MN CIRCUIT RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

46m35s +5s +1m15s +2m04s +2m09s +2m23s +3m19s +3m27s +3m27s +3m44s Dane Walker sealed the

win in a Ford Escort Mk2 in what was a highlyimpressive seventh overall, especially considering that some of his fastest stage times were achieved with a broken steering arm and ball joint (SS7) and a front tyre unseated from its rim (SS6). Stephen Beck’s crash on SS7 assured Walker’s class win. He remains in the lead of the championship.

Fellow Escort driver Gary Mason was second, on his first rally with the car. Roland Brown was third in a Escort Mk1, but as he is not championship-registered, so Vince Sillett picked up the points for third. Sillett changed to 13-inch wheels to allow bigger tyres for extra grip.

Cathy Sewart holds on to second in the championship, finishing despite three offs. Beck and Sillett are now tied for third. Darrian regular Josh Davey attempted to salvage his season with a run in his old MG ZR, but the gear selector broke on SS3.

Paul Sheard was the runaway winner of Class B. The Mazda MX-5 driver was five seconds off a top-10 finish, having posted a sixth-fastest time on SS9. The Congleton driver found his car suited to the wet track and benefited from an early switch to wet tyres.

Elsewhere, the class was a war of attrition. Mark Burton sheared a driveshaft on his Ford Fiesta on SS3 and Chris Platt, returning in his Vauxhall Tigra, exited on SS6 with electrical problems, having had a mysterious oil leak for most of the day.

This left Anglesey class winner Ashleigh Morris and Ken Sturdy in his Suzuki Swift with a chance. Sturdy was third on the stages, but second-placed driver Des Campbell was not championship-registered.

Morris was third in the points and fourth on the stages, having struggled for grip even with wet tyres. She relinquished her narrow championship lead to Sheard.

David Mcmullan and Aaron Rix continued their battle for

honours. Mcmullan was “on a mission” to put as much time between himself and Rix as possible, in an attempt to overhaul the Ford Ka driver’s championship lead.

He finished two minutes ahead of Rix, despite a 60s penalty for arriving late at a time control. This came just after a spectacular run to 20th place on SS1.

Rix took a steadier approach, protecting his championship lead rather than chasing Mcmullan. Cadwell is not a favoured venue for Rix and he was happy with second.

Mcmullan’s only hope for the championship lead was Dale Lawson, in an MG ZR.

If Lawson overtook Rix, then Mcmullan could have taken the lead. Lawson is known for his prowess on wet tracks but he was unable to overhaul Rix.

Non-championship driver Andrew Chandler, in an Escort, split them on the stages.