Cheviot Keith Knox Rally (Otterburn) - DATE CHANGE - 10 Oct 10

Posted: October 11, 2010 7:44 PM - 5826 Hits

Round 9 - 2010 MSA Asphalt Rally Championship & BTRDA Asphalt Rally Challenge

Video Clips

Posted: October 11, 2010 7:44 PM

MSA ASPHALT RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - STONE’S ROLLER-COASTER!….

Posted: October 11, 2010 2:20 PM

John Stone has won the UTS Cheviot Keith Knox Stages Rally, the final round of the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship, in his Skoda Fabia WRC. However, as is so often the case, there was far more to the victory than first meets the eye!

With newly-crowned Irish National Championship Co-driver Patrick Walsh reading the notes, Stone set fastest time on the opening stage of the Otterburn Ranges-based event to put himself into an early lead. However, a spin and a puncture a couple of stages later cost them enough time to allow ‘local’ crew Michael Glendinning/Andrew Roughead to move ahead in their Subaru Impreza.

With eleven stages in total, less one that had to be cancelled after an accident, Stone had seven to recoup the twenty-second deficit. However, Glendinning was not about to let the possibility of victory on his ‘home’ event slip without a fight – and that’s what he put up! Wringing the Fabia’s neck, Stone was only able to pull back a few seconds at a time, to the point that, with one stage to go, he was still a second adrift of the leader. Then, over the last 14-mile stage, he was 4 seconds quicker than Glendinning and, thus, took the win by just three!

Glendinning was awarded the John Horton Motorsport Management ‘Star Drive’ salver for his determination and, with the promise of a full season of MSA Asphalt Championship events in 2011, a point has been made.

Having missed the last couple of events, David Hardie/John McCulloch returned in their Subaru Impreza in an attempt to wrestle Championship Class B13 from the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9 of erstwhile leaders Jim Sharp/Amy Mackinnon. A maximum points score was required, but any alteration in the top two also relied on something untoward happening to the Mitsubishi. 5th place overall on the Cheviot gave Hardie/McCulloch the first part of the equation but, with Sharp/Mackinnon also recording a Top Ten finish, there would ultimately be no change at the top of the class.

Having already secured Class B11, James Martin/Dylan James came up to Otterburn and, with no Championship pressures to distract them, brought their Vauxhall Astra home in 14th place to take another maximum points score. Geoff Glover/Keith Barker were next after a worrying first couple of stages when their Astra RWD’s newly-rebuilt gearbox refused to select fifth. For no apparent reason, the problem resolved itself and they went on to finish just one place in front of Tim Daltry’s Peugeot 205.

Craig Jose/Nigel Hewett had long since staked their claim to Class B10 but they, too, made the long journey up from Truro to contest the final round of the year. Their Peugeot 205 was pitched in amongst those contesting the Ecosse Challenge and, surrounded by crews far more familiar with Otterburn than themselves, they were only a minute behind the first one home.

The ever-cheerful Ian Copping, reunited with Dave Rowley for this event, had sorted out the clutch problems that put him out of the Patriot Stages a fortnight earlier and, apart from windscreen wipers that tended to lift when the car exceeded a certain speed, the pair enjoyed a trouble-free run to finish where they started – seeded 32, finished 32nd!..

In the absence of Chris Daykin, Phil Bruce was upholding RAFMSA honours in his Peugeot 206, taking a class win on the event and maximum A6 points.

For an Otterburn event held in predominantly dry conditions, the retirement list was remarkably short. However, that will be of no consequence to George Mackey/Don Whyatt who were on course for a Top Five finish and a class win before their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO6’s turbo failed on the penultimate stage.

Roger Donnan, who took the runner-up spot in the 2009 MSA Asphalt Championship, has not had such a successful season this time, and the Cheviot proved to be no exception! Slowed on the first and second stages, Roger and co-driver Chris Davies thought the problem was a faulty sensor which was changed at service. However, it persisted and was eventually diagnosed as the fuel pump. By now, so much time had been lost that it was pointless to continue….

Richard Clews had enlisted the help of former front-running BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series co-driver Andy Wynn to guide his Ford Fiesta round the Cheviot, but a broken driveshaft halted their progress just after lunch.

Proving to be a challenge, not only for competitors but also for the organisers, the UTS Cheviot Keith Knox Stages Rally provided a suitable end to the season. We now look forward to 2011 and will be announcing our plans shortly.

STONE’S LAST-GASP VICTORY!…

Posted: October 11, 2010 2:18 PM

After a tremendous fightback, Blackburn’s John Stone has won the UTS Cheviot Keith Knox Stages Rally in his Legend Fires Skoda Fabia WRC. Partnered by newly-crowned Irish National Champion Co-driver Patrick Walsh from Aberystwyth, Stone led the event during the early stages, only to drop to 3rd following a minor ‘off’ and a puncture, allowing Tyneside crew Michael Glendinning/Andrew Roughead to move ahead of the Otterburn Ranges-based event in their Subaru Impreza. With the Skoda restored to full health once again, Stone set about catching Glendinning but had to wait until the final stage to retake the lead, the winning margin being just three seconds!

