Ten cars and associated crews lined up for the 3rd annual 'Breakfast TT' of AMOC Area 4 on Sunday 9th June 2019. Sixteen Members and 6 guests made it through the gruelling driving, navigating and culinary challenges that culminated in the award of the coveted 'Thorburn Trophy'.
Rick Cullen started as the holder from his success last year.
Following a hearty breakfast at Hartley's (a favourite venue of Area 4 and others), teams of two cars set out to explore deepest, darkest Somerset, albeit with a refreshment break at the Fleet Air Arm Museum. However, lunchtime refreshments were on-hold (temporarily) as each car tested their extremities with frontal, lateral and reversal cone measurement going a long way to determine this year's winner. Being within 5 centimetres of a cone resulted in a fulsome 3 points towards the day's eventual total... and happiness. Over 40cms or, heaven forfend, hitting the cones, results in nil points... and misery. Not that the competitors knew at that stage how important these challenges were to the overall score for the day.
Half-time congratulations are due here to Anthony King who kindly arranged for a full aerobatic display of the recently-restored* Hawker Sea Fury aircraft whilst our lunchtime exercises were underway. That said, the degree of concentration required to focus on the tasks-at-hand possibly meant that some competitors missed the entire show!
(* Anthony was the aircraft's engineering chief for it's restoration to air worthiness)
Driving then recommenced, from the museum, via more navigational challenges, to the final destination: a jolly scrumptious afternoon/cream tea at the Mount Somerset Hotel where the results were announced:
A tightly-fought contest saw.... drum roll..... Rick Cullen crowned champion again and retainer of the Thorburn Trophy.
Well done Rick!
For everyone else, there's the standard to beat next year.
With gratitude to guests, Andy & Tracey Brimble, who gave up a huge chunk of their precious Sunday to marshal the lunch and tea stops. Also to the teams at Hartley's, the Fleet Air Arm Museum and the Mount Somerset Hotel.
Finally, a huge thank you to all the Area 4 Members who took part (see below) with a special mention for Bob & Ginny Sackley and Mike & Christine Philips, our guests and honorary Members for the day.
It's all a bit of fun really, honestly, no really....
The following photos were taken by Andrew or Gillian Fawkes:
L:R - Matthew Maneely's V8 Vantage Roadster and Mike & Bev Jones's DB7 Vantage GT stand sentinel at Hartley's
Meanwhile inside, Mathew, Barbara and Mark contemplate their route...
... as do Liz, Bev, Mike and Pete.
And they're off! It was all very orderly, really.
Lunchtime challenges underway. Tracey's about to measure Pete & Liz Donachie's frontal parking prowess.
Then a post-challenges sigh of relief (and a cuppa) as our cars grace the Fleet Air Arm Museum car park.
Then it's tea at the Mount Somerset Hotel (as the rain clouds gather... bless 'em).
Yummy!
A pleasant spot for tea: the hotel's conservatory.
Finally, it's award time as Rick Cullen (left) receives the Thorburn Trophy and Club Sponsor, Champagne Taittinger, from Area Rep, Andrew Fawkes.
The Thorburn Trophy (Area 4's homage to the DBR1 that won Le Mans 24 Hours Race, sixty years ago this month).
The other end of our Tea Display (R:L - Mike & Christine Phillips's MGB, Bob Carter's Alfa Romeo GTV, Bob Sackley's Triumph TR4 and then some Astons!)
AMOC Member Combatants:
- Anthony & Barbara King (DB9)
- Mike & Bev Jones (DB7 Vantage GT)
- Pete & Liz Donachie (V8 Vantage)
- Rick Cullen & Kirsty (V8 Vantage)
- Bob Carter (1971 Alfa Romeo GTV)
- Matthew Maneely & Mark (V8 Vantage Roadster)
- Martin & Liz Jaehme (DB9)
- Maria Dyer & Helen Ponting (V8 Vantage AMR)