Welch in grand old vale of York win
Organiser: Lindholme MSC & Slaithwaite When: September 11 Where: Melbourne Airfield, Yorkshire Championship ANEMMC; EMAMC; ANWCC Stages: 10 Starters: 59
With the fastest time on all but one stage, David Welch and Connor Tolson’s Subaru Impreza was never seriously challenge on the way to a comfortable victory on the Vale of York Stages.
James Sparrow/phil Pickard led the pursuit for the first two stages until their battery let them down, promoting Dave Hornbrook/ Matthew Sample’s Mitsubishi Lancer E4 to second.
In third spot, Ian Tiffany/jack Shepherd ( Impreza) soon found themselves safe, aided by Nick Stamper/matt Daniels’ Impreza running out of fuel on stage four and Hugh Peat/dane Chapman’s similar car suffering gearbox maladies two stages from home.
Michael Umbrich/marion Stead’s Mitsubishi E5 moved up to fourth after Peat’s departure, but they joined the casualties too with power steering pump failure, which finally handed the first spot outside of the podium places to Steve Adamson/ Marcus Blenkinsop’s Impreza.
Class 2 winners Matt Wood/riki Musson clinched fifth in their Vauxhall Corsa on the last stage after Mick Davey/david Batley’s Ford Escort lost out, but still retained their Class 3 lead over Nick Kitching/ Andrew Trollope’s Escort.
Peter and Jemma Outram’s Escort took the Class 4 win from 10th overall.
Alex Mill/ryan Watkins’ Nissan Micra took the Class 1 spoils. The up-to-one litre class was the topped by Jonathan Lee/andy Johnson’s Micra.