Whip-cracker
Page 37
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by Bob Holliday • It was a real whip-cracking wagon train that went through the Torbay eliminator on Sunday for, faced with a greatly increased number of contestants-136 as against last year's 100-odd-the organization had to be spot-on to meet the deadline of a 5 p.m. finish.
The County Borough's public safety officer, Len Newman, in charge of the operation and ably aided by clerk of the course Robin Retter and his team of marshals, bustled the meeting through to such good effect that it was at precisely 4.59 p.m. that the last competitor, Texaco's Reg Tooze, four times a finalist and national champion in 1967, entered the last of the three tests-unluckily to collect a two-ton penalty that bumped his score from 48 to 248 points. But for that last-minute fault he would almost certainly have added a fifth plaque to his radiator for the eventual winner of his class logged a total of 116.
The fiercest competition was in Class C which mustered over 40 drivers; and it was from among them that the overall winner emerged-W. R. Matthews, one of a 27strong entry from Heavy Transport (ECC) Ltd. and himself a finalist in 1965 and 66.
With an outstandingly low score of only 46 points (next best was 52) Matthews also took the best Bedford driver's cup. Helping him considerably towards his low total was the fact that he was docked only one point on the 15-mile preliminary road circuit which bristled with 10 secret checks. Another veteran who ensured himself a trip to Bramcote in September was L. W. Kerswell, who made sure of Class G. His company, Tate and Lyle Ltd., supports the competition only in alternate years and 1969 was not on the list. However, it decided that Kerswell, who sports plaques for 1964, '66 and '68, should be a lone entry-and nobly he justified the decision.
Three drivers who qualify for the national finals had little to fight against. In Classes A and F2 there were only two entrants and in Class Fl only one!
Once again the Torbay round culminated the Borough's Safety Week and after a damp start the car park at Goodrington, Paignton, saw a crowd of about 3,000 spectators who found, in addition to the tests, much to interest them in a special vehicle display, a steam cleaning demonstration and a fork-lift truck competition. And a high proportion of onlookers stayed to watch the distribution of a big array of trophies and to give a special cheer for local boy B. Prowse who, as the best Torbay driver, received the Sellick silver cup, a new award valued at over £250. He had also been handed the prize for the best Bedford driver but a re-check by the results team required him to hand it back. When he did so it was found to be already topped up from one of the cans of Watney's ale which went, along with tins of creamed rice, to all the winners
TORBAY RESULTS
Class A: up to 16ft and over 1 ton unladen weight: 1, T. Hillgrove (Whitehill Garages) Ford, 191 points: 2, G. Chillcott (Bartlett and Bateman) Ford, 270. Class B: over 16ft to 19ft: 1, S. P. Miners (W. F. Mineis and Sons) Dodge, 108: 2. A. P. Dryoff
D. Cayenne Ltd.) Bedford, 116: 3, C. J Hewett ),{P. D. Cayenne Ltd.) Ford, 123.
p'Class C: over 19ft to 22ft: 1. W. R. Matthews NHeavy Trarsport 1ECC1 Ltd.) Bedford. 46; 2. B. .Prowse (Western Fuel Co.) Bedford. 85: 3, R. J. r; Cobb (Heavy Transport (ECC) Ltd.) Ford. 95.
iClass D: over 22ft to 26ft: 1. M. Chesty (Avon Foods Ltd.) Dodge. 56: 2. R. C. Snow (Texaco Ltd.) Bedford, 67. 3, E' C. Coleridge (Vinnicombe 1.; and Sons Ltd.) BMC, 95.
Class El: over 25ft with two axles: 1. 8.8. Miners (W. F. Miners and Sons) Leyland, 92: 2, M, 'Sweet (Plymouth Co-op Society Ltd.) Bedford, 94: 3. P. Lcx:k (Wyatt and Bruce Ltd.) Dodge, 113.
Class E2: over 25ft with more than two axles: 1, E. A. Lilley (Texaco Ltd.) Atkinson, 52: 2. S. J. West (Bartlett and Bateman) Albion. 98: C. J. Keates (Heavy Transport (ECC) Ltd.) Leyland. 99. Class Fl: flat or sided semi-trailers up to 33ft:1, C. Donaldson (Bartlett and Bateman) Bedford, 152. Class F2: box or tank semi-trailers up to 33ft: 1. P. Webber (Shell-Mex and BP Ltd.) AEC, 220: 2. 0. Sampson (Continental Oils (UK) Ltd ) 320.
Class G: flat or sided semi-trailers over 33ft: 1. L. W. Kerswell (Tate and Lyle Ltd.) AEC, 94: 2. A. Babb (Bartlett and Bateman) AEC, 120: 3. N. Eggledon M. L. Valiance Ltd.) Volvo, 188.
Class H: box or tank semi-trailers over 331t: 1, R. Hawkes (Shell-Max and BP Ltd.) Scammelt, 116: 2. W. B. Ledger (Heavy Transport (ECC) Ltd.) Leyland, 132: 3, R. Brownscombe (Heitor Ltd.) Leyland. 162.
Overall winner: W. R. Matthews.
Best team: Texaco Ltd. (Snow, Lilley and Dixon) total 388.
Best Service driver: Cpl. E. F. Davies (Royal Marines) Bedford, 106,