Challenge 90 - Challenge Trophy 2007

Overview of the action over the year.

Scorpion Racing Challenge Trophy Round 1
By Frank Guzi

This year’s Challenge Trophy looks to be a gripping series, after last Sunday’s action. The competitors duelled it out, in an extreme, one day event; facing challenges of the most extreme nature, ready to prove their worth, in the esteemed Challenge Trophy.
Looking round, as trucks took their places on the start line, there were a few nervous faces as new competitors anxiously awaited the beginning of the series. The accumulation of Defenders, Range Rovers, Jeeps and even the odd bowler, was an impressive congregation of off-road machines, proving that this series looked to be a popular one.

As per usual, before any mud churning could take place, entrants had their mandatory briefing and scrutineering session, to make sure that everyone was equipped for the battle ahead. Once over everyone was rearing to go. Engines revved, as drivers made last minute adjustments. Then they were off; dust clouds billowed into the air as 4x4s disappeared into the distance.
The site was a large one, and when you’re on foot, and with the punches so spaced out, it was an endurance test getting from one punch to the next. After traversing the site, for a quick look at what was to come, I caught up with returning champion Ed Cobley, now in the co-driving seat.

He and driver Dave Stokes headed straight for the small ocean in the middle of Hogmoor. It was home to two punches, side by side, right in the middle of this vast puddle. The only way in was via the murky waters. With their nautical problems over; they now faced an extremely tight squeeze to their first punch. After several attempts to wriggle through to the punch, they decided it just wasn’t happening, unless Dave was willing to sacrifice a large section off the top of his truck.

Instead, Ed backed him out, and took an alternate approach with Dave having to make a nefariously difficult 3-point turn, in the tightest of spots. However, having Ed in control, it was faultless. Resulting in them getting their first punch.
The punches this time round were completely different. The traditional red punches and the flimsy punch cards are gone and in their place, the Cyber Keys have taken over. A small key, that when inserted into an electronic disc made an audible sound to let you know you’d completed the task. This has dramatically helped the points system. As last year, punch cards were being broken, plus this should, hopefully, eliminate any cheating, as some may have occurred last year.
Next I found myself watching one of the jeeps complete their punch. They did this with surprising ease. This particular vehicle had hydraulics all over it, providing the impressive articulation, giving it the capability of going anywhere the driver wished it to go.
On the way to another punch, I managed to stumble across Colin and Ros, stuck fast in one the site’s treacherous mudholes. With the aid of last year's winners (now taking on a marshalling role), they eventually heaved their truck out of the muck.

After trying to keep a straight face, I found my dad, negotiating a dug out bunker, with his trusty co-driver, John Bazley. A tricky spot, that could easily cause some damage, if not completed properly. After several minutes of waffling, and shunting, they got their in the end, resulting in a round of applause from the crowd that had gathered there.

Moving on, and I discovered a series of punches that, presented competitors with quite difficult challenges. One involved a very narrow, steep ditch; that would easily bury someone bumper, without the correct approach. The other was just a vast swamp, that engulfed anything that had the pleasure of entering it.
Seeing that this was a popular location for the crowds, I decided to stay: and watch the different approaches the competitors took. Firstly, a blue Defender took on the ditch, successfully getting the points they needed.
This was then followed by a Suzuki Pick-up. They started off well enough, but as soon as they attempted the ditch, it went slightly wrong. The waffle boards had been placed on the other side of the ditch, instead of along the bottom. Resulting in the front bumper becoming part of the other side of the particular rut. However with the aid of their winch, they got what they came for.

Moving on to the swamp, and my dad was taking on the challenge. Eventually, the sinking mud brought him to a grinding halt, which was then followed by several minutes of intense wheel spinning. With just the mud flying round the course, John decided to get the winch out. It groaned, but the winch managed to drag him across the swamp. John nervously made his way across the logs scattered about the region to reach the punch, but unfortunately he didn't succumb to the force of gravity. The journey out was just as messy as the entrance, but still they got their points.

Back to the ditch, and a Disco had moved in. Their entry was one of professional standards, getting straight in and out. No need for waffles or ladders, they got straight through it. Well done them.

Back to the bunker, and Dave and Ed, were attempting it backwards. This proved to be a quicker approach, than others who went straight at it. They dropped right into it. They didn't bother with the waffles. Ed then quickly shifted Dave into position, with an easy run at their punch.

The next to attempt it, was the hydraulic jeep from earlier. Watching the vehicle do this, you got an eyeful of what was going on underneath this truck. The punch really exposed all those hydraulics, and their springs the size of your arm.

Specifications aside, they managed it quickly and easily. They day carried on the same, with many going for the special stages: these got you the big points.
After a long day, of intense off-roading. The event drew to an end. With weary competitors gathering to find out how they fared during the day. Prizes were given out accordingly, but the big win went to Ed Cobley and Dave Stokes, achieving a whopping 4689 points.
With the first round out of the way, the series looks to be a gripping one, after round 1’s display of skill.

