3: Last of the blue Mexico

...and the next set...

The penultimate photo of dad Roy's blue Mexico. For some reason I used to fly UP the hairpin at Barley Bank without any problem, but always turned in too late (as here) going down. No white stripes mean this must have been late '74 or early '75, on the event following dad's roll in the Trough of Bowland, after which the car needed more repair than usual! Not only are we BOTH sporting a tie on this occasion, but look at that spectator's flares!

A nice comment from Mark Standen

I think when all this nonsense is over - the first road rally I do I’m going to sport a shirt and tie. It’s been an ambition of mine. It would be an amazing sight to see every crew sporting a shirt and tie on the very first event. Homage to the Gentlemen Roy’s of yesteryear.

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Final picture of the blue Mexico, from the same rally as the first photo - the 74 Devil's Own. Great memories rallying with Dad, Roy Honeywell, who many organisers will remember as the RAC RLO for so many years. I bought my own second-hand Mexico - Jeff Smith's road car - which was pressed into service sooner than I'd expected, while dad swapped the Mexico for the all-new droop-snoot Escort RS2000. We did a few events in the RS2000 I think, but I can't find any photos. So the next one will be my trusty MkI, TCW 360K...

...but before that... I think it was the MIMC Inter-Club Rally; Dad, aged 51 (old for rallying at that time) drove and I was on the maps. There was a protest at the finish and dad took issue with the protestor, telling him in his usual plain way that he was talking rubbish and had no chance of succeeding. Derrick Hall, fellow CDMC member also competing on the night, came up to us a few minutes later and said "That fella (the protestor) came up to me and said "If it wasn't for that old goat poking his nose in, I might have a chance. Who is he anyway?" To which Derrick replied "That old goat's just won this rally!" Dad's one and only 1st overall as a driver.

From here the comments kept coming. This from "Twitchy twitchy Tom" and then my reply:

Derek Hall, had the scrapyard Autoparts I think it was called where Tesco is now in Clitheroe. Quite a character is Derek!

I navigated for Derrick just once. Coming down Fleet Moss I’m reading the road (mainly straight) when Derrick says ‘it’s OK, but I’m just a bit busy...’ - I looked up and he’s going from lock to lock in the mini on the 95mph straight!

Now Alan Barnes joins in:

Your dad was a great teacher, Bill. I went to his rally navigation night school at Ribblesdale in the autumn of 1984. By the following September I had gone from novice to expert navigator. I was also helped immensely by Stephen Frost and Young Leroy, Mark Mark M Standen, who was a fearless young hotshoe. We did the Morecambe Rally in 85 and finished fifth overall. As well as taking the semi-expert class, we won a trophy for biggest improvement on seeding. I could see the pride in your dad's eyes when he handed that big silver trophy to us at the finish. The pupil had done the teacher proud. Top man, young Royston.

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