Mark Holmes recorded his first outright rally win since his 2000 Proflex Stages success at Leyland Test Track as he and debutant co-driver Jill Simister finished in pole position in their MG Metro 6R4. They started the final five mile test with a six second advantage over the Impreza of Martin Farrar and Andy Ward but by the finish the Subaru crew had reduced the deficit by four seconds. It wasn’t enough though as it left Holmes and Simister winners by just two seconds. After over 70 minutes of timed to the second competition winning margins don’t come much tighter than that!

The weather on the day was typical Blackpool, bright and breezy, as Farrar took an early lead heading Holmes by three seconds after three stages. Holmes was then five seconds quicker through SS4 to grab the lead he would keep hold of to the finish. His determined charge saw him lose both rear windows in brushes with the hedgerows but his biggest scare came on the final stage where he lost second gear.

Farrar’s day wasn’t without problems either as a malfunctioning centre differential allowed the car to switch from two to four wheel drive without warning. The cause was put down to a loose electrical connection that also resulted in a bump start being required prior to SS10.

Ian Joel and Katy Mashiter finished third after a virtual trouble free run in their Ford Escort Cosworth. They did have the customary brush with the scenery, in this case a water-filled barrel, which of course came on the co-drivers side!

Alex Taylor’s exuberant driving style certainly kept the marshals on their toes, not to mention a member of the film crew! Taylor and co-driver Cala Sharp survived a number of off road incidents to bring their Subaru Forester home in fourth place despite finishing without first, third and fifth the gears.

Mark Borthwick and Ian Wozencroft took fifth place in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6 after overhauling the Impreza of Kevin Jeffray and Joe Parsons and the Escort Cosworth of Keith and Jackie Richardson who finished sixth and seventh respectively.

Class B winners Chris Phillips and Sarah Hughes were first two-wheel drive finishers in their Peugeot 106GTi finishing eighth ahead of the battle scarred Lancer Evo4 of Adam Taylor and Loic Ditchburn. Taylor, who was competing in the car usually driven by his father, Duncan, collected the award for finishing first under-23 driver.

Andy Woodward was another out in a car loaned by his father and having his first experience of rear-wheel drive machinery. Together with co-driver Rich Pover he completed the top ten in Woodward Snr’s Escort Mk4 winning Class C in the process. Early class leaders Keith Dowthwaite and Tony King finished 12th overall and third in class after their Escort Mk2 slipped behind the Peugeot 206 of Mark and Matt Thompson.

Geoff McQuilling and Stephen Landen survived a number of time consuming spins in their Honda Civic finishing 13th overall and Class B runners-up ahead of Phil Scholes and Charlie Woodward’s Peugeot 205.

Thomas Stephenson and Marc Crack were another crew showing plenty sideways action in their BMW 325i as they finished 14th ahead of Ross Miller and Ben Anderson who also enjoyed the odd spin in their Peugeot 206.

Garry Houghton’s late entry was due to doubts about having the car ready in time. Some late night’s in the garage paid off for the Kirkham Carr Hill High School & Sixth Form College Motorsport Tutor, who together with Allan Davies, finished 17th in his Toyota Starlet. Houghton reckoned however that had it not been for misfiring problems, that were eventually traced to a faulty crank sensor, they would have finished much higher.

Jim Brown and Mike Oswald’s borrowed Guy Woodcock’s ex Gwyndaf Evans Ford Escort Maxi, Woodcock’s pride and joy, and then proceeded to re-model it’s front corner (co-driver’s side of course). Notwithstanding that little mishap the smiles on their faces at the finish showed they had thoroughly enjoyed the experience (driving not crashing!). Having completed the first stage in 45th place Brown admitted the day had been a steep learning curve in working their way up the order to finish 18th. Nevertheless he was keen to enquire if he could borrow it again, over to you Guy!

Howard MacPherson’s second outing in his recently acquired Ford Puma Cosworth was what may be termed as character building. Early power steering problems coupled with a string of punctures left MacPherson and co-driver John McGuiness in 19th place. Michael Pickles and Tracey Cook made steady progress throughout finishing 20th in their Escort Mk2.

Outside the top twenty Stephen Oade and Jason Metcalfe came out top of a Peugeot 205 battle with Chris Johnson and Karen Birkett to take Class A honours. Lee Hartley and Aston Bennett had been in the mix until the crankshaft broke on their Austin Mini Mayfair on SS9. It was a bitter blow for the Mini crew who earlier in the day had suffered exhaust problems, as it kept parting company with the car!

The retirement list included top seeds Mike Gilman and Iain Douglas who suffered gearbox problems with their Escort Cosworth whilst Nick and Heather Stamper went out after breaking their Impreza’s turbo oil pipe. A broken differential to their Lancer Evo4 ended Chris O’Connor and Stephen Graveson’s rally whilst Stuart Deeley and Alistair Dodd hit a kerb, sustaining suspension damage to their Lotus Banks Europa. Twenty-four hours before the rally Dave Riley had to make a long-haul flight from India in order to compete. Unfortunately he hit a kerb on SS4 damaging his Vauxhall Astra’s suspension and putting him and co-driver Adrian Atkinson out of the rally. Kevin Williams and Andrew George had the dubious honour of being first retirees after their Escort Mk2 developed a first stage gearbox problem with the selector jammed between first and second.

The biggest cheer on the day from the marshals was reserved for father and son pairing Gary and Matthew Jakeman who launched a quartet of water filled barrels into orbit after striking them with their Peugeot 205!

Last but not least Stockport 061 Motor Club would like to convey their gratitude to John Stone of Legend Fires for presenting the trophies and sponsoring the event.