood was occupied by the Dutch Army training the Ukrainians, they were entertaining themselves by throwing smoke grenades at the cars! Then their CO must have decided enough is enough and blocked the regularity after car 12 and we lost the last two controls of that one!.
My Alfa was running as 000 car on that, with my brother driving and me handing out instructions etc. trouble is it wasn’t at all happy, misfiring badly. It eventually expired completely in the middle of Catterick in a massive rainstorm and the bottom of a deep ford! Fortunately we managed to get it out of the ford and the Clock Car arrived ( a nice big pick up truck!) they towed us out of the Reg to next test start, I jumped in the clock car to continue my Job, Steve was left to get the dead Alfa back home! ( fortunately he did).
So continue my duff year, next event should have been the Dansport in the Alfa, but it’s now in many pieces in the Garage so that never happened.
The 12 car season is now back in full, swing though. I managed an Ilkley and District MC scatter at the beginning of the month with a new driver, a Welsh chap who seems very keen. His Audi RS4 was a bit over kill for the scatter though! Especially when we couldn’t see beyond the end of the bonnet on the hilly area we chose for the route!, we came 4th.
A De Lacy 12 car was run with Brother Steve in the Corsa, this used Rallyapplive for all the timing and PC’s and it did seem to work well. I made a balls, of one section and Rallyapp didn’t let us get away with the WD! 4th again……
In theory I should be out again on and IDMC 12 Car tomorrow, but I’ve been laid up in bed with Covid for a week so unless I can get a negative test I can’t see me doing it. Shame as it’s running full with some star entries too and a couple of reserves.
Looking forward, at least De Lacy have got their Targa back up and that’s happening in November, it’s a poor entry so far though, so if anyone is looking for a good day out in the north of Englands best Rally venue come up give it a go.
A new event announced by Highland Car Club:
You've all heard the rumours....
Highland Car Club are pleased to announce the intention to run the Far North Winter Classic targa rally.
With further details to follow in due course, please take note of the basics;
- Friday evening the 24th and all day Saturday the 25th of January 2025
- Based in Tain, Ross-Shire
- 16 tests
- 4 regularities
- 4 coded road sections
- 165 miles
- £185 entry fee, including Saturday lunch and evening meal before awards
- Tain hotel HQ with rally exclusive room rate
- Supplementary regs will be released 22nd of November
- Entries open at 7pm on the 1st of December
Far North Winter Classic - Into the DARKNESS!
The Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6155630163...
You've all heard the rumours....
Highland Car Club are pleased to announce the intention to run the Far North Winter Classic targa rally.
With further details to follow in due course, please take note of the basics;
- Friday evening the 24th and all day Saturday the 25th of January 2025
- Based in Tain, Ross-Shire
- 16 tests
- 4 regularities
- 4 coded road sections
- 165 miles
- £185 entry fee, including Saturday lunch and evening meal before awards
- Tain hotel HQ with rally exclusive room rate
- Supplementary regs will be released 22nd of November
- Entries open at 7pm on the 1st of December
Far North Winter Classic - Into the DARKNESS!
The Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6155630163...
12 Car Navigational Rallying in Kent / Surrey last night - due to ongoing eye treatment, I wasn't competing. But myself and my pal used my Mini to set out the code boards (him driving) for Croydon & District MC's round of the Weald 12 Car Championship.
Nice fun route, very relaxed timing for us, we passed the spot where I put the Mini in the ditch last year so a success all round
Nice fun route, very relaxed timing for us, we passed the spot where I put the Mini in the ditch last year so a success all round
I'm just back from a grand day out marshalling on the Rushmoor Targa Rally for Farnborough District Motor Club (FDMC) - champions of clubman motorsport in these parts.
This was a single-venue Targa on MoD land, mainly tarmac and some gravel, very accessible for newcomers and standard cars. Saying that, the guys at the front were some of the best Targa crew in the south so there was lots of great driving / navigating on display.
No photos as it's MoD, but if the official photographer allows, I'll copy one or two of his on here.
This was a single-venue Targa on MoD land, mainly tarmac and some gravel, very accessible for newcomers and standard cars. Saying that, the guys at the front were some of the best Targa crew in the south so there was lots of great driving / navigating on display.
No photos as it's MoD, but if the official photographer allows, I'll copy one or two of his on here.
It is a good event, short but decent tests with enough variety to keep you on your toes.
Was good to see many younger / non bloke competitors out having fun.
We had a blast, a few too many mistakes to be in contention. Apologies to the marshal about cone 7 - it went a fair way.
Some of the rougher bits appeared to have been repaired since I was last there in 2022, making it easier on the standard cars.
Was good to see many younger / non bloke competitors out having fun.
We had a blast, a few too many mistakes to be in contention. Apologies to the marshal about cone 7 - it went a fair way.
Some of the rougher bits appeared to have been repaired since I was last there in 2022, making it easier on the standard cars.
I spent half a day on the De Lacy Targa yesterday up on Catterick Ranges. Half a day because yet again my crap year continued crap as we punched hole through a Brake flexi and had to retire!.
Generally though it was an excellent event, nice open tests making good use of the cracking venue. One feature which was quite ambitious was the use of Rallyapp for the passage controls, there were a lot of them too. Have to say it did seem to work quite well, but there is a question mark over the possibility that some phones can process the system quicker than others. Once we had retired I watched the front runners for a while and took some video of them going through a PC. Interestingly it seemed quite consistent with each car taking about 7.5 seconds to get through, within half a second or so. Must admit it seemed longer in the car waiting for the app to give the GO signal!!
