PAYNE WINS THE RIPONIAN
Organiser: Ripon MSC & Whitby DMC When: February 28 Where: North Yorks Championships: ANCC; SG Petch ANECCC; ANWCC Forest; Alexander Calder Financial EMAMC; Northern Forest Challenge Starters: 66 Stages: 10
Charles Payne secured his 10th Riponian victory, as he and co-driver Carl Williamson guided their Ford Fiesta to a 17-second victory, having led all day.
Payne pulled out an 11-second lead over Ollie Mellors/ian Windress’ Proton S2000 on the opening Windypits stage, while a further three seconds back Stephen Petch/michael Wilkinson’s Fiesta tied for third with Phil and Simon Pickard’s Subaru Impreza. Despite a spin and stall, Peter Stephenson/patrick Walsh’s Ford Focus was fifth, 10s up on Peter Smith/alan Walker’s Impreza.
Although Payne and Mellors matched each other on Beckdale, Petch was able to consolidate third over Pickard. But with ice still prevalent on the next three runs, it was a more cautious approach that paid dividends.
On stage three at Roppa, Payne slid off up a bank; he retained his lead but dropped seven seconds to Mellors. “I am just testing the car for the Mid Wales Stages next week, so I need to look after it,” said Mellors. Petch also lost time in Boltby in a “scary” moment, but returned to service with a 10-second cushion over Stephenson for third.
Pickard had been off in Roppa and was then excluded for noise, which brought Steve Petch/john Richardson’s Fiesta up to fifth.
Darren Moon/richard Crozier’s Ford Escort had climbed to fifth before spongy brakes left him down in ninth at service
With Peter Smith failing to see the ice in Boltby and losing time sideways, Mat Smith/giles Dykes’ Proton Satria was into sixth by one second.
The afternoon was a second run through the morning stages; conditions had improved and it became a straight fight between Payne and Mellors. The lead grew on stage six to 12 seconds but Mellors was quickest on two of the remaining stages.
“On the last two stages I lost power as it wouldn’t rev beyond 3000-5000 and then it stalled at the hairpin on the last stage and I thought I had lost out,” said Payne. He had actually increased the lead by three seconds and clinched win number 10 on the Riponian.
Petch Jr retained a solid third over Stephenson. Petch Sr had dropped to eighth after an off on the second Windypits stage, but clawed one place back to finish seventh.
Peter Smith managed fifth, with Mat Smith behind in sixth.
Behind Petch Sr, Moon recovered to finish eighth, while Trevor Gamble/phil Kenny’s VW Polo came out on top of a terrific scrap with Nick Cook/jim Goodman’s Escort to secure ninth spot.
Mat Smith’s nearest challenger in Class A was wife Amanda and father-inlaw Derek Cornforth’s Ford Ka. But a spin on stage one and an off in Boltby preceded a decisive off on Beckdale 2, handing second in class to Mark and Amanda Talbot’s Peugeot 106 XSI.
Despite an off on the first Beckdale, Barry Lindsay/caroline Lodge were never headed as their Peugeot 206 took the Class B spoils. Ben Cree/mark Casey stood their 205 GTI on its nose on the first Boltby test and, despite breaking the rear axle on heavy landing at the penultimate Riccal stage, they nursed it home to retain a daylong second, with James Hall/charley Sayer-payne third debuting their Proton Compact.
Chris Haigh/sally Peacock had just lost their Class C lead to fellow Escort crew Cook/goodman on stage two when they hit a bridge on Roppa and had to change a rear wheel. Cook was left in the clear, with Andy Gibson/chris Pattison’s Escort in second, both well ahead of Mick Plowman/alistair Wilk.
David Hutchinson/jeff Garnett led Class D all day and Moon was well clear of Warren Philliskirk and Charlie Taylor’s Escorts in the Historics. Results
1 Charles Payne/ Carl Williamson (Ford Fiesta) 40m39s; 2 Ollie Mellors/ Ian Windress (Proton Satria Neo S2000) +17s; 3 Stephen Petch/ Michael Wilkinson (Fiesta R5+); 4 Peter Stephenson/ Patrick Walsh (Ford Focus WRC); 5 Peter Smith/alan Walker (Subaru Impreza); 6 Mat Smith/ Giles Dykes (Satria); 7 Steve Petch/john Richardson (Ford Fiesta S2000); 8 Darren Moon/ Richard Crozier (Ford Escort Mk2); 9 Trevor Gamble/ Phil Kenny (VW Polo); 10 Nick Cook/jim Goodman (Escort Mk1). 11 Andy Gibson/ Chris Pattison (Escort Mk2); 12 David Hutchinson/jeff Garnett (Escort Mk2); 13 Daniel Neil Hiorns/ Mike Johnson (Subaru Impreza); 14 Barry Lindsay/ Caroline Lodge (Peugeot 206); 15 Warren Philliskirk/ Garry Green (Escort RS1600); 16 Charlie Taylor/alan Ward (Escort); 17 Mick Plowman/alistair Wilk (Escort Mk2); 18 Ben Cree/ Mark Casey (Peugeot 205 GTI); 19 John Tillett/ Guy Kirby (Escort Mk2); 20 Mark Booth/ Richard Wardle (Escort).
M Smith/ Dykes; Lindsay/ Lodge; Cook/ Goodman; David Hutchinson/jeff Garnett (Escort Mk2); Bob Bean/ Malcolm Smithson (Lotus Cortina); Philip Thompson/ Fred Roberts (Escort Mk1); Moon/ Crozier; Philliskirk/ Green.