106 Cup - Round 4 - Red Dragon Rally - 3 June '00

Posted: June 4, 2000 6:21 PM

Dominant Seamus Donnelly, accompanied by Bob Rose showed his full promise finishing 27 seconds ahead of Dave Nutt and Stephen Greenhill with Ryan Champion finishing on exactly the same second as 4th placed Paul Alexander and Mike Panes. Paul had unfortunately lost a crucial fifteen seconds on Stage 2 Abercregan, when his car cut out and would not restart. Champion taking third courtesy of a quicker time on the 1st stage Margam.

Margam had seen the demise of the then championship leader Paul Wedgbury who overcooked it on a hairpin and slipped off backwards into a ditch. Donnelly set out his stall with the fastest time of 13 minutes 13 seconds, 7 seconds ahead of Burnell. Fourth quickest through Margam was fast improving Richard Sykes who was the surprise of the day, leading the event after the third stage and looking good for maximum points and the overall championship lead. However on a confusing flying finish to Special Stage 4 he slipped off the stage into a ditch and was forced into retirement with damage to the rear offside of the car.

Martin Sansom and Phil Wells struggled with the maps all day after their trip meter failed to function, this coupled with a puncture on the first stage left last years championship runners up pleased to have gained useful points with fifth place.

Andy Burnell and Neil Dashfield found it very difficult to see where they were going on stage three when the fog suddenly closed in. With the duo finding the day very slippery, a somewhat disappointed Burnell said after the last stage; "That was my best stage of the event but it's a little too late". However he soon cheered up when he was informed that sixth place now meant he led the championship overall.

Rob Russell and Clive Jenkins were 7th with Robert Davies and Richard Pashley 8th.

In ninth place and yet again taking the prize for top rookie was seventeen year old Simon Hughes. Seamus Donnelly won the Motoring News Best Improved Seeding award and Geno Cook the Esso Ultron Spirit of the Rally award, for his never say die attitude after a traumatic first stage disaster.

Grace Owen and Ali Bohm took the ladies award and now look odds on for the Ladies title.