Mark helps steer Antony to win
Last updated 19:21, Thursday, 21 February 2008
I FAILED to make the Fell Side Auto Club 2008 Northern Classic Trial but have had reports of yet another outstanding event which attracted a healthy entry of cars as varied as Austin 7s and VW Beetles to Skodas, MG Midgets, many specials and a variety of motorcycles.
Normally driving a sporting trials car, Mark Milne from Carlisle rode as navigator and bouncer for Antony Young in a VW Beetle and the pair were delighted with their first in Class after the rigours of the various tests.
Clerk of the course, Martin Willis, said that the conditions were not ideal in that the various up hill tests were not muddy enough and thus he had to resort to quickly re-planning some starts to make them more difficult and having tyre pressure limits to stop the more capable classes getting an unfair advantage.
West Country crew of Nigel Hilling and John Strather were 1st Overall in their venerable VW Beetle but local honours were upheld by Adrian Dommett from Seaton when with Judy Phillip in the left-hand seat he got his Wolseley Hornet to third Overall.
The Clubsport event was won by Stuart Lambert at the wheel of a Cannon special with Penrith driver, Mark Powley in his Frazer Nash slotting in second.
In the motorbike event, Pately Bridge rider Roger Tushingham on a Royal Enfield claimed first overall but Kendal rider Robert Wilson on a Yamaha won Class 4.
LARA expert, Geoff Wilson from Lazonby put up a good performance to finish 6th on his Honda.
Time is running out for those who want to compete in the 33rd Malcolm Wilson Rally on Saturday, March 1 as the organisers tell me that entries are nearly full.
Starting as usual in Cockermouth High Street, the first car will be flagged off at 8.30am and head to the first stage at Hobcarton for 8.50 followed by Comb at 9.03, Wythop at 9.23, Greystoke at 10.14, Grizedale South at 12.24, Grizedale North at 12.52 and the last stage back in Greystoke at 14.55 before they come back to Cockermouth ramp for the champagne Finish at 15.55.
It is expected that the great former British Champion, Jimmy McRae and father of the late Colin McRae will drive the course car and behind him will follow the Who’s Who of local and national rallying.
It is good to see that Windermere’s veteran Chris Huddlestone has an entry and I take my hat off to him after the terrible accident he had a few years ago that has left him with considerable pain.
Penrith’s Marcus Noble will also be out in his classic Mk2 Ford Escort with his regular co-driver Helen Hall in the left-hand seat, while Hawkshead stalwart, David Shuttkleworth, will hope to do well as usual in his Mitsubishi EVO 4.
After one or two hiccups this season, Carlisle’s Phil Jobson is keen to put the past behind him in his rebuild Mk 2 Escort while Kirkby Stephen friendly rivals Jonathon Sproat (Fiesta) and Colin Smithson (Corsa) will be locked in battle.
Having made a great start to the season, West Cumbria Motor Club heroes, Richard and Edwin Cook, will doubtless be mixing it with the front runners in their trusty Vauxhall Astra.
Making the forest ring with their waste gate barks, several World Rally Cars are likely to be impressive with Steve Petch from Durham being among the favourites.
However, the rally, which is fully backed and supported by Malcolm Wilson of M-Sport, is always one of high attrition as the crews have no time to ease themselves in on such a short one-day event.
So spectators are bound to see great sideways action in some of the finest forest stages in the UK, which I am told by the organisers are in tip top condition.
So if you want an entry, log onto www.malcolmwilsonrally.co.uk
Now, before it’s too late, and if you are going to watch please respect local residents by parking only where directed and not being a prat and trying to prove why you’re not a rally driver!
