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Posted: December 7, 2009 11:41 AM
PAUL BIRD/KIRSTY RIDDICK WINS GRIZEDALE STAGES
Posted: December 7, 2009 11:34 AM
After nine years of waiting, Penrith rally driver Paul Bird finally got his hands on the winner's trophy with a comprehensive start to finish victory in today's Coniston-based Coppermines Grizedale Stages Rally in his native Lake District.
Driving the www.supercasino.com, Vent-Axia and Kick Energy-backed Ford Focus WRC07, Bird and new Scottish co driver Kirsty Riddick won all six stages to emerge victorious by a minute and forty-seven seconds ahead of the Subaru of Alex Allingham.
With changeable weather conditions throughout the day, Bird led by 23 seconds after SS1 in Grizedale South and extended that to 47 seconds after Grizedale North as they headed for first service.
The short and tricky tests in Dunnerdale saw the pair extend their lead to over a minute at second service and despite taking it cautiously through the final two stages in Grizedale, the former ANCRO champion and current boss of the Kawasaki World Superbike Team eased to a comfortable win.
"I'm made up as this was the one rally I was missing from my CV and whilst I've not contested it every year, it has somehow eluded me! We had no problems at all and Kirsty did a great job, although I kept telling her to shout at me as the intercom wasn't great and she's so softly spoken! I was also suffering a bit with an old collarbone injury from my motocross days, but we took it easy in all fairness, especially in the last couple of stages as I didn't want a puncture," said Bird.
Bird will next be in action on the Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally, which takes place on Saturday January 2nd 2010 at Croft Circuit, where he is looking to add to the victories he took in 2002 and 2003.
COOKSON/WILKINSON 'WRESTLE' TO SEVENTH ON GRIZEDALE STAGES RALLY
Posted: December 7, 2009 11:31 AM
On his first event in his new N15-specification Subaru Impreza, Saltash rally driver Alan Cookson emerged from today's Coppermines Grizedale Stages rally with a superb seventh place despite a problem late on with a puncture.
Along with Tunbridge Wells co-driver Julian Wilkinson, the Robert Wiseman Dairies, Speedline Wheels, Kick Energy, GillettsSpar.com, Riverside Property Services and Olverelectrical.com supported and TEGSport prepared Subaru performed faultlessly.
Preparing for a concerted assault on the 2010 British Rally Championship, Cookson, who has lost over six stones in a year as part of his bid, was using the event as a test and despite it being over twenty years since he last contested the event and getting used to left hand drive, he made a steady start and by SS4, held a fine 8th place.
Cookson attacked the last two stages but on the penultimate stage in Grizedale South, he clattered a rock around two miles from the end of the stage which punctured the tyre and bent the bottom arm which resulted in a steady run through the final stage whereby he clinched 7th overall and 2nd in class at the Coniston finish.
"I'm absolutely delighted with our progress today and to cap it all off with a decent result, although it feels like I've been in a wrestling match with someone! Everything is different and it's just a case of getting used to it as the first time I'd sat in the car was on the way to the start this morning. We're planning a major attack on the BRC this year, and will do a couple of Irish rounds too, and all this is part of our preparations so we've ticked another box and now need some more time in the car so we'll get a couple of tests in and make some more progress. Thanks to all of our sponsors especially Robert Wiseman Dairies and Speedline Wheels this weekend, and of course to Stuart Newby and the team at TEGSport," said Alan.
Results
Posted: December 7, 2009 11:27 AM
1 Paul Bird/Kirsty Riddick (Ford Focus WRC 07) 46m 27s
2 Alex Allingham/Mark Glennerster (Subaru Impreza) 48:14
3 Michael O'Brien/Patrick Walsh (Ford Focus WRC) 48:24
4 Tristan Pye/Stewart Merry (Subaru Impreza) 49:29
5 Steve Petch/John Richardson (Mitsubishi Lancer) 50:09
6 Paul Cooke/Barry McNulty (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) 50:34
7 Alan Cookson/Julian Wilkinson (Subaru Impreza N15) 51:05
8 Gary Tomlinson/Nick Fieldhouse (Subaru Impreza GC8) 51:05
9 Mark Donnelly/John Rowan (Ford Fiesta ST) 51:12
10 Eddie O'Donnell Jnr/Eddie O'Donnell Snr (Ford Escort MK2) 51:15
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Posted: November 29, 2009 6:29 PM
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