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Roger Albert Clark Rally - 14-17 Nov 08

Posted: November 20, 2008 2:54 PM - 13401 Hits

Photo: www.bhppix.co.uk

Full Results, Stage Times and Analysis for all Sections of the 2008 Roger Albert Clark Rally

Posted: November 20, 2008 2:54 PM

Download ZIP File with Full Results, Times and Analysis for all Sections of the 2008 Roger Albert Clark Rally

Wilson dominates RAC’s epic endurance event

Posted: November 17, 2008 4:53 PM

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Principal Malcolm Wilson has swapped roles over the past four days jumping behind the wheel of a Kick Energy/Pirelli supported Stobart Ford Escort Mk2 as he and co-driver John Millington took an emphatic victory on the 2008 Roger Albert Clark (RAC) Rally.

Wilson began today’s final five stages of the event with a comfortable buffer and did not waste the opportunity to claim his first ever RAC rally crown by a massive six and a half minute margin over his closest rival.

After two spectator stages on Friday night, and a further two on Saturday morning in Leeds, the proper action got underway as Wilson proceeded to win 10 stages on the trot and head into Saturday night’s service with a commanding 1m42s lead over Irishman Martin McCormack.

Sunday saw McCormack fight back and after 20 stages the gap was now down to just 56 seconds, still in the favour of Wilson. Unfortunately McCormack slipped off the road on stage 21 handing the former British Rally Champion a five minute lead to his closest opponent David Stokes by the close of the day.

It was a superb effort by Wilson to dominate the event which was helped by co-driver Millington who, as a former Motorsport News Road Rally Champion, had a wealth of experience on the maps and of the route they would encounter.

The RAC Rally’s route is a real challenge to crews and this year there was no exception with competition kicking off Friday night in Leeds before making its way north through the Yorkshire and Cumbrian counties on Saturday. Sunday then took crews to south west Scotland and the Dumfries and Galloway region before heading east today for the final stages in Kielder Forest.

In total a whopping 946 miles were covered, 204 of those competitive over 31 stages. The concept behind the event in recent years has been to replicate the original style of the British round of the World Rally Championship both geographically and mechanically. This saw a raft of exceptionally maintained and presented historic rally cars including the legendry Ford Escort Mk2, Lancia Stratos Group 4 and Porsche 911 all pitching for the spot of 2008 RAC Rally champion.

Overnight service and Parc Ferme on both Saturday and Sunday was based at Stobart Air’s Carlisle Airport, while the ceremonial finish was held in Carlisle city centre. The RAC was named after Roger Albert Clark, the first man to win Britain's round of the World Rally Championship back in 1972.

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Principal & Driver Malcolm Wilson said:
“I’m absolutely overjoyed. Roger Clark was my hero and to come back and win the rally that carries his name is a real joy. It’s so easy to forget the physical effort required and in the old RAC rallies we didn’t really have many second passes over the stages; but here I found it really demanding. However, it’s also very rewarding to know I can still be reasonably competitive.

“I knew, after competing on the McRae Stages, just how difficult this rally would be and I trained hard for it and its really paid off. But I have to take my hat off to Milly, he was fantastic on the maps and his preparation for the rally was first class; he left no stone unturned.

“The boys in the team here have done a stunning job as well. The car was only started on the morning of the rally and it’s run like clockwork with no major problems at all. And I can’t believe I haven’t put a scrape on it either, that’s not like me!”

FINAL STAGE CLAIMS HEROIC PEREZ

Posted: November 17, 2008 4:48 PM

Kick Energy rally driver Steve Perez's hopes of a remarkable finish expired on the very last stage of the four-day marathon when the engine of the Lancia Stratos blew just a few miles from the finish of the Roger Albert Clark Rally.

After clawing his way back up from 29th on Saturday morning, and despite a melody of mechanical dramas throughout the loops in Yorkshire and Scotland, the Chesterfield businessman along with Scottish co driver Kevin Rae, battled their way up into seventh place going into today's final leg in Kielder Forest.

The first four stages of the day went to plan and Perez was looking good to consolidate his position when on the very last test of the rally, and the 18.5-mile Broomylinn stage, the Lancia's engine expired forcing Perez out.

