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Bulletin – 07/09
After a 3 year absence rallying returned to the Hamsterley forest for the Tour of Hamsterley Rally, which had a new format of a Barnard Castle base, with stages in Hamsterley and Stang forests, this was the 4th counting round of the 2009 SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship.
The change of forest didn’t result in a change in the order among the SG Petch ANECCC competitors, with Richard and Edwin Cook (Subaru Impreza) taking their 3rd maximum points of the season, and 5th overall in the rally. 1 second behind 4th. It wasn’t all plain sailing after a puncture on stage 6 caused by contact with a bridge parapet, and being held up as spectators pulled another competitor out of a ditch. 6th overall and 2nd in the ANECCC championship were Charlie Taylor/Steve Bieby in their historic spec Ford Escort MkII, also inside the top 10 in 8th were William Jarman/Mark Fisher (Escort Cosworth), this was despite a slow time on the second stage and a very fast nose down tail up moment on one of the later stages. Mark I’Anson/Alec Cooper (Mitsubishi Evo8) scored their first SG Petch ANECCC points of the season in 12th overall despite a constant misfire for most of the rally.
Matthew Smith/Neil Colls (Peugeot 205) were the highest scoring 1600cc car in 18th place also winning their class. Alan Hughes/Mike Scrimgour (Ford Escort MkII) were second in the 2000cc class, behind Charlie Taylor, despite putting their car on its side after the flying finish on one stage, and required spectator help to right it. Alan was sandwiched between the Subaru Imprezas of John Bainbridge/Giles Dykes and Peter Thornton/Tim Hobbs. Giles didn’t think he could take part in the Tour of Hamsterley as his wife was expecting their first child around the 10th, but an early arrival meant Giles could take part, mother and baby are doing fine.
Barnard Castle locals Alistair Hutchinson/St John Dykes (Renault Clio LPG) were pleased with their 5th place in the 2000cc class, with their only problem being lack of ground clearance due to running what was basically tarmac suspension. Highest placed 1400cc SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship contenders were Andrew Benn/Richard Cooke (Vauxhall Astra), despite an early scare when the car refused to start just before the rally started. Mark Thompson (Peugeot 206) co-driven by his nephew Matthew had a steady run on Matthews first time in the forests and first time on pace notes. Final finishers were Amanda and Derek Cornforth (Ford KA) had a bad start to the day spending over 5 minutes in a ditch on the first stage.
This leaves the current championship standings as follows:-
Drivers: - Richard Cook 66 points, William Jarman 37 points, Charlie Taylor 35 points, Geoff Wilson 22 points, Des Campbell 18 points and John Bainbridge 16 points.
Co-Drivers: - Edwin Cook 64 points, Mark Fisher 39 points, Giles Dykes 33 points, Steve Bielby 32 points, Richard Cooke 30 points and Sean O’Neill 20 points,
The championship now shifts to tarmac for the Jim Clark Reivers Rally; entries have now closed and as usual there is a bumper entry, with over 150 entries being received a week before the final closing date. Full details of the rally is available on the rally website www.jimclarkrally.com
The championship stays on tarmac for round 6 with the Tyneside Stages on Otterburn, this year the rally is a joint promotion between Alnwick and Berwick Clubs, and a 70 stage mile route is being planned which will be competitively priced. Regs will be available soon on the rally website www.tynesidestages.co.uk
On July 12th it is back to the forests for the Greystoke Stages which joins the ANECCC championship for the first time, after a very successful first running in 2008. As in 2008 the rally will be run solely in Greystoke Forest, the current testing ground for M-Sport and the BP/Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team. For the event the stages will be re-graded and should be in great condition. The format will be similar to 2008 with 35 stage miles and servicing completely contained within the forest, with an entry fee of £295. regs are now available at 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, 2009