10:32am Saturday 7th March 2009
By Gazette Sports
THE Grizedale and Whinlatter Forests will be the showcase to some of the top national rally drivers when the 34th Malcolm Wilson Rally takes place on Saturday.
Penrith’s Paul Bird, already successful this season and three-times Malcolm Wilson winner, will be ready for the challenge in his new M-Sport prepared WRC Focus.
Steve Perez in his Focus and Andy Burton with the unique Peugeot Cosworth, will be joining him as likely frontrunners in Cockermouth main street for the start of the second round of the BTRDA Championship.
Bentham’s Shelley Rogerson will be sitting alongside Burton as they look for maximum championship points to add to those on the previous round, the Wyedean Rally.
Appleby’s Kris Hall will be out for the first time this year in his Fiesta ST along with Hawkshead’s David Shuttleworth in his Mitsubishi Evo 9.
Windermere’s Pip Simpson and Gary Tomlinson will be expecting a good run in their orange Team Kanku Subaru Impreza.
After finishing two minutes behind Bird last year and having to settle for fifth, David Wright from Bentham is hoping the modifications made to the GPM Motorsport run Evo 9 will gain him vital seconds over each of the seven stages to get closer to the top three positions.
GPM Motorsport are also Kirkby Lonsdale MC’s Stage Rally Sponsors and for many this forest event will act as the first round of the championship as the North West Stages was on tarmac.
Spectators are asked to follow the instructions of the marshals when parking and use the designated car parks.
Parking on the side of the road will only result in problems as it not only blocks the road, causes problems with soft verges but will result in a visit from the police to fine/remove the problem.
The first car leaves Cockermouth main street at 8.30am and visits Hobcarton at 8.50, the Comb at 9.00 before the first of the two runs at Greystoke at 10.15.
The crews then make their way down throught the Lakes to do Grizedale North and South, which start at 12.25 before returning to Cockermouth, via Greystoke to the final time control at approx. 15.30.
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