Woolbridge Motor Club Hogcliff Trophy Car Trials 2024

He was crowned Woolbridge Motor Club Car Trials Champion for the 2023-2024 season just two weeks ago, having previously secured the annual autotest title.

The former British champion has now started his next campaign in the best possible way, with an unchallenged overall victory (decided by an Index of Performance incorporating the scores of his fellow competitors) in the Hogcliff Trophy trial, which was held near Maiden Newton.

Contesting the two-wheel-drive production car class at the wheel of his diminutive 993 cc Suzuki Alto, Hoppé built a slender three-point lead, after the first stanza of six tests.

Motor technician Alistair Moss was in second, and was sharing the driving duties with his father David, who occupied third place, in their Ford Fiesta.

Hoppé continued to improve his performance during the second round, only dropping three marks, and increasing his lead to thirteen with Moss senior reducing the margin to his offspring.

The die was cast with Hoppé increasing his lead to thirty-two by the close of play after twenty-four tests, but David Moss was now his nearest challenger having turned the tables on his son who finished nine points adrift.

With the elevation of Hoppé to the overall win, class honours went to Moss senior, with Alistair second ahead of Weymouth driver Andy Webb in his Toyota Yaris T Sport.

Will Lawrence working to find some grip. (Image: Geoff Pickett) The outcome of the front-wheel-drive production car category was also beyond little doubt once Will Lawrence defeated the early charge of Ford Ka driver Ben Joslin.

Lawrence led after the first round with seven penalties against the twelve of the Peugeot 208 driver from Weymouth.

Six tests later, the story was different with Lawrence six up on Mark Dunkerley who partnered Mike Dore in the latter’s 1360 cc Citroen Saxo, but by the close of play the margin had increased to thirteen points.

Dore finished third, seventeen shy of his co-driver. In addition to the class win Lawrence finished second overall.

Best in the sports car class. David Robinson and his Reliant Scimitar. (Image: Geoff Pickett) The battle for supremacy in the rear-wheel-drive division centred around four sports car drivers, with the experienced David Robinson coming under pressure from Donal Doyle from Wool.

The former was without penalty in his Reliant Scimitar after twelve tests and still enjoyed a fifteen-point advantage three quarters of the way through the event. Doyle had not given up though and drove his Mazda MX5 into second place just three points adrift at the finish line.

The entry included a class for vehicles which were not eligible for the main event and therefore were not included in any index of performance calculations, or any championships, and was contested by Weymouth drivers Kevin Dewell in his Suzuki engined Ibex sporting trials car and the Liege of Alastair Stevenson. Dewell completed the day with a clean score sheet and an easy win.

Ben Joslin gained reward for his early charge winning the award for the Best Novice Driver.