TONYLARGE.NET

Review of 2011 - Part 1

2011-12-20T12:10:00.000Z

It's just before Christmas, the trees up, thank you Kate, the decorations are up, thank you Kate, the cards sent, thank.... Ah... you see a trend here, where was I in the run up to Christmas? Well unfortunately, or not, depending on where you stand, LeJog was a week later this year, and Tony was not at home! Thank you so much to my family for making sure Christmas still happens.

So in my first year of retirement I covered 24 rallying events, plus a few 'aeroplane' moments, and not forgetting that Racoon in June! What you didn't hear about the Racoon, and my debut on TV in 'Inside Out' broadcast on BBC South in October? (check my website, under 'events' for the story). Looking back, I covered 20 events in 2010, and 'only' 14 in 2009, so perhaps it's like a drug, you need more 'fixes' as you grow older!

Flying Scotsman - London to Edinburgh Reliability Trial

Highlights of 2011, well 'signature' events such as the Flying Scotsman, the last day in the wilds of South West Scotland, the 9th running of the Three Castles, splendid Wales in June, and of course LeJog for the third time, (why do we do it?). Too many to really single out the best, or most enjoyable, so lets look back at the year.

January
New Years Day and a trip up the M3, then onto the A30 to Phoenix Green with Kate & Rosie, and a car meet that really was extraordinary.

It is so popular that the A30 becomes the car park, along the edges, in the central reservation, and if you're not there early you'll have to park outside the village and walk.

But the cars, what a diverse collection, from Hot Rods to Veteran, Classic to modern Ferraris, and everything in between. And a nice lunch afterwards at the Watermill, near Hook, just down the road.

Then up the M40 to Gaydon in mid January for the HRCR Open Day with Mike. All the usual suspects there, and some on the stands. Great to catch-up with everyone and chat about the years forthcoming events. And then Tony Mason drags me outside to photograph Barrie Williams by his 1964 Welsh International Rally winning Mini Cooper.

The following weekend out to photograph the VSCC Measham Rally, this year based just outside Oxford, with new Clerk of the Course Robert Ellis.

Cuddesdon Mill

A copy of the route shows a run through the Chilterns, starting at 9pm, then back for soup and rolls at 1.30AM, then out again along the edge of the Chilterns and across the Aylesbury Plain, finishing just as it's getting light.

40 plus cars start, and even a trip up the Kop hillclimb road near Great Missenndon, tricky in the dark!

February
At the end of February, a busy two days, two events on the same weekend. The Rallye Sunseeker, and the event I was most interested in, the Historique, and right on my doorstep, only 45 minutes away.

Difficult to find anywhere good for shots, but an open muddy corner on a new route in Somerley Park yields some shots, and a few got into several magazines, including the Healey picture in Classic Cars.

Next day another trip up the M40, this time to Stoneleigh for Race Retro, to photograph the HERO Rally Stage. Lots of interesting cars in the Halls, and plenty out on the stage. Usual hellos to the CRA & HERO stand people, plus an interesting chat with Fran Tuthill, with his 'new' 911 shells available. Also a good display of Monte Carlo rally cars, celebrating the 100th anniversary, and Chris Derbyshire there with his amazing model collections. Weather not very good, lots of drizzle when the cars are on the stage, but a good chance to try out the 100-400 lens on the new Canon 1D MkIV, and some great shots in the rain, nice and slippery, nice and sideways!

March
Into the third month of the year, and first the Tour of Cheshire, and blow me Paul Wignall nearly tries to kill us on one test, in a Garden Centre car park, when the throttle of his 911 sticks open and he misses me but ends up in the hedge! Full car load of Mike, Mick Briggs and brother-in-law Nick gets us to several new venues.

No less exciting two weeks later was the 2nd CRA run Poppy Rally, masterminded again by George Mullins. With a slight tweek to the programme this year, still a night section, but finishing earlier so he could include an early morning run on Sunday before breakfast! That caught out a few crews, the first regularity starting in the 'Industrial Zoning' and leading to few extra, or not, laps by some. Then some even had trouble finding their way out of the Zoning, Hmm.... early start, and late nights caught up with you guys?

April
So three months and 7 events covered, time to step up the pace, and April saw 4 events. Starting with the ERA's Flying Scotsman, now in it's third year, fantastic cars, fantastic route, fantastic scenery, especially the last day in SW Scotland. On the way back we stop in Burnley, don't ask! to do a recce for the the Ilkley Jubilee Rally & Run the following weekend, and a nice ford near Foulridge to put on the list of photo spots. The Jubilee being the 2nd HRCR Clubmans round, and with a virtually full entry kept us busy, Mike & I, after the ford, finding the new test nearby in Kelbrook entertaining and worthwhile. We finally managed to get a shot, at the end of the event, with the 'golf balls' at Memworth Hill in the background too.
Next event in April was the CSMA Salisbury Groups' St Georges Day Run, and an interesting mix of cars, with some nice Ferraris and Aston Martins in the mix. Then a weekend off, with the last weekend in April seeing Mike & I kindly invited to the Three Castles Welsh Classic Tour organisers meeting near Old Sodbury, which just happened to mean we crossed paths on the way home with the second running of Devizes MC's Myotis Rally on Salisbury Plain, what a coincidence. So after a nice Pub meal in Devizes, preceded with a quick afternoon recce of some of the route we were out in the dark on SP. I'd forgotten how 'spooky' in can sometimes by on 'the Plain' in the dead of night, but we coped with the dust, until the last spot after the petrol halt, and cars started going in every direction, often not passed me, but it was now after 3 in the morning, so time for bed!

