ROCKING HAM’ S FITTING RALLY DE BUT

Rockingham circuit is known for some brilliant racing memories, but the circuit has a long rallying history which also comes to an end when the circuit closes to motorsport at the end of the year. Rallying launched onto the scene at Rockingham in 2004, three years after opening, to a strong nationallevel entry, most of whom are still competing at a high level today.

Car number one was Stephen Simpson, co-driven by Mark Booth in a Hyundai Accent WRC. Bringing the fight to him was perennial Asphalt Championship rival John Stone and navigator Lee Carter, in the third of Stone’s MG Metro 6R4s. Old vs new for the first ever rally at the circuit.

Simpson had the advantage for most of the day in his ex-freddy Loix and Armin Schwarz car, but as the rally – then a one-day event – reached its climax, Stone wanted to provide a fitting ending.

He needed to go a second a mile faster on the last stage to take victory in his ex-tony Pond car.

“At that time there weren’t many single-venue rallies at circuits running, but I remember the facilities being fantastic,” says Stone.

“Going into the darkness, we gunned it on the last stage and I remember coming into the control feeling that we’d done it, and it was one of my best rally memories.

“There’s a few times where you drive a car and you can feel everything working perfectly. Everything worked and that was one of those times.

“We [with Carter] were quite a formidable team at that time and it was a really good rally. Lee was the king of single venues. He was a brilliant co-driver and he was just pushing me all the way.”

It was enough as Stone took victory by just three measly seconds.

Stone returned to the venue for the last ever event there, winning the one-day Sunday rally aboard his Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

Times have changed since 2004, but the rivalry hasn’t. ‘Simmo’ Simpson and Stone are still fighting multiple times a year, but sadly it will never be at Rockingham again. Stone’s win in the last event – having won the first – was a fitting send off.