Scorpion Racing Challenge Trophy Round 2
By Frank Guzi

The Challenge Trophy hotted up last weekend, as competitors dueled it out at Kirton Lindsey.
Taking to the site the night before the event was a strange experience. With no
sign of civilization in any direction, the site looked similar to the surface of the moon, but with the blazing steelworks in the horizon the place seemed illuminated by a second sun.
The evening’s proceedings included an unofficial barbeque laid on by Scorpion. This looked to have been a success, as by the time we got there, most of it had been savaged by the campers. I managed to grab one of the last burgers, and take in the surroundings. This vast quarry was perfect for event (The same site is being used for the Scorpion Racing EuroChallenge). This £20 million sit was sandy, and full of steep climbs, and rocky descents, all of them had rolling potential. Plus some deep water punches were going to cause problems for some vehicles. It looked to be a daunting task, but as I could see from the fresh faces in the morning, all involved were raring to go.
The vehicles on show were very unique in their own way; each one had its own personal characteristic. There were 90s, Discos, Jeeps, Range Rovers, SJs and even a G Wagon. Be it new or old, weathered or pristine, each one looked the part, each one brought a new element to the competition.
Everyone lined up at 10:00 eager to get out there and churn some mud. Competitors sped off the start line in search of their first punch; little did they know what lay ahead of them. Many found them with ease, but reaching the start of them was another matter. One black SJ, were struggling to ascend the hills that surrounded their desired punch. With a number of different routes being attempted, before they finally got what they wanted. Watching this first struggle proved that this round was no walk in the park.
Looking around, now in daylight, you could really appreciate the quality of this site. Being so open, you would expect the site not to be very challenging, but it is quite the contrary, and is known as one of the best challenge sites in the UK. The punches laid on, spread from one side of this vast site to the other, each one posing an individual, threat. Being such a diverse range of punches, drivers and co-drivers had no idea what to expect next; making the competition very interesting.
After uncovering what else the site had in store, I made my way to the entrance of the site, where quite a crowd had accumulated, all focused on a group of punches, with exhilarating action on each one.
The first punch was a treacherously steep, rocky descent down to the punch, then the climb back up. I watched a blue 90 pickup/trayback successfully drive straight down it, then straight back out, with slight help from the winch. From there onwards, no-one else tried it in this fashion; there was a lot of winching involved with the proceeding competitors. After them it was a highly specified green jeep. The hydraulics mounted all over this car came to its aid on several occasions, but the progress was slow, with the vehicle being stopped several times for waffles, tyres or rocks could be used to help with the movement of the truck. The whole thing didn’t look to be going to well, especially with some fluid leaking from the undercarriage of the vehicle.
Next up was Zoltan Guzi, teaming up with Mark Wilson, to aid his attempt to complete the punch. With the experience of Lee Marchant on his side, this was completed very briskly.

Then Mark gave it a go, he made his way down without lowering off a winch, and found himself on the verge of a roll, before he was even half way down. However the team outside the truck got to work correcting the errors and sending Mark on his way.

Looking across at the opposite punch, I could see a team making good progress to a similar challenge but with a lot more rocks. A red 90 pickup and another black SJ, cautiously made their across the dangerous terrain with surprising ease. With the occasional use of a ladder, they were in and out in no time at all.
The final punch in the area was a very strange one. Looking at it, you would think nothing of it. A set of concrete girders were strewn across the floor, with the punch on the other side. However when competitors attempted it , they were there longer than they would have expected, with heavy use of their waffles competitors would have to suspend the vehicle over two girders, to make damage minimal. It was very interesting to watch the different ways each truck would tackle the bizarre angle at which they had to cross.

After watching several vehicles attempt this set of punches, I moved on to one of the special stages, SS2. This involved a blue tarp being stretched across the floor as a makeshift river, which entrants had to cross, without touching the floor, and only the use of rocks, waffles, telegraph poles and ground spikes. I know what you think, the team at the all wheel drive club have outdone themselves with this one. However, it was quite difficult to position everything correctly, plus make sure that everything holding the truck up stayed in place as they made their crossing.

Quickly moving on, I observed some of the deep water stages. This water was very deep indeed, leaving those who attempted it submerged up to bonnet level. Drivers left these stages with a foot well full of water.