That brings the first third of the year to a close, I'll try and put some pictures into the review in next few days, but Googles Blog not being the most WYSIWYG.

Merry Christmas in the between time.

LeJog 2011

2011-12-15T16:43:00.001Z

Peter Nedin, HERO Event Director flags away 1st car at Lands End

Well it's over, Lands End to John O'Groats in under four full days. John Kiff certainly gave competitors a hard route, and an event that will be remembered.

An unusual route for a test - Sunwick Farm, Northumberland

Congratulations to Roger Bricknell and Ryan Pickering, for keeping going and ending the event with the lowest penalties, despite a 'drowning', (see below) and a 'lost' moment on the very last regularity. And well done Roger for scooping the HERO Cup award, a week on the luxury sailing yacht Orianda.

I bet Roger & Ryan thought they'd 'lost it' here!

Only two Gold medals this year, Charles Herrison/Jonathan Hancox, in the 'steaming' Triumph 2000, (above) and Kevin Haselden/Dave Kirkham, in his other Mini Cooper, (below) - well done guys.

Dave Kirkham's better side?

Now for a few of my favourite shots from the 2011 LeJog

Tony Sheach/Richard Lambley on the Cardiff Gate Setvices test

Richard Jeffcoate and James May (not that one!)

Sunrises rule OK! - Above just outside Lybster after the breakfast halt, on their way to Regularity Z, the last one before the finish at John O'Groats.

And another fantastic sunrise at Eshott airfield, Northumberland, and Edward Kiff (below) gets ready for a Le Man start to the test there the day before.

And what's going on here?

Tony & Richard get a helping hand from Peter?

and lastly I couldn't finish without getting in the picture!

LeJog 2011 preview

2011-11-30T18:57:00.001Z

Only just over a week away, and it's time to get the OS maps out for LeJog, and nip to the Library for the Scottish ones I haven't got!

A week later this year, so as not to conflict with the RAC Rally, the big question is what will the weather do? Will it snow as much as last year, we'll definitely avoid the M8 this year if it does!

Quote from HERO website: 'The 17th annual running of the world acclaimed event between December 10th and 13th will see cars battling it out on a 1,400 mile course between Lands End and John O'Groats with the longest night navigation section ever to be included.

Hero’s Event Director and Clerk of the Course for Le Jog, Peter Nedin, said: "competitors have gone on record to say that Le Jog is one of the toughest events of its kind in Europe, possibly the world, and we constantly strive to maintain this enviable reputation. The appointment of John Kiff, a past competitor on Le Jog, as route coordinator has brought a fresh pair of eyes to the event. John and I have worked closely on the route to make 2011 an event to remember and talk about for years to come"

I'm fortunate to be navigated by Mick Briggs again, hopefully he'll have a bit more route to navigate us around on this year, and some new venues to explore, The Eden Project being one of them. And no more Magor Services off the M4, Cardiff Gate Services here we come.

Lots of 'old names' on the 70 car entry list, the 'other' Kiffs, the McClean, Tony Sheach/Richard Lambly, Kevin Haselden/Dave Kirkham, Charles Harrison/Jonathan Hancox, not to mention 2009 winners Andy Lane & Iain Tullie.

Plus a lot of new ones, with 23 crews from Europe, headed by last years winners Christian Ruter & Stephan Huber. Driving, between them 7 Mercs, 7 Triumphs, 6 Minis, 5 MGs, 4 BMWs; 4 Porsches; 3 Volvos; 3 VW's and many more. (info courtesy of HERO)

How many will be at the finish at John O'Groats to have their photo taken?

Piping the Haggis at the Prize-giving Dinner,
Norseman Hotel, Wick

Tony Watson 2020 Memorial Rally

2011-11-27T23:55:00.001Z

With LeJog fast approaching, entailing a lot of night photography, it was time to dust off the flash guns. What better then to photograph Weald Motor Club's Tony Watson 2020 Rally, organised by Central Sussex Motor Club, with Matt Fowle as CoC. Starting and finishing at Pease Pottage services, at the end of the M23, the event comprised of 20 entries, 20 controls and around 100 miles of competitive motoring.

Having meet Mick Briggs & Ali Green at Goodwood earlier in the day, I twisted Mick's arm to come out Saturday night and read the maps. Not that he needed the practice as he had just returned from Monte Carlo, having competed on the CRA Winter Challenge, along with Matt.
Mind you I think he found OS maps easier to follow than the previous weeks Michelin and IGN maps! We managed to find 3 spots during the night, the first a favourite Nightwatchman rally white triangle. Very overgrown approach, that saw more than one car overshoot, and a couple explore the opposite side of the road never to be seen again! But a few of the top crews obviously knew it, as they came WD, (below),turned round and got the codeboard on the way out!

