69 and still accelerating
26th September 2007Most people would be thinking about slowing down as they approach becoming septuagenarians but that’s the furthest thing from the minds of Bob Bean and Gordon Cameron as they prepare to contest the Trackrod Historic Cup – a tail-sliding glance back to yesteryears that accompanies Yorkshire’s fifth round of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship in North Yorkshire on October 6.
The duo go head to head over six high speed stages and 53 timed to the fraction of a second miles ahead of the longer Trackrod Rally Yorkshire (11 stages/100 miles), and the Silverstone Tyres Stars 1400, Trackrod National and Trackrod Clubman’s Trophy rallies that add colour and spectacle the already picturesque town of Pickering and the North York Moors forests.
Bean, from Cleckheaton in West Yorkshire, turns 70 next March and drives a Ford Lotus Cortina similar to that which took him to third place in the 1968 RAC Rally (a 92-stage epic – what Bob calls: “a real rally!”) and helped earn him works backing on the 1972 Mexico Rally.
Cameron, from Dorking in Surrey, is also 69 and pilots a gleaming Mini Cooper – another of the cars that led to many people describing the sixties as the golden age of rallying.
Regular navigator Sheila Grimshaw sits next to Cameron in the tiny 1293cc Morris as they are thrust into action alongside powerful Porsche 911s, an awesome Sunbeam Tiger and an MG Midget, to name just a few, with Ford Escort RS1600s and an eye-catching Lancia Stratos among the vehicles representing the more ‘modern’ categories of the Dunlop / Gambia British Historic Rally Championship.
Bean holds the distinction of contesting more RAC Rallies than any other driver in history – 28 at the last count – and shows no signs of slowing down.
“I always said that as long as I was fit and healthy and could still be competitive I would continue rallying and that’s still the way I feel.
“I’ve never had the opportunity to drive a modern car – a World Rally Car or even a four-wheel drive car – in fact the only 4WD I’ve ever driven is a Range Rover!
“But the thrill of driving a two-wheel drive rear-wheel drive car, sliding the back out, is fantastic.”
Retired builder and “novice beef farmer” Bean, who is accompanied by Skipton co-driver Malcolm Smithson, has been busy rebuilding his Cortina since the engine caught fire on the sixth round of the series – the Harry Flatters Rally in South Wales two months ago.
Over 65 historic cars lead the entourage away from rally HQ at Pickering Showground early on Saturday morning (7.30am) with the other events following swiftly after.
In addition to the hotly contested Tecco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, many other one-make, junior and regional title races are furthered by Trackrod Motor Club of Leeds’ 30th annual rallying showpiece.
More details of this true fiesta of four-wheeled off-road motorsport can be found on the Trackrod website.
Official programmes can be pre-ordered, again on the website, with applications closing on September 30 and programmes due to be posted out, first class mail, on Monday, October 1).
Pre-event orders are also being taken for Privilege Spectator Packs offering special car parking and access to all the spectator stages, including Pickering Showground, plus programmes with more details of these packs and how to order them also available on the website.
Spectators without a privilege pass will be able to purchase tickets on entry to the spectator stages at a cost of £10 per person for a Forest Pass or £5 per person for a Showground Pass.