Guy's Corner - time to relax?
Well once again the HERO team delivered a successful RAC Rally of the Tests. Some 90 cars started from Harrogate for the prologue last Thursday and .....

Well once again the HERO team delivered a successful RAC Rally of the Tests. Some 90 cars started from Harrogate for the prologue last Thursday and crews were into the event very quickly, with a long regularity to start, followed by 2 tests and a short regularity. 2 tricky controls at the end of each regularity, set out the standard that we wanted for the event, the top crew of Jonathan Hancock and Richard Lambley ended the night on a total of 17 seconds. Whilst most people would be ecstatic to be at the top of the leader board, at the end of the first day the crew, having history of being there said, “its only one way to go from now!”.
The next day saw a thrilling start with two tests at Harewood Hill climb and Branham Park before we wended our way across to Lincolnshire and down the Lincolnshire coast. The final regularity of the day in the dark around the south of Birmingham, again proved challenging for all the crews.
The next day saw an early start with crews heading around the top of Birmingham to a wonderful regularity around Chillington then Ditton Priors Army Camp which is an interesting test, although the road conditions are now getting to a level where we may consider not using the site again, before heading into Wales and the meat of the event over the Epynt Military Ranges with a TC Section, 2 tests and 2 regularities which shook up the leader board. On the TC section the top crews drop one minute, the closest to clearing the section was HERO Chairman Tomas de Vargas Machuca with Nick Bloxham on the maps, they were 4 seconds over their minute. The crews then headed south to some regularities before tackling the infamous Caerwent Army Camp where the best crew through the camp were Steve Entwhistle and Ali Proctor who dropped 3 minutes overall.
The crews then had a night in the Celtic Manor before the final days loop around Somerset taking in a number of tests into Worthy Farm for an off road regularity. The final sting in the tail were the 2 regularities prior to lunch which shook up the leader board with a number of crews missing the second gate into Frome Showground and consequently missing the control dropping them down the leader board.
After lunch the crews were given free reign for 3 flowing tests around Castle Combe race track before the final test at the RAC Control Centre, close to the M5 in Bristol, here a large number of spectators watched the cars putting on a good show before the Awards Dinner at the Tortworth Estate where the Class winners and Overall winners took their plaudits.
As the saying goes, there is no rest for the wicked, we are straight off to the final recce and preparations for the start of LeJog 2018 on 8th December. This then sees the end of a wonderful and successful year of adventure for HERO. We are looking forward to 2019, there is a full calendar planned in the UK and all over the World with the new platform.
The next day saw a thrilling start with two tests at Harewood Hill climb and Branham Park before we wended our way across to Lincolnshire and down the Lincolnshire coast. The final regularity of the day in the dark around the south of Birmingham, again proved challenging for all the crews.
The next day saw an early start with crews heading around the top of Birmingham to a wonderful regularity around Chillington then Ditton Priors Army Camp which is an interesting test, although the road conditions are now getting to a level where we may consider not using the site again, before heading into Wales and the meat of the event over the Epynt Military Ranges with a TC Section, 2 tests and 2 regularities which shook up the leader board. On the TC section the top crews drop one minute, the closest to clearing the section was HERO Chairman Tomas de Vargas Machuca with Nick Bloxham on the maps, they were 4 seconds over their minute. The crews then headed south to some regularities before tackling the infamous Caerwent Army Camp where the best crew through the camp were Steve Entwhistle and Ali Proctor who dropped 3 minutes overall.
The crews then had a night in the Celtic Manor before the final days loop around Somerset taking in a number of tests into Worthy Farm for an off road regularity. The final sting in the tail were the 2 regularities prior to lunch which shook up the leader board with a number of crews missing the second gate into Frome Showground and consequently missing the control dropping them down the leader board.
After lunch the crews were given free reign for 3 flowing tests around Castle Combe race track before the final test at the RAC Control Centre, close to the M5 in Bristol, here a large number of spectators watched the cars putting on a good show before the Awards Dinner at the Tortworth Estate where the Class winners and Overall winners took their plaudits.
As the saying goes, there is no rest for the wicked, we are straight off to the final recce and preparations for the start of LeJog 2018 on 8th December. This then sees the end of a wonderful and successful year of adventure for HERO. We are looking forward to 2019, there is a full calendar planned in the UK and all over the World with the new platform.