Stone’s efforts gave him maximum points in the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship, of which the Cheviot was the final round, whilst 2nd placed Glendinning/Roughead also scored well. They added another top score in the S.G. Petch ANECCC Championship, which still has two rounds left to run and is as yet undecided, as well as in the A.S. Performance North of England Tarmacadam Championship which they have, indeed, won this year.

Chelmsford’s John Indri, co-driven by John Harland, brought his recently-acquired Darrian T90 into 3rd place in spite of an incorrect tyre choice for the first group of stages. Richard & Edwin Cook, who could also become 2010 ANECCC Champions, were 4th in another Impreza while David Hardie/John McCulloch, who had journeyed across from Stranraer, were next up in their similar car. Rounding off the Top Six in their Peugeot 106, Barry & Michael Lindsay earned a class win and 2nd place NoE Tarmacadam Championship points.

The Brick & Steel Ecosse Challenge was well supported by both Honda Civics and Peugeot 205s, with Euan Duncan/Peter MacInnes beating Graeme Schoneville to top Civic points by a mere second. Meanwhile, driver Sean Robson and co-driver Russell Fair, were the beneficiaries of maximum 205 points on the day.

In spite of a couple of unavoidable delays during the day, the organisers managed to bring the rally back to time by the finish and, unusually for an event on the Otterburn Ranges, there were only 11 retirements. Accidents accounted for both Graham Coffey/Ken Bills and Bob Grant/Peter Carstairs who retired their Imprezas within sight of each other on the fifth stage, while Mark Worley’s example went out after hitting a chicane on SS2.

Living in the north-east and basing their event on Ministry of Defence property, the organisers are very supportive of the ‘Help for Heroes’ charity and an amount of money from each entry fee will be donated to it in the coming days.

Full Results

Posted: October 10, 2010 8:50 PM

Cheviot Keith Knox Rally (Otterburn) - 10 Oct 10 FULL RESULTS

North East Rally Services

MSA ASPHALT RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - STONE TURNS TO OTTERBURN!….

Posted: October 1, 2010 7:19 AM

With Damian Cole/Craig Drew already confirmed as 2010 REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Champions and runner-up Simon Mauger heading for the Jersey Rally the same weekend, the top seeded Championship contender on the final round, the UTS Cheviot Keith Knox Stages Rally, is John Stone in his Skoda Fabia WRC. The Blackburn driver has recruited the services of newly-crowned Irish National Rally Championship co-driver Patrick Walsh for the run over the Otterburn Military Ranges and their combined knowledge of the area must put them in good stead to end the season on a high.

Although still to name a co-driver, George Mackey (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO6) is also no stranger to the territory, while ‘locals’ Michael Glendinning/Andrew Roughead have yet to choose from either a Subaru Impreza or a MkII Escort. They achieved a Top Ten finish in the two-wheel drive car in 2009 and, should they go for the four-wheel drive option, an improved result is a distinct possibility.

Class B13 leaders Jim Sharp/Amy Mackinnon return to the MSA Championship in their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9 as they attempt to fend off the challenge from David Hardie/John McCulloch’s Subaru Impreza. Whilst several of the classes have already been won and lost, this particular battle could go either way!

Roger Donnan, who finished 2nd overall in the 2009 Championship in his Ford Puma S1600, has only been able to commit to a limited programme this season but has still managed to tie up Class A6 before he comes to the Cheviot. With no pressure on that score, the Stranraer driver will be able to concentrate purely on the event and can reasonably be expected to claim a good haul of series points.

Similarly, James Martin/Dylan James’ first full season of Championship events saw them lay claim to the highly popular Class B11 on the recent Patriot Stages Rally. Their Vauxhall Astra will be up against the rear-wheel drive version of Geoff Glover/Keith Barker and the similarly re-engineered Fiesta of Ian Copping/Dave Rowley. Meanwhile, Tim Daltry will be aiming to hang on to his 2nd place, behind Martin, in his Peugeot 205.

2010 Class B10 victors, Craig Jose/Nigel Hewett will be trailing their successful Peugeot 205 all the way up to Northumberland from Cornwall. They just require one more maximum score to end the season with a ‘full-house’ – easier said than done, perhaps, but they’ve achieved it four times already…

With the battle of the Group N Subaru Imprezas reaching its conclusion on the recent Patriot Stages, the sole representatives of the category on Otterburn are Richard Clews/ Barry James in their Mechatronics Ford Fiesta. They, too, have already amassed four maximums this season – so there are no prizes for guessing what their plan is!

The first car leaves the start of the UTS Cheviot Keith Knox Stages Rally on the Ranges at 8.30am on Sunday 10th October and arrives back at the finish at 4.30pm that afternoon.