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Bulletin – 06/10
After a break of seven weeks the competitors in the SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship returned to the action on the SG Petch supported Tour of Hamsterley Rally. The rally followed the same format that was successful in 2009, starting from its base in Barnard Castle competitors headed to Hamsterley for 3 stages, followed by service back at Barnard Castle before two stages in Stang forest, returning to Barnard Castle for second service before repeating the loop of stages in Hamsterley.
Reigning ANECCC champions Richard and Edwin Cook (Subaru Impreza) took maximum championship points for the 3rd time this year, and finished 4th overall, just failing by one second to take 3rd place off Malloch Nicoll despite a last stage charge where they were 19 seconds faster than Malloch. One place behind the Cooks were the first two wheel drive car home Michael Glendinning/Paul Hughes (Ford Escort MkII) who reported finding the grass covered section in Hamsterley particularly slippy. In 6th place overall, and 1st historic crew, were Charlie Taylor/Steve Bielby (Ford Escort MkII) who were first car on the road, as the historic cars were running ahead of the main field allowing the older cars to have the best road conditions, they also found the stages very slippery but particularly enjoyed the Stang stages.
4th and 5th place SG Petch ANECCC Championship points went to a couple of crews experiencing a number of 1st. John Bainbridge/Giles Dykes were having their first outing in a new Subaru Impreza and gradually built up speed as they got used to the car, the only complaint being a very slow gear change on the standard gearbox. Two seconds behind were Cumbria brothers Dave and Steve Nicolson (Mitsubishi Evo 4) who were experiencing Hamsterley for the first time, Dave thought the end of the 3rd stage had cut up until Steve told him he had left out all the cautions and bumps in the pace notes to try and make him go faster.
Other SG Petch ANECCC Championship finishers were Joanna and Guy Wickham (Subaru Impreza) who had a clean run with no reported incidents, Tony Thompson/Paul Hudson (Vauxhall Chevette) lost over one minute on the 3rd stage when the alternator failed and the engine wouldn’t rev above 5000rpm. Neil Ayre/Kevin Garthwaite (Mitsubishi Evo 6) lost time when they slowed to check a fellow competitor, who had crashed on the 2nd stage, was OK, and then on the first Stang stage had to pull over to let Stephen Petch past who was on his second run through Stang. Mark I’Anson/Graeme Walker (Mitsubishi Evo 
suffered from overheating problems all day, having to stop at different times to allow the engine to cool. Alistair Hutchinson/St John Dykes (Renault Clio) would have been the first front wheel drive car if they had not stopped for over 5 minutes on the last stage when the wiring shorted out on the starter motor. Mark and Matt Thompson (Peugeot 206) were distracted by a knocking noise under the car but couldn’t find any problems. The only SG Petch ANECCC Championship contender not to make the finish were the first time visitors to Hamsterley, David Newall/Peter McLean (Mitsubishi Evo who retired on the second stage with differential problems. They got the car back to Barnard Castle and set about replacing the diff, hoping to get back out for the second loop through Hamsterley, but found a gearbox problem they couldn’t fix so they had to retire.
After five rounds the current points standings are:-
Drivers
Richard Cook 75 pts, Charlie Taylor 34 pts, Joanna Wickham 29 pts, Michael Glendinning 27pts, Peter Thornton 25 pts, and Tony Thompson (Snr) 23 pts.
Co-drivers.
Edwin Cook 75 pts, Steve Bielby 40 pts, Paul Hudson 30 pts, Stephen Thompson 27 pts, Giles Dykes 22 pts and Fred Roberts and Chris Hamill 20 pts.
After four rounds in the forest it is now a switch to tarmac for the Jim Clark Reivers Rally on the 30th May, full rally information is available on the rally website www.jimclarkrally.com if you haven’t got your entries in it is now too late as they closed on the 13th May.
There is then a short return to the forests for the Greystoke Stages, before a run of four tarmac rallies. The Greystoke Stages is on the 25th July and regulations are now available on the rally website www.greystokestages.co.uk
If anyone has any questions please contact.
Gordon Dundee
S G Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship Coordinator
Home - 0191 3773228
Mobile - 07799 140427
E-mail - gordon@dundee.fsworld.co.uk.
Posted in Bulletins on: May 14th, 2010