Motoring The Euro Classic Rally. by Bob Kocher

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1 Motoring The Euro Classic Rally by Bob Kocher June 2014

2 GOMW Gang Rally Photo by Kim Henson

3 The 2014 GOMW P&O Euro Classic Fun Rally Driving Rallying from Dover, England (White Cliffs) to Calais, France - Via P&O Ferry's and on to Le Touquet, France and two days of great sea cost roads surrounding Le Touquet and then returning (P&O) to Dover, England.

4 GREAT CARS GREAT DRIVING GREAT FRIENDS AND GREAT FOOD

5 2003 MG TF 160 VVC great drive great ride THANKS John Griffiths my rally drive Motoring the Euro Classic Rally by Bob Kocher Road rallies in one form or another are as old as motorsports itself. In 1911, in what is claimed to be the first one, the Monte Carlo Road Rally took place. Since that event in France, road rallies have been held on roads all over the world. For years dominant locations for rallies have been the UK and Europe. So it was appropriate that I was off to London once again to take part in the annual Guild of Motoring Writers (GOMW) P&O Euro Classic Rally. I was extremely excited to have been accepted as one of the 25 Rally entries for the th annual Euro Classic Rally. Just what is a road rally you ask? Simple it s a group of vehicles--cars, motor and non-motor bikes, and even trucks--that come together and drive on a predetermined road course. Some are time & distance events where every drive is in competition with each entry. And some are staged just to enjoy a special route with some great drives, scenery, cars, and food with other rally lovers. Of course, a road rally can be whatever you can dream up as long as there is fun involved. And there are also pro rallies. One such is the FIA World Rally Cup. I readily remember the World Cup rally events (FIA) because Lancia cars won the World Cup more than any other carmaker ever. Yes, I am a huge Lancia lover. Each year for the past 15 years the GOMW stages a Classic Rally for Guild members and their cars. Each rally course is held on different roads and in different parts of Europe and generally takes up to four days. Oh, did I mention that to compete in road rallying it takes two people in the car. For these GOMW Rallies, my wife Connie joined and performed the duty of a rally navigator. Not surprising are the fabulous vintage cars that end up taking part in each rally.

6 GOMW Euro Classic The GOMW members are made up auto writers and photographers mainly from the UK with a few members from all over the world. I have been privileged to be a member from the USA for many years. As long-time motorsports fans, participating in road rallying was a natural for Connie and me. I began my motorsports over fifty years ago with drag racing and later moved into road racing. I have taken many driving schools from ice driving schools and performance driving schools at many of the fastest and biggest road courses in the US. I have even tried NASCAR schools along with competing in a half a dozen Land Rover off-road driving schools all over North America.

7 Let s take a look at a few of the obstacles in attempting a rally like the GOMW Euro Classic. First we must get to England, find a car to drive, and procure insurance for the UK and France. And remember I will be driving a right-hand drive, stick shift car on the wrong side of the road in the UK, and in France I will continue the Rally by driving that same car on the right side of the road. Then on that first day in the car it was the first time I have ever driven that car. Because the car is righthand drive, the gearshift is on my left, which is not what US drivers are accustomed to. And then there are all the road signs printed in French when we enter France. Of course this is where having a great navigator to tell me where to turn and how far before the next turn is a must, and Connie was the best ever at navigating. MG s rule

8 The Guild of Motoring Writers P&O Euro Classic Thanks for a Great Job Paul Harris Euro Classic Co-ordinator A Great job in laying out our route and for doing a top job as Rally Co-ordinator

9 We were provided with a rally route book, a very correct guide that lists each of the turns and the mileage to each turning point. We only got lost a couple times. Those wrong turns became real challenges to recover from. I also had to learn what signpost meant! Many thanks to my wife for keeping me straight (on the road). I hope all the bruises are healed up by now from where I hit you each time I shifted gears with my left hand. As a US member, of course it s not practical for me to take a car across the pond for the rally, so borrowing a car is a must for me. Thanks, John, for so generously allowing me to borrow your mid-engine 2003 MG TF 1600 VVC. This MG model, never sold in the US, was made while Rover owned MG and just before the Chinese purchased MG.

10 So let me tell you the details of our experience. We packed up, confirmed our flight reservations, picked up my international driving license, obtained the proper insurance, and headed for London. We arrived on Wednesday morning and met with John to gather up the MG rally car and help with the final touches in getting the car rally-ready. At a little after 7:00 am on Thursday morning we were off to the 2014 GOMW P&O Classic Rally get-together location to join the other rally cars and drivers for the start of the annual Guild Of Motoring Writers P&O Ferries Euro Classic Rally. It was rush hour traffic as we headed out to join up with everybody. Our journey started about 4 miles from Heathrow airport and we were headed to the Battle of Britain Museum, about a two-hour drive, where we connected with the other rally cars, drivers, and navigators. The museum was located about 20 minutes from the eastern docks for the ferry near the white cliffs of Dover on the English Channel.

