GENERATIONS RALLY

Rally the Globe’s second edition of the Generations Rally has been seen as an even greater success than last year’s award-winning event.  Initiated 12 months ago specifically to ignite the passion for historic motorsport among a younger audience, entries were aimed at driver/navigator crews from two distinct generations, ideally from the same family.  Sticking to that winning formula, the compact event (24-26 March) was again based at a single venue hotel with three days of Speed Tests and Regularity Sections offering newcomers a gentle introduction before building up to trickier challenges as they gained experience.

“I think I’ve benefitted from a huge dose of beginner’s luck,” said first-time navigator Sophie Haslam, who, with her godfather Paul Taylor won the Classic Category in a Ford Escort

A full capacity entry of 75 crews featured an array of cars that spanned seven decades, ranging from a phalanx of vintage Bentleys, through to classic Aston Martin, Jaguar, Mercedes, MG, Porsche and TR sportscars of the 1950s and 1960s, right up to more recent Alfa Romeo, Ford RS and Lancia classics from the ‘70s and ‘80s.  While the majority of the competing crews were from the UK, others had travelled from Ireland, Germany, Poland and Switzerland to savour the event that was so talked about last year.

The Against All Odds trophy went to Cathie and Max Clark whose determination to compete resulted in them buying a little blue MG Midget to replace their originally entered Mini which was not going to be ready in time.

As the curtain came down on some memorable competition, Paul Taylor and god-daughter Sophie Haslam took top honours in the Classic Category in their 1974 Ford Escort.  Validating the ethos of the Generations Rally, it was Sophie’s very first event.  The equally competitive Pre-War Category was won by the somewhat more experienced pairing of Michael Birch and Emily Anderson in their distinctive green 1934 Talbot AV105. 

The Pre-War Category was won by the somewhat more experienced pairing of Michael Birch and Emily Anderson Photos Courtesy Rally the Globe

Read more in the May 2023 issue…