Posted: January 29, 2014 3:35 PM - 4652 Hits
MEM MALTON FOREST RALLY Sunday 3rd November 2013
Posted: January 29, 2014 3:35 PM
The die seemed cast after just the first stage when Ollie Mellors (Millington Proton) gained a 9sec lead over Stephen Petch, who was out for the first time in a Fiesta R5, and this in spite of a puncture for 1/3 of stage. Petch said that he “could do with a Focus, rather than a Fiesta!” However, times were closer in the next two stages and, by half way, Mellors held just an 11 second lead. In a very impressive 3rd place was Jim McNeil just a further 5 seconds down.
Competitors reported very slippery and muddy conditions, with Steve Bannister saying, after stage 1, “slippier than I thought – nearly got caught out” contrasting with Matthew Robinson’s perceptive comment: “Awesome, perfect stages, no dust!” Others seemed less concerned by the conditions – in the case of John Dowson and Al Wilk just “disappointed that there are no sweeties at the end of the stage”. The fun atmosphere the Malton Forest Rally creates was also exemplified by Mark Mazzitelli and Peter Butler: “broken shockers on stage 1, but we’re going to try and change them in service. If we can’t we’ll carry on anyway as we’re loving it!”
In Historics Steve Bannister (Escort Mk2) led Matthew Robinson (Escort Mk2) by just 2 seconds after the first stage in Langdale, but the hoped for battle between the two was ruined by Robinson’s retirement with a broken driveshaft on stage 2. This left Bannister with a 12 second lead over Peter Smith also in an Escort Mk2, extended to 50 seconds by the end of the first Cropton stage. Ben Mellors, who, like Robinson, was doing a shakedown for next week’s Roger Albert Clark rally, had fought hard to repair both himself and his car after his Trackrod accident was a further 28 seconds back.
After stage 4 Jim McNeil initially dropped a couple of places because of a one minute penalty for being early into second service, allowing Peter Stephenson (Focus WRC) into 3rd place. In Historics Ben Mellors leapfrogged Peter Smith into 2nd place to lead him by 20 seconds. Unfortunately, Mellors retired after an accident in stage 5 which left Steve Bannister with a dominant win in Historics (and 5th place overall) by 1m 30secs over Peter Smith, with Steve Magson an excellent third in a Mk1 Escort, rather than his more familiar Chevette.
Going into the final stage in Wrelton Moor, Ollie Mellors had just a 14 second lead over Petch so it was all to play for, especially as McNeil’s penalty had been cancelled and so he had been restored to his excellent 3rd place. In the end Petch beat Mellors in that stage by 7 seconds, not quite enough, leaving Ollie Mellors with his first ever win by a mere 7 seconds. Jim McNeil was just a further 47 seconds behind after an outstanding drive. Another outstanding drive too from Mat Smith who finished 9th overall and 1st in class by a massive 5mins 49secs in his Ford Ka.
An exciting end to a fabulous day in the sunny and golden forests of North Yorkshire!
Posted: October 30, 2013 8:33 AM
With a few days to go before the event a strong field of over 60 cars has entered for
Sunday’s Malton Forest Rally. Top seed and favourite to take Charlie Payne’s crown
is Stephen Petch, although he is likely to have a close fight with Peter Stephenson in
his Ford Focus WRC and Ollie Mellors in the awesome Millington Proton.
A strong historic entry is headed by Steve Bannister in his usual Mk2 Escort. His
main challengers will be Matthew Robinson (also in a Mk2 Escort) and Peter Smith in
his Mk2.
Starting once again from its new base at Dalby Forest Visitor Centre the event is a
counting round of several regional championships. Stages in Langdale, Cropton and
Gale Rigg forests will be used, with the service area at Adderstone Field in Dalby
Forest.
Further information, including stage maps and time schedule, is available on the
club’s website:
Posted: October 30, 2013 8:33 AM
No Driver/Co-Driver (Make Model) [Class]
1 Stephen Petch/Michael Wilkinson (TBA TBA) [1]
2 Peter Stephenson/Ian Windress (Ford Focus) [5]
3 Ollie Mellors/Reg Smith (Millington Proton Satria) [5]
4 Jim McNeil/TBC (Subaru Impreza) [5]
5 Gary Cooper/Jon Riley (Subaru Impreza) [5]
6 Simon Bowen/Richard Robinson (Subaru Impreza) [5]
7 Steve Petch/John Richardson (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo) [5]
8 Nick Cook/Neil Colls (Ford Escort Mk1) [3]
9 Mat Smith/Giles Dykes (Ford Ka) [1]
10 Gary Wayne/Andy Smith (Subaru Impreza) [5]
11 Shaun wilson/Errol Biarstow (Subaru Impreza) [5]
12 Mick Plowman/Nigel Boston (Ford Escort Mk2) [3]
14 Roger Priestnall/Chris wood (Proton satria) [1]
15 Andy Gibson/Dave Gibson (Ford Escort Mk2) [3]
