Rallying - Strong Jim Clark challenge ends in ditch (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Rallying - Strong Jim Clark challenge ends in ditch

1:40pm Saturday 30th May 2009 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

AFTER a fantastic start, Stobart Motorsport driver Kris Hall’s challenge in the 39th Jim Clark Rally ended in disappointment when he slid off the road on day two of the Scottish Borders-based event.

Hall was full of confidence going into the Jim Clark Rally, the first he has competed in this year on his favoured Tarmac surface.

He also welcomed Robbie Durant back into the co-driver’s seat after he missed last month’s Pirelli International Rally due to commitments in North America.

The 22-year-old, who is a member of the MSA British Rally Elite Scheme, had members of Edinburgh University’s sports science department on hand to give advice on nutrition, psychology and physical conditioning.

The Appleby driver had also benefited from the experience of MSA British Rally Champion Guy Wilks who sat in with him during shakedown on Friday to offer advice on driving technique and the set-up of the car.

That advice appeared to have paid dividends as he was on fantastic form on day one, reaching the midway point of the rally lying in second place in the R3 class.

He was also ahead of Craig Breen, one of his major rivals in the Fiesta SportTrophy UK so far this season, as they continued their battle away from the FST UK competition. By the end of day one Hall held an impressive 33.5 second advantage over Irishman Breen thanks to an excellent run over SS5 Bothwell where he was 14 seconds faster than the next Fiesta ST.

Day two began well for Hall who maintained his lead over Breen and continued to impress in the competitive R3 class but disaster struck on SS11 as he slid off the road on cold tyres. The stage had been stopped due to an accident and Hall was the first car through after the road reopened. But with no chance to get heat into his tyres he struggled on the opening corners and slid into a ditch.

The car was undamaged but Hall and co-driver Durant were unable to get the Ford Fiesta ST back on the road and were forced to pull out.

Hall said: “The rally started really well for us last night and we had a great run over the stages in the dark. Our notes were working well, the fast stages suited my car and we were much closer to the other guys in the R3 class than we have been before. But the most important thing was the fact we had opened up a big gap over Craig Breen in the next closet Fiesta.

“Day 2 was going well also and I was really getting into the swing of things but then we got caught out at the start of stage 11. There was a delay and we went into the stage on cold tyres, I should have waited before pushing but the grip felt good. However, we made some good set-up improvements with Guy during the shakedown and that was a big benefit for the next event.”

Kendal’s Martryn Taylor’s fortunes went the other way. After a slow start in the dark on Friday night, Taylor’s driver, East Yorkshire Property Developer Chris Firth, obviously had a preference for the daylight and so Saturday saw them set about making up for their lack of form the previous evening.

The unique nature of the Jim Clark Rally - it runs on closed public roads - offers crews one of the biggest challenges on the calendar and Taylor and Firth left their mark on hedges and fences on the way to taking the battered Subaru to 23rd overall and ninth in class.

Maryport’s Alex Benn guided the Escort Mk II of Nicholas Woodman into 21st place on the National event, on which Preston’s Neil Wearden/Rick Forrester took ninth place in their Escort MK II.

The biggest entry of the weekend, with160 cars contesting the Reivers event, which uses similar mileage to Saturday but is aimed at the clubman, saw Penrith’s Marcus Noble/Brian Hodgson take 37th place, while the Border Caravans-run Subaru of Keith Taylorwas 40th and Workington’s Geoff Wilson got his Escort MK II into 42nd spot.

Kirkby Lonsdale MC’s annual Car’s the Star Show at Heaves Hotel, Levens takes place on Sunday, July 19 this year.

As well as motorbikes, cars and Utility vehicles some of which are pre 1960, the will be displays from one-make clubs, motor clubs and on-going displays throughout the day.

Anyone interested in getting involved in Model cars is also invited to come along and join in the races held by South Lakeland Model Car Club.

All types of cars are welcome and there are separate classes for the decades in Saloon, Sports & GT, Specials & Kit Cars as well as an interesting display of Classic motorbikes by the organisers of the Nostalgia Scramble meeting, Kendal Classic Motorcyle Club.

If you would like to enter your vehicle, an entry form is available from www.klmc.org.uk or call in to Heaves for a hard copy.

The Classic Tour of Cumbria will take place on June 21st and will be based near Penrith. The event is open to all MGs and other fine cars and will run as a touring event over 120 miles in the Eden Valley and surrounding areas.

The entry fee is £35 which includes coffee and lunch, a full road book, rally plates and finishers awards.

Entry forms can be found at www.wigtonmc.co.uk