Victory for Roberts/landen as long-time leaders Simpson/jackson retire with clutch problems
Organiser: Clitheroe & DMC When: November 24 Where: Blyton Park Driving Centre Championships: HRCR Old Stager; ANWCC; ANEMMC; SD34 MSG; EMAMC; RAFMSA Rally Championship Stages: 10 Starters: 79.
Mark Roberts and Stephen Landen took their recently acquired Ford Fiesta to a 15-second victory over John Griffiths/carl Ogden’s Subaru Impreza after Steve Simpson/david Jackson’s Impreza went out with clutch problems after seven stages.
Roberts snatched the early lead, but after two stages was only one second up on Griffiths and Simpson.
But Simpson hit the front on stage three and had built a seven-second lead before clutch failure forced him to retire.
Roberts and Griffiths had consolidated second and third, respectively, but with Simpson’s demise, Roberts eased to victory over Griffiths. Both were well clear of Martin Pavier/peter Kettle’s Impreza in third.
Ross Fernie/craig Simkiss’s Impreza started well and had been joint second after the opening stage, but a gradual slide down the order finally left them in fifth behind Nick Stamper/adrian Lloyd’s similar machine.
David Longfellow/danny Ward’s Impreza had climbed to fourth by stage eight, but they became casualties on the next, allowing Darren Meadows/ James Squires’s Mitsubishi E4 to complete the top six.
In Class 1 Jonathan Hudson’s Suzuki Swift emerged from an early scrap with Paddy Homan’s Ford Puma and John Cressey’s Mini Cooper S to take the spoils, while in Class 2 Paul Rees’s Astra was never headed, finishing well over a minute up on Connor Tolson’s Fiesta.
Mick Pickles’s Peugeot 205 GTI headed Class 3 throughout and James Gratton-smith’s Ford Escort snatched Class 4 on the last stage. Results 1 Mark Roberts/ Stephen Landen (Ford Fiesta S2000) 35m23s; 2 John Griffiths/ Carl Ogden (Subaru Impreza) +15s; 3 Martin Pavier/ Peter Kettle (Impreza); 4 Nick Stamper/adrian Lloyd (Impreza); 5 Ross Fernie/ Craig Simkiss (Impreza); 6 Darren Meadows/james Squires (Mitsubishi Lancer E4); 7 Mick Pickles/ Beverley Warren (Peugeot 205 GTI); 8 Lee Allen/ Louise Allen (Lancer E3); 9 Dave Hornbrook/ Ann Forster (Lancer E9); 10 Chris Pedley Jr/ Chris Pedley Sr (Lancer E8). Class winners: Jonathan Hudson/ Simon Clement (Suzuki Swift GTI); Paul Rees/ Paul Briggs (Vauxhall Astra GTE); Pickles/ Warren; James Gratton-smith/tom Jordan (Ford Escort G3), Roberts/ Landen.