Motorsport By Tony Brunskill

Last updated 08:44, Friday, 12 December 2008

WITH regret I had to miss last Saturday’s Coppermines Grizedale Forest Rally last Saturday as it is always a cracking and compact event of high speed action but I am grateful to long-standing rally mate and photographer Dave Culley for supplying me with some details and the shot of the winning Subaru.

Fired up for the forest: Mark Higgins in action

Starting in Coniston, the forest action was fierce and resulted in a reasonably high attrition rate as the cars fought for honours but it was comfortably won by past British Rally Champion driver Mark Higgins, with ex-world championship winning co-driver Nicky Grist in a Subaru Impreza.

There were six stages held mainly within the Grizedale Forest complex and the crowds were rewarded by some spectacular sideways action from a variety of cars.

Organised by the Furness and District Motor Club the rally has found a very successful formula over the years and resulted in an impressive full entry of 90 cars.

It is a measure of how cost-effective the rally is that whereas some other club's have had to cancel their premier rallies due to lack of entries, doubtless due to the financial climate, with the grateful support of the holiday cottage company, Coppermines based in Coniston, the Grizedale Stages goes from strength to strength.

The intensity of the competition was witnessed by the fact that only 61 cars finished out of 90 starters, a situation not helped by it being bitterly cold, icy and foggy.

Seeded No1 Higgins/Grist were in an ex-Carlos Sainz Subaru Impreza, and among the many locals, Bentham's Dave Wright was seeded at number 6 in a Mitsubishi Evo9 with Robert Fagg in the co-driver's seat.

West Cumbria was well represented firstly by William Jarman/Mark Fisher in their faithful Escort Cosworth (seeded 27), immediately behind them were Paul Benn/Keith Richardson in a similar Escort Cosworth.

At 37 was the regular pairing of Richard & Edwin Cook in their Astra, while Peter Thornton/Stephen Thompson (Subaru Impreza) took the number 43 slot.

Dave & Steve Nicholson were at 64 in their Vauxhall Nova while Sain Beaty/Dave Antrobus were in the Nuvia-supported Ford Ka at 79.

Andrew & Reg Irving took the number 84 slot in their Peugeot 205 and immediately behind them were Nick Stamper/Steve Brockbank in a Skoda Felicia. Finally, Martin Breen/Simon Graham were in a Peugeot 106Rallye.

However, the rally not only included high-speed action, it also had an element of history as the forest rang to the sound of an immaculate Audi Quattro S1, arguably the marque which gave birth to all modern-day 4-wheel-drive super-cars. This particular entry was in the hands of Brian Watson/Scott Kerr who were seeded at 50 and finished in 49th place.

Everyone agreed it was a great event and Mark Higgins was a worthy winner who celebrated at the after rally party which was suitably ‘jolly’! Stepping down a gear or and a decade or so, if you are about on Sunday morning there will be a cornucopia of vintage and classic cars setting off from Rheged Discovery Centre, Penrith, at 10am for the very popular Christmas Cracker Run organised by the MG Car Club, aka Wigton Car Club stalwart, Graeme Forrester.

It is a non-speed event which takes in about 75 miles of some lesser-known roads and by-ways in the northern Lakes and has an entry of 64 cars.

Aging from a 1924 Bentley 3-litre driven by Great Salkeld Bentley Boy, George Hadfield, (with me on the notes as my Jag is awaiting the final of its dash entrails) through samples of classics from each decade to the youngest, a 2008 MG TF.

Among the entries, Carlisle’s Ron Palmer will be out in his 1959 Jaguar XK 150 and hotel magnate, Charles Graves will be taking out his 1965 Sunbeam Tiger from his stable of cars.

Posh Pets, Nick Ricketts, will be at the wheel of his 1968 MG C GT while rally ace, Robin Murray will be contesting his 1967 Austin Healey 3000.

After the three hours the cars will finish at the Braithwaite Institute near Keswick for a meal and prize giving with time to enjoy the Keswick Traditio nal Fair or even a visit to the Cars of the Stars Museum.