It's a while since I've been out on a night road event, the last one was back in January, in the Chilterns for the VSCC Measham Rally. Quite a few of the spots we wanted to do had to be binned as there were houses close by, most obvious from the map, but a couple we recced on the way to the first white, and changed our minds as we felt three flashes might get a bit annoying for nearby households.

By the finish the Escort mounted crew of Graham Child & Kevin Ablit, (above), in car 5 finished with the lowest score, beating the Peugeot 106 crew of Ben Smith & Matt Clark, (below).

Photos are on my website, www.tonylarge.net

Matt Algustine/Owen Turner, MG ZR aka Rover 200!

James Thirsk/Owen Summerfield, Rover Montego Estate!

New venues and events

2011-11-27T22:50:00.001Z

For the third weekend of November, a visit to new venue for an old event. Oxford Motor Club had managed to get RAF Benson for the Carfax Stage Rally and I volunteered to help Mark Sims, of RallyGallery.com to photograph the event. Having previously photographed the Carfax in 2001 & 2005, I was interested to see what Benson had to offer in photographic opportunities. Sponsored this year by BGMsport & Mark Donaldson Ltd, Oxford MC had Cheltenham MC manage the timing, running a very good event.

The day started rather misty, but the sun soon warmed the airfield up, and the morning was bright and sunny. The Army had kindly wheeled out a Merlin helicopter to be in the background of my first shots, be interesting to see if they OK them for display on the internet!

A quick venue, with stage layout not too many chicanes, the event ran very smoothly. A credit to all involved for a superb first run at the venue.
Simon Mauger/Melanie Holmes, (above), took the lead on stage 4 from Rob Dennis/Lee Harding, (below), in a similiar sounding quick Mark 2 Escort.

3rd went to the 1600 Escort superbly driven by Kevin Tappin/Charles Tappin (right).

Check out RallyGallery.com for photos, once the MoD has approved them!

For the last weekend in November I visited Goodwood Racing Circuit, for Bexley Light Car Clubs Winter Stages, their first running of an event there. Sponsored by the Artificial Lawn Company, and using similar layouts to the South Downs stages, they had 21 entries, a good event for their first attempt. Running the last couple stages at dusk, meant the competitors got to run 2 stages in the dark.

The Mark 1 Escort of Adrian Brown/Kev Harris took a convincing win. See Official Photographer Andy Manston of M&H Photography for photos from Goodwood.

HERO Events - Photo discount

2011-11-23T23:01:00.001Z

Winter Special 10% Discount

You can gain a 10% discount on all HERO event photos by entering the code HERO10 in the Discount Code box at the checkout..

This offer will be valid until the 11th December 2011 and is valid for just HERO events, 2009 LeJog onwards.

15-50 November Sun Run

2011-11-23T20:51:00.001Z

Champagne to the Alpen Pass
Discount of 10% to all competitors, see www.tonylarge.net, event front page

The 15-50 November Sun Run is a 4 day navigational rally. The objectives of the rally are to provide an event that is within the financial reach of most people and to give the crews the chance to drive roads that are rarely taken by the casual visitor to France. This coupled with quiet roads, magnificent scenery and covering some of the classic rally routes of days gone by makes this an event not to miss. It also provides the opportunity for more experienced crews to pass on their knowledge to those new to rallying or touring events. All levels of experience are welcome on the event.

James McDonald, Auto Club Eclance

First time rallyists, Ben Willams/John Francas in a DS21

What could be better than a week in Europe photographing classic cars, and for 2011 the route went East across France and into Germany, to Breganz, Austria, and then back to finish in the French ski resort of Gerardmer.

Organiser James McDonald, has lived in France for 8 years with his wife Sarah, and five years ago decided that there must be a cheaper way of having fun rallying in France. From the first event of just 3 cars, the event has grown by word of mouth only, and 33 entered for this years event. Entrants came for France, Holland, Switzerland and of course the UK, in a variety of cars.

David Ward/Malcolm Hague leave the start in Eclance

From the start in Eclance the route ran across Champagne country towards the Vosges mountains, with stops for coffee & lunch each day.

The two morning section routes for each day had been given out at signing on, with each afternoon section being Plot and Bash.
Some crews did the PNB as intended, but a few stayed on at lunch each day to plot the whole route, consequently there were a few late arrivals at the evening hotel.

Scott Michael & Julian Townsend, TR4

James had arranged a set meal at each lunch halt, (at a very reasonable 12 euros), for those that wanted it, or you could choose to shop around. Most lunch halts were at lovely tourist spots, and often the rally had arranged parking in pedestrian areas, much to the enjoyment of locals and visitors alike.

You would expect the first week in November to be cold, and previous years events had had snow, but this year the temperature was mainly in double figures each day. Bright and mostly sunny each day, it was great for photographs.

