The Acorn December 2007 The Sevenoaks & District Motor Club November PCT at Stoneacre Farm Clockwise from top left: Suze Bisping, David Balderson, Jay Grossmith, Clive Cooke and Richard Scott Club Contacts Club Contacts Sevenoaks and District Motor Club Ltd. Club Contacts PRESIDENT: J Symes VICE PRESIDENT: V EIford ACORN MAGAZINE December 2007 The Editor, Committee and Club do not necessarily agree with items and opinions expressed within ACORN magazine OFFICERS and COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, Chin, TROPHY RECORDS [email protected] KEEPER: VICE CHAIR; Dawn Travers, ACORN EDITOR, [email protected] CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER: SECRETARY, Andy Elcomb, MEMBERSHIP SEC: [email protected] TREASURER: Clive Cooke, [email protected] COMPETITION SEC. Ian Crocker, WEBMASTER: [email protected] SPEED LEAGUE David Balderson, CHAMP CO-ORD: [email protected] RALLY SECRETARY: Iain Gibson, CHIEF MARSHAL: Philip Fawcett, [email protected] SOCIAL SECRETARY: Daniel Whittington, [email protected] PRESS & PR: Suze Bisping, [email protected] PRESS & PR: Steve Thompson, [email protected] WEB ACORN: Ralph Travers, [email protected] Website - www.sevenoaksmotorclub.com PLEASE NOTE: COPY DATE FOR JANUARY ACORN WILL BE 13TH DECEMBER You can e-mail copy to [email protected] Wednesday 19th December 2007 Seasonal Noggin and Natter—Bring a small silly gift for the ―Bran Tub‖. The Buttery at The Bull, Wrotham from 8.30pm I will also accept copy on disc or CD-Rom; on paper (typed or handwritten) or by ‘phone for juicy gossip. - 1 - FROM THE COMMITTEE FROM THE COMMITTEE FROM THE COMMITTEE CCC Editorial Ramblings or me November was almost impossible, nother year drawing to a close and with two events and a forum to run, but it all in all pretty successful for the club all went OK. December will be nearly as A despite the loss of two of our rallying F events early on, Kent Rally and Rally of Kent. The 12 busy with two important meetings, one to start the cars have been well supported though as was the re- ball rolling for Cadwell Park 2008 and one to re- cent 20/20 rally so all is not lost in the South East. It view the Speed regs. for the area with the other may be early days but Scatter rallying seems to be associations and interested parties – and there’s enjoying a bit of a revival finally, with the latest event, Christmas to think about too! organised by our friends at Maidstone and Mid-Kent The 2020 Rally at last has come to something, Car Club, seeing 12 crews out and enjoying the and because of its success there may be a few lanes...yes that’s right...12! Read what MMKCC’s Tom more clubs trying something similar. Thanks to all Solomon has to say about it on page 8. who entered and helped on the night (we actually Ian Crocker will be organising the next one on had two senior MSA executives marshalling 13th December, more details can be found in his col- umn on page 4. which should have kept them all in order) it was The Borough 18 MC’s December 12 car will proba- worth all the effort and we’ll be back next year. bly have gone by the time you read this, hopefully it The forum with Ian Davis of the MSA was well will have been another successful and well supported attended by our members and friends from club sport event. The next one will be on 11th Janu- ASEMC and Weald and a wide ranging discus- ary, run by Croydon DMC and will start out of Wester- sion on club motor sport took place. Several top- ham Garage. If you can’t compete, please offer your ics were taken back to the MSA by Ian so we’ll help with marshalling. Pete Turner is the contact for see what becomes of them. I know he was seri- the evening. So for more details check out the details ous because the following day he had reported on page 7. on the various issues to the MSA Company Sec- The November PCT went well with 35 entries on the day and it was great to see so many young drivers retary, Rob Jones, with a view to progressing turning up to have a go. By young I mean under 17s them further. My next course of action on these and several not quite old enough to drive but having a will be to press for change through the Regional go in the bouncer’s seat. I have been on a learning Committee – the debate goes on. curve with the organisation of PCTs but it wasn’t too Although the negotiations are still in their early steep and the couple of boo-boos I made weren’t stages, there is progress with Crystal Palace enough to get me the sack apparently! Damn! Must thanks to the effort put in by David Balderson – make bigger boo-boos in future! another member who’s learning not to answer the Chin is doing the final round-up of points for the phone to me! We can’t say any more than that at Annual Awards evening on 2nd February. Have a present but watch this space. good search around for any results you may have yet to send to him and get them in the