French Revolution 2006
Rally Action
The 6th
running of French Revolution Rally proved to both exciting and enormous fun for
competitors with overnight stays at the pretty pastoral village of La Petite
Pierre, then the spa town of Contrexéville and finally deep in the vineyards of
Epernay. Sampling the local brews provided some distraction from the sun bathed
countryside, quiet twisting roads and the need to be at a Time Control 10
seconds ago!
The
stopwatches started ticking and crews wound their way through the wooded forests
and rolling countryside of the Lorraine. Dusting down rusty rally skills Edward
and Lesley Behrendt were “Spot On” at the first control but after 11 sections of
interesting regularity Chris and Julie Rashbrooke’s TR3 headed the field, but
only by a mere 6 seconds from Robert and Lauri Frost (1936 Alvis SC Dhc), whose
supplementary trip meter had failed on section 3!
The second
day saw a spirited climb up the Col Donon to halt on the summit and enjoy the
view and a well-earned coffee before heading down a metalled ski run to tackle
the next three sections. Travelling narrow twisting lanes with numerous
junctions and a couple of navigational traps Geoff and Keitha Insley’s MG was
well on song with a couple of zero’s and they won the Day Award. However, the
Jaguar XK150 of Roger Learmonth and Chris Hunt-Cooke had a cracking day and took
over the lead.
 By
the close of play on Day Three, competitors had checked into a further 9
controls, visited numerous cafés and most had collected a maximum! Rolling
Controls and speed changes had not fazed the 1943 Derby Bentley of John and
Margaret Ball (who went on to win the Vintage Cars Class), but Chris and
Margaret Osborne had pulled over onto a verge for a local’s car and as it passed
them their Ford Zephyr (nicknamed “The Raspberry Ripple”) elegantly slipped into
the ditch as the bank gave way. Luckily a farmer pulled them out and they cut
and ran to the next café Time Control to rejoin the rally.
The
penultimate day and nerves all a jangle, and with just a few seconds separating
the top 6 it was important for crews to self start from the hotel on time.
Ahead of them lay 3 Secret Controls, one on the crest of a climb that Joan of
Arc travelled, several Rolling Controls to reset stopwatches and trips at as the
seconds ticked by and a couple of well placed Time Controls before lunch at Lac
Der. Unfortunately, the Sunbeam Tiger of Ken Chisholm and Kate Stanley sheared
3 wheel studs, and despite winning Wednesday’s Day Award, they missed today’s
challenges. After a blast across the plains to Vertus the rally route twisted
through the champagne vineyards for three short, sharp sections. Paul and
Margaret Marshall (BMW 2002) had scored only single figures at each control to
win the Day Award, but Peter and Rayna Jackson now headed the leader board in
their Jaguar E Type.
 Ten
sections tested teams with some exacting navigation, and the results changed
dramatically as only 3 crews found SC34A, and several cars missed the next TC,
but not Hugh and Judi Mayes (MGA) who won the Day Award. A couple of fiendish
speed changes before the final control and an easily missed slot allowed last
year’s winners Gerald and Carol Westcott (Healey 3000) to win again and at
Château Pierry Champagne House the corks popped as Roger Learmonth and Chris
Hunt-Cooke celebrated their second overall with Robert and Lauri Frost, who
finished third. At the final Gala Dinner, magician Boris Wild astounded
everyone with his sleight of hand and as organiser John Walsh said, “I just wish
my trickery with the rally routes was that amazing!”
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