Epic opening stage hands Payton the spoils in Dorset

Organiser: Bournemouth and District MC When: November 19 Where: Bovington camp, Dorset Championships: ASWMC Sealed Surface Stages: 6 Starters: 60.

Taking a chance and pushing hard on a slippery opening stage paid early dividends for Josh Payton and Marcus Mizen (Ford Escort Mk2) as they opened a 25-second lead that proved unassailable.

They went on to set consistent top five times on a drying track to win by 52s from Mark Welch/mark Norris (Subaru Impreza).

Welch held runner-up spot all day, but admitted to “being slow out of the box” on SS1. Changing to intermediate tyres mid-rally allowed him to hold off Simon Mansell/gareth Wilcox’s V6-powered Escort Mk2.

Mansell ran strongly throughout but retired on the final test with engine woes. That handed third to Mark Jasper/don Whyatt (Escort Mk2). Jasper lost time early on after getting stuck behind a slower runner, but fought back to set fastest time on SS3.

In their first rally in a Darrian GTR, Tony Rees/lloyd Morgan set a storming pace – including going fastest on SS4 – to overhaul Richard Seal/ Ralph Higson (Escort Mk2) for fourth spot in the closing miles. Results 1 Josh Payton/ Marcus Mizen (Ford Escort Mk2) 48m08s; 2 Mark Welch/ Mark Norris (Subaru Impreza) +52s; 3 Mark Jasper/ Don Whyatt (Escort Mk2); 4 Tony Rees/ Lloyd Morgan (Darrian GTR); 5 Richard Seal/ Ralph Higson (Escort Mk2); 6 Andrew Phillips/ Stephen Moors (Peugeot 205); 7 Danny Gibson/alf Chanter (Darrian T90); 8 Barry Warman/ Sophie Buckland (Escort Mk2); 9 Jay Wyatt/ Sally Wyatt (Escort Mk2); 10 Sam Perring/amy Fergus (BMW E36 Coupe). Class winners Barry Pavey/alan Spencer (Escort Mk2), Darren Pool/ Chris Beer (Vauxhall Corsa Maxi), Phillips/ Moors, Rees/ Morgan, Dave Bennett/james Wyatt (Subaru Impreza).