Patrick Avanthay & Arielle Oiknine

One of the highlights was the lunch halt in Friedrichshafen, on the edge of Lake Constance. Home of the Zepplin Museum, free entrance was arranged for competitors, with numerous lunch options available along the lakeside.

At the finish in Gerardmer it was the Morgan V8 of Ian Young & John Murdoch, (above), that scored the lowest penalties, although getting out of the car at junctions and running up to signposts to check them, saving mileage is taking things a bit far John!

Alex Trueman/Peter Fitzgerald, 875 Imp

Stephan Roberts & Jay Silverstone

The event lived up to it's description and everyone promised to be back next year, rumour has it that it might revert to being all in France, so maybe some snow again?

Dutch crew, Theon Valks and Joshua Klerks

Jeanette & Eric Evers, in their CX 25

Scrutineering at Eclance

HERO Throckmorton Challenge

2011-11-23T20:36:00.000Z

A week after Leicestershire it was off to Worcestershire, and RAF Pershore Airfield, or Throckmorton as it's now known, to photograph the Historic Endurance Rally Organisations second running of the Throckmorton Challenge. Actually two events in one, the first half of the field competing on the Clubmans event, and the second half on the National B event, that was this year the last round of the HRCR Clubmans Rally Championship. So that's a Clubmans event for HERO crews and a National B event for clubman, confused, several nearly were!

The former wartime airfield, and subsequent base for the Royal Radar Establishment Flying Unit, made the headlines in 2001 as a burial site during the Foot and Mouth epidemic that year.

Car 1, Lancia Aurella B20 of George Meville/Steve Gipson

Not that you know it, it is a huge place, and very difficult to spot where anything is buried, unless you know where to look. Now run/owned by QinetiQ, HERO have negotiated the use of it for their event, hopefully for more than once next year.

The event consisted of 5 tests on the airfield then a regularity on country roads outside the base, repeated twice, then the sting in the tail, a nearly 6 mile regularity joining up all the test sites and old roads around the back of the base, not used earlier. This really sorted out the results for a lot of crews, with several asking the photographers which way to go! Did we tell them, well that would be telling!

A well deserved result for Michael and Simon Baker, relative HERO newcomers, in their Porsche 911 SC, (above), from John Rondeau and Dennis Greenslade, in John's fully sorted Jaguar Mk1 (right).

The HRCR round was won by Andrew Buzzard/Rob Lyne, in their Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTV, (left), 2nd went to Tony Sheach and Richard Lambley, in the formers TR4, (below).

The HRCR championship being clinched by Howard Warren, with navigator son Matthew winning the event Clockwatchers Cup, for best result on the regularities. (above)

Best 'door handle' moment was the AC Aceca Bristol of Andy Mitchell.

Loughborough Car Club Easylarity Rally

2011-11-23T18:43:00.002Z

Luckily the forecasted rain swept through the night before, and we had a cloudy day with lovely even lighting. A good field of 20 Historics and 10 'modern' entries for the third running of Loughborough CC event for novices, now sporting the 'Easylarity' concept.

It's a while since I've photographed a rally in Leicestershire, probably back in the eighties when one of the Rally Sport Championship rounds was up there. I remember a stage round Leicester sewage works, when Warren Philliskirk was in a Mark 2 Escort, and sprayed the muck around! Anyhow, LoCC had got a hundred mile route, with 5 Easylarities, interspaced by several tests at Paddys field.

John & Felicity Ball and their lovely TR at Paddys field

We recce the whole route Saturday afternoon, and found some good spots, as well as discovering Belvoir Castle, just a pity the route didn't quite enable it to be in the background for any shots.

Chris Valentine/Chris Thorley

A good result (1st overall) for the Chris's, Valentine and Thorley in the Clan, (above) and good performance by novices Richard & David Elms in a Mexico (left).

Nice to see a variety of cars entered, a beautiful Gilbern, and a nice BMW.

2nd overall for son & father, Patrick & Hubert Lynch

On the very last mile of the last section, we found a lovely puddle, as did several competitors, funny how the water draws them in!

Future events for tonylarge.net Autumn 2011

2011-09-28T15:27:00.001+01:00

In October, Sunday the 9th, we will be out on the Loughborough Car Club Metric Services Rally, a daytime regularity event. Joint Clerks of the Course Richard Egger & Andrew Duerden will be offer a 100 mile event using Easylarities, a new form of easy regularities, self explanatory really!

Next up, the following weekend we'll be at the HERO Throckmorton Challenge, based at the old RAF Pershore airfield. This year it will be the last round of the REIS HRCR Clubmans Championship, the outcome of which is still to be settled.

At the end of the month we set off for the 15-50 Sun Run, this year billed as the 'Champagne to Alpin Pass' delving into Germany, maybe we'll get some snow! More details soon.

November may see us out on the CRA Winter Challenge, hopefully.

And the last event of the year, LeJog, what an event to finish the year on, will we make it to John O'Groats again, will it snow like last year? Hopefully we won't get stuck on the M8 outside Edinburgh for over 4 hours this time!

cheers!

