2007
French Revolution Rally – June
2007
This year’s French
Revolution gave another
fabulous week of driving that delved into rural countryside,
climbed to panoramic viewpoints and then twisted through quite
woodland. Time controls appeared in the middle of nowhere, and
after 55 sections of cracking old-fashioned regularity Geoff
and Keitha Insley (E-Type Jaguar) emerged as winners.
The clock started ticking deep in the vineyards
of Burgundy, and passed through many of the famous villages
that feature on a Wine Carte to reach the Beaujolais area. After
negotiating the rural lanes (scattered with the celebrated Bresse
chickens) the TR5 of Anthony and Julia Cohen were the only crew
to collect a “Spot On” award today. Even so, Peter
and Rayna Jackson’s E-Type Jaguar score won them the Day
Prize.
Tuesday saw a unique combination of challenging
regularities and non-timed passage sections as the crews zig-zagged
from control to control, but only Gerald and Carol Westcott
in a Healey 3000, and Chris and Julie Rashbrooke (TR3), both
previous winners of this event, managed an elusive “Spot
On” award. New to French Revolution this year, John
and Vicki Venn showed their metal by winning the Day Prize
(Healey 3000), but unfortunately their steering “peg” broke
on Wednesday, (luckily at a Control) and they were force to
use a Ford Focus for the last two days.
The third day saw the pace hot up, especially
as some crews had to wait at temporary traffic lights before
ascending Mont Brouilly (a famous cycling climb) only to find
at TC at the top! The route may not have been long, but with
numerous speed changes and some testing navigation the penalties
began to build up. Unfortunately, for Ian and Sally Thearle
their Porsche’s fuel system gave out on the final section
of the day and the back-up marshals towed them in. However,
the pre- war Bentley (and oldest car on the event) of John
and Margaret Ball was one of the few cars not to pull a maximum
today, and was still in with a chance of winning overall.
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As the rally headed north to Autun in the warm
sunshine, the storm clouds gathered and after a very good lunch
at Joncy, Route Master John Walsh cancelled the last section
of the day as the thunder, lightening and torrential rain made
navigation impossible and the crews cut to the bar at the hotel!
Nevertheless, Chris and Michele Collingham, had had a very useful
day in their TR, and won the Day Prize.
The final day and for several of the leading
crews, and ”If Only”. A heard of slow moving cows
dropped Edward and Lesley Behrendt (MG BGT) into Second Overall
and Peter Jackson’s E-Type slid off a soft verge into
a ditch as he reversed to check an instruction. The local garage
pulled him out for a knockdown cost of €15, but I suspect
the dint he acquired will cost a little more to fix. As controls
came thick and fast Rob and Lauri Frost pretty Porsche 356B
held onto Third Overall and the Rashbrooke’s TR3 won the
Day Prize.
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