Owen Car Trial
Date: 13th September 2009
The first event of the BTRDA Drive 09 programme was a Car Trial back in May where Sophie Bennett and Graeme Jones were faced with extremely challenging conditions with much of the day having heavy rain showers making conditions very tough even for experienced competitors.
Owen Motoring Club's Ernest Owen Car Trial on Sunday 13th September was Sophie's second car trial, following the postponement of the Wyre Forrest in June. Graeme was unable to attend due to work commitments and will compete in the re-arranged Wyre Forrest trial on Sunday 4th October.
Sophie was very apprehensive before the trial, having experienced two Autosolo's and an autotest since her first trialling experience. Overhead conditions were much improved with sunshine and light cloud, but this didn't make the grass any less slippery with a heavy overnight dew making the long grass extremely slippery in the morning. With Jo Preston (three times ladies car trial champion) passengering Sophie and offering lots of advice and support Sophie quickly remembered the skills learnt on the training day and on her last trial.
The slippery grass meant any misjudgement in momentum was punished severely with stopping, however over the first round Sophie soon got used to the car again in this very different environment. By lunch time the Sophie was climbing as well as Nick Pollitt who went on to win the class, and finish second overall driving a Saxo.
After lunch Sophie was first on the hills due to the running order in the class been reversed, but the drier conditions meant it would be slightly easier. However the Barrie Parker and Garry Preston (Clerk of the Courses) had been busy modifying all the hills to continue to challenge everyone's skills on the final round of the British Car Trials Championship. Sophie was soon teaching highly experienced Nick Pollitt by taking alternative routes on some sections!! Could Sophie close the gap to Derek Barnes and beat him to second in class. With one round of ten sections left she was 15 marks behind but determined to close that. The concentration and walking of sections were beginning to tire her, but the determination and adrenaline were keeping her going. By the end Sophie had managed to close that gap and beat the Derek Barnes by a single point and second in class.
However Nick won the Best Owen Motoring Club member award, meaning that Sophie gained the Class Award - a very well deserved and fantastic performance in her second trial, now no longer a novice too!! She also finished inside the top ten overall, in ninth.
Two weeks time will see the end of Sophie's prize drive for 2009 with her final event at the RosSolo, and her qualification to the Richard Egger BTRDA Allrounders championship.
Videos to follow.......
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