In 1970 I joined Eastwood Motor Club for the competitions side, Road & Stage Rallies, including the Caravan Club rallies and the RAC International Rally.
Through my work, in 1975 I met a Swedish Volvo rally driver, which I became friends with and went on to team manage his entry for both the Welsh International and RAC International Rally over a period of three years.
For the RAC International Rally in 1977, Norman came along to help, we had a Ford RS2000 as our support vehicle which was great fun to drive, to assist us we had two teams of support mechanics.
Scrutineering was in London on Saturday with the rally starting on Sunday morning, travelled up to York through the day, with special stages on route, overnight stay in York. Monday morning the rally started again, over the following 24 hours we visited Wales and many other parts of the country finishing back in York on Tuesday evening for an overnight stay.
Wednesday saw us heading north into the Scottish borders before making our way to the Lake District, unfortunately our rally came to an end on a special stage in the Grizedale forest. Our rally car hit a large hole on the special stage in the forest which shared off all three bolts which holds the McPherson strut front suspension. The rally car was unable to move, and we had to wait until the stage was closed before we could send the mechanics in to replace the three bolts.
Some years later I went on to team manage for relative’s private entry into the same event.
Together with two friends I helped run the National Lorry Driver of the Year competition, for over twenty years which was sponsored by Commercial Motor magazine, the event involved an observed road route, highway code questions and maneuvering tests mainly on the Newark Showground.
My interest in Scootering was rekindled when John and Norman asked me to take over the design of and running of the website ‘teamsequipe.com’
Interest grew in the Scooter World show at Newark Showground and Classical Scooterist magazine. I ran the Gymkhana for two years and then the Tombola with the proceeds going to East Midlands air ambulance.
I do not currently ride on two wheels, but who knows about the future?
by Alan Cooper.