FIESTA MAN KELLY’S PERFECT DAY TO TOP ALL STAGES DURING BATTLE AT THREE SISTERS
Mark Kelly and Neil Colman took a clean sweep of fastest stage times to bring their Ford Fiesta R5 home almost a minute clear of the Darrian GTR T90 of Jason and Lee Wilson.
The Wilsons did match the winner’s time on SS7, but their main focus was in keeping ahead of Mark Smith and Tim Nunn, who were debuting a Ford Fiesta 1600T-powered Darrian and closing in on them in the later stages. Nigel Worswick and Paula Swinscoe also had a new mount, the ex-Steve Petch Ford Fiesta S2000T, and were relieved to escape a SS7 excursion and finish fourth. Mark Jasper and Don Whyatt completed the top five in their Ford Escort Mk2 wearing out a set of previously well-worn tyres.
Only five seconds separated the next four cars that were headed by the Ford Escort Mk2 of Dave
Roberts and Nigel Perkins.
Class C winners Lee Edwards and Will Atkins were two seconds behind in their Ford Escort G3, only one second up on the Class B-winning Opel Corsa of Ryan Burns and Steve Hallmark.
Shaking down their Ford Fiesta R4 ahead of their British Rally Championship campaign Finlay Retson and Rhys Stoneman were a further two seconds behind, having earlier laid claim to second place after SS1.
Paul Murro and Callum Cross survived a spin on SS9 to complete the top ten in their Fiesta R5.
Adam Philpotts and Jordan Joines claimed the Class A honours after finishing a fine 14th overall in their Nissan Micra. Top crew in the inaugural round of the Mini Cooper Challenge series were
Joe and Michael Evett.
Results
Organisers: Wigan & District Motor Club When: May 9 Where: Three Sisters Race Circuit, Wigan Championships: ANWCC; SD34; Mini Cooper Challenge Stages: 12 Starters: 51
1 Mark Kelly/Neil Colman (Ford Fiesta R5) 26m37s; 2 Jason Wilson/Lee Wilson (Darrian GTR T90) +54s; 3 Mark Smith/Tim Nunn (Darrian T90 GTR); 4 Nigel Worswick/Paula Swinscoe (Ford Fiesta S2000T); 5 Mark Jasper/ Don Whyatt (Escort Mk2); 6 Dave Roberts/ Nigel Perkins (Ford Escort Mk2); 7 Lee Edwards/Will Atkins (Ford Escort G3); 8 Ryan Burns/Steve Hallmark (Opel Corsa); 9 Finlay Retson/Rhys Stoneman (Ford Fiesta R4); 10 Paul Murro/Callum Cross (Ford Fiesta R5). Class winners: A: Adam Philpotts/Jordan Joines (Nissan Micra); B: Burns/Hallmark; C: Edwards/Atkins; D: Worswick/Swinscoe.