Finally I spectated my father’s attempt to climb up an almost vertical cliff face. With the struggle underway, you could see that their attempts to traverse this wall of mud were failing. So it was out with the winch and their trusty ground anchor, which was commonplace for most, if not all, competitors throughout the day. With the anchor tearing through the mud twice, they go to the top eventually. With the anchor repeating its traits on the way down, Zoltan was left rolling down this verge. However Zolly corrected himself with the use of his brakes, leaving beloved photographer Nathan in one piece at the bottom.
Overall, this round proved to be a very exciting one. You didn't have to competitors if they enjoyed their day, as you could see it in their faces that they’d had a great day.
Results wise, Dave Stokes and Ed Cobley extended their lead at the top, taking home the Perspex trophy and PIAA Lamps. Special Stage 1 was also won by the aforementioned; Special Stage 2 was won by Mark Wilson and Lee Marchant.
Scorpion Racing and the All Wheel Drive Club pulled it off again, giving all involved a memorable day, leaving competitors wanting more.

Scorpion Racing Challenge Trophy Round 3
By Frank Guzi

An overcast day dawned on Llanfylinn, the venue for Round 3 of the Scorpion Racing Challenge Trophy. A relocation from Tuff Terrain, for military purposes, saw the entrants arrive at Green Hall Farm, for one of the most exciting rounds yet.
A quick glance up into the hills, where most of the action would be taking place and you could see that steep climbs would be the theme of the day. The Welsh countryside provided beautiful scenery, as the 32 competitors took their places at the starting line.

Trucks of all capabilities gathered at the start, 90s, SJs, a Bowler, Jeeps and even a Range Rover. The clock struck 10 and the trucks sped off in search of their opening punch.

As previously posted on the Scorpion website, this site wasn’t suitable for spectators. There were no real tracks to follow for punches, plus you would have to walk a good 3 miles to get a good view of the competition. Plus the torrential rain which we endured wouldn’t have helped the matter.

On a lighter note, things were off to a good start. Competitors had raced off into the distance finding their first punches. I got straight to the action, finding the closest punch to the start line, where there was already a queue accumulating. The punch involved a very steep climb up a crumbly mudface, with the punch at the top. A Metallic blue 90 had successfully completed the climb, but coming down was a different matter. Once at the top, they decided the safest thing to do was to have 3pt turn in the smallest of spaces. As you can probably guess, this proved unsuccessful, they gave up on that and decided to go back the way they came. The co-driver cautiously guided the truck down, leaving them with 100 points and no damage to vehicles or persons.

Further into the valley, we came across bog like terrain. The punch itself was set all along it. Competitors had to churn their way through the sludge, to reach their goal. We watched two attempts, a silver 90 and a blue one, both had a crack at the track. Both drove away with the points; however a winch was needed to haul them through the sticky bits.

Just behind this was a very dangerous challenge. The climb to the punch was vertical, plus the boulder protruding from the rockface made the situation even more treacherous. The brave man behind the wheel of the black SJ with a yellow rollcage tackled this death-trap. Doing so he had an experience he won’t soon forget. As he made his way up the climb, his winch went slack. His front wheels then left the ground; the only thing stopping him from toppling over backwards was his winch rope. This didn’t stop him though, he got straight onto the winch; tugging him towards the ground again. Not phased by any of this, he got straight back on with it.

Moving up into the hills I watched a defender, the matching colour of the event sticker; attempt a rather lengthy punch, with many tight squeezes. Trees were the main problem, providing very narrow gaps, meaning expert manoeuvring would be required for a successful outcome. When arriving I caught them half way through their punch.

On the way towards the next punch I saw something quite spectacular. There was a Defender 90 Pickup on Sand Crawlers. A very bizarre sight indeed, but still I didn’t see it affecting there performance.

The next area was never short of action. With two challenging punches right next to each other. One had a difficult climb, full of up and downs. The other seemed easy enough, except there was a rather large tree lying directly across it.
Back across to the first, and we watched the truck from the bog bounce its way up the hill with the aid of their winch. Once at the punch all that remained was the task of getting back down. With no winch attached, they attempted to drive it. They eased their way back down, but before they even cleared the first dip, the weight was on the front left, and the back began to lift. The co-driver immediately stepped in, to correct the fault, bringing the truck back down to safety. Sticking the ground anchor in, and letting the truck down gently.

Moving across to the opposite punch and the sole bowler competing was attempting to conquer the tree. All was going well, the front wheels were over, and the chassis grinded along the bark. Rear wheels over, all that was left was the final climb to the punch, and his bowler had no problem seeing to that.

Next up on the punch was experienced driver, Adrian Turner. He and his co-driver made mincemeat of the punch; with their expert driving and appropriate use of the ground anchor, they were through it in no time at all.

Back across to the first one, and the black SJ was back. The drive up was comfortable enough but the descent back down caused some problems. The slide back down resulted in a collision with one of the many trees in the area. A resounding crash could be heard all around the area.

