Rallying - Classy run from Gaskell in Malcolm Wilson (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Rallying - Classy run from Gaskell in Malcolm Wilson

10:46am Thursday 10th March 2011 in Sport

AMBLESIDE-based rally driver Graham Gaskell and his co-driver Dave Gibson fared the best from the South Lakeland challengers in Saturday’s Malcolm Wilson Rally.

Gaskell and Gibson had a trouble-free run in their Omega Business Supplies backed Vauxhall Nova, which was stripped back to a bare shell and renovated during the summer.

Over the seven stages - which ventured through Whinlatter, Grizedale, Greystoke and Wythop - the only issue came when the duo pirouetted down the second Grizedale test and came to rest facing the wrong direction, costing them 20 seconds.

Thankfully though they held firm to cross the finishing ramp in Cockermouth second in class and 59th overall in the rally.

Gaskell said: “We are very pleased with the result, the Wilson attracts a high class of competitor who are battling within UK wide championship and who spend vast sums of money on thier cars.

“To us it is just a hobby and we have in comparison a pretty small budget. Its fair to say we did quite a bit better than we expected given the level of competition.

“The car ran faultlessly all day with the exception of a spin in Grizedale and clobbering a banking in Greystoke, so the service crew had a nice easy day.”

The team are now planning to compete in the SG Petch Stages in the Hamsterley Forest in County Durham on Sunday, May 8.