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Peking to Paris 2010

Following our successful Peking to Paris trip in 2007 we have entered for the Peking to Paris 2010. The route this time will go further south. Starting in Beijing we will take the 2007 route into Mongolia, into Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Uzbekhistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Italy and France. For more information visit the official rally website here.

To see all the photographs and news from the 2007 Peking to Paris click here.

AMOC - Brands Hatch, 17th May 2008

The first race for the Super Sports this year was at Brands Hatch in May. Despite it being a wet day we managed to get a third place.

Argentina - Mille Millas

The final outing of the year for the Super Sports was competing in the Mille Millas Argentina. Flying in to Patagonia the Bentley was waiting at the airport car park and after being apart for six weeks it was good to be re-united.

The Mille Millas is a three day event based at the very impressive Llao Llao hotel complex in Bariloche. The stunning views and spring weather was a welcome site coming from a very cold and grey London.

I teamed up with Dominique who was to be my navigator for the event and her Spanish and local knowledge proved to be invaluable. Driving out each day and racing through the mountain roads the burning sun and fresh mountain air was fantastic. A good road surface with fast flowing bends would see the finish of the Dunlop tyres. Crossing the mountains and through the snow line to Chile for lunch – decadence indeed.

Unfortunately, there are no speed events allowed on the Mille Millas and everything is regularity based, which the Super Sports struggles with as she finds it difficult maintaining a slow speed.....

One of the highlights of the trip came on the last day. Hearing that the Bentley was going well, a German gentleman in a Type 35 Bugatti waited for us after a check point and took off at lightning speed. We obliged and gave chase. The “Bug” was quicker in a straight line but the Super Sports could carry the speed through the corners better. Racing through the mountains it took approximately 10km to catch and finally do the Bug. Now the challenge was to keep him behind. With Dominique shouting “We’ve still got 7km to the next check point” we would have our work cut out. Streaking past convoys of cars, two other Type 35’s also gave chase. As good fortune would have it the twisty mountain roads persisted and pushing the Bentley flat out on the last straight kept the Bugattis behind as we pulled in to the check point. Immediately bonnets went up to expel some heat and we all shook hands and admired each others steeds for their capabilities. Soon after more cars arrived all enquiring as to who won.

 

Argentina is seriously dusty off piste and you can push very well for as long as you can see. A windscreen will be on the wish list for next year! The event was very professionally run and all of the watering holes were five star. But with all events it is the people and the friends you make. Bob and Richard in their Speed Model Aston, Eric and Susie in their very rare Ferrari and Edward and Ned in their Derby were all great companions and we shared wonderful times together. But my biggest thank you of all must go to Dominique who had never been in a vintage car before and after a shakey start, where she claimed that if I didn’t slow down she would go home, ended up shouting words of encouragement and was totally thrilled by it all. We left the Bentley at the airport and hope to see her again in February – what a fantastic trip.

Donnington Park - AMOC

The Sunday after returning from Ireland the Super Sports had another outing at Donnington Park, taking part in the AMOC pre-war team challenge. After a few familiarisation laps in the practice session, I went for a “hot” lap. Feeling the Bentley could do better I pushed her even harder although the track was slippery in places. With the Super Sports at full pelt at the end of the start/finish straight, pinching a few feet of the pit lane before braking and turning into Redgate, accelerating mid-bend the whole world went into slow motion. The Bentley spun in a cloud of tyre smoke and embedded itself in the gravel trap. Being the first time I have ever spun a Vintage Bentley I returned sheepishly to the paddock much to the amusement and applause of all the boys (thanks lads). In the biking world we say “You ain’t riding ‘til you’re sliding” but words of wisdom from the great Peter Morley “You have to learn to lose before you can win”.

After picking out the gravel and checking the car over in the afternoon we lined up eighth on the grid. Unfortunately I had a poor start and got bought at the old hairpin, some stylish driving from Duncan Wiltshire saw him get away. After taking too much time passing a couple of cars I set about reeling him in. Lap on lap we got closer and eventually I got the better of him. But hats off to Duncan who makes his “standard” 3L go very well. All in all a good day’s racing but not reflected in the results, but there you go.

We pulled out of Donnington Park, four Bentleys thundering down the M1 taking it in turns to lead and drive in formation. A great way to end a great day.

