Unless otherwise clearly indicated, results on this site have been declared final and are therefore not subject to query or protest
Clerk of the Course: Tom Wilcox
Route: 148 Miles
Maps: 91 97 & 98
Starters: 32
Winners: Jon Lawson/Chris Pringle (Subaru Legacy)
Due to being a late entry, Jon Lawson/Chris Pringle (Subaru Legacy) were seeded at Number 30, but despite this low start number they drove to a convincing win on the Westmorland Rally; giving the driver a perfect birthday present.
The 148 mile Eden Valley MC event was based at the Tebay Services on the M6 and saw thirty-two crews take the start. Navigation was plot 'n bash throughout, although competitors in the Newcomers Class were given simplier hand outs; they weren't therefore eligible for overall positions.
The first sections used roads previously utilised in the opposite direction on the Witch Way in May. These included Fox's Pulpit, Killington, Barbondale and Dentdale. All the top crews cleaned this part. The route that led to Petrol, around Ravenstonedale, should have seen most competitors dropped time, but the marshal at the vital control gave navigators what ever time they requested, even if it had passed. THis meant that there were 11 cars still clear of penalties at that stage.
Everyone lost their clean sheets immediately after the restart, which were in the lanes east of Orton, where two controls were timed to the second. Further time was lost as the route went via Greenholme, the very muddy Hardendale Quarry, and Reagill. Despite the navigator suffering from mal-de-nav, Lawson/Pringle emerged as leaders, 22 seconds ahead of John Haden/Iain Tullie (Subaru Impreza Estate).
The last part of the route was the hardest of the night, including a section near Kirkby Stephens where the instructions required the navigator to find two spot heights that totalled 396. Visits to Waitby, Soulby, Leases Ford and Smardale brought crews to the Finish back at Tebay.
Lawson/Pringle had stormed through these sections to finish 51 seconds ahead of Haden/Tullie, who were 1m 01s in front of the local crew and 1997 winners, Les Percival/Richard Todd (Ford Escort), who took third.
Andy Beaumont/Mike Petch took their very standard Proton Satria - no spotlights - to fourth. Malcolm Grizedale/Bob Hargreaves (Subaru RX Turbo) completed the top five.
Malcolm Holdsworth/Richard Holdsworth should have taken fourth but they booked into a time control a minute early and the resultant fail dropped them to twelfth. That was one place in front of Clive Sisson/Kevin Savage who missed a route check.
Despite missing a code board that was obscured by a police patrol car that was parked up, Nichola Hillier/Dave Broadley managed to win the Non-Expert, while Craig Whitehead/Lee Hudson won the Newcomers class.
His win moved Lawson to the top of the ANCC Drivers Championship. The previous leader, Dave Chapham, finished ninth. Meanwhile Tullie maintained a healthy lead in the navigators’ series.
OVERALL RESULTS
Pos | Driver | Navigator | Car | Penalty | |
1 | Jon Lawson | Chris Pringle | Subaru Legacy | 5m 15s | |
2 | John Haden | Iain Tullie | Subaru Impreza | 6m 06s | |
3 | Les Percival | Richard Todd | Ford Escort | 7m 07s | |
4 | Andy Beaumont | Mike Petch | Proton Satria | 8m 52s | |
5 | Malcolm Grisdale | Bob Hargreaves | Subaru RX Turbo | 9m 23s | |
6 | Sandie Taylor | Paul Taylor | Peugeot 205 GTi | 9m 53s | |
7 | Pete Tyson | Neil Harrison | Mini Cooper S | 11m 48s | |
8 | Terry Martin | Simon Bentley | Peugeot 205 GTi | 14m 08s | |
9 | David Chapman | David Taylor | Peugeot 205 GTi | 15m 02s | |
10 | Mark Shaw | Ken Willan | Talbot Sunbeam | 16m 02s | |
11 | Stephen Coombes | Paul Coombes | Peugeot 309 | 18m 59s | |
12 | Danny Robinson | Ian Gibbins | Peugeot 205 GTi | 19m 35s | |
13 | Malcolm Holdsworth | Richard Holdsworth | Toyota Corolla | 1F 7m 35s | |
14 | Clive Sissons | Kevin Savage | Opel Kadett | 1F 12m 26s | |
15 | Nichola Hillier | Dave Broadley | Rover Metro | 1F 33m 11s | |
16 | Bill Chadwick | Alan Edwards | Peugeot 205 | 1F 42m 32s | |
17 | Ian Guthrie | Charlie Tynan | Mini | 1F 43m 11s | |
18 | David Howell | Stephen Taylor | Opel Manta | 3F 42m 03s | |
19 | Steve Kenyon | Chris Edwards | Ford Sierra 4x4 | 5F 44m 38s | |
20 | Frank Evans | Dan Spittlehouse | Toyota Corolla | 6F 14m 38s | |
21 | Ian Rooke | Katy Mashiter | Ford Sierra | 6F 28m 20s | |
New Comers Class | |||||
1 | Craig Whitehead | Lee Hudson | Ford Fiesta XR2 | 21m 36s | |
2 | Ed Dentice | Jonny Brass | Toyota Corolla | 1F 13m 41s | |
3 | Tony Simis | Gavin Ford | Ford Sierra | 1F 23m 48s | |
4 | Mark Binney | Colin Lawson | Peugeot 309 | 1F 34m 23s |