16 Michael Umbrich/Marion Stead (Mitsubishi Evo 5) [5]
17 David Wallbank/TBA ( ) [3]
18 Alex Lund/Nick Kitching (Ford Escort Mk1) [3]
20 Stuart Ranby/Ian Bass (Ford Escort Mk2) [3]
21 Andy Ewings/Ian Harden (Subaru Impreza GC8) [5]
22 Mark Mazzitelli/Peter Butler (Ford Escort Mk2) [3]
23 Kenny Brown/Alan Brown (BMW Compact) [4]
24 Ian Jemison/Dean Kellett (Porsche Boxster) [4]
25 David May/John McNichol (Subaru Impreza STi) [5]
26 Gary Beckwith/Kirsty Beckwith (Ford Escort Mk2 BDA) [3]
27 Rob Herrington/Mike Herrington (Ford Escort Mk2) [4]
29 Amanda Cornforth/Derek Cornforth (Ford Ka) [1]
30 Graham Haigh/Kari Bosworth (Ford Escort Mk 2) [3]
31 Gareth Thomas/Jack Cranage (Ford Escort Mk2) [3]
32 Ben Cree/Richard Shores (Peugeot 205 GTI) [2]
33 Anthony Finn/Arwel Jenkins (Peugeot 106 GTi) [2]
34 John Dowson/Al Wilk (Subaru Impreza) [5]
35 David Dobson/Graham Hepworth (Ford Escort Mk2 Pinto) [3]
36 Neil Andrews/Mike Fox (Subaru Impreza) [5]
37 Dave Arnold/Nick Middleton (Ford Escort) [3]
39 Paul Hudson/Colin Stockil (Ford Escort) [3]
40 Andy Forrest/Kevin Bardon (Vauxhall Nova) [1]
41 John Marshall/Chris Pattison (MG ZR) [2]
42 Richard Boyes/Robert Robinson (Rover 25) [1]
43 Chris Marlow/TBA. (BMW 316 Compact) [4]
44 Ryan Weston/Mark McCulloch (Ford Fiesta ST) [3]
45 Alan Ward/Rachel Ward (Vauxhall Nova) [1]
46 Ant Carr/Tom Gibbons (Nissan Micra) [1]
47 Simon Green/Andrew Thorpe (Subaru Impreza Series Mcrae) [5]
Historics
101 Steve Bannister/Loiuse Sutherland (Ford Escort MK2) [H4]
102 Matthew Robinson/Sam Collis (Ford Escort) [H4]
103 Peter Smith/Patrick Walsh (Ford Escort MK2) [H4]
104 Roger Kilty/Roger Burkill (Ford Escort) [H4]
105 Marcus Noble/Helen Hall (Ford Escort Mk2) [H4]
106 Ben Mellors/Alex Lee (Ford Escort Mk2) [H3]
107 Steve Magson/Darren Smith (Ford Escort RS2000) [H3]
108 Ian Rix/Rob Cook (Ford Rs1600) [H4]
109 Andrew Robinson/Kevin Wilson (Ford Escort Mk2) [H4]
110 Keith Stones/Dave Boyes (Ford Escort) [H4]
111 Christopher Langthorne/Wayne Langthorne (Ford Escort) [H4]
112 Phil Jobson/James McWhir (Ford Escort Mk1) [H3]
114 Keith Davison/Henry Richardson (Chrysler Avenger) [H2]
115 Robert Rook/Bernard Nolan (Ford Escort Mk1) [H2]
116 John Cockerill/Jim Goodman (Ford Escort Mk2) [H4]
117 Michael Kent/Miles Cartwright (Talbot Sunbeam 1.6Ti) [H2]
118 Charlie Blaney/Adrian Wilford (Ford Escort Mk2) [H3]
Posted: September 22, 2013 3:54 PM
Regulations are now available for the MEM Malton Forest Rally on the motor club’s website
The event will take place on Sunday, 3rd November and will again be based at Dalby Forest Visitor Centre, near Pickering, North Yorkshire, with the service area at Adderstone Field in Dalby Forest. The entry fee is again frozen, and so, for the 3rd year running, it will be £460. We will maintain the usual 40 miles of stages, but this year each of the 6 stages will be different. Stages will run in Langdale, Gale Rigg and Cropton forests
The event is a counting round for three Regional championships and is also a round of the MOTOSCOPE Northern Historic Championship and the JUST FERRIES Yorkshire Winter Rally Challenge.
Historic cars will run at the front of the field.
Posted: September 12, 2013 7:49 PM
Route planning is already well under way for this year’s event, and the organising team is working on some exciting proposals to benefit both competitors and spectators alike. We are pleased to announce that the entry fee will be frozen, and so, for the 3rd year running, it will be £460. We will maintain the usual 40 miles of stages, but this year each of the 6 stages will be different. We are also in discussions which may lead to a different type of vehicle joining the event in a class of its own.
The event will take place on the traditional date of Sunday, 3rd November and will again be based at the Dalby Forest Visitor Centre near Pickering, North Yorkshire. The stages will be held in Langdale, Gale Rigg and Cropton forests with central servicing at Adderstone Fields which is close to the start location in Dalby Forest. This start location will enable a compact event with reduced public road mileage whilst maintaining the usual 40 miles of stages.
This will be the 16th year that Chris Mellors, proprietor of the MEM World Rally Team, has supported the club with various events. MEM prepares the works PROTON S2000 rally cars for the IRC and Asia Pacific Championships.
Regulations will be available shortly on the rally website www.maltonforestrally.co.uk
A good entry of historic cars is anticipated as the event counts for points in the Motoscope Northern Historic Championship. Historic cars will run at the front of the field. The event is also a counting round of the following regional championships: ANECCC, ANCC, ANEMMC.