post. Same goes Our December social will be the best time for for any stage or road rally results you may have for the all of you with annual returnable pots to bring Club Championship. These need to go to Iain Gibson them back to me. I believe that it will be a gentle for him to finalise the results table for drivers and co- Noggin & Natter and it would be good to see lots drivers/navigators. of you there to tell us what’s going on and your Socially, the Clubsport Forum last month was very thoughts on anything motorsporty. well supported as Chin has already said so thanks to As an aficionado of road rallying, it has been a everyone who made the effort to come along, some sadness for many years that I have become too from quite a distance too. sick to navigate; I used to enjoy that side of the Actually someone made a suggestion about asking car although I now thoroughly enjoy driving. Well, the Top Gear team to come along and perhaps do a PCT or Autotest—although that may not be weird just to see what would happen, Andy Kilby and I enough for them. Perhaps if we suggest they are entered the November Raspberry Regularity 12- th given £50 to spend on a suitable roadworthy vehicle to car run by Blackpalfrey MC on Sunday 25 No- do the event in that might help. Lots of competitors in vember with me navigating in his MGBGT. Much clubsport do this (well Andy Elcomb does), although to my satisfaction I was able to call the entire mostly to do the Preston Road Rally in, as cars aren’t route without feeling sick and enjoy a good roast worth much at the end of this legendary car breaking dinner at the finish. We weren’t too hot at this event (usually one of Andy’s vehicles!) One day I regularity lark and just poodled along at about the would like to attempt it....one day! average speed set and we came 5th out of 7. If the MSA want a role model to get women into Great fun - if a bit turgid at low averages. motorsport, they could do no worse than ask comedi- enne Jennifer Saunders, who on a recent edition of So you can do anything if you try – make that Top Gear, became the 2nd fastest Star in their rea- your motto for 2008. sonably priced car, just behind the high waistbanded Merry Christmas and a happy competing New music producer, Simon Cowell. Absolutely Fabulous! Year to you all. Anyway here’s wishing you all a very Happy Christ- mas . Chin Dawn Travers - 2 - COMPETITION CALENDAR 2007/08 FORTHCOMING EVENTS DATE EVENT ORGANISING CLUB / Contact LOCATION Status Champ Round The start is The Weald (B18 MC): Roger McKenzie 01732 12 Car Rally Bull Inn at at 7th December 884312 Email: CS Map 188 Wrotham, Map [email protected] 188 Stoneacre Farm, Weald MC: (Maidstone & MKCC): for regs con- Stoneacre Lane 9th December PCT CS tact Bruce Jenkins, [email protected] Otham, Nr Bear- stead, Kent Thame MC/Middlesex County AC: Check the 8th/9th Rockingham Rockingham, website for regs and more details: Nat B December Stages Northampton www.rockinghamstages.co.uk/ Start The Bell 13th December Scatter Rally Weald (7Oaks): Ian Crocker 01892 546006 Kemsing from CS 7.30pm 7Oaks&DMC Social Night: The Buttery at 19th December Social Seasonal Noggin and Natter—Bring a small/ The Bull, Social silly gift for the “Bran Tub” if you wish. Wrotham Blackpalfrey MC (Weald MC): Contact Andy 6th January 12 Car Regularity Gibson 01227 792740 or email CS 2008 Run [email protected] Starts at Croydon DMC( Weald MC): Peter Turner 01883 Westerham 11th January 12 Car Rally 623465 Mobile: 07778 857160 or Email: Garage and CS [email protected] finishes at the Crown, Knockholt The Buttery at 16th January Social 7Oaks&DMC Social Night: Quiz Night—TBC The Bull, Social Wrotham Weald MC (Maidstone & MKCC): Tom Solomon 07836 636622 [email protected] or Tom 17th January Scatter Rally TBC CS Thompson/Dennis Usmar 01795 477755 – maps 188/189 Hadlow Manor Saturday Social 7Oaks&DMC 2007 Annual Awards Dinner Hotel, Social 2nd February Hadlow Blackpalfrey MC (Weald MC): Contact Andy Sunday 12 Car Rally Gibson 01227 792740 or email TBC CS 3rd February [email protected] Weald (7Oaks): Chin 01732 823132 15th February 12 Car Rally TBC CS [email protected] Eastbourne & RMC (Weald MC): Tim Smith Sunday 12 Car Rally 01424 222662 or email [email protected] TBC CS 17th February Map199 1st car away 7.01pm 21st February Scatter Rally Weald (7Oaks): Ian Crocker 01892 546006 TBC CS For further information contact :- Competition Secretary: Ian Crocker 01892 546006 email: [email protected] Speed League contact : David Balderson, 01689 601661 email: [email protected] - 3 - FROM THE COMMITTEE WINTER SERIES EVENTS NEWS FROM THE COMMITTEE WINTER SERIES EVENTS NEWS FROM THE COMMITTEE WINTER SERIES EVENTS NEWS Comp Sec SCATTER SERIES 2007/08 e reach the end of another year, with just a few events Thursday 13 December 2007 W left in the calendar before we start the Start from The Bell at Kemsing new calendar of 2008.