Reports from Motorsport News of 25th October 2000
The Bristow show
BULLDOG HISTORIC RALLY Alison Woolley
SECOND place in the post-historic category of last Saturday’s Bulldog Historic Rally was enough for Nick Whale and Nick Kennedy to clinch overall victory in the inaugural MSA British Historic Rally Championship.
Fastest on the event was the Datsun 240Z of Kevin Bristow and James Morris, which finished eight seconds ahead of the Whale/Kennedy Porsche 911 RS and 20 seconds clear of the leading historic crew, the Porsche 911 of Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride. Drexel Gillespie and Gill Cotton were the second historic crew home, in the Lotus Cortina, a further minute and 13 seconds adrift.
Historic Category
THE first two stages were fairly wet and boggy, but Nutt and McBride led from the start, taking 12s from Gillespie on the opening Dyfi Main stage. The Irish challenge of John Keatley and Maurice Beckett faded on this stage when the crew retired their Porsche 911 with a broken driveshaft. Kieron Patterson and Michael Wilson were third in the Saab 96, 38s behind Nutt, while Bob Gibbons and Stuart Cardell were fourth in the Old Forge Garage Cortina GT, a further six seconds behind. On SS2, Gibbons pulled three seconds back from Patterson, and Nutt extended his lead by another 19 seconds. The next two stages are used less frequently and competitors found them even more slippery.
“We saw bits of Wales I have never seen before,” Nutt exclaimed at the finish. Nevertheless, the 911 crew continued to forge ahead with Gillespie and Gibbons holding on to second and third respectively, with the Volvo Amazon of Graham Waite and Gary Titchmarsh 40 seconds behind in fourth. At the final stage, Nutt was more than a minute clear of the pack, with Gillespie second and a jubilant Bob Gibbons in third. “I am absolutely over the moon,” Gibbons declared. Gillespie was well satisfied with second place as he was using a brand-new engine in the Lotus Cortina having blown his previous one up on last month’s Trackrod. “We only collected the car on Wednesday,” said Gillespie. “Apart from fitting the engine, the car has not been touched since the Trackrod. We gave it as much stick as we could and it has been brilliant.”
The result means that Nutt and McBride finish as runners up overall in the Minilite-supported BHRC.
Post Historic Category
THE 240Z crew of Bristow and Morris led the post-historic category from the start, taking 35 seconds from Whale on the first two stages “It was awesome,” Bristow declared. “It was one of the most enjoyable forest rallies I have ever done. These stages suit my style of driving - it is nice to be able to prove that we can win on both Tarmac and forest rallies.”
The Ford Escort crew of Jess Shakespeare and Trevor Hurley were in third place almost a minute behind with Mike Brown and Jonnie Oldham a further 20 seconds adrift in the RS1600.
On stages five and six, Whale began to make in-roads on the Datsun. “I was advised to use Colways in the wet and I am afraid I left them at home,” a rueful Whale explained despite reducing Bristow’s lead to 17 seconds after the fourth stage. However, there was to be no catching the Datsun, and Whale had to be content to settle for second place, albeit only eight seconds behind. Third crew home was the RS1600 of Brown and Oldham with the RS1600 of Dave Watkins and Gavin Heseltine almost a minute-and-a-half behind in fourth.
Whale was delighted with the result, saying: “Contrary to what some people may think, I was going for an outright win. Kevin drove very well and we were beaten fair and square. Our last stage was the best we have driven for a long time and I think this was the best Kevin has ever driven.” Whale declared himself delighted to have taken the title.
“It is great to be involved with a sport that has been recognised nationally for the first time,” he said. “The people in historic rallying are great - I have won both hill climb and saloon car championships but the people in historic rallying are genuinely friendly.”
Classes
Roberts misfires but battles back to take third
FFESTINIOG driver John Roberts brought his recently-built Lancer E6 to third overall in one of the most competitive Gp N classes in a while. Roberts and co-driver Steve Griffith had battled against an early misfire to make it to the end. Julian Reynolds was out for some pre-Rally Australia practice in his Lancer E4, finishing just four seconds behind with Richard Skinner alongside.
Seventh in class was enough for David Mann/Alun Cook to clinch this year’s GpN ANCRO title.
Graham Middleton/John Morgan were top two-wheel-drive runners in their ex-works Hyundai Coupe kit car. The former national champion was slowed by a broken anti-roll bar from the second stage onwards, nevertheless he managed a top-20 finish in what were far from ideal two-wheel-drive conditions.
Just 24 seconds behind Middleton came the first of the Mk2 Escorts. Robin Bradbury and Peter Thomas took B11 despite a flying pairing of Phil Collins and Howard Davies earlier in the day. When the latter were side lined with transmission trouble, Bradbury took the laurels.
“We had a misfire on the second stage,” said Bradbury. “Apart from that, the only problem was consistent bad tyre choices.”
John Ashton/Mark Lewis (Ford Escort) were the masters of B10, with Phil and Mick Squires overcoming a huge moment on SS4 to place their similar car second in class.
Neil Collins/James Phillips (Ford Escort kit car) survived wiper failure and major gearbox problems to claim second in A6 behind Middleton, while Dave and Pamela Hull (Vauxhall Astra) took a 30-second N2 win from Skip Green/Martyn Allen (Rover 220).
The N1 honours went to Kathryn and Paul Heath in their Skoda Felicia.