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lam Sunday: 30
Page 38
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FROM THE 3,000-plus hopefuls that took a crack at winning the title of Britain's top truck driver only 309 made it to the championships at
Bramatte.
They were the best drivers in the country, class winners from some 40 nationwide area contests.
And to whittle them down to just eight drivers who would take part in the final the going had to be tough.
The contest was split into eight different vehicle classes, ranging from light van right up to the heaviest artics. But all the drivers completed the same road routes, question papers and driving tests.
Battle commenced at 7.00 on Sunday morning. In the murky early light the first contestants began to arrive at the start of the road route, which began from the Hawker-Siddeley airfield at Bitteswell on the A5.
With Army units flashing messages to the contest's headquarters at Bramcote, and dispatch riders roaring up and down the route, the first competitor was flagged off by Col Francis Arnold, at 8.15.
The first man away was David Williams, of Roadline Swansea, in class E. His early start obviously didn't hurt his chances because he won the class with just 47 penalty points, five of which were imposed for the road section.
Vehicles were carefully checked by scrutineers before being allowed out on the road and once on the route there were a number of concealed observation points to keep an eye on them.
As the vehicles rolled away from Bitteswell they we replaced by a constant strea of competitors checking i Brightly coloured trucks of shapes and sizes brighten( the gloom.
• All the competitors we asked a secret trick questic on the start line. "How mu( would it cost you if you lo your licence?" Most entran said 25 pence — and they we wrong for only a few wee] ago it was increased to 75p.
By 9.00, although ti weather was still cold, ti contest had started to war up. Bacon rolls and hot dogs the coffee stall helped to kel out the chill.
There were problems for ti marshals and the competitoi At 9.15 Lloyd Richards, previous winner, roared up report that three trucks beir used by contestants fro Heavy Transport, St Auste had been vandalised in C ventry overnight and wou not be able to meet their sta deadlines.
And Lesley Smith, the ori woman in the championshi was told that one of the mi rors fitted as standard to h DAF truck would have to blanked out for the ma oeuvring tests.
By 10.00 the rain which hi been threatening all mornir suddenly started and sot became a downpour. Con( tions were tricky but the were no accidents.
On from Bitteswell to Brar cote. As they arrived ti drivers were given a test their knowledge of the hig way code, recognition of roi signs, the law and tl mechanical factors that affe road safety.
Then they moved on to t] driving tests, the part whe the classes would be won ai lost.
These really sorted out t( drivers from the rest. Fo tricky manoeuvring tests hi to be negotiated, and ti slightest fault could pile up ti penalty points.