11 P&O To France We arrived at the ferry docks to load on the P&O Ferry to Calais, France. The P&O Ferry is so enormous that our boarding lane was number 202. Heading for France we had outstanding views of the White Cliffs of Dover. The Ferry seems much like a cruse ship with lots of good food in several locations and duty-free shopping. Of course we had a super lunch on board the ferry, courtesy of one of the Rally s sponsors, P&O Ferries. Lunch was delicious and a great way to get acquainted with some of the other rally drivers and navigators. In just about an hour we landed in France and were on to our main stop. Driving off the ferry, we headed from Calais toward the location of our rally headquarters, the Grand Hotel, a splendid four-star establish - ment in Le Touquet, France. The hotel there was the gathering point for the next three days.

12 Once we conquered some of the great roads on France and saw glorious views of the English Channel, we parked our MG Rally car and settled in. Then it was off to a welcoming banquet, sponsored by P&O Ferry, which was held nearby at the lovely Casino Barriere. Food, of course, was a French delight. How does this sound: Le saumon fume d Ecosse, Le Filet de boeuf, and Le-feuille du Chef et sa cream anglaise plus some great French wines! It was an outstanding meal because P&O Ferry knows what first-class means. And I can t neglect to mention the awesome champagne reception, thanks to Chris Laming. Driving and the cars were an integral, exciting part of the rally, but food also was high on the list of memories. Following our route book, by Paul Harris, the 2014 GOMW Euro Classic Co-cordinator, was both easy and at times a big challenge in as much as many roads and towns are listed in French. As a typical American, I can t read a word of French. Many thanks go to Paul Harris.

13 Enjoying great classic cars makes up some of the best quality time I know. Some of the outstanding cars that took part in the rally included a 1950 MG YT Tourer, a 1984 Alfa Alfetta GTV, and a Jag F Type S. There were also several MG s, including the 03 TF 160 VVC and a MGB GT V8 Sebring. Vintage Rolls-Royce vehicles, an Austin A35, a 1980 Corniche Convertible, a 1930 Phantom ll Open Tourer, many Bentley s, a Great Lancia Beta Spyder, a sweet Maserati 4200 Cambiocorsa Spyder just to name a few. There was an outstanding 1953 Morgan plus 4, a Triumph Stag, several Audi s and Mazdas plus a 1971 Lotus Elan. Following, being followed by, and parking alongside these many fine-looking vehicles was a fantastic treat I will cherish forever. Saturday evening we had another banquet to celebrate a safe driving rally. Not to be outdone, Volkswagen provided an elegant meal for us with more great French cuisine and very tasty wines. When it comes to pleasing the GOMW members with the best in food, Chris Laming of P&O Ferries and Paul Buckett of Volkswagen know how to do it. I would be negligent if I didn t mention the food on our return trip across the English Chanel. One of my favorite dishes to eat when in England is what is

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15 known as a Traditional English Breakfast and I was delighted to find that it was available on the P&O Ferry menu. It was as good as my memories expected. Most of our driving took place along roads close to the French Atlantic ocean coast; some call this part of France the Northwest French Riviera. The many off-the-beaten-road routes we followed on the rally drive were quaint, and the small villages with rustic streets that were lined with small shops were about as awesome as it gets. Tree-lined roads with tile-roofed cottages of old world style made each day s driving very interesting. All in all The surrounding countryside to Le Touquet was grand and refreshing to drive through. Wherever we stopped, the French people, who most often spoke only French, were as nice and helpful as anywhere in the world. Shopping in the shops along the coast was also fun and somewhat affordable. The Atlantic coast beaches along this part of France are also some of the best anywhere plus the fresh seaside breeze was very addictive and so wonderful!

16 Great Food Great Champagne Great Wine Thanks to Paul BuckeV & Chris Laming

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18 There were so many highlights I cannot begin to list them all. I now know what Rue means. I got to drive a series 1 Lancia Beta Spider for the first time, thanks to Ashley. In summary, the driving thrill, the charming routes, the challenging route book, the new friends, the amazing cars all these left me with unforgettable memories of an outstanding event. Big thanks must go to all the sponsors and many volunteers and to P&O Ferries and Volkswagen. The U.S. Lingenfelter Performance Engineering of Decatur, IN, also proved some incidentals. Many thanks also go to John Griffiths and his wife Peggy for loaning me their MG and for providing us with great overnight accommodations. And I also would not have had all this fun except for the special help of Peter and Denni Frater. There aren t enough words to describe the adventures and camaraderie of participating in a rally in England and France. If you like motorsports, then you should take part in a road rally near or far from where you live. A rally could just be great a vacation along with a fun drive enjoy and tell them Car Bob sent you!

19 This event would not have happened without the hard work of: Paul & Anne Harris Guy Loveridge, GOMW Paul & Josh Buckett, VW Chris & Pauline Laming, P&O Ferries Peter & Denni Fater Ashley & Angela Fater of PFPR Communications and Mark Flower & Josh McCann VW support Vehicle Many Thanks