BELL MASTERS BLYTON
By Peter Scherer Organiser: Clitheroe & District MC When: November 25 Where: Blyton Park, Lincolnshire Championships: ANWCC. ANCC, ANEMMC, SD34 & RAFMSA Starters: 72 Stages: 12.
Graeme Bell and Russ Radford’s Proton came out on top of a day-long duel with John Griffiths and Carl Ogden’s Subaru Impreza at a bitterly-cold Blyton Park.
Griffiths led the first two stages, before Bell turned a two-second deficit into a two-second lead. Both made mistakes on stage five and after the sixth they were tied for the lead. But Bell had the upper hand over the final four runs to take the win by 13 seconds.
It was also a close battle for third with Lee Jones/thomas Grogan’s Ferrari 308 Michelotto battling with Craig Pennington/wayne Priest’s VW Polo.
Both were caught by Mark Roberts/stephen Landen, however, the pair recovering after an off on stage two before holding the place from stage seven in their Ford Escort Cosworth.
Jones held on to fourth by a solitary second from Pennington, while Mike Bayliss/sam Bailey’s BMW Compact completed the top six and took a comfortable Class 4 victory.
Despite brake troubles, Paul Culverwell/terry Martin’s Darrian secured the honours in Class 3 and rounded out the top 10 overall.
Patrick Homan/tom Homan (Ford Puma) were never headed in Class 1, while on the driver’s debut, Bradley and Ben Howlett’s Citroen C2 took the win in Class 2. Chris Phillips/sarah Hughes took second in in Class 2 their Peugeot 106 despite an extra lap on one stage.
Jones’ Ferrari dominated the Historic class, but father Kevin retired his similar car stuck in fourth gear, handing second place to John Faulkner/peter Foy’s Escort.
Jim Brindle topped the HRCR Mini entries.
Results
1 Graeme Bell/ Russ Radford (Proton Satria S2500 Millington) 38m55s; 2 John Griffiths/ Carl Ogden (Subaru Impreza) +13s; 3 Mark Roberts/ Stephen Landen (Ford Escort Cosworth); 4 Lee Jones/thomas Grogan (Ferrari 308); 5 Craig Pennington/ Wayne Priest (VW Polo); 6 Mike Bayliss/ Sam Bailey (BMW Compact); 7 Ross Daniels/ Paul Mankin (Impreza); 8 Martin Farrar/andy Ward (Impreza); 9 Chris Marshall/ Graham Wild (Mitsubishi Lancer E5); 10 Paul Culverwell/terry Martin (Darrian T9).
Class winners: Patrick Homan/tom Homan (Ford Puma); Bradley Howlett/ Ben Howlett (Citroen C2); Culverwell/ Martin; Bayliss/ Bailey; Jones/ Grogan.