Tarka Trial 2024 Entries Open

Entries are now open for the 2024 Tarka Trial, to be held on Sunday 27th October. (This event now runs for motorcycle classes only).

2024 Tarka Trial Regulations

Online Entry Form

Online Entry List

“The regs are now out for The North Devon North Devon Motor Club (Official) Steve Knight Tarka Trial. (Solos and Sidecars only.)

A lovely 70 mile ride around the lanes of N Devon with a good mix of sections thrown in. We have Traditional tricky green lanes, some technical ones, muddy ones, rocky ones, a few streams and new this year a motocross track! We’ll be making use of some of that to test the brave 😂.

Starting as before in Bideford and ending in a pub just a couple of miles from the finish . What’s not to like 😉”

Start Venue : McDonald’s, Atlantic Park Way, Clovelly Road, Bideford, EX39 3QU

Exmoor Clouds Trial 2024 Entries Open

Entries are now open for the 2024 Exmoor Clouds Trial, to be held on Sunday 3rd November.

2024 Exmoor Clouds Entry Pack – CARS (DOC)
2024 Exmoor Clouds Entry Pack – CARS (PDF)

2024 Exmoor Clouds Entry Pack – BIKES (DOC)
2024 Exmoor Clouds Entry Pack – BIKES (PDF)

“We can now announce that the entries are open for the 53rd edition of the Exmoor Clouds, running this year on Sunday the 3rd of November.

We have moved the event from early September to early November in the search for more challenging conditions for you all! However, with significantly less daylight at this time of year we have put together a more concise route this year, while still incorporating the firm favourites, plus a couple of new and returning sections.

We hope to see you on the day, for a competitive day’s trialling on Exmoor!

Start Venue : Rest & Be Thankful Inn, Wheddon Cross, Minehead, TA24 7DR

2023 Final Championship Tables

Here are the final championship tables for 2023. Congratulations to all the winners.

2023 Championship Tables

CARS – National Championship Winners
2023 Wheelspin League : Jack Selwood
2023 Crackington League : Nick Deacon
2023 Navigators League : Dee Champion

CARS – Regional Championship Winners
2023 North Regional League : Julian Lack
2023 Midlands Regional League : Charlie Merson
2023 South Regional League : James Shallcross
2023 West Regional League : Philip Thomas

MOTORCYCLES – National Championship Winners
2023 Pouncy League Overall : Mark Wills
2023 Pouncy League Class : Stephen Kingstone
2023 Red Rose League : Steve Urell

MOTORCYCLES – Regional Championship Winners
2023 North Regional League : Garry Hirons
2023 South Regional League : Mark Bowden
2023 South West Regional League : John Reeves
2023 West Regional League : Mark Bowden

Could competitors check that their scores are correct. Please quote your competition number for that event if querying a score.

John Bell [email protected]

2024 ACTC Championships Entry Form

ACTC

Click here to use our online entry system.

The 2024 ACTC Championship will soon be upon us, we have reduced the price’s for cars to £10 and bikes are now £5. The prices for printed Restart magazine’s and the navigator’s league has stayed the same.

Cars : £10 (£4 for Navigator)      Bikes : £5

Printed copies of Restart magazine is £12.

Enter online here (payment by Paypal or card).

If you would rather send your entry in by post then download the form below.

ACTC Entry Form 2024 (PDF)

ACTC Entry Form 2024 (DOC)

Please email or post your entry form to John Bell – [email protected], postal address is on the form. You can pay by online transfer, or cheque.

Hill Reversing Guide

ACTC TRIALS DRIVING – HILL REVERSING GUIDE – ‘BRAKING IT DOWN’

As we state and recognise, motorsport can be dangerous and in our specialism it is often the case that for a car driver having made an ‘almost successful’ climb, the task of safely and confidently reversing his steed back down a slippery, uneven and twisting track when perhaps surrounded by marshals, spectators, trees and banks, can prove daunting. Whilst the car can be relatively stable under power on the ascent, it can prove wayward under the influence of gravity and any loss of control.

ACTC Committee here propose guidelines that may be offered to competitors in the form of best practice to follow, though of course they are not mandatory. It is not possible to allow for every scenario and vehicle type, but the following is the reversing process to adopt in typical trialling circumstances.

These guidelines aim to accommodate the different behaviour of ‘Older’ cars (likely to have a 4 wheel handbrake and no steering column lock) and the more ‘Modern’ ones (likely to have servo brakes and power steering for example). We can ‘Brake Down’ the principles here through the summary A.B.S. – in this case Awareness, Braking and Steering.

1. Preparation

Awareness:

  • ensure you have good side and rear visibility around your car from the driver’s seat
  • ensure the reversing light is powerful and aligned for any night-time action
  • brief your passenger if a novice, on procedure for hill failures and exit routes

Braking:

  • give your footbrake and handbrake good firm ‘function’ tests both before and during the trial in safe places, such as at controls and waiting in queues
  • consider installing a hydraulic handbrake – more powerful and reassuring, and there’s plenty of advice out there

Steering:

  • wrap a yellow tape band around the steering wheel rim at the straight ahead spot

2. Stopped on a Section

Awareness:

  • listen to the marshals’ instructions
  • take a good look around and behind you for any obstacles or people, check mirrors
  • keep your passenger seated in the car unless otherwise instructed

Braking (Older) :

  • apply the handbrake firmly
  • switch off the engine and engage reverse gear

Braking (Modern) :

  • apply both footbrake AND handbrake firmly
  • leave the engine running in forward gear and press the clutch pedal down

Steering:

  • check your front wheels are facing ahead using the rim tape and marshal guidance

3. Reversing Down

Awareness:

  • have your passenger and marshals guide you
  • STOP and take a breather if it is long and twisty, recover and then continue

Braking (Older) :

  • release the handbrake and keep off the footbrake
  • use the compression of the dead engine to allow a steady descent

Braking (Modern) :

  • lightly release both brakes to let the car creep back
  • pulse the footbrake about 2 times / second to keep slip under control
  • when the car is steady, shift to use handbrake only, to regain your steering keep the clutch down, in gear, with the engine running
  • if you run wide, STOP, shunt forward and try again

Steering:

  • try to keep all wheels in the ruts around bends
  • DON’T let the car sweep round sideways across a steep hill
  • keep the car pointing uphill until it’s safe to turn around

Once you are safely back down, thank any parties who may have helped you, take a breath and maybe ‘uncrick’ your neck! Above all, practice these guidelines perhaps at a single venue trial where experts can advise, take…your…time and be safe!

Adrian Tucker-Peake