Classic Harvest Tour - Sunday 25th September 2011

2011-09-28T13:18:00.002+01:00

Terry Schraider and his team again got a good entry for the Classic Harvest Tour, including the V12 Ronart again.

The Ronart W152 V12 of Graham Hallett

Jon & Janice Barton, Sunbeam Rapier S111A

Mike & Hilary Stratton and Dippy!

Now in it's eight year, and organised in association with Windsor Car Club, this years event ventured North & East into the Chilterns.

Lorimer & Alexander Burn, Daimler SP250

Morgan 4/4 of Mark & Julie Highfield

No fords this year, but some lovely scenery to capture the cars against.

Lovely 'big wing' Escort Mk1 of Russ & Rikki Pemberton

Richard Hodson/Martin Hurley/Trinder, Stratos replica

Paul & Lyn Trill in their beautifull Jaguar XK140 FHC

Vale of Clwyd Classic - Saturday 3rd September 2011

2011-09-28T12:30:00.004+01:00

Well what an event! when nearly half the field miss the first ITC, including most of the front runners you have to credit Guy Woodcock and his team for putting on a great inaugural historic road rally.

Good weather leading up to the event indicated we might get a dry event, but even as Guy did the pre event briefing outside before the start, a few spots of rain appeared. Luckily the 'Welsh sunshine' held off until after lunch, but the tail end of hurricane Irene had crossed the Atlantic and gave rise to some heavy rain on some sections in the afternoon.

We managed to find a spot just a couple of miles into the first regularity, just on the edge of map116, and where a 'white' loop, (complete with TC!) should have been taken. As the photos show there were plenty of overshoots, which kept the local residents most amused.

Likewise, and the very end of the last regularity, yes the one that changed the leaderboard, the locals of Pant-du (117/2059) had plenty of entertainment, as crew after crew got caught out by the tricky slot left in their front garden, despite the heavy rain.

Ooops!

Not that way!

This way?

Congratulations on their win to Roger & Leigh Powley, finding the correct route while everyone else went wrong.

A few years of running the Farringdon Trophy road rally showed, and produced a great event with some white roads, (allowing ITCs closer than 2 miles), and a good range of tests. How are you going to better that next year Guy!

Hard luck John, those kerbs bite!

North Yorkshire Classic 31st July

2011-09-06T23:48:00.002+01:00

For the second running of the NYC, York Motor Club again used the Askam Bryan Agricultural College on the outskirts of York, as HQ, start and finish. This year Mike & I got en-suite rooms on site, at a very reasonable price, as did a lot of competitors, thank you Suzanne.

Simon Parsons had again come up with a great route, and John Ruddock saw that the tests were entertaining for the drivers. Some new sites were added as well as some from last year, it's good to see that Yorkshire land owners are happy for motorsport to use their venues.

Despite this wrong test, the Vokes found all the
codeboards, and took victory.

Code boards played a big part in the results for 2011, with Mike Vokes, and son Matthew, in their Imp finding them all, when others either sailed straight passed them, (even when given Not As Map diagrams) or just didn't see them. Following the Imp were two Triumphs, Charles Harrison and Jonathan Hancox 2nd in the 2000, and Tony Sheach and Richard Lambley in the TR4 3rd.

2nd Charles Harrison & Jonathan Hancox in the Triumph 2000

Summer had arrived in Yorkshire, with the event dry, and lots of sunshine, obviously going to the heads of some crews! The airfield tests giving some great 'dust' shots, not so good for those in open top cars though!

TR4 of Tony Sheach & Richard Lambley took 3rd

Next HRCR Clubmans Championship round is a new event, the Vale of Clwyd Classic, organised by Guy Woodcock and Clwyd Vale Motor Club. It will be interesting to see what Guy has up his sleeve, as for the past five years the club has run the very successful Harrington Road Rally, so some whites maybe?

PS In the Touring section of the event there were several crews from the Classic Rally Association entered. Some of whom have said never again! Funny how easy it looks when organising, but totally different when competing - apparently!

Peter & Betty Banham getting dusty

Lee & Sue Vincent tackle tests for the first time

Jess Dickson enjoys a ride in a BMW

Whilst Mum & DaD (Jeremy & Jenny Dickson) try to find
their way around the route before loosing the exhaust!

HERO Summer Trial

2011-09-06T23:41:00.002+01:00

For this years Summer Trial HERO moved from Worcester, its base for the last three years, to much closer to my home. The event started on the Isle of Wight, to coincide with the Panerai British Classic Yacht Regatta, and finished on the Saturday at the Goodwood Hotel.

Day 1 was on the island, with a series of regularities, using nearly all the roads on the IoW, inter spaced with returns to the Cowes Yacht Haven for tests in between.

Thomas de Vargas Machuca & Jasmine Jenny
tackle the CYH Test at Cowes in a
1936 Riley Brooklands 9HP

Leaving the island on the Wight Link ferry competitors spent the night in the New Forest, and then Day 2 started at Beaulieu Motor Museum.

