The Peter Blankstone "MAC" Trial
22nd March, 2026
Event Report – The Peter Blankstone “MAC” Trial 2026
Event Overview
The 2026 Peter Blankstone “MAC” Trial returned to the steep banks and challenging cambers of the Shelsley Walsh a venue famed for providing a truly stern sporting trial test. Conditions lived up to expectations, with wet patches, unpredictable traction forming through the day as competitors tackled eight sections, each attempted across three rounds.
General Competition Summary
With scores rising sharply in tricky spots throughout the day, it became clear early on that precision driving, clever line choice, and razor-sharp teamwork would determine the winners.
The standout winners of the day were Josh and Tristan Veale, whose exceptional consistency delivered a remarkably low final score of just 5, topping the overall standings and dominating the Red/Indy class. Their car sailed through many sections where rivals bled points heavily. Their mastery was clear from Round 1 and continued throughout the event.
Class-by-Class Performance
Red / Independent Class
The most competitive category produced some of the finest drives of the day.
Top Performers (Final Scores):
- 1st – Josh Veale / Tristan Veale (Car 33): 5 points
The unquestionable overall winners, demonstrating extraordinary precision across all 24 attempts. - 2nd – Andy Wilks / Mark Smith (Car 3): 6 points
A superbly consistent drive kept them within touching distance of the leaders. - 3rd – Thomas Bricknell / Andy Beveridge (Car 22): 8 points
Strong early rounds, but small mistakes prevented a tighter contest.
Other notable contenders:
- Ian & Lindsay Veale (Car 31): 16 points
- Stuart Beare & Chris Clements (Car 17): 16 points
- Simon Kingsley & Sara Briggs (Car 14): 17 points
This class demonstrated exceptionally tight margins, with only a few points separating podium contenders.
Red / Live Axle
A demanding day for the live axle field, as the terrain exposed the setup differences.
Key results:
- Alastair Moffatt / Andy Hayes (Car 24): 18 points – best Live Axle performance of the day.
- Sam & Jemma Beare (Car 19): 28 points
Blue / Independent & Blue / Live
The Blue category saw fluctuating scores as grip varied dramatically between rounds.
Best Blue Class Performances:
- John Cole / Anne Cole (Car 7): 62 points (Blue/Indy)
- Mark Dayson / Zach Thompson (Car 28): 69 points (Blue/Live)
- James Flanagan / Sarah Gale (Car 21): 26 points (Blue/Live )
Flanagan/Gale were especially impressive, finishing ahead of several higher-class competitors.
Rookie Class
A large and enthusiastic rookie field tackled what was arguably the toughest terrain many had ever faced.
Top Rookie Results:
- Jamie & Fiona Bartholomew (Car 20): 84 points
- Clive & Ann Raymont (Car 10): 108 points
Several rookies, produced notably competitive scores relative to seasoned drivers — a very encouraging sign for the sport's future depth.
Highlights of the Day
Outstanding Drive – Josh & Tristan Veale
Their incredibly low score of 5 is one of the standout performances of the season so far, made even more impressive given the challenging, slippery Shelsley terrain. They led from Round 1 and never looked threatened.
Closest Battle – The Fight for 2nd & 3rd
Wilks/Smith and Bricknell/Beveridge traded near-identical section scores across multiple rounds, with only single points separating them in key early climbs.
Rookie Excellence – Simmons/Simmons
With a final tally of 60, the Simmons pairing showed control and confidence far beyond typical rookie expectations.
5. Final Overall Standings (Top 10)
(All scores taken directly from the official results PDF)
- Josh Veale / Tristan Veale – 5
- Andy Wilks / Mark Smith – 6
- Thomas Bricknell / Andy Beveridge – 8
- Ian Veale / Lindsay Veale – 16
- Stuart Beare / Chris Clements – 16
- Simon Kingsley / Sara Briggs – 17
- Peter & Liz Fensom – 18
- Alastair Moffatt / Andy Hayes – 18
- George & Victoria Watson – 20
- Richard & Joe Sharp – 25
6. Conclusion
The 2026 Peter Blankstone “MAC” Trial delivered everything expected of Shelsley Walsh: steep banks, shifting grip, mechanical challenges, and tight competitive drama. With exceptionally low winning scores and intense battles across all classes, it stands out as one of the most memorable early-season trials in recent years.
A huge congratulations to Josh & Tristan Veale, the overall winners, and to all competitors who battled through a demanding but rewarding day of motorsport.
///chaos.learning.simulates