CLASS ROUND-UP
Just like the Oulton Park season opener, Class B went down to the wire between a trio of cars.
This time, Chris Woodhouse would come out on top to deny Paul Sheard with a late dash when darkness fell, although the latter benefitted in the MN series as Woodhouse isn’t registered.
Sheard returned to the wheel of his Mazda MX-5 at Cadwell Park but was instantly hampered by gearbox dramas from the very first stage. Issues with fifth gear in particular left Sheard “having to abuse the car” to make it through the day, using just three gears and keeping tabs on engine temperatures as revs soared higher.
The reigning Class B champion still managed to grab the lead from Chris Platt’s Vauxhall Tigra, which was benefiting itself from a repaired gasket head which had put him out of the opening rally of the season.
Woodhouse and co-driver Alan Gilbert had earlier arrived through the finishing post backwards at the conclusion of stage two, but the Citroen C2 pairing fought back in style to overpower Sheard and avenge their Oulton Park defeat.
The event and MN Class C was win went to Mike English, but threatened a surprise in the morning as the foggy and slippery track conditions played into the hands of less powerful machinery.
Among those was the SEAT Ibiza of Stuart Popplewell and Nigel Barber, a car lacking in grunt compared to those of a chasing English and Rob Cox in their respective Ford Escort Mk2s.
“You get more satisfaction in these cars in those sort of conditions,” said Popplewell. “I did all the hard work and dangled the carrot in front of the Escorts for them to come and catch me.”
Cox would again be left “gutted” by gearbox gremlins that put him out of the rally as it almost did at Oulton Park, but English would indeed reel in and overpower the Ibiza as the Tarmac rubbered in during the afternoon.
Class A was split for the event, A1 honours going the way of Ian Barnes in the consistent Ford Ka while A2 spoils were sealed by the rampant Ford Puma of Patrick and Thomas Homan. They started as car 94, but turned that into 36th overall in a brilliant run to the finish. Dale and Andrew Lawson (MG ZR) scored maximum MN Class A honours, second in Class A2 on the event.
Overall winners Smith and Walsh added the D2 class to their victory reel at Cadwell Park, while West added his second class D1 victory in two rallies.
West said: “We’re still suffering a few teething troubles, but the biggest change I’ve been trying to get used to is the switch from Pirelli to Michelin tyres. It’s a totally different feel.”