Final Results here: 2019 uct results final
ULSTER CLASSIC TRIAL 2019 REPORT:
What a great evening we had on the Night Trial!
Noel Cochrane and Richard McCracken had worked for some time on finding a route that did not involve a lot of unnecessary road miles but was packed with challenging tests in interesting locations. The result was truly awesome with 15 tests in an evening event. Add to that the fact that the entry of 24 cars was confined to classic cars – not an MX5 in sight- and we have a unique and challenging motorsport event that we should cherish.
The layout of the tests got a last-minute reshuffle when it was realised that there was a running race in Newtownards that evening. The road book was amended and printed by Carol in the small hours of the morning of the event. The weather forecast didn’t look promising either.
However, on the evening, the car park at Ballyblack Community Hall filled up with the glorious sounds of tuned engines. Not all sounded so good though but, after some fettling of Angus Johnson’s Frogeye Sprite, normal service was resumed and all were on their way. Not for long though as Jamie and Sophie Hanna soon had to splutter the yellow Midget back to their trailer. Robert Dickson was himself down on power, not long out of hospital and not sure how far he might continue in the event. Not that it showed though as he threw the Mini with abandon around the tanks at McGimpsey’s yard.
On through farmyards, Council yards and digester plant as daylight gave way to pitch blackness, two laps of the route were duly completed until all returned to the Community Hall for a sumptuous spread laid on by the members of Ballyblack Community Hall.
The standard of driving was superb and the commitment total, given the value of many of these cars. From the whine from the Minis, the snort from modern engined Midgets, the unmistakable boxer sound of a VW Beetle to an unsympathetically but brilliantly driven BMW 2002, all were being flailed around the yards. Such a spectacle!
Most came through unscathed but sadly Angus and Michael Johnson had to retire with a broken half shaft quite near to home.
And so to our podium winners and our class winners.
Overall place went to David Cochrane with Ruth Steele in the Midget with a breathtaking driving performance. It had to be good as only 1.9 seconds behind came Will Corry with Adele Kennedy, once again generously lent for the occasion by Jordon Fox. In third place, with a number of FTDs to his name, was Robert Dickson with daughter Catherine. Somehow we all knew he wouldn’t be giving up before the finish.
As for class places, winners of Class C, in lieu of the overall place, were again Will and Adele and winners of Class D were Robert and Catherine.
Many other drivers excelled and it would be wrong to pick out only a few but sterling performances they were. Results are attached in this report for download.
Well done to our winners and a big thank you to all competitors who were rewarded with some great tests.
So well done Noel and Richard for putting together a superb Ulster Classic Trial 2019. Thanks also to our MG organising team and all the marshals and landowners who made the event possible.
Finally, thanks to the weather that turned out to be not as bad as forecast and allowed everyone to enjoy a superb evening’s sport.
Download final results here:2019 uct results final