Webster tops BHRC on Red Kite Stages

Webster tops BHRC on Red Kite Stages

Simon Webster and Jez Rogers (Pictured) scored their first ever win in the FUCHS LUBRICANTS Motorsport UK British Historic Rally Championship.

The hugely popular success in the round four Red Kite stages came after an exceptional day-long contest with Steve Bennett and Osian Owen in the forests of South Wales. 

As thick dust in the morning was replaced by heavy rain, the Red Kite Stages drew widespread acclaim from competitors for the quality of stages in the Margam and Rheola complexes. 

While Rudi Lancaster and Guy Weaver took third overall, Stanley Orr and Graham Henderson (Ford Escort Mk1) netted another Category 2 success to move to the top of the championship standings after four of the seven rounds.

Webster was flying from the start and took an immediate eight second lead in SS1, Margam. Bennett had to respond and did so a few minutes later in SS2, Bryn, to pull the gap back to five seconds.

On the first Rheola stage, the times were tied before SS4, Glyncastle, was cancelled due to an accident involving a non-historic car.

As rain started to fall, crews left service for a longer Margam stage and a re-run of Rheola, with Webster leading by just five seconds.

Bennett really attacked the Margam stage and turned a five second deficit into a one-second lead. However, with the benefit of two fresh rear tyres which were fitted before the final stage, Webster went three seconds faster to grab victory by just two seconds. “That’s an amazing result,” said an elated Webster. 

Never far adrift from the lead contest, Rudi Lancaster and Guy Weaver were a fine third with nine seconds in hand over fourth placed Adrian Hetherington/Ronan O’Neill. 

Orr/Henderson took fifth to win Category 2, despite a major late challenge from Josh Browne/Jane Edgington.

Browne dominated class D3 with fine pace in his Pinto-powered Escort Mk2. John Perrott and Andrew Sankey took seventh overall and second in Category 2, finishing ahead of Tim Freeman/Paul Williams.

Among the classes, the big story was in C2 as Stuart and Linda Cariss took an unexpected victory. Losing seven minutes with a first stage roll put them well out of contention, but their two major rivals were out by the end of SS2 and so the husband and wife team came through to win. Young Rory McCann set a stunning pace in the opening stage to be sixth fastest in Tim Tugwell’s Avenger, but was soon sidelined by distributor problems. Meanwhile, Philip Atkinson and Louise Gilks should have taken the class but were soon out with a failed head gasket. 

Brothers Malcolm and Ronald Mounsey took class D2 in their Sunbeam Talbot and David Kynaston/Val Thompson kept the Triumph TR7 V8 going well to take class D4.

Full results for the Red Kite Stages, which was organised by Amman and District Motor Club, are at: www.ewrc-results.com/results/57175-red-kite-stages-national-a-2019/

 

Kershaw Racing aim to bounce back

Steve Kershaw and Stuart Clark are looking to get back on track at Knockhill this weekend after a testing round three of the British Sidecar Championship at Cadwell Park.

All was going to plan when the FUCHS Silkolene-backed duo stormed to pole position, only for them to suffer a crash in race one when placed second and then be dogged by a mechanical problem in race two.

The weekend ended on a brighter note when Kershaw and Clark stormed from the back of the grid to fourth in the final race, including setting a fastest lap. This cemented second spot in the championship behind Todd Ellis and Charlie Richardson heading to this weekend’s meeting north of the border.

 

Brown and Bellerby bonanza in Wales

The latest round of the British Rallycross Championship threw up a collection of fine results for FUCHS ambassadors – with Steve Brown and Drew Bellerby leading the way in the BMW Mini Championships in Pembrey.

Round 3 (Saturday)

In the BMW Mini class, Steve Brown scored his maiden win in the first of the three heats.

Drew Bellerby, after a good day in the qualifying heats when she was vying for overall fastest heat times, lined up second on the final grid behind David Bell. Despite a determined effort, Drew couldn’t quite find a way past him and had to be content with second.  

Also going well in his first season in rallycross in the BMW Mini is Brown, and his times improved throughout the day as he came to grips with yet another new circuit.  His reward was a respectable sixth place, and an ever-increasing haul of championship points.

FUCHS-backed Paige Bellerby was out of luck in the Motorsport UK Supernational Rallycross Championship after being forced to retire at the first corner of the final having been involved in a contact. Tristan Ovenden was the dominant performer to stay ahead of Paige in the overall standings.

Round 4 (Sunday)

Sunday dawned cloudy and overcast in the morning, when all of the Bellerby RX drivers took to the revised track layout as the circuit was reversed for round four.  Each survived the practice unscathed, then headed into the three heats to determine their grid position for their respective finals.

In the Supernational class, Paige lined up in second on the grid behind Ovenden. But, as they waited for the lights out, the rain began to fall more heavily, thus ameliorating the power differential between the Lotus and the Renault.  Paige proceeded to harry and harass Ovenden throughout the six laps of the final, and was only a single second behind at the chequered flag.

In the BMW Mini final, Drew took pole position ahead of Bell, with Brown in fourth on the second row.  A blistering start from Bell saw Drew in second after the short run to the first corner but, as the rain continued to fall, Drew stuck to his tail pipe, forcing Bell into defending his position rather than building his lead.  He took his joker on the fourth lap, and Drew seized her opportunity.  With a clear track ahead of her she put her foot down and a faultless two laps allowed her to build a sufficient lead on the undercut to take her joker on the fifth lap and still emerge ahead of Bell.    

Brown surprised many in the field by heading straight into his joker on the opening lap, returning in sixth position from where he set about reeling in his rivals and, by the end of the penultimate lap, he was lying third.

The last lap was a thrilling race that saw all three drivers at their best – lunging, sliding, defending and attacking, with a handful of seconds covering all three cars.

But the positions held to the flag, with Drew taking a well-deserved win from Bell with a delighted Brown only a second behind to take his first podium.

 

Vickers produces at Mallory Park

An opening DNF didn’t deter Carl Vickers as he bounced back with three impressive finishes at Thundersport GB at Mallory Park.

Racing in the Golden Ersa Supersport and Steelsport, Vickers finished fifth, seventh and eighth in class in the remaining races.

 

More magic from Myerscough College

Myerscough College & University Centre Motorcycle team continue to excel on the track.

Their latest race weekend brought a win and three second places, a major boost ahead of next month’s trip to Donington Park.