Late new by entry was worthwhile
Red Dragon IT Stages Rally By Ian Harden
Organiser: EMCOS When: May 26 Where: Down Ampney airfield, Wiltshire. Championships: WAMC Clubmans Mixed Surface; Gwynnespeed Rally Challenge 2018; FMP Rally Challenge Starters: 68 Stages: 10
A last-minute entry proved fruitful for Arron Newby and co-driver Sam Bailey, as the Subaru Impreza pairing dominated the rally from start to finish, taking a clean sweep of fastest stage times to take a clear win by 4m44s.
Second-placed Spencer Chard/ Derrick Walters (Impreza) fought a close battle all day with Andrew Graham/peter Brennan (Mitsubishi Lancer E6) coming out on top by two seconds at the finish.
Newby stamped his authority on the event immediately, taking a 28s lead on SS1 and pulling ever further away from then on.
Behind, Graham and Chard went neck and neck, swapping stage times and places. They were challenged for most of the day by Ross Daniels/dennis Suttenwood (Impreza) but when Daniels retired on SS7 with mechanical woes it was left to eventual fourthplaced Ian Ross/daniel Petrie (Impreza) to take up the chase.
They consolidated their place with a consistent series of top-five times. Harry Gardner/elliot Graham (Ford Escort Mk2) mounted a late charge, going second fastest on SS8 to snatch fifth from Andy Corner/ade Camp (Peugeot 205L).