SUBARU MAN FLEMING ENDS UP ON TOP AT SLIPPERY SMEATHARPE
Subaru Impreza driver Craig Fleming scored his second win in a row on Sunday’s Smeatharpe Stages.
Fleming and Peter Elkins took the lead on SS3 and set a series of four fastest times in a row to win by 1m36 seconds from Chris White/Graham Capper (Ford Escort Mk2). Jack Thorne/Andrew Richards, also Escort mounted, finished third, 18s in arrears.
Fleming held fourth overall behind White in the opening stages. Taking advantage of four-wheel-drive grip in the continuing slippery conditions, he sealed victory between stages three to six, going in total 1m30s faster than his Escort rival.
White drove strongly all day to take second spot. He battled early on with Thorne and Chris Butcher/ Jonathan Hawkins (Nissan Sunny F2) for the other podium places. Mechanical problems on SS4 and SS5 cost several seconds but he fought back and when Butcher dropped back with a burst hose, White outpaced Thorne in the closing miles to win Class C.
Third-placed Thorne drove a consistent rally, moving up from seventh after SS1 to challenge for Class C. Never lower than fifth overall fastest in the closing three stages, he stayed ahead of Rob de St Paer/Steve Hobbs (Escort Mk2) whose Class D victory followed a trouble-free run, including going second fastest on SS1.
Sam Perring Will Frost (Mitsubishi Lancer E3) benefited from handling set-up changes throughout the day, climbing to fourth overall after SS7. Running on slicks in a wet final stage, they held on to fifth spot and won Class E by 2s from Tom Jones/Andy Conibear (Subaru Impreza). Results
Smeatharpe Stages
Organisers: Burnham on Sea Motor
Club When: June 5 Where: Upottery airfield, Devon Championships: ACSMC, ASWMC Starters: 60 Stages: nine.
1 Craig Fleming/Peter Elkins (Subaru Impreza) 49m29s; 2 Chris White/Graham Capper (Ford Escort Mk2) +1m36s; 3 Jack Thorne/Andrew Richards (Ford Escort Mk2); 4 Rob de St Paer/ Steve Hobbs (Ford Escort Mk2); 5 Sam Perring/Will Frost (Mitsubishi Lancer E3); 6 Tom Jones/Andy Conibear (Subaru Impreza); 7 Mark Clayton/Nic Clayton (Toyota Starlet); 8 Chris Butcher/Jonathan Hawkins (Nissan Sunny F2); 9 Danielle Furzeland/ Yvonne Furzeland (Subaru Impreza B13); 10 Darren Poole/Danielle Poole (Vauxhall Corsa). Class winners: Alex Roscoe/Stephen Roscoe (Nissan Micra), Poole/Poole, White/Capper, de St Paer/Hobbs, Perring/Frost.