CLASS ROUND-UP
There was late drama in Class A as a differential problem forced long-time leader Mark Blackmore into retirement on the penultimate stage, handing victory to David Smalley in another Vauxhall Corsa.
In Class B it was all about a dominant performance by Matthew Ockendon behind the wheel of his self-proclaimed ‘Pugonda’, a Peugeot 205 model named so for carrying the unique addition of a Honda Civic Type-r engine underneath the bonnet.
“It’s a combination that makes the car feel planted,” said Ockendon. “It’s still a fantastic engine.”
The story of Class C became a battle between two Escort Mk2s, Darryl Morris coming out on top by just under a minute as he locked horns with Steve Beck.
Steve Quigley was quickest out of the blocks in that particular class, but the Renault Clio 172 Cup car found itself in the wars on more than one occasion. Contact on a tricky crossover section during the third stage with a rival Mk2 RS resulted in driveshaft damage, before an altercation with a tyre stack relieved the Clio of its front bumper as Quigley finished eighth in class.
Class D spoils were left to the winner of the overall event, West’s 306 Maxi having overpowered its Ford rivals to ensure two class victories went the way of Peugeot at Snetterton.
Finally in Class E, WRC cars from the past took aim at one another with Subaru earning bragging rights in the hands of Swann, who finished fifth in the overall event standings.
Seeded fourth overall coming into the event, Swann and co-driver Aron Rayner’s success came behind the wheel of an S12B machine previously raced by WRC champion Petter Solberg and Formula 1 race winner, Robert Kubica, beating the Ford Focus of Mummery in the first competitive clash between the two respective EX-WRC showpieces.