Derek Walker Trial Report: Wilson goes fourth

The 26th running of the Derek Walker Memorial Trial took place last weekend, organised and promoted by the MG Car Club (Ulster Centre), the event would take in a total of 20 tests in the Crossgar, Downpatrick, Ardglass area of Co. Down. Starting from Delamont Country Park the crws would be competing on tests comprising of tarmac, concrete and gravel in various farmyards, car parks and lanes along the route.

Andy Johnson, running as car no1 in his Sprite, got things under way at the first test in Delamont but disaster struck midway through the test and a sick sounding car was pushed off the test. A flurry of people arrived to Andys assistance and within a couple of minutes the car was back on song and ready for test 2 in the adjoining carpark.

Andy Johnson/Michael Johnson

As the top seeds were completing the tests the lower seeds were watching very closely to see how the tests should be done and were trying to work out where time could be made and hopefully not lost. It wasn't long until the quick crews started to show off the "quick lines" with Noel Cochrane navigated by Trevor Reid demonstrated how a well driven Midget could be put through it's paces.

Noel Cochrane/Trevor Reid

He was soon followed by one of the event favourites, Will Corry and Pete Moreland Moore in the K-Series engined Midget, a slight mistake after the start cost the pair a couple of valuable seconds. Running after the Midget classes was the Mini class, where a few more of the crews who would be fighting for overall honours were grouped. Quickest of the group and also quickest man on the opening pair of tests was James Wilson and Stephen Kearney who were 4.6 seconds clear of nearest rivals Robert and Catherine Dickson. The Dicksons had a fright on the start line of the opening test when the timekeeper informed them of water leaking from the car, a faulty temperature switch was to blame and a quick repair job involving a small branch saw the problem sorted and after topping up the rad the replica of Paddy Hopkirks 1969 Circuit of Ireland car was back on the line and ready for action. Third fastest was another Wilson Mini, this time driven by Sam Wilso with Simon Brewster on navigating duties.

Sam Wilson/Simon Brewster

After the Delamont tests the crews headed to a pair of tests near Crossgar and then onto test five just outside Downpatrick, where Wilson continued to put in quick times but Corry was closing the gap and setting times on par with the Mini driver. After the first 5 tests Wilson was holding a 5.8 second advantage over Corry with Cochrane, Sam Wilson and Dickson seperated by by less than 2 seconds. Quickest of the Class 8 cars who were not eligible for overall awards was the Mazda MX5 or Robert Woodside and Bruce Drummond who were 2.6 seconds ahead of fellow MX5 crew Eric Patterson & Raymond Donaldson with the Starlet of Frank Lenehan and Olwen Blair another 1.1 seconds behind.

Frank Lenehan/Olwen Blair

Into the next series of tests and the pressure was mounting on the leaders resulting in a failed test for both Corry and Wilson on test 9. Dickson capitalised most by going quickest overall on tests 6 to 10 and jumping up the leader board into 2nd place just 2 seconds off Wilsons total. Cochrane was best of the rwd's in third almost 6 seconds back on the 2nd placed Mini with Sam Wilson fourth. The fail time for Corry which is based on quickest in class +20seconds saw the Midget driver slip back to fifth place.

Will Corry/Pete Moreland Moore

At half distance the top 6 was as follows
1. James Wilson/Stephen Kearney 417.8
2. Robert & Catherine Dickson 419.8
3. Noel Cochrane/Trevor Reid 425.2
4. Sam Wilson/Simon Brewster 426.1
5. Will Corry/Pete Moreland Moore 435.9
6. Norman Ferguson/Brendan Mooney 450.1

Class8 was as follows
1. Eric Patterson/Raymond Donaldson 427.3
2. Robert Woodside/Bruce Drummond 434.7
3.Gareth Dillon/Gordon Wotherspoon 434.8
4. Frank Lenehan/Olwen Blair 435.2
5. Declan Hendrick/Kevin Fagan 444.8
6. Raymond Wilson/Ernie Hunter 446.9

Over the next 5 tests it was again Wilson who was quickest by 5.3 seconds over Corry. The red Minis of Sam Wilson and Robert Dickson were dropping time but still held on to 2nd and 3rd places overall with just .2 seconds separating the pair. Corrys good run over theses tests saw him close the gap on third to .9 of a second while Cochrane dropped back to fifth.

Norman Ferguson/Brendan Mooney

The final five tests saw Corry put in a big charge and jump into second place 21.8 seconds off Wilson. Sam Wilson kept the pressure on and claimed third overall ahead of Dickson who had a fail on test 18. Fifth went to Cochrane with Ferguson in 6th place ahead of Robert McGimpsey in 7th. John Kelly, Richard Earney and Michael Reid rounded out the top 10.

Robert & Catherine Dickson

The win sees Wilson get his name on the Derek Walker Memorial trophy for the 4th time having also won it in 2009, 2010 and 2014
Top 10 overall

1 James Wilson 841.1
2 William Corry 862.9
3 Sam Wilson 873.2
4 Robert Dickson 891.9
5 Noel Cochrane 895.1
6 Norman Ferguson 912.9
7 Robert Mcgimpsey 925.9
8 John Kelly 933.5
9 Richard Earney 955.2
10 Michael Reid 995.8

Top 20 combined results

1 James Wilson 841.1
2 William Corry 862.9
3 Sam Wilson 873.2
4 Eric Patterson 879.1
5 Robert Dickson 891.9
6 Frank Lenehan 894.7
7 Noel Cochrane 895.1
8 Robert Woodside Jnr 899.7
9 Gareth Dillon 905.1
10 Ashley Lamont 910.9
11 Norman Ferguson 912.9
12 Robert Mcgimpsey 925.9
13 Raymond Wilson 927.9
14 John Kelly 933.5
15 Declan Hendrick 936.2
16 Andrew Earney 953.3
17 Richard Earney 955.2
18 Jamie Mcmillan 962.8
19 David Meeke 966.7
20 Mark Woodside 976.1

James Wilson receives the Derek Walker Memorial Trial trophy from Gordon Buckley (COC)

MGCC Derek Walker Trial - Preview

This Saturday sees the 26th running of the Derek Walker Memorial Trial organised by the MGCC Ulster Centre.The event starts from Delamont Country Park in Killyleagh, Co. Down at 9.30am and will take in a total of 20 tests located at various farmyards and industrial premises between Crosgar and Ardglass with 5 tests based in Delamont Park.

