Forest Rally By Ryan Winthrop

Last updated 05:35, Friday, 18 July 2008

WEST Cumbria Motorsport Club’s new forest rally, the Greystoke Stages, with a entry of 56 cars but only 41 finished in a fraught day for the organisers.

But despite the difficulties which caused significant delays to schedule the local club’s event, which attracted entries from all over the country, was hailed a success and is expected to run again next year.

The first stage saw early incidents to test the officials to the limit in what West Cumbria Motor Sport Club’s first attempt at a Forest event.

Car 1 and first seed, Steve Petch went out of the event after his prop shaft broke free from his Mitsubishi Evo 9 and punctured his fuel tank, resulting in a small fire.

Then there was big crash when a MK 2 Escort went over the flying finish upside down.

The next stage saw a few cars into ditches, again testing the recovery crews who performed so well throughout that they won the event’s Spirit of the Rally Award.

But it was Stage really tested them, and it was again the flying finish that caused one of the problems when a yellow Subaru driven by one of our WCMC’s, David Jackson crossed the flying finish upside down, rolling thrice and resulting in the navigator Nicola Smith being taken to hospital for a checkup, but she back in the service park and okay by the end of the day.

The marshals had just got that cleaned up when a Peugeot 205 went off and was then hit by another car, totally blocking the stage and causing the cancellation Stages Three and Four on safety grounds.

Things quietened down in the afternoon and with no major problems other than minor offs.

To their credit the organisers managed to add and extra stage to make up for those cancelled event despatched messengers to Penrith to get the paperwork printed.

Only two club members didn’t finish the rally, David Jackson / Nicola Smith was one and Willie Jarman / Mark Fisher who, blew the differential on their Cosworth on Stage Three.

First WCMC member home was navigator Richard Millener, fourth overall, and Alex Benn was four places behind him in eighth, despite doing the last three stages with broken suspension.

The husband and wife pairing of Keith and Jacqueline Richardson received the highest WCMC placed crew award (23rd overall) and 26th overall were Kevin Charles / Anthony Jevons.

Whitehaven’s Peter Thornton had a good rally, having been out for two years, finishing 28th overall. He had been in the top 10 but an excursion into the geography saw him get stuck and lose valuable minutes.

Then there were four WCMC crews close together, 33rd Mitch McGrath (Frizington)/ driving his Peugeot 205 Rallye and with only a couple of spins he had a good day.