Despite the drama, such are the modern day rules that Steve was classified as a finisher due to the 'Super Rally' rules, in tenth position overall and second in class, but in typical sportsman-like fashion, Perez refuted the placing:

"The idea of this fantastic event is to recreate the golden days of the Lombard RAC and if that had happened to me then, then I'd have been a retirement, end of story. The modern day rules have classified us in the results but for me, that's not in the spirit of things as far as I'm concerned" said Steve before enthusing:

"What another brilliant event and congratulations to the organisers who have done a wonderful job. For 99% of the event, we were happy to entertain the massive crowds, especially being one of the few non-Fords in the rally. But I feel really, really sorry for our service crew who are more downbeat than Kevin and I. They spilled blood to keep us going throughout the event and we'd not have made it this far if it hadn't been for their fantastic efforts, they are all heroes in my book."

"What it does mean is we now have to come back next year and finish this job off. The car is getting better all the time and is in a fairly de-tuned state at present whilst we've been sorting the reliability issues. With another year's development under our belts, we intend to be competitive right from the start."

The RAC Rally was won by M-Sport boss and Perez's good friend Malcolm Wilson in a Ford Escort and now Perez turns his attention to the modern-format of Britain's round of the World Rally Championship when he contests Wales Rally GB which starts in Cardiff on Thursday 4th December: "I'm transporting myself forward thirty-five years in just three weeks time and that's the next challenge!" concluded Steve.

Photos

Posted: November 17, 2008 4:46 PM

bhppix.co.uk

Resuts

Posted: November 17, 2008 4:45 PM

1 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800) 3hr 42m01s
2 David Stokes/Guy Weaver (Ford Escort RS1600)   + 6.24
3 Seamus O'Connell/Paul Wakely (Ford Escort RS1800)  + 9.56
4 Charlie Taylor/Steve Bielby (Ford Escort RS1800)    + 10.19
5 Phil Squires/Mick Squires (Ford Escort RS1800)   + 11.34
6 William Onions/Tim Hobbs (Ford Escort RS1800)  + 16.11
7 Reg Britton/Gerry Buckley (Ford Escort RS1800)   + 21.01
8 Andrew Siddall/Colin Thompson (Ford Escort RS2000)  + 21.28
9 Bob Bean/Malcolm Smithson (Ford Lotus Cortina Mk1)   + 21.31
10 Steve Perez/Kevin Rae (Lancia Stratos)    + 28.44

Leaders After
SS1 Tim Mason/Graham Wild (Porsche 911 )
SS2-4 David Stokes/Guy Weaver (Ford Escort RS1600 )
SS4-31 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)

Stage Winners
SS1 Tim Mason/Graham Wild (Porsche 911 )
SS2 David Stokes/Guy Weaver (Ford Escort RS1600 )
SS3 David Stokes/Guy Weaver (Ford Escort RS1600 )
SS4 Martin McCormack/Phil Clarke (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS5 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS6 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS7 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS8 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS9 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS10 Martin McCormack/Phil Clarke (Ford Escort RS1800)
& Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS11 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS12 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS13 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS14 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS15 Martin McCormack/Phil Clarke (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS16 Richard Lepley/Ian Bevan (Porsche 911 )
SS17 Martin McCormack/Phil Clarke (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS18 David Stokes/Guy Weaver (Ford Escort RS1600 )
& Martin McCormack/Phil Clarke (Ford Escort RS1800)
& Richard Lepley/Ian Bevan (Porsche 911 )
& Charlie Taylor/Steve Bielby (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS19 Martin McCormack/Phil Clarke (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS20 Martin McCormack/Phil Clarke (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS21 Paul Griffiths/Sam Collis (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS22 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS23 Paul Griffiths/Sam Collis (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS24 Paul Griffiths/Sam Collis (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS25 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS26 Paul Griffiths/Sam Collis (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS27 Paul Griffiths/Sam Collis (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS28 Paul Griffiths/Sam Collis (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS29 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS30 Paul Griffiths/Sam Collis (Ford Escort RS1800)
SS31 Malcolm Wilson/John Millington (Ford Escort RS1800)

Full Results: