Welcome this month’s full chat, it’s been another busy one for the club with lots of members doing different events.
Firstly, an introduction from new member CHRIS COCKRELL who joined the club last year.
First things first, well done to the team who put together the awards dinner, an excellent night out and great to chat with new people and see fellow members and well done to all award winners.
I would like to share that as I’m starting up rallying again, I am doing it for charity (The REME charity and BBC children in need) so I would kindly ask that you look at my story on my go fund me page RALLYING FOR CHARITY and please share with family and friends. If you can donate, I would be very grateful as will the charities. If you would like to connect with me on socials, I’m on Instagram under rallying for charity and linked in under Chris Cockrell.
Last but not least most of you know that I own and manage Near and Far Chauffeurs based at Fakenham and I would like to extend a good will gesture of 10% discount off any journey to all KLDMC members and their family. My website is www.nearandfarfakenham.co.uk or 07949807330.
Best wishes
Chris Cockrell
Just to add – Chris was competing at the Donington Stages last Sunday finishing 74th overall and 1st in Class, well done.
Then Rob Kitchen with Ed Rutherford on the maps were competing on the Historic Dansport Rally in Rob’s MGB, another good finish for Rob at 25th overall and 6th in class.
Next up was the Snetterton Stages Rally with several crews out competing and many members on marshalling duties.
Rob Kitchen driving his Peugeot 205 with Aaron Rix on the notes, with conditions damp and slippery for most of the day Rob finished 35th overall and 9th in class 5.
Report from Alister Waite competing on the East Riding Stages –
East Riding Stages Rally 2026
Car 94 Alister Wait / Kevin MacIverFirst time on this event for us and our first closed roads event since June last year.
The omens were not good with a leaking radiator in the week of the event, a wheel falling off the trailer on route to scrutineering & the tracker failing at the start MTC.
We set off from Beverley at 7.30pm on the Saturday night but unfortunately went off into a ditch and bushes on the second last corner of the first, very wet, spectator stage. Thankfully Ali kept his foot planted and the car popped back out onto the road! However, we completed the stage with a large bramble bush attached to the front of the car and a fair bit of damage down my side. Ali soon kicked the bush clear of the car and we carried on with a badly handling car (bent suspension).
All ok thereafter, until the last half mile of the last stage of the evening when we went straight on at a downhill 90 right, over a ditch, through a farm fence and into a field. It was a very muddy field, and we were stuck fast and had to retire for the evening. The excellent recovery crew soon had us out of the field using their tilt bed trailer to stretch over the ditch and dragging the car backwards on to it. There was now even more damage to the car, and we decided to call it quits for the weekend.
But after a couple of midnight beers back at the digs, we decided to give it a go on the Sunday if our service crew could repair the car in time. This they did early on the Sunday morning but then the alternator failed and by the time this was sorted we made our restart MTC time with 10 seconds to spare. Thankfully that was the end of our dramas, and we enjoyed a great, very sideways, run through the daylight stages which in places were more like gravel stages, they were that muddy! With the huge penalty for not finishing stage 4, we ended up 100th overall and 23rd in class but our pace was our usual upper/mid field which we were pleased with.
Many thanks to BDMC for a fantastic event and also to our long suffering and very effective service crew of Jack, Jimmy, Ian and Will.
The Awards Presentation Evening on the 14th February was a resounding success with 43 tickets sold, and a two-course meal provided by SHEF’S of Brandon. After the meal and presentation of the awards it was time to play on the gaming tables, everyone was given a £200 voucher to exchange for chips at either the Blackjack table or the Roulette Table. At the end of the evening Greg Palmer was presented with a bottle of Champagne for winning the most chips, we will be promoting this much earlier next year so the evening can be bigger and better.
Then we started our Norfolk 12 Car Series.
Round 1 was The Norfolk Classic and Sports Cars organised by Jonathan Stimpson and Rob Kitchen, 1st overall Paul Smalley/David Smalley, 2nd Ben Cutting/Rob Palmer, 3rd Steve Honeywood/James Portway.
Round 2 The Ides of March Rally 1st Paul Smalley/David Smalley, 2nd Harvey Steel/Martin Pitt, 3rd Ben Cutting/Rob Palmer.
On Sunday 15th March was the Donington Stages Rally we had some members out competing and marshalling on this round of the Circuit Rally Championship. Matt Ellis / Hannah Ellis out in their Citroen Saxo car 89, finishing 68th overall and 10th in class.
Chris Cockrell was out again in the hire car mini finishing 74th overall and 1st in class, well done to you all.
FUTURE EVENTS
Our first evening Friday Classic Run ‘In Search of the North Pole’ there is space still available please contact : dave_ottoway@hotmail.co.uk to get your name down and for further information.
Then we are into May and the start of the summer events keep an eye out for more information coming soon.
That’s all for now.