Once they had checked the damage, they were off, and so were we. On to yet another potential roll; that tells you how difficult this site really was. Anyway the punch included another vertical climb, however this one was different. There was the climb, and nothing else on either side of it; you could roll over on either side. The truck that attempted this came very close to it. It was a cream coloured Defender 90, they got a substantial way up the climb, and had managed to wedge themselves in between a set of rocks and the punch. They then decided it was time to start using the punch. It couldn’t have been used at a better time. As they attempted to drive it, the front right wheel began to lift. They were on the verge of a roll, except the winch managed to suspend them there. They weren’t going anywhere to the relief of the driver.

Further on we came across a grey V8 90 attempting a punch that was considerably easier than those aforementioned. They had successfully got their punch, but the engine decided to give up as they made their way backwards. They put the ordeal down to a conked out fuel filter. Just when they thought it couldn’t get any worse, that’s when the rain came pouring down. Lightly at first, but then it became more of a downpour, and lasted us the rest of the day.

We took cover under a tree and watched blue 90 tackle Special Stage 1. It was a course, with marked posts set along it; and at the beginning of the course there was a selection of coloured balls. It was a matter of collecting the balls, placing them on the correct posts around the course, reach the turnaround point, and pick them all up again. They would finish once all balls had been returned. I forgot to mention that no-one is allowed to leave the vehicle, so a series of outstretched arms, and pained looks of desperation followed. The first truck was off, scoring an impressive time, and with all his balls back in the correct place. As Richard from Scorpion wittingly put it, “Grab your balls. Hold on to your balls, and see if you have got the balls to finish.” (Comedy Genius)

Colin appeared to be having fun in the rain. His truck was struggling with the combination of the wet grass and his BFGoodrich All-Terrains. His engine squealed as his wheels span furiously, getting him nowhere fast. Eventually he submitted to the elements, and rolled back down the hill, with his front wheels still spinning forwards. Colin being the boy racer he is, gracefully span the motor in a half-circle to face the right direction, wowing the onlookers.
Overall the rain made every punch even more difficult than it already was, plus even more dangerous. The amount of rolls that could have happened were numerous, but due to the competitors skill and experience, all competitors came away unharmed andf with a smile on their face. All except one of the marshals, who managed to roll his wife’s Discovery.

Scorpion Racing Challenge Trophy Round 4
By Frank Guzi

Although the site stayed relatively dry, there were still a few spills over the course of the day...

Rob Jones and John Hall won first place with 4919 points followed by Chris Ould and Simon Roberts in Second Place. The second placed pair were in new territory driving a Land Rover 90 instead of their usual Tomcat and quickly settled in well to the change of vehicle.

In search of the first punch

Making our first punch

Finishing our first punch

Zolly gets running in the special stage

Swimming session over, it was time to get serious

Truck takes a pitstop

A particularly muddy punch

The truck verges yet another hill

One swim just wasn't enough

Scorpion Racing Challenge Trophy Round 5
By Frank Guzi

Luckily it had cleared up by the start and even one or two more spurts during the day did not dampen the highly charged atmosphere. Of course the rain filled up one or two puddles turning them into deadly trenches of water, ready to short circuit and flood any petrol engines daring to enter them... Overall leaders at the start of Round 5, Richard Nicolson and Nik Tall, were one such team who had to retire early when water found it's way into their Land Rover 90's engine. We have subsequently had a word with Santa and he may bring him an early Christmas present in the form of a snorkel! Although you've got to give him credit for managing to avoid the deep water for so long!

Cowm Quarry has excellent rock crawling sections which forced the teams to use all their skill, technique and experience to get to the punches...

Getting ready for action

Drivng off into the unknown depths of Cowm Quarry

One of the many challenging rock crawls we had to endure

Dominique steps in to get Zolly over the rocks

On to another rock crawl

Dominique can only look on as the front tyre is 'ripped on the rocks

Dominique stops at nothing to get Zolly out of his sticky situation

Time for a speedy tyre change

The truck is back in action before you can say 'puncture'

Zolly stops at nothing to complete the challenge

However lightning struck twice, blessing Zolly with another flat, and having to borrow a tyre off a fellow competitor. Bad news was still to come, on the way back to the hotel, the borrowed tyre decided that it wouldn't be separated from its owner and received a large puncture on the way back to the hotel

Scorpion Racing Challenge Trophy Round 6
By Frank Guzi

Was the question on most co-drivers minds as they took on the huge site at Walters Arena. It is difficult enough to navigate during the day - never mind the extra night section on Saturday night!

After a BBQ laid on by Scorpion Racing Saturday night, the competitors left at dusk to find 20 punches illuminated by glow sticks. Steve Lait and Rob Tunnah did well in their Suzuki to win this tough section.

The competitors got to grips with the site first thing on Sunday as they searched hi and low for a new set of 40 punches expertly laid out by the AWDC marshals.

Two Special Stages complimented an excellent site.

Chris Ould and Simon Roberts won first overall with Richard Nicolson and Nik Tall close behind. Chris and Simon are one of the favourites to win the overall Challenge Trophy and they certainly have the experience and stamina to pull it off.