BINNIE MAKES HIS MARK ON A SINGLE-VENUE SHOWDOWN
Championship ace Michael Binnie made it a debut win as, sharing his new Mitsubishi Lancer E9 with Claire Mole, he was victorious on his first single-venue rally.
David McMullan/Marc Melhuish were the early leaders, but after their four-second lead was halved by Binnie on stage two. Binnie took charge on the next.
Initially chasing the lead duo was the Mitsubishi Lancer E7 of Julian Hope/Neil Chambers, but they had the Subaru Imprezas of Joe Cunningham/Josh Beer and Neil Roskell/John Cope soon poised to challenge for their third with all three covered by only 3s.
After three stages Binnie was 7s up, from McMullan, Cunningham, Roskell and Martin
Farrar/Andy Ward’s Impreza, after Hope had a rear puncture.
McMullan’s rally was over when the propshaft broke at the start of stage four, leaving Binnie 12s up on Cunningham, from Roskell and Steve Pawson/ Graham Wride’s Impreza.
Over the final two stages Binnie’s advantage became a winning margin of 20s, but, after a collision on the penultimate stage, Cunningham was stuck in fourth gear for the whole of the final run.
Roskell and Pawson completed the top three, from Scott Renshaw/ Chris Bullock’s Impreza, Martin Hodgson/Tony Jones’s Escort and Craig/Steve Renshaw’s Impreza, with Cunningham, dropping to seventh. Results
Harold Palin Memorial Stages
Organisers: Eastwood Motor Club When: May 2 Where: Fulbeck, Lincs Stages: 6 Starters: 57 1 Michael Binnie/Claire Mole (Mitsubishi Lancer E9) 33m01s; 2 Neil Roskell/John Cope (Subaru Impreza) +20s; 3 Steve Pawson/Graham Wride (Subaru Impreza); 4 Scott Renshaw/Chris Bullock (Subaru Impreza); 5 Martin Hodgson/Tony
Jones (Ford Escort Mk2); 6 Craig Renshaw/Steve Renshaw (Subaru Impreza) 7 Joe Cunningham/ Josh Beer (Subaru Impreza); 8 Jonathan Lightbody/Dane Chapman (Subaru Impreza); 9 Eddie Lewis/Dom Adams (Ford Fiesta R4); 10 Antony Ellery/Dan Tribe (Ford Escort Mk2).
Class winners: Paddy Homan/Tom Homan (Ford Puma); James Evans/Ffion Davies (Ford Fiesta R2); Lewis/Adams; Hodgson/Jones.