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The champ is back
Page 53
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• "Thank ye ma'am, oi'll drop ye off a dizen." That was how smiling Sam Gray of Associated Egg Packers, Lisburn, acknowledged the congratulations of Mrs. R. W. Porter, wife of the Northern Ireland Minister of Home Affairs, on Saturday.
Sam, the reigning Lorry Driver of the Year champion, had just heard that he had qualified for the 1969 final as the winner of Class G at Belfast. The champion also won the Highway Code trophy which was donated by the GPO telephone manager and presented for the first time last week.
The lowest score of the day was returned by J. E. Marshall of GPO Postal Section. His 35 penalties must surely be the lowest ever returned from Northern Ireland if not indeed from any eliminating centre. Mr. Marshall will be at the final for the third time.
This score was not good enough to win the title of Belfast Champion. however, and it went to D. Young of Shell-Mex and BP Ltd. who won Class E(2) with 53 penalties, The committee used "the best improvement on
class average" formula to make its decision.
In the Irish competition the road route is never less than 20 miles, and on Saturday it was 26. It took in an international hill climb section and part of the old Irish Tourist Trophy race circuit outside Newtownards. After it was over one driver said to me "I feel shattered"and he still had to take the manoeuvring tests!
Lt.-Col. O'Kelly, of the 26 Squadron RCT. who attended the event, was so impressed that he instructed one of his officers to enter three Women's Royal Army Corps drivers in class A at the Londonderry event which is held tomorrow (Saturday). So there is still hope that the first-ever lady contestant will be at this year's final.
RESULTS Class A: up to 16ft and over 1 ton unladen weight: 1, J. F. Dougan (GPO Postal) Morris, 71 points; 2. J. 0. Mulvenna (GPO Postal) Morris 80:3, J. McCready (P0 Telephones' Morris 108. Class B: over 16ft to 19ft: 1. J. Hanna (PO Telephones) Morris, 130: 2. R. R. Bell (PO Telephones) Morris, 167; 3, J. Fisher (PO Telephones) Morris, 246.
Class C: over 19ft to 22ft: 1. J. E. Marshall (GPO Postal) Karrier, 39; 2. D. Donnelly (PO Telephones) Morris, 70; 3, T. Briggs (Associated Egg Packers) Kerner, 78.
Class D: over 22ft to 25ft: 1, B. Crooks (Associated Egg Packers) Bedford. 83; 2, D. Lemon (BOC Ltd.) Austin. 87: 3, N. Ryall (I. Andrews and Sons) BMC, 100.
Class E(1): over 25ft with two axles: 1, R. McKay (BOC Ltd.) Bedford. 150; 2. A. Greer (Gus Transport Ltd.) Austin, 173: 3, R. Borne (Irish Bonding Co.) Bedford, 204.
Class E(2): over 25ft with more than two axles: 1. D. Young (Shell-Mex and BP Ltd.) Leyland, 53: 2, T. Stewart (Scott (Tomebridge) Ltd.) Foden, 57:
3, J. O'Neill (APCM Ltd.) Foden, 141, Class F(1): flat or sided semi-trailers up to 33ft: 1. B. English (Cawoods Containers Ltd.) Leyland, 118: 2. B. Davidson (NI. Carriers Belfast) Albion, 230: 3, R. McFarland (I. Andrews and Son) Leyland, 309.
Class F(2): box or tank semi-trailers up to 33ft: 1, N. McGonagle (Cawoods Containers Ltd.) Leyland. 306: No second prize.
Class G: flat or sided semi-trailers over 33ft: 1, S. Gray (Assoc. Egg Packers) Ford, 110; 2, J. McColm (N.I. Carriers Ltd.) Leyland, 113; 3. M. Millar (NA. Carriers Ltd.) Leyland, 115.
Class H: box or tank semi-trailers over 33ft: 1. A. Semple (Esso Petroleum) Leyland. 97; 2, R. Keatley (Shell-Mex and BP) Leyland, 141: 3, W. Ard (Esso Petroleum) Leyland, 142.
Overall winner: D. Young.
Team award: GPO Postal.