Guy wins family battle of the smiths
Dukeries Rally
Organiser: Dukeries MC When: August 19 Where: Donington Park, Leicestershire Championships: AWMMC Heart of England, EMAMC, ANEMMC, AEMC/ASEMC Stages: 7 Starters: 80
Guy Smith and Patrick Walsh came out on top of what became a family duel with Guy’s father Peter after Alan Kirkaldy’s Ford Escort had retired on the fourth stage.
Guy has recently retired from sportscar racing but competes on the occasional rally, while Peter is out competing most weekends and likes to put other people in his cars. This time it was Guy’s chance for a return for the first time since December 2017.
From the start Guy’s Ford Fiesta R5+ had a three-second lead over Kirkaldy/cameron Fair, with Peter Smith/john Millington’s Ford Fiesta WRC another eight seconds back in third. But a misfire delayed Kirkaldy on stage two, as he dropped to third, which increased Guy’s lead to seven seconds with father Peter into second.
Graham Coffey/jon Atherton’s Ford Fiesta RS WRC and John Cope/ Simon Hunter’s ex-andrew Nesbitt Subaru Impreza had both struggled for grip on the first stage. Cope had a second in hand to hold fourth, before Coffey went five clear on stage two.
“I had a big lock up at the first corner of the first stage and into the chicane as I had too much bias, but once we adjusted it, it was fine,” said Guy Smith. By the end of stage four his lead was up to 17 seconds.
“I am trying to beat him,” added father Peter, who ended the stage with a 40-second cushion over Coffey, who had moved into third as Kirkaldy suffered differential failure.
But having built his lead to 18 seconds by the end of stage five, Guy had his first sign of trouble. “It felt a bit down on power,” he said. “I was already starting to think of my excuses!”
Peter added: “I knew he had a turbo pipe problem of some sort and I took nine seconds back.”
The problem was solved however for the final stage and Guy restored his winning advantage to a respectable 16 seconds.
Coffey and Cope retained third and fourth, while in fifth Dave Welch overcame an occasional cut-out to defeat Joshua Davey, who snapped a shaft in his Darrian.
In class 1, Jon Hudson/adi Collins’ Suzuki Swift was never headed, taking a 37-second victory over Mark Annison/ian Humphrey’s Ford Puma, which ousted Matt/ Adrian Walk’s Fiesta on stage two. Walk was eventually fourth, after losing out to Dale/andrew Lawson’s MG ZR on the third stage.
Andrew Turner/richard Winstanley’s Honda Civic not only dominated Class 2 but ran in the top 10 early on. By the end they had over two minutes in hand over Chris Ruck/steve Harris’ Vauxhall Corsa. Mark Burton/zoe Wright lost an early third to Ashleigh Morris/ Jamie Mactavish’s Ford Fiesta, but claimed it back on stage four.
After Davey had gone out, Robin Adams was a clear leader in Class 3. Despite bedding in a new engine, Mike English/andy Robinson were able to consolidate second, while John Stevens/samantha Bartlett’s Ford Escort took third on a tie after Mick and Ben Jowers’ similar car collected a penalty on the opening stage.
Once Kirkaldy had left the fray Class 4 belonged to Martin Stockdale/nick Taylor’s BMW 1M, with Richard Poole/ben Pritchard and Roger Titley/chris Ransley completing a BMW sweep of the class podium. Results 1 Guy Smith/ Patrick Walsh (Ford Fiesta R5+) 55m40s; 2 Peter Smith/john Millington (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +16s; 3 Graham Coffey/jon Atherton (Fiesta RS WRC); 4 John Cope/ Simon Hunter (Subaru Impreza WRC); 5 Dave Welch/ Steve Mcnulty (Impreza); 6 Robin Adams/ Ray Keith (Ford Escort Mk2); 7 Martin Stockdale/ Nick Taylor (BMW 1M); 8 Richard Poole/ Ben Pritchard (BMW M4 E36); 9 Ray Read/ Stuart Anderson-peters (Audi quattro); 10 Martin Pavier/ Peter Kettle (Impreza).
Class winners: Jonathan Hudson/adi Collins (Suzuki Swift GTI); Andrew Turner/ Richard Winstanley (Honda Civic); Adams/ Keith; Stockdale/taylor.