DOWN THE PUB
His dad got him started “My dad, Philip, bought an Escort when I was 17 and it was originally for him to drive. We had a little test and I got in it and he said ‘you can drive it better than I can’. I’d only been driving on the road for a few months at the time.”
He did the Northern series with it “It was a fully prepared car bought from Jason Lepley. I did a full year in it and then we stripped it back at the end of 2015 and did a full rebuild. Motoscope helped prepare the car and put it back together. We did the Northern Historic Championship last year and finished second in our class, which was alright for our first proper go at a championship.”
Disaster struck “We went to Race Retro in February to test and had a really good time and everyone got a go in the car. Then we went to Rally North Wales for the first round of the British Historic Rally Championship and did four miles of the first stage before the engine put a rod through the block. The Pinto engine was a total loss, including the head.”
The Pirelli went badly “We took it to Richard Pocklington at Motoscope and he put a brand new Dave Brooks Pinto in it. So mum and dad’s round-the-world trip has been cancelled! I did a few miles on the road before the Pirelli Rally. I won my class last year on the Pirelli but this time we snapped the main shaft in the gearbox four miles from the finish. We’ll try again on the Carlisle Stages.”
He’ll tackle Epynt “We’re planning to do the BHRC, including Epynt on asphalt. The only asphalt I’ve done so far is Croft when it snowed and then the demonstration stage at Race Retro. So it will be into the unknown. I’d love to drive a BDA car and win a rally. I’m planning to do the Roger Albert Clark Rally in 2019 and that’s what all this is in preparation for.”
Lots of people help “My parents Philip and Helen are chief sponsors. Ben Hall is my codriver and Richard at Motoscope has been a big help. Max, Harry and Dave come and service. I couldn’t do it without them. Away from rallying I’m a Snap-on tools dealer from York.”