RotT_Bespoke

31 October - 3 November
2013, from Chester
to Harrogate (North Wales:
Lancashire, Cumbria
and Yorkshire).
The beautifully prepared
1968 MGC of Phil Dunmore
and Rachel Wakefield
storms through
the Welsh countryside
on a regularity section.
Accuracy is key, the cars
must maintain exact
average speeds over many
miles of roads (Ian Wallace
is the Membership manager
for HERO).
Grace and Pace
The 2013 CRA Rally of the Tests:
Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire
by Ian Wallace
photos by Francesco & Roberta Rastrelli
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The competitors go
to great efforts to dress
correctly for the age
of their car, even
the officials on the event
dress up in period costumes.
Without the efforts
of these marshals,
the event could not run.
A season of mists and mellow fruitfulness it may
be for many, but for a specific group of classic
car owners in Europe, autumn means one
thing – The Rally of the Tests. With the days
growing shorter and the air colder, many people
begin to put their cars away for the winter,
however for a rather more dedicated crowd it
becomes the perfect time to come out and play.
What sort of event can bring together such likeminded
individuals, and who are these sportsmen
and women who are willing to put their
valuable cars through such rigorous testing?
The Rally of the Tests has been drawing classic
car enthusiasts from around the world for over
12 years. Taking its competitors back to a golden
age of motoring, it focusses on some challenging
navigation that the crews must work through
in order to find themselves on some of the UK’s
most exciting and beautiful roads. With cars ranging
from Minis, MGs and Fords through to Bentleys,
Mercedes and Porsches, what you drive is a
matter of personal choice, but to have a chance
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A gentleman should never
be seen behind the wheel
without a hat!
The competitors all
proudly display the badges
from previous rallies
on their lapels, with some
having competed every year
for more than a decadethe
route changes every
year, so they will never
do the same route twice.
The rally is fully supported
by a team of specialist classic
car mechanics,
as seen here doing some
final checks on
a magnificent 1961
Mercedes-Benz 300 SE.
A large and heavy but
powerful car, these were
successful rally cars
when new and are still
popular now.
The youngest crew on
the rally, the Whyte sisters
take part in a 1972 BMW 1602,
dressing in true 70’s style!
of winning an award, the vehicle must be built
before 1962. The crews are not racing each other,
but competing in a “regularity” event where they
must maintain precise average speeds across the
many challenging roads. They aim to arrive at
check points at exact times and whilst they must
not break any laws, they must all press-on to avoid
getting penalties for arriving early or late. These
are interspersed with the many high speed “test”
sections on private land, where the crews compete
against the clock to get their cars around the
course in the fastest time possible. Farm yards,
forest tracks and British Army ranges are picked
specifically to offer the greatest challenge and the
greatest thrill possible to those taking part.
The competitors are drawn to the event from
around the world; they come for the sport, the
competition and the camaraderie. Crews are required
to dress in the same period as their cars,
many dress in tweed, with the traditional British
“flat cap” being a favourite for the gents and the
more flamboyant style of the swinging sixties
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A 1959 Morris Minor 1000
and a 1962 Ford Anglia
105E prove that driving skill
is more important that
horsepower if you want
to win a rally, both cars
were hugely successful
on the event despite their
age and small engine
capacity.
A 1970 Porsche 911 S
crosses a stream with
ease, whilst travelling
through the Lake District -
the paintwork as bright
as the autumnal
colours of nature.
being popular for the ladies on the event. There
is an atmosphere of conviviality across the event,
from the start lines of the tests to the end of day
drinks in hotel bars, despite the competition, the
teams are all very much in support of each other.
Even with the age of the competitors ranging
from 21 to 89, there are no generational gaps to
be found, instead, there is a love of cars and a passion
for motoring shared by all. The Rally of the
Tests forms part of the HERO Cup, and so many
crews are competing not only for awards on this
rally, but also for a place overall in the greater
competition, 1st prize being a week’s charter on a
classic yacht, a 1937 schooner, Orianda. To win this
prestigious prize, the crews must compete in 6 different
“legs” or rallies throughout the year – by the
time it gets to the Rally of the Tests at the end of
the year, the competition for these final points is
fierce. The Classic Rally Association, which is part
of the Historic Endurance Rally Organisation has
over 25 years’ experience in the organisation of
the Europe’s finest classic car events. The club’s
Premier Membership program provides a range
of services, benefits and discounts for all motoring
enthusiasts - including reduced entry fees and
car hire across all events.
www.craevents.eu - www.heroevents.eu
www.orianda1937.com
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