The day the test went pop
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by John Durant
• Jimmy Savile handled the starting flag like a matador preparing the coup de grace, whereupon the flag fell off the shaft! No matter, for facing him was not a bull but a Pointer Group Leyland driven by H. Bennett whose moment of truth came as he was flagged away on the road route at Sunday's Norwich LDoY round.
For this was the day the contest blended into the pop scene; the tests were held in a corner of the Royal Norfolk Showground, where hundreds of spectators were drawn away from the other events—show jumping. dog-handling—and the trade stalls and side shows at what was termed the East of England Motor Show, which operated to a background of nonstop music.
However, the driving was up to standard and it was not inappropriate that a younggeneration representative, NCL's Harry
Curson, should come to the top as overall winner. -Haircut!" Jimmy told 24-year-old Harry, whose hair length matched his own.
Mr Curson was a clear winner in Class F with nil penalty points on the Highway Code, road route and Test 2, 55 on Test 1 and only 18 on the remaining section.
But in general the Code questions took their usual toll. Nine competitors in Class E, for instance, lost a total of 950 points on this section. Six drivers in this class lost no points on Test 2, so the Code questions spoilt their totals.
Rigid Vehicles Class A: up to 20ft and over 1 ton unladen: 1, L Woodward (NCL Norwich) Karrier, 354: 2, S. Green (Initial Services Ltd Norwich) BMC, 546.
Class B: over 20ft to 24ft: 1, R. Broughton (NCL Norwich) BMC, 362; 2, A. G. Gosling (Shell-Mex & BP Ltd. King's Lynn) Leyland. 407; 3, G. Goodson (Travis & Arnold Ltd, CrOmer) Bedford 503.
Class C: over 24ft to 28ft: 1, P. Lay (Atlas Express Ltd, Ipswich) Bedford, 200: 2. J. Tuttle (Watney Mann (East Anglia) Ltd), Bedford, 222; 3. L. Brown (Smedley's Ltd, Wisbech) Ford, 278.
Class D: over 28ft: 1. L. Flemming (Shell M ex BP Ltd, King's Lynn) BMC, 166; 2, R. Merrishaw (Shell-Mex & BP Ltd) BMC, 254; 3, G. Bailey (Smedlect's Ltd, Wisbech) Guy, 357.
Artics Class E: flat or sided or drop-frame, up to 40ft.: 1, D. Burroughes (NCL Norwich) Bedford, 128. 2, B.-Roper (NCL Norwich) Ford, 134; 3, A. Clarke (NCL Norwich) Ford, 146. Class F: box or tank to 40ft: 1, H. Curson )NCL Norwich) Ford, 73; 2, D. Miller (Watney Mann (East Anglia) Ltd) AEC, 495: 3, E. Root (Atlas Express Ltd, Ipswich) Ford, 529.
Class G: flat or sided, flat or drop-frame, over 40ft: 1, H. Bennett (Pointer Transport Ltd, King's Lynn) Leyland. 172: 2: W. Dugman (J. W. Leggett Ltd) Scammell, 178; 3, L. M. Calver (L. M. Calver & Daughters) AEC, 211.
Class H: box or tank over 40ft: 1. M. Carman (Pointer Transport Ltd, King's Lynn) Leyland, 146; 2, R. Patrick (Pointer Transport Ltd, King's Lynn) ERF, 217; 3, A. Gamble (Pointer Transport Ltd, King's Lynn) ERF, 353.
Overall winner: H. Curson.
Team award: Pointer Transport Ltd, King's Lynn.