Will Corry

With the MG Club organising proceedings there is a strong MG influence in the entry list with no less than 12 Midgets and 2 Sprites entered. No doubt the battle at the front of the MGs will include Will Corry, who won the recent TDC multi venue autotest in Mondello Park, Noel Cochrane, John Kelly and Simon Brien. There is a strong presence from the Brien family with Simon, Jack and Mark all driving Midgets navigated by Tiffany, Juanita and Anna Brien.

Robert Dickson

The Mini class has received a healthy entry also and will see many a battle during the day with Robert Dickson, James & Sam Wilson. Norman Ferguson and Richard Earney all wheeling out their various Mini variants. As is the norm on all the Targa Rallys this multi venue events has attracted a large MX5 entry with a number of the top drivers of the little Japanese sportscar entered. Robert Woodside will be hard to catch especially after his good showing at the recent TDC event in Mondello Park, others to watch for in this class include Simon & Mark Woodside, David Crothers, Ashley Lamont and Allan Harryman.

Robert Woodside

A trio of Starlets from the TDC make their way and will be driven by Frank Lenehan, Declan Hendrick and David Meeke,

Frank Lenehan

Entry list

1 Andy Johnson Michael Johnson UVCC Sprite

2 Mervyn Getty Richard McFaul NUMC Sprite

3 Jay Colville Conor Kennedy MG MG Midget

4 Roger Fynn Clifford Auld MG MG Midget

5 Michael Reid Helen Anderson MG MG Midget

6 Jack Brien Juanita Brien MG MG Midget

7 Noel Cochrane Trevor Reid MG MG Midget

8 Mark Lemon Katie Lemon MG MG Midget

9 John Kelly Anna Kelly UAC MG Midget

10 Alex Lyttle Roy Lyttle TSCC MG Midget

11 Mark Brien Anna Brien MG MG Midget

12 Will Corry Peter Moreland-Moore MG MG Midget

14 Simon Brien Tiff Brien MG MG Midget

15 Robert McGimpsey Fel McIlroy UVCC MG Midget Atlantis

16 Robert Woodside Sr David Allen MG VW Beetle

17 James Wilson Stephen Kearney PPMC Mini

18 Sam Wilson Simon Brewster PPMC Mini

19 Richard Earney Jamie Edgar MG Mini

20 Samuel Baird Bill Finnegan PPMC Wolseley Hornet

21 Robert Dickson Catherine Dickson PPMC Mini Cooper S

22 Davy Young Richard Nelson PPMC Mini

23 Norman Ferguson Milton McWilliams ADC Mini

24 Bryan Mutch Ken McEntee MG Mazda MX5

25 Gareth Dillon Gordon Wotherspoon MG Mazda MX5

26 Harris Cree Andrew Henry MG Starlet

27 Jamie McMillan George McMillan MG Starlet

28 Andrew Earney Jane Bicker MG Starlet

29 Maurice Eakin Conn Williamson MG Peugeot 106

30 Ian Campbell Heather Ritson MG Mini

31 Mike Adair Eric Martin MG Starlet

32 Mark Faulkner Trevor Faulkner MG Mazda MX5

33 Michael Workman June Burgess PMC Escort

34 Sam Lyle Colin Roy PMC Nova

35 Simon Woodside Stephen Dowds Larne Mazda MX5

36 Allan Harryman Suz Graham UAC Mazda MX5

37 Mark Woodside Andy Blair Mazda MX5

38 Robert Woodside Jr Bruce Drummond UAC Mazda MX5

39 Frank Lenehan Olwen Blair TDC Starlet

40 Alan Cree Lyn Cree MG Mazda MX5

41 Ron Mullen Malcolm McQueen ADC Sunny

42 Wesley Lyle Chris Walsh Mazda MX5

43 Wallace McKee Ben McKee TSCC Mazda MX5

44 Tony McLaughlin Tony Crilly TSCC BMW 318

45 Brendan Mullan Martin McBride PPMC Starlet

46 Declan Hendrick Kevin Fagan TDC Starlet

47 David Crothers Barbara Kane LMC Mazda MX5

48 Stuart Annesley Charlie Pearse Mazda MX5

49 Raymond Wilson Ernie Hunter PPMC Starlet

50 Adrian Patterson William Boyd PPMC Mazda MX5

51 Ashley Lamont Wesley Lamont ADC Mazda MX5

52 Eric Patterson Raymond Donaldson ADC Mazda MX5

53 Crawford Ewing Jnr Crawford Ewing Snr PPMC Starlet

54 David Napier Timothy Elliott PPMC Honda Civic

55 Tim Woodside Paul Woodside LMC Mazda MX5

56 David Meeke Richard Meeke TDC Starlet

57 Paul Williamson Colin Stanford TSCC Mazda MX5

Further details on the MGCC website: HERE
or the MGCC Facebook page: HERE