PAYNE PROFITS IN SCOTLAND FOR WIN
The Ford Fiesta Rally2 man holds his nerve as rival Tom Llewellin slips on Border Counties clash
The trip to Scotland proved to be a fruitful one for Elliot Payne/ Patrick Walsh, who won the Border Counties Rally in a Ford Fiesta Rally2. While Tom Llewellin/Ross Whittock took an early lead, Payne was content to take a steady approach. When his rival put his Fiesta into a ditch, Payne was able to take a comfortable win.
David Henderson exceeded his hopes of a top-four finish as he and Chris Lees had a good run to second spot in their Fiesta R5, with Stephen Petch/Michael Wilkinson putting in a late charge after early problems to finish third in their Fiesta WRC.
Returning to the Border Counties following a long absence, BTRDA crews outnumbered the Scottish crews on this occasion and, after two stages in Blackburn Rig and Lime Kiln Edge, it was Llewellin who held the lead as he quickly adapted to the Fiesta R5 he was using for the first time.
Fastest on the first stage, he and Payne tied, just one second behind Henderson, on the second stage to hold a four-second lead.
“It’s a little bit different,” Llewellin said when comparing the Fiesta to the Mitsubishi Mirage he normally drives. “We’ve had a good morning, not too wild, just bedding ourselves in.”
Meanwhile, Payne was content with his steady start and was in second place ahead of Henderson, who was “cautious” in the first test, before having a bit of a push on the second to hold third place.
Also getting off to a good start were Perry Gardener/Jack Bowen who were second fastest on stage one before dropping to fourth after stage two. “It was pretty good on stage one, but a bit hit and miss on stage two,” admitted Gardener. “I could do with an extra gear at times.”
Leading Scottish crew Michael Binnie/Clare Mole said they were “getting on fine, but we can’t keep up with the R5s”. They held fifth in their Mitsubishi, with fellow Lancer crews Richard Hill/Pat Cooper and Russ Thompson/Stephen Link close behind.
Rallynuts winners Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear were in trouble already. Their Fiesta completed the first two tests in front-wheel drive, ending any chance of another win, while a tyre gamble didn’t pay off for Petch/ Wilkinson who were down in eighth position. John Wink/Neil Shanks lost time with a stage-two puncture and Ian Joel/Graeme Wood retired their Ford Escort Cosworth with gearbox issues.
The following two tests in Cardrona and Craik proved to be popular with the crews and Llewellin was fastest on the first, only to put the Fiesta in a ditch and out of the rally on the second.
Payne, who said he was “steady away, just driving it around to get points,” now had a 12s lead over Henderson, with Gardener two seconds behind.
With his car now back in fourwheel drive, Hirst went quickest through Craik to start his climb up the leaderboard, while Petch moved up a couple of places despite intermittent paddleshift issues. In the battle of the Mitsubishis, Binnie held a three-second advantage over Thompson, who had been equal third fastest in Craik, overtaking Hill for sixth.
Hirst was fastest again on the return to Blackburn Rig, while second-fastest time was good enough to promote Gardener to second overall. Payne maintained his lead as Binnie moved up to third and Henderson dropped to fourth ahead of Petch.
The final stage through Riccarton was the longest of the day, and while Payne’s win wasn’t in doubt, it was all change behind. The main beneficiary was Henderson who like Hirst, Petch and Payne beat the bogey, and was pleased to move up to second.
“We’ve kept out of trouble and concentrated on getting points today – dad’s advice on tyres was very good,” said Payne at the finish as he and Walsh took their first BTRDA win of the year.
Behind Henderson, Petch’s afternoon was far better as he moved up to third, while a slightly deflated Gardener missed out on a podium position by just one second for the second time this year.
“I’m chuffed to bits with that, I couldn’t have done anymore,” said Binnie whose Lancer’s tyres were worn after completing the final test as leading Scottish driver in fifth position, just three seconds ahead of Thompson who had another great time on the last stage to finish sixth ahead of Hill.
Hirst showed what he could have achieved without his early problems, as he pulled back to eighth, while Wink enjoyed his day as he finished ninth ahead of Eddie Lewis/Max Freeman, with event sponsor John McClory finishing 13th in his Mitsubishi.
Happiest man of the day was Payne who took a good win on an event that proved universally popular, with great stages, good weather and organisation to match.