Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Rally Results
FUCHS LUBRICANTS BTRDA BRONZE STAR CHAMPIONSHIP
BRICK-BUILT NOVA WINS THE DAY!...
Not only was this Dave & Freddy Brick’s first event in the FUCHS LUBRICANTS BTRDA Bronze Star (1400) Championship since April, but it also marked their first finish of the season – and it was a significant one at that! Their Nova swept all before it, coming home almost a minute clear of the opposition to take a class win (obviously!) and add its name to the list of maximum points recipients this season.
Nigel Jenkins’ smart Nova was runner-up and, while Pete Gorst/Mark Twiname’s version had started the day in a similar condition, a large dent in the roof served to detract from its overall appearance by the time it returned to Ludlow Racecourse. Never mind! Having retired from the Nicky Grist Stages, 3rd place points – just 3s adrift of Jenkins - on the Woodpecker will come as a relief to the crew and, now that dropped scores come into play, they can add them to the three maximums they’ve already got. Game on!...
Dale Glover/Sean Ward’s Alfasud TI was right behind the two Novas, while Ed James/ Charlie Mason’s Micra Kit Car was also somewhat battle-scarred by the finish. However, in the absence of erstwhile series leader Lewis Hooper, Ed now joins Charlie at the top of his respective points table.
Adrian & Matt Walk (Ka) took their second consecutive maximum in Class 1400C and, in so doing, move closer to the non-finishing (on this occasion!) leaders Richard Garnett/Stefan Arndt whose Micra broke a driveshaft on the penultimate stage. On only its second run-out of the season, Edward Wain/Noel Murphy’s MG ZR survived the rigours of the day to take 2nd place behind the Walks.
Elsewhere in the BTRDA Rally Series:
MRF TYRES BTRDA GOLD STAR® CHAMPIONSHIP
CALLUM’S BACK IN BLACK!...
Callum Black returned to the MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series on the Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Rally in a brand-new, black-liveried Fiesta Rally2 and, setting fastest times on five of the six stages, came away with a win and maximum Gold Star® Rally Championship points. The only other crew to set an FTD during the day were Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear, coincidentally in Callum’s old Fiesta R5, who led the event briefly before getting up close and personal with a bank on the second run through Haye Park which damaged the rear suspension and led to their subsequent retirement.
Ludlow resident Perry Gardener and co-driver Jack Bowen, in their Fiesta R5 which had been refettled following its off on the Nicky Grist Stages, were hoping to emulate the success of Perry’s dad, Shaun, who won his ‘home’ event in both 2006 and 2008. Having to settle for runners-up spot on the day, this pair nevertheless achieved their best result of the season to date and, with two events to go, are still in a position to challenge for top spot.
Starting what was to be a very busy weekend, Elliot Payne/Patrick Walsh took the final podium place in their Fiesta Rally2 before dashing off to Aberystwyth to contest Rali Bae Ceredigion which started on the Saturday evening! With two wins, two second places and now a 3rd, these two are definitely in the pound seats when it comes to Garry Pearson/Niall Burns’ likely successors to the Gold Star title, but there is still plenty of work to be done….
Stephen Petch/Michael Wilkinson brought their Fiesta Rally2 home in 4th, just ahead of the frantic dash for Class B13 supremacy. In the event, Russ Thompson/Steve Link, in their recently repaired Lancer EVO9, arrived back at Ludlow Racecourse a mere one second in front of the similar car of Gold Star leaders Richard Hill/Pat Cooper. Rob Wilson/Richard Crozier took 3rd in class, with both Ian Joel/Graeme Wood (Escort Cosworth) and Pat Naylor/Ian Lawrence (Lancer EVO9) finishing in the Top Ten overall.
B13 winner last time out on the Nicky Grist Stages, James Giddings (Lancer EVO9) decided that discretion was the better part of valour and retired after suffering his second rear brake calliper fire of the day. So, the Trackrod Forest Rally next and we wait to see who’s up to speed (literally!) on the super-quick stages on the North York Moors…
MRF TYRES BTRDA SILVER STAR® CHAMPIONSHIP
THE FLYING KIWI RETURNS!...
On only their third BTRDA event of the season, Boyd Kershaw and Keegan Rees added their names to the list of MRF Tyres BTRDA Silver Star® Championship maximum scorers with a class win in their Escort MkII. Half-a-minute behind and just squeezing into the Top Twenty overall, Michael McDaid/Declan Casey (Escort) were next with former series leaders Rob Wright/Mark Fisher (Escort) in 3rd place.
Nick Dobson’s progress was hampered by a lack of suitable tyres for his Escort, with the inevitable effect on stage times. However, his perseverance was rewarded with a finish and, although by a reduced margin, the Ilkley driver still leads the Silver Star table.
McDaid/Casey were joined by Jonathan Brace/Paul Spooner’s Escort RS1600 in taking Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Historic Cup® class wins and, although Grant Inglis/Gavin Chisholm’s day came to an abrupt halt when their Escort hit a log in Cwm Y Gerwyn, they maintain their dominance in the table. Meanwhile, James Lepley (Escort MkII) recorded his best result of the season with a 3rd in class.
Mat Jackson/Sasha Heriot finished 20s ahead of BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup leaders, Jonathan Jones/Jez Rogers (both Fiestas), to take their second maximum of their campaign but the day wasn’t kind to the others hoping to move their respective seasons forward. Recently crowned BTRDA Rallye R2 Junior Cup Champion Billy Grew & Simon Rogers (Fiesta) and Scott & David Sloan (Peugeot 208) both went off on SS1, while Tony Simpson/Ian Bevan’s Fiesta broke a driveshaft on the penultimate stage of the day.
MOTORSPORT UK ENGLISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP IN ASSOCIATION WITH SEACON UK
ROOM FOR ONE MORE ON TOP!...
You should hopefully know by now that, as a class-based series, the Motorsport UK 2022 English Rally Championship in association with Seacon UK, is a very close-fought affair and, as such, any slight deviation from a clear run on an event will have an effect on individual positions. Throughout the summer Nick Dobson has been dining out on the strength of his exalted position as Championship leader(!) but, as detailed above, his tyre troubles on the Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Rally coupled with Richard Hill’s comparatively stress-free run have seen the two drivers swop places – for now, at least. So, at the halfway stage, Mr Hill’s Lancer EVO9 is a mere one point in front of Nick’s Escort, with Ian Joel’s Escort Cosworth and the Fiesta Rally2 of Stephen Petch in joint 3rd place, two points behind. So, in a number of different ways, there’s plenty more mileage in this one before the finale in early December!
Those who travelled home from Ludlow with maximum scores under their belts included Russ Thompson (Lancer EVO9), Rob Wright (Escort), Callum Black (Fiesta Rally2), Jonathan Brace (Escort RS1600), Mat Jackson (Fiesta R2).
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS:
A full list of all the MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series points after the Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages can be found in the Competitor section of www.btrdarally.com and on the Sportity app.
