COVER STORY difference is you are not sat in the car driving! Dad and I turned up every three weeks, working out the navigation together, and slowly got better and better.
“ There was a lot to learn, and there isn’ t really any training, you have just got to work it out yourself, get help from other people and keep practicing. We were both learning together at the same time, so dad helped me with some things, and I helped him with others, we kept encouraging each other and eventually it just clicked.”
Those practice sessions also helped the pair to quickly establish their individual roles and Tony recalls:“ We very quickly discovered that Tom was on-the-button when it came to navigation. Obviously, I am a lot older than him, and I am not as quick, so it did not take us long to decide that I would be the driver, and he would have the map and directions.
“ Once we got in the car, we then quickly established that as a driver, I must to do as I’ m told and basically never argue! That’ s how it works with all the top crews in the Club. I shout out what junctions are coming up, Tom directs me where to go and I’ ll not question that at all, because as soon as you do, you are losing time and creating confusion.
“ The events always run in the dark, often on B roads and tracks, which means local knowledge does not really help and as a driver anyway, so if he says this is a straight, press on, that’ s exactly what I’ ll do. In most aspects of life, the parent is obviously guiding the child, but in this respect, it is the opposite way round – and it has worked very well.”
As one of the StreetCar disciplines, competitors in 12-Car Rallies can use a standard road car – in this case a 1.6-litre Ford Fiesta Mk7 – and do not need a helmet or overalls. Tom and Tony work together to ensure the car is in good order, filled with fuel and has plenty of pencils and rubbers onboard for Tom’ s navigational notes, then they just turn up and go.
They were so keen to start competing, they could not wait for the winter season to begin, so last summer they decided to enter the De Lacy Taurus Rally. A mammoth six-hour all-night event, it attracted 50 experienced crews from all around the country and turned out to be a baptism of fire – but it did not put them off.
“ We were not ready for it,” admits Tom.“ It was much bigger than a normal 12-car and we just couldn’ t keep up with the navigation. We got about halfway round then pulled into a lay-by and went to sleep! It was disappointing, but we kind of expected it. We still really, really enjoyed it!”
Having now completed a full season, the pairing has found the experience to be a great leveller and has brought them closer together.“ We quickly discovered that in a Rally, we are both absolutely equal and both contribute in the same productive way,” says Tony.“ We have a more mature relationship now, we are more buddies than father and son, and that’ s good.”
Tony says the family has always spent time participating in active pastimes together, going skiing in winter and doing water sports in the summer. However, their involvement in 12-Car rallying is a more long-term commitment that involves them both working together to improve, and with the pressures involved things could have gone either way.
“ Given how stressful and fast-paced it all is, I am actually surprised how well we have got along together,” admits Tom.“ I thought there’ d be more fall-outs and arguments and it’ s great how matter-of-fact we’ ve both been, working together, accepting when things go wrong – because they do go wrong – and trying to fix it as best we can.
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Tom and Tony are considering Targa Rally as their next ' step up '
Revolution- August 2025
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JEP