Winners Charles Colton & Matt Warren at Beaulieu

Graham Walker & Sean Toohey and New Forest wildlife!

A couple of tests there, regularities across the New Forest to the Wiltshire Downs for lunch, then back into Hampshire, south of Salisbury to Goodwood, via a couple of tests on the Goodwood Estate, including a test on part of the Festival of Speed course. The route passing within a couple of miles of our house!

Mark & Sue Godfrey at Goodwood

Day 3 started with these tests again, routing up to Petersfield, regularities around Andover, via Thruxton Race Circuit for a couple of tests, then across the M3 south of Basingstoke, via Liphook and down to the finish at Goodwood.

Christian von Sanden & Hanno Kirner (Aston Martin CFO)
take the finish flag from HERO's Peter Nedin
in the ex Paul McCartney Aston Martin DB6

A super route, with enough regularities to keep everyone on their toes, and some interesting tests, with some summer weather to match!

Charles Colton and Matt Warren taking a 2nd win on the event, this time in Charles's BMW 3.0 CSL, with Matt collecting the Clockwatcher's Cup as well, followed by North West rivals Graham Walker and Sean Toohey in their Lotus Elan. Bringing up 3rd place were Mark & Sue Godfrey, leaders for most of the event, but beaten on the last day. Mark did win the Test Pilot's Trophy, a small consolation.

Young co driver Harry Short earned the Clerk of the Course
Award, navigating his Dad Rob in their AC Cobra BRA

Two of the Tourers arrive at Lymington

Best Non UK Nationality Award went to
Igino Angelini & Antonino Mattarella

Tony at work

Kate & Tony

Not on the Classic Marathon

2011-06-28T12:15:00.000+01:00

Due to a number of last minute issues, we will not be covering the Classic Marathon this year. We would like to thank the Classic Rally Association for the invitation, and sorry for the last minute cancellation of our attendance.

Three Castles Welsh Classic Trial

2011-06-26T15:20:00.005+01:00

Another successful Three Castles, 135 competitors over 3 days rallying in North Wales, and the sun shone! Fantastic sunny weather on Wednesday saw us snapping crews at scrutineering on Llandudno Prom.

Stephen Lord & Kim Porter in their AH 100/6

Micheal Kunz's Bentley Special gets the film star treatment

Felicity Haigh and Joanne Turner, on their first event

Thursday, the first day, started overcast. After catching first few at the start on Llandudno Prom,

Jayne Wignall/Kevin Savage - Sunbeam 20HP Sports

David Bradley/Caroline English - MG TA Midget

we headed along the A55 for Penrhyn Castle and a test in the car park.

Top ten photographed we then dashed along to the second test at Vaynol Hall, but struggled to get a good angle, should have stayed at Penrhyn!

Michael Kunz/Richard Watton - Bentley Special

Tim Lawrence/Adam Tibbs - MG TD

Then on to Dinorwig, and a driving test up to Marchlyn Dam. When we got to the top it was completely obscured by cloud, so down we came until we were clear, but not clear enough to get any view in the background, we were now commited, so stayed and photographed the complete field.

Paul Wignall/Fred Bent - Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint

Sunbeam Talbot 90 of Dominic & Thomas Anghileri

me in the distance!

The sun forcing it's way just as the last cars came through.

Then we dashed to Caernarfon, and the new test on the harbourside with the castle in the background. Cracking short test, and lots of spectators enjoying the sunshine and cars.

Austin Healey Sprite of Guy Harman & Chris Bawtree

Howard & Matt Warren, before retirement beckoned

Lovely Maserati 3500GT of regular John & Bill Jackson

Dermot Carnegie slides his Escort Sport around

Friday dawned with beautiful clear blue skies, and off we went to photograph a watersplash at the end of the first regularity. Having recce'd it the day before we thought it worthwhile, however when we got there we found it was completely in the shade, a black hole in the middle of lovely countryside, so nothing for it but plan B. Off to the Glan-Y-Gors kart track test, just down the A5.

Following 3 hours at the kart track we then had time to kill before catching the crews just after lunch. We sped south and recce'd the 'To the Roof of the World' test, and although the views were great there wasn't much of an angle that could get them in! So we backtracked to the ford just before the start of the test.

The Riley Lynx Sprint of Julian & Sara Riley

And for the last spot of the day, we headed North, back towards Llandudno, and the last regularity, finding a spot we had recced 2 days before.

For the last day, Saturday, we decided to try and get the first 60 cars or so a few times, as it looked liked the winning car would come from within the front half of the field.

Having had breakfast at 6 o'clock, we drove into the first test at Kinmel Hall, and found some early morning light towards the end.

After that some road shots on a regularity, before driving to Ruthin,

and the Denbigh County Council offices car park!

Following that bit of excitement, we managed one further spot, on a regularity,

before rushing back to Llandudno for the finish on the Prom.

Ian Crammond, Event Director, and weather girl Sian Lloyd greet car 2, the Sunbeam of Jayne Wignall & Kevin Savage.