Generally though it was an excellent event, nice open tests making good use of the cracking venue. One feature which was quite ambitious was the use of Rallyapp for the passage controls, there were a lot of them too. Have to say it did seem to work quite well, but there is a question mark over the possibility that some phones can process the system quicker than others. Once we had retired I watched the front runners for a while and took some video of them going through a PC. Interestingly it seemed quite consistent with each car taking about 7.5 seconds to get through, within half a second or so. Must admit it seemed longer in the car waiting for the app to give the GO signal!!
Well almost a week has passed since the dust ( mud really) settled after the John Bloxham memorial Rally in Shropshire.
Have to say it was a mega event, 195 miles of the slippiest roughest lanes imaginable interspersed with trips to something like 20 farmyards, byways, old railways etc, that was just the road sections! Parkland and military land hosted the tests.
As per normal for this year, we retired yet again!.
This time on the evening Time Control section, we came around a ninety right to find a poorly place passage control and a Mk2 Cortina stood at it!
With nowhere else to go and no grip to stop, we went straight on towards an open gate. Problem was there was two foot square boulder between us and it!
The sump guard and air dam took the brunt but the car bounced over it and landed on the rear axle beam bending it.
With both back wheels showing about 10 degrees of positive camber and similar caster, we had no option but to limp back.
Out of 58 starters, 25 retired! Tough tough event.
Have to say it was a mega event, 195 miles of the slippiest roughest lanes imaginable interspersed with trips to something like 20 farmyards, byways, old railways etc, that was just the road sections! Parkland and military land hosted the tests.
As per normal for this year, we retired yet again!.
This time on the evening Time Control section, we came around a ninety right to find a poorly place passage control and a Mk2 Cortina stood at it!
With nowhere else to go and no grip to stop, we went straight on towards an open gate. Problem was there was two foot square boulder between us and it!
The sump guard and air dam took the brunt but the car bounced over it and landed on the rear axle beam bending it.
With both back wheels showing about 10 degrees of positive camber and similar caster, we had no option but to limp back.
Out of 58 starters, 25 retired! Tough tough event.
Edited by velocemitch on Saturday 7th December 10:42
Still no competing since May, but now I've had both eyes sorted out and I can see!
I've been out marshalling on the Weald 12 Cars, and this week I'm heading down to Manston for a site recce - see if we can run the Kent Targa again next year.
They also held a Comp Safari there, there's some in car on YouTube and it looks like they might have opened up some track for us. Let's see!
Next competition will probably be the Far North Winter Classic Targa at the end of January, I'm going to concentrate on car prep and keep marshalling on the Weald 12 Cars.
I've been out marshalling on the Weald 12 Cars, and this week I'm heading down to Manston for a site recce - see if we can run the Kent Targa again next year.
They also held a Comp Safari there, there's some in car on YouTube and it looks like they might have opened up some track for us. Let's see!
Next competition will probably be the Far North Winter Classic Targa at the end of January, I'm going to concentrate on car prep and keep marshalling on the Weald 12 Cars.
thepawbroon said:
Still no competing since May, but now I've had both eyes sorted out and I can see!
I've been out marshalling on the Weald 12 Cars, and this week I'm heading down to Manston for a site recce - see if we can run the Kent Targa again next year.
They also held a Comp Safari there, there's some in car on YouTube and it looks like they might have opened up some track for us. Let's see!
Next competition will probably be the Far North Winter Classic Targa at the end of January, I'm going to concentrate on car prep and keep marshalling on the Weald 12 Cars.
Thank you for your service I've been out marshalling on the Weald 12 Cars, and this week I'm heading down to Manston for a site recce - see if we can run the Kent Targa again next year.
They also held a Comp Safari there, there's some in car on YouTube and it looks like they might have opened up some track for us. Let's see!
Next competition will probably be the Far North Winter Classic Targa at the end of January, I'm going to concentrate on car prep and keep marshalling on the Weald 12 Cars.
Manston was good this year, was out with a first timer, he had a great day out. Would be good to go back.
Would love to do the Far North, but just doesn't work logistically.
velocemitch said:
As per normal for this year, we retired yet again!.
This time on the evening Time Control section, we came around a ninety right to find a poorly place passage control and a Mk2 Cortina stood at it!
With nowhere else to go and no grip to stop, we went straight on towards an open gate. Problem was there was two foot square boulder between us and it!
The sump guard and air dam took the brunt but the car bounced over it and landed on the rear axle beam bending it.
With both back wheels showing about 10 degrees of positive camber and similar caster, we had no option but to limp back.
Out of 58 starters, 25 retired! Tough tough event.
Is a shame that happened, hopefully lessons will be learnt This time on the evening Time Control section, we came around a ninety right to find a poorly place passage control and a Mk2 Cortina stood at it!
With nowhere else to go and no grip to stop, we went straight on towards an open gate. Problem was there was two foot square boulder between us and it!
The sump guard and air dam took the brunt but the car bounced over it and landed on the rear axle beam bending it.
With both back wheels showing about 10 degrees of positive camber and similar caster, we had no option but to limp back.
Out of 58 starters, 25 retired! Tough tough event.
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