SMALLEYS PLAY SANTA AT STANTA CHRISTMAS SHOWDOWN

Three fastest times in succession propelled David and Mathew Smalley to victory on the

Stanta Christmas Targa.

Blowing off the Christmas cobwebs, crews tackled tests at the Stanta Battleground in Norfolk. After the first loop of three tests Chris and Jamie Woolley held a narrow lead of two seconds over Keith and Martin Lane, while Smalley/ Smalley were 10 seconds off the lead in third place.

The Smalleys were then quickest on all three tests in the next group, putting them into a seven-second lead from Woolley/Woolley at the halfway point.

Meanwhile, Lane/Lane were penalised for a wrong test on Test 4, dropping them well down the order. They took fastest time on Tests 8 and 9, which pushed them back up to finish in eighth place at the finish.

Smalley/Smalley maintained their pace throughout the day and came home 15 seconds in front of Woolley/Woolley, to give the driver his debut rally win.

From a start number of 36, Alistair and Nathan Brown put their Peugeot 205 into seventh overall and a class lead after three tests, but then engine problems stopped them on Test 4.

Two tests were lost after a car went off; it couldn’t be recovered and was considered to be in too dangerous a position for other competitors to pass.

Results

Stanta Christmas Targa

Organiser: Anglia Motor Sport Club, King’s Lynn & District Motor Club and Sporting Car Club of Norfolk When: December 28 Where: West Tofts Camp Tests: 10 Starters: 59. 1 David Smalley/Matthew Smalley (Vauxhall Corsa) 49m15s; 2 Chris Woolley/Jamie Woolley (BMW 318) +15s; 3 Mark Petersen/Jim Bowie (MG ZR); 4 Jon Bray/Jack Matthews (MG ZR 160); 5 James Fewell/Alex Fewell (Ford Puma); 6 Mike Thomas/Matt Thomas (Peugeot 205); 7 Alan Coombs/Andy Bainbridge (Renault Clio Williams); 8 Keith Lane/Martin Lane (Ford Ka); 9 Adrian White/Ellen White (BMW 318Ti); 10 Steve Burles/Tilly Burles (Rover 25). Class winners: Bray/Matthews; Thomas/Thomas.