Wolseley Car Club of Ireland - Irish Trials 2007

Back in September I left London with the Super Sports and headed for Ireland. Greeted off the ferry by my hosts, the Bailey brothers, it wasn’t long before I was helping repair Scruffy, a 3L Bentley which had taken part in the P-P. She was refusing to start after having a new set of pistons. By 10.30pm she was running and we just managed to make the champagne reception at the mayor’s residence in Dublin city centre – nothing like rally preparation the Irish way!

The following day we headed off for five days of rallying, touring the whole of Ireland with a mix of speed events and regularities. On the second day the Bailey’s had kindly found me Ruth, who hesitantly took up the job of navigator. For the first hour it poured with rain and with no hood or windscreen (just aero-screens) I thought it was going to be a short lived teaming. However, Ruth’s astonishment of how well a Bentley can go resulted in her sticking it out to the end.

The Irish have a funny way of doing rallies. You get to a T-junction and the tulips tell you to wait for ten minutes. Slowly you learn that there is a pub situated in the vicinity and as it takes six minutes to pour a pint of Guinness you only have four minutes to drink it if you are taking the rally seriously. If not you can get another round in! We English could learn a lot.

Anybody seen the pub?

The speed events were our speciality. Weaving through the cones, not to mention the mud slurry, and parking the Bentley astride the line, forward and reverse etc. was fantastic fun. Each day saw two or three new challenges. The Super Sports pulled a crowd and even though a navigator was not required on speed events, I thought it best that Ruth took part in all aspects of the motor sport. On one test she foolishly enquired if the passenger door had ever flown open. “Of course not” I said pulling the handbrake hard, sliding the car 180 degrees around a cone. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Ruth exiting through an open door. Grabbing hold of a pale Ruth, we finished the test and I requested that she not ask such leading questions!

Having never raced on a beach before I discovered the Bentley makes beautiful figures of eights and doughnuts well on opposite lock. In soft sand the Dunlop racing tyres tend to dig a trench before going forwards, ever learning new skills.

In true Irish form it rained heavily every day. The ring of Kerry was cloud bound but the narrow passes made for impressive scenery and exciting driving. The organisation was fantastic and the whole event was laid back and thoroughly enjoyable. On the last night we gathered for a black tie dinner with lots of new friends from around the world. Ruth and I won the overall award for the speed events but I think they just felt sorry for the mad Englishman with no hood or windscreen! A big thank you should go to just about everybody, but especially John and Jeanne and all their marshalls, Andy, Nicky and Lawrence, Robbie and the equally mad Andy and Phillipa Spiller

BDC Silverstone Race Meeting 2007

We had a very successful day at Silverstone last weekend and managed a 7th in the first race, a 13th in the second and a 4th in the last. The Super Sports was driven to and from the race meeting and ran faultlessly. At the end of the hangar straight she was pulling close on 4000 rpm in third gear due to the new diff ratio fitted of 3.3 to 1. The power drop off after 3500 rpm is noticeable and without changing the camshaft revving over 3500 rpm is of no advantage.

A great fun day out which saw, for the first time, three generations of the same family competing in one race. Hats off to James, Clive and Peter Morley – racers to the core. Well done guys.

For a long time it has been my intention to build a single seater to give Clive a run for his money. After Saturday’s excitement it focuses the mind.

For a long time I have been involved with 12th Enfield Scout Group. To this end where possible we help the group in fund raising and assisting in their needs. This year celebrates 100 years of Scouting. As well as the thousands of events that were organised by the Scouting movement, some of the leaders, Explorer Scouts and Beaver Scouts of the 12th Enfield attended this years BDC Silverstone. They thoroughly enjoyed a ride around the track in the Bentley Parade and were even lucky enough to sit behind the wheel of the infamous Napier Bentley. A big thanks to Chris Williams for this. They had a really memorable day and it went a long way towards their mechanics badge!

Peking To Paris Rally

For all the latest news from the 2007 Peking to Paris please click here.

New Website Launch

As you can see our new website is now up and running. We would love to hear from you with any comments you have about the new site. You can also send us any messages you would like us to forward on to William and Jean-Pierre while they are on their epic Peking to Paris trip. Click here to send us your comments and messages.