Mark Holmes took his first win in ten years bringing his MG Metro 6R4 to victory on the Legend Fires SMC Stages at Weeton Camp near Blackpool but the loss of second gear on the penultimate stage made for a nail biting finale.
Holmes, who was co-driven by rally debutant Jill Simister, started the final five mile test with a six second advantage over the Subaru Impreza of Martin Farrar and Andy Ward. By the finish his rivals had reduced the deficit by four seconds, but it wasn’t enough for them to take the victory, leaving Holmes and Simister winners by a slim two second margin.
The event, held in bright and breezy weather, attracted a strong fifty car entry for the ANCC, ANWCC and SD34 Championships counter. Farrae was quickest, by three seconds, through the opening stage but from stage two onwards it was Holmes who was had a firm grip on pole position.
Ian Joel and Katy Mashiter finished third after a trouble free run in their Ford Escort Cosworth but fourth placed Alex Taylor and Cala Sharp weren’t so fortunate finishing without first, third and fifth the gears in their Subaru Forester.
Results
1 Mark Holmes/Jill Simister (MG Metro 6R4) 1hr11m32s;
2 Martin Farrar/Andrew Ward (Subaru Impreza) 1hr11m34s;
3 Ian Joel/Katy Mashiter (Ford Escort Cosworth) 1hr13m05s;
4 Alex Taylor/Cala Sharp (Subaru Forester) 1hr14m12s;
5 Mark Borthwick/Ian Wozencroft (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6) 1hr14m27s;
6 Kevin Jeffray/Joe Parsons (Subaru Impreza) 1hr15m02s;
7 Keith Richardson/Jackie Richardson (Ford Escort Cosworth) 1hr15m21s;
8 Chris Phillips/Sarah Hughes (Peugeot 106GTi) 1hr15m30s;
9 Adam Taylor/Loic Ditchburn (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo4) 1hr15m32s;
10 Andy Woodward/Rich Pover (Ford Escort Mk4) 1hr15m35s.
Class Award Winners
A: Stephen Oade/Jason Metcalfe (Peugeot 205);
B: Phillips/Hughes;
C: Woodward/Pover;
D: Farrar/Ward.
