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RALLY NEWS NO.5 Pickering/Service/Saturday 6.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 11 – FINAL STAGE
1st (2) Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Lancer N) 1.30.17.5
2nd (3) Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Impreza N) 1.31.07.8
3rd (5) David Higgins/Ieuan Thomas (Impreza N) 1.32.40.7
4th (4) Gwyndaf Evans/Huw Lewis (Lancer N) 1.33.16.9
5th (6) Phillip Morrow/Daniel Barrett (Lancer N) 1.34.40.7
6th (16) Danny Barry/Mark Bowens (Lancer N) 1.35.16.5
7th (20) Stephen Petch/Michael Wilkinson (Lancer N) 1.35.29.8
8th (11) Nik Elsmore/Patrick Walsh (Lancer N) 1.36.02.0
9th (9) Sebastian Ling/Aled Rees (Lancer N) 1.36.30.7
10th (1) Ryan Champion/Craig Thorley (Impreza N) 1.36.35.4
Guy Wilks, co driven by Phil Pugh in his Mitsubishi Lancer, put on a terrific show today to win this Trackrod Rally Yorkshire by 50s from Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy in their Subaru. David Higgins/Ieuan Thomas came into 3rd in their Subaru when Gwyndaf Evans had a small delay with a gear change problem on the last stage and dropped to 4th. Phillip Morrow’s 5th place was enough to win him the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge. In the National Rally Steve Perez and his co driver Stephen McAuley scored an emphatic win in their VK Focus WRC from the similar Ford of Paul Bird.
Speaking just before the finish ramp Guy Wilks commented. “We set a cracking stage time on the first stage and managed the rally after that. On the long stage (Langdale) we pulled another 7s an asserted to the other drives that we were not messing about. I’m pleased to have the pace that we’ve had all year and finish the rally. The stages were all good, very hard, but very fast. We were pulling 128mph at times into the wood yard, which wasn’t hanging about and my heart was racing”. Mark Higgins drove hard all day to keep his Championship hopes alive, the points in the Tesco 99 British Championship are now: Mark on 77: Guy Wilks 61 and Gwyndaf Evans 58. (This is provisional).
Ryan Champion and Craig Thorley did well to come into the top 10 following their earlier punctures. Ryan said at the finish. “I needed match practice”. Gwyndaf Evans told us. “The selection circlip on the gear cable came off and I had a box full of neutrals. I managed to fix it but it took a couple of minutes. I’m a bit pissed off to be honest”. (4th place wasn’t that bad!).
David Higgins survived a puncture on the last stage on his Subaru, the tyre came off the rim and he said. “It was great to be back in a Subaru, the Autotek team was fantastic to work with and hopefully I can drive the car again”.
Phillip Morrow, co driven by Daniel Barrett into 5th overall and Mitsubishi Evo Challenge winners, said. “Towards the end of the stages I could hear every wee noise. On a bad bump we broke the oil cooler bracket and I had to cable tie the cooler back on. I nursed the car to the finish line”. The 24 year old from Lisburn in Northern Ireland ended by saying. “It was the best feeling ever crossing the finish line”.
Young Stephen Petch came through very strongly towards the end to finish 7th o/a despite the centre diff on his Lancer coming loose and having to be tightened up at every opportunity. Danny Barry had a great run today and if it hadn’t been for a 40s road penalty would have finished 5th instead of 6th. 23 year old Daniel who comes from Enniskerry in Co.Wicklow works in his father’s transport business and does all his own preparation work on the car. This is probably his best result to date.
Further news is that Vesa Mikkola has crashed his Honda on the penultimate stage to hand the class lead to Fraser Jones in the Fiesta. Martin Laverty is 2nd in that class in his C2 from Japanese driver Kusamo. James Wozencroft in the works Suzuki was heading for 2nd in class but he has dropped 2 minutes and is now 4th. His Suzuki team mate Lorna Smith is just behind.
Finally for now it was great to be back on the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire. Well down to CoC Rod Parkin and all his team. Many thanks to all who helped and supported the Rally News service.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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