Eventual winners, Steve & Alex Chick

Willy Cave, right, entices the ladies from the car for the photo!

Another cracking Three Castles, with the usual weather to make sure there were a few 'red' faces at the finish.

Roll on next year's tenth anniversary event, rumoured to include an extra day, will it be sunny again for 4 days next year, fingers crossed!

Cape to Cape finishes

2011-05-23T21:12:00.009+01:00

After a week of 'touring' in Northern Spain and South Western France, the eighth C2C finished outside Bordeaux. Dennis Greenslade again crafted a superb route through the Picos, into and out of the Pyrennes, and across SW France. A 'clever' set of tulips providing a 'sting in the tail' on the last day, even catching me out, but also several crews, who got 'snapped' on the wrong road!

Me mountaineering!

Wall to wall sunshine greeted crews every day, although cool starts, and high altitudes moderated the temperatures some days.

trying not to get frozen, just before the Col du Tourmalet (2115 m / 6939 ft) is the highest road in the central Pyrenees in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées in France (so now you know)

me on the French/Spanish border

A run around the Pau road racing circuit was topped by several laps of the Pau Arnos circuit on the last day, courtesy of the GT Racing Organisation.

hiding behind the gravel trap at Pau -Arnos

At the Gala Prize Giving Dennis announced that a 5 figure sum had been raised for the Macmillan Cancer Support charity, a fitting end to a fantastic event. Next year the event returns to the UK, Cape Wrath to Cape Cornwall, with maybe a surprise in Truro?

And yes I've just found the add photo button!

Needless to say the shots of me were all taken by Kate, but who took the last two?

Kate standing on the French/Spanish border!

check out the dog on the left - OMG!

Kate hanging on, on the outside of a hairpin, halfway up a mountain!

Cape to Cape 2011

2011-05-14T19:21:00.000+01:00

Starting the 2011 Cape to Cape Grand Tour tomorrow. 27 crews were welcomed by Dennis Greenslade, the event organiser, at an open air meeting in the garden of the Parador de Gijon tonight. A good weeks 'touring' lays ahead, with a couple of visits to race circuits as well, later next week.
More news, hopefully, in a day or so.

Recent Events

2011-05-04T18:23:00.000+01:00

New website front end seems to be working OK, there's a new layout for ordering photos as well, with the Low res JPEGs split off as a separate product line, so they don't attract the £2 P&P!

Last few weeks has seen us out and about on several events. April saw us 'up North' again for the Ilkley Jubilee Historic Road Rally & Run, full entry on a HRCR round again. Beautiful weather, with the recce providing a good watersplash (nr Foulridge), and a new test venue in Kelbrook (Performance & Protection site) producing some nice shots. In the afternoon we visited Coldstones Quarry for a few, then managed to get some shots with the 'golf balls' at Memwith in the background. Pity we didn't have time to visit the Coldstones Cut, must make sure we do next year.
Another win for Howard Warren, second HRCR event in a row, and with a different co-driver!

The following weekend we were invited to photograph the CSMA Salisbury Group's annual St George's Day Classic Car Run, again a full entry of 62 cars, and more great April sunshine.
Plenty of variety, from 1934 Aston Martin, to several new versions, with everything in between. Lovely route, from Thruxton Race Circuit to Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop. On all previous St George's Classic Car Tours Salisbury CSMA Group have been raising money for the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance. In 2009 it was £410, in 2010 it was £1000, so hopefully we can all do our best to raise a bit more for them in 2011.
tonylarge.net will be donating 10% of all sales from the 2011 event, and the previous 2010 event, to the HIOW Air Ambulance, so please support this worthy charity. And if you competed on both events, and order an Event CD for 2011, I'll include all the 2010 shots as well, free.

Then came Easter, and apart from eating to many Easter eggs it was a rest for the cameras.

End of the month saw us photographing a night event on Salisbury Plain, Devizes & District Motor Club's Myotis Rally. A rather small entry ventured onto Salisbury Plain for the second year running, and what an event. Those that didn't enter missed a super event, using roads around, across, and through the middle of the Salisbury Plain Military Training Area. Those that did compete all faced a tough event, with many tales to tell. Our recce in the afternoon beforehand paid off, with several good spots, just the dust being the main problem. The navigation in the second half, plot & bash, giving a lot of crews time to explore the Plain, unfortunately missing me in the process, or when they did, catching the car in front, and 'hiding' in dust clouds, resulting in 'whiteout'. Well done to Roger Hunt and Cath Woodman, a spot on result.

Bit of a lull now, until middle of May, when we're off on the Cape to Cape, this year in Northern Spain, hopefully the weather will be kind for our trip across the Bay of Biscay! As the purpose of the event is to raise funds for charity, this time Macmillan Cancer Support, we will be again donating 10% of all sales from the event.

New Website

2011-04-15T16:01:00.000+01:00

Finally managed to get my domain names changed over to new website. It may take a day or two for them all to'point' to the new site. http://www.tonylarge.net/ seems to work, but the dot com and dot co.uk may take a while.

