WILLAN VICTORIOUS ON ST WILFRIDS
Dan Willan and Andy Pullan posted a commanding win on the St Wilfrids Historic rally in their Volvo PV544 and in doing so put one hand on the Motorsport News HRCR Clubmans Championship.
John Haygarth and John Youd were two minutes in arrears in their Opel Kadett with Les Andrew on the podium for the first time in third place in his Peugeot 104ZS ably assisted by Henry Carr.
Forty nine competitors started the event from Thirsk with 14 tests and five regularities around the lanes of North Yorkshire.
Reg two caught out a number of competitors around Skiptonon-Swale. James Griffiths/
James Howell were narrow winners from Willan/Pullan and Leigh Powley/Brian Goff (Toyota Corolla).
Four slippery tests on grass in Sutton Howgrave followed. Jason and Dan Stone found traction in their Ford Escort to post the quickest time from Paul Crosby/Ali Proctor (Porsche 911) and Powley.
At the coffee halt results showed that consistency on the tests and regularities was working well for Gavin Rogers and Cath Woodman in their Reliant Scimitar who led by two seconds from Stone and four seconds ahead of Powley.
Four more tests in Lightwater Valley quarry followed. Dust was a problem as was grip on the gravel surface. The Stone brothers continued their test dominance by being fastest on all four with Willan and Powley close behind. Reg three followed around Thornton Watlass village. Griffiths/Howell were the lowest score by far in their Mini with Willan/Pullan 10s behind. The Stone brothers had a problem and lost time dropping them down the order.
At lunch results showed Rogers/ Woodman maintaining their lead, six seconds ahead of Griffiths and 14s ahead of Willan who moved up to third place. More tests followed lunch, with a repeat of the morning’s tests albeit in reverse. Powley was the quickest on the first two tests with Willan close behind.
After four tests at Lightwater Valley two regularities remained. Reg five was a plot-and-bash affair that is always a sting in the tail. A tricky spot height plot used a white road lay-by known to local crews. Three-quarters of the entry missed this including Crosby, Powley, Griffiths and Rogers; this cost Rogers victory. Willan/Pullen kept their cool and were the best on the reg followed by Stone/Stone.
Final results showed that Willan had taken his fifth win of the year this time with Pullan on the maps. The Stone brothers were best experts and Paul and Sandra Heaney best novices in their Lancia Fulvia.
Organisers: Ripon Motor Club When: August 7. Where: Thirsk North Yorks. Championships: MN HRCR Clubmans. Starters: 49.
1 Dan Willan/Andy Pullan (Volvo PV544) 19m40s; 2 John Haygarth/John Youd (Opel Kadett) +2m11s; 3 Les Andrew/Henry Carr (Peugeot 104ZS); 4 Jason Stone/Dan Stone (Ford Escort); 5 Ken Binstead/Sarah Binstead (MGB); 6 Jonathan Swales/Anji Martin (Austin Mini); 7 Simon Malins/Suzanne Barker (Hillman Hunter); 8 Hugh Garnish/David Bell (Ford Fiesta); 9 Gavin Rogers/Cath Woodman (Reliant Scimitar); 10 Paul Crosby/Ali Proctor (Porsche 911). Class winners: Stone/Stone; Paul Heaney/Sandra Heaney (Lancia Fulvia).