Hope you like the new front end, with the tabs down the side it should make it easier to view the site on devices with smaller screens, e.g. mobile phones. I'll get my daughter to test it tonight on her iPhone!

Do let me know what you think, comments and critisms welcome, as would any ideas to improve it.

And before anyone says make the prices cheaper, we have held our prices since 2003, no increases, pity the same can't be said for petrol!

cheers

Tony

Busy couple of weeks

2011-04-14T19:23:00.000+01:00

I'm going to have to work harder to keep up with this blogging, the last couple of weeks have been rather busy, and the blog slipped down the 'to do' list.

So after the Poppy Rally we had a bit of a break, then the beginning of April started with the Flying Scotsman, London to Edinburgh Classic Reliability Trial. What can I say, fantastic cars, fantastic route, fantastic event. Alan Smith & Kim Bannister devised a west coast route this year, stopping outside Crewe and then Carlisle. This gave them the chance on the last day to head even further west into Scotland, finally turning towards Edinburgh after climbing out of the Galloway Forest.

Mike & I found some great spots, and up until Sunday managed to dodge the showers, just getting a some hail and rain showers in Scotland. With the field mainly consisting of open top cars they're were all prepared, but I guess a few got peppered by the hail.

Andrew & Jonathan Davies ran well, 2nd after the first two days, reaching the front on the last day, when those around them found a motorway on their marked maps, and had some difficulty getting round it, or so I'm lead to believe.

Jayne Wignall & Kevin Savage took second again, with day 2 leaders Robert Ellis & Cath Woodman slipping to third. Jayne's husband Paul Wignall lost out on Saturday, with a well known hairpin on a regularity catching out the Talbot AV105 mounted driver, and beaching for 4 minutes, otherwise he might have pipped his wife to second. That's rallying.

The journey home from the Galloway forest was broken by a night in Burnley, not to be repeated, so we could recce the ford being used a week later on the Ilkley Jubilee Historic Road Rally.

A week later we were 'up North' again, a quick recce of the Ilkley Jubilee afternoon leg before signing on Saturday evening. Lovely weather, the sunshine continuing into the Sunday and a great set of shots in the bag.

A second championship round win for Howard Warren in his Porsche 911, this time with Guy Woodcock on the maps, well done. Second went to John Ruddock/David Taylor, fastest on the tests too in his Escort, and third to the Mini of Jon Wood/Ali Proctor.

And for the third weekend in a row, coming up I'm photographing the CSMA Salibury Group's St Georges Day Classic Car Tour on Sunday, with an overflowing entry of 62 cars, from a 1934 Aston Martin to a 2011 Audi TT, with every decade in between well represented.

Poppy Rally Photos

2011-03-24T14:54:00.000Z

Phew! all the Poppy Rally photos now uploaded to my website, all 4,600 of them! Between us, Kate & I have got some real jems, the weather helped, but so did the recce. Order Forms now printing, and CRA will post them out in next day or so. Hope the competitors amongst you enjoy looking for the shots.

Poppy Rally

2011-03-21T08:52:00.002Z

George Mullins again created a 'cracker' of an event, with everyone praising the route at the finish. Building on his first event 2 years ago, George shortened the night leg, but still made it non stop from the start, with a pre breakfast leg on Sunday morning, that 'fooled' a few crews, especially those in white cars!

With the maps arriving before the event we managed to complete a recce on Thursday and Friday morning, before the rain came. Scrutineering was a very damp affair for those that took the evening session, but the forecast was good for the weekend, hard to believe in the rain. But sure enough, Saturday was blessed with wall to wall sunshine, definately 500th at f8! But with clear skies comes cold nights, and the night section was definately chilly. Sunday sunny again, with just a bit of cloud, and the muddy roads now becoming safari like in places, with dust trails for the front runners.

Congratulations to father and son, Dick & Mark Appleton, on first place, but it was close. Sunday seeing the gap down to just 4 seconds at one point, to 2nd placed crew John Bateson & Iain Tullie, 9 seconds at the finish! Third went to Belgium crew Eddy D'Hoe/Bjorn Van Overshelde in an impressive sounding MGB V8.

Over 6000 shots now to catalogue, so maybe a day or two before they are uploaded to my website, talking of which a new one due before the end of the month, so watch out for it.

That's it from Ypres, Monday morning, more comments when we're home.

Tour of Cheshire

2011-03-09T15:25:00.000Z

Just finished cataloguing and uploading over 2700 photos from the Tour of Cheshire, phew!

For us photographers this year's route leant itself towards covering more of the tests. A planned spot in Bolsworth proving fruitless given the drizzle at the time, no views! so on to Chowley Oak tests. A good workout for my new Canon 1D Mk IV, and the 100-400 zoom lens, hopefully you'll like the results.

Now planning for the Poppy Rally, just need some maps!

First Blog

2011-03-07T20:02:00.001Z

Yes, Tony Large now has a blog. I'll be posting the odd news blog on rallying events that I'm covering/covered, and news about my website and anything else I think of!

Criticisms and comments welcome, look forward to hearing from you.

cheers

Tony