rally results service
Unless otherwise clearly indicated, results on this site have been declared final and are therefore not subject to query or protest
Starlight Novices Rally 2003
Wolverhampton & South Staffs Car Club
22nd/23rd November 2003
Clerk of the Course: John Griffiths
Route: 130 Miles
Maps: 138
Starters: 38
Winners: Darren Lesson/Ian Hewlett (Ford Escort)
Darren Lesson/Ian Hewlett emerged from the fog as winners of the Starlight Novices Rally.
The Wolverhampton & South Staffs CC event used a 100 mile route in the Bridgenorth-Church Stretton area. Thirty-eight crews took the start at Wombourne and twenty-six made it to the finish at Cleobury Mortimer.
Fog covered the lanes for the first half and it was on these sections that all the leading crews dropped their only penalties, the second half, which was largely free of fog saw a number of clean sheets.
Lesson/Hewlett were well clear of the field, finishing two and a half minutes ahead of second placed Chris Green/Andy Lawrence, both these crews were running in the Semi-Expert Class.
The first time pairing of David Fox/Jonty Bloxham were third in a Nova and took the Novice Class award. The winners of the Beginners category followed in fourth, these were Steve Southall/Chris Webber in a Toyota Corolla.
John Morris/Vicki Price looked set to take second place when they put their Peugeot 309 off the road with about two-thirds of the rally complete.
The Starlight was a novice rally and expert crews were not eligible for overall placings. Two expert crews started, Steve Massey/Steve Coupland were seventh fastest over the route, while Simon Gibson/Alan Ogden were tenth fastest.
Touring car regular Phil Bennett entered the event, with Rebecca Baldock on the maps, he finished fifteenth overall. Top national co-driver Phil Clarke swapped seats for the night and with his brother John Clarke finished twelfth overall.
OVERALL RESULTS
| Pos | Driver | Navigator | Car | Penalty | |
| 1 | Darren Lesson | Ian Hewlett | Ford Escort | 3m 15s | |
| 2 | Chris Green | Andy Lawrence | Ford Escort RS | 5m 40s | |
| 3 | David Fox | Jonty Bloxham | Vauxhall Nova | 6m 27s | |
| 4 | Steve Southall | Chris Webber | Toyota Corolla | 6m 47s | |
| 5 | Ian Williams | Ian Jarman | Vauxhall Astra | 7m 11s | |
| 6 | Frank Evans | Russ Evans | Toyota Corolla | 7m 20s | |
| 7 | Mark Gamble | Shane Gamble | Peugeot 205 | 8m 03s | |
| 8 | Matthew Pierce | Carl Jones | Peugeot 205 GTi | 8m 50s | |
| 9 | Martin Ridge | Chris Ridge | Peugeot 205 | 10m 12s | |
| 10 | Simon Bentley | Philippa Bentley | Austin Mini | 10m 15s | |
| 11 | Robert O'Dowd | David O'Dowd | Vauxhall Nova SR | 10m 35s | |
| 12 | Oliver Davies | Richard Howells | Vauxhall Astra GTE | 10m 38s | |
| 13 | Phil Bennett | Rebecca Baldcock | Proton Impian | 11m 08s | |
| 14 | Mick Tonks | Dave Williamson | Peugeot 205 GTi | 11m 40s | |
| 15 | Phil Clarke | John Clarke | TBA | 13m 02s | |
| 16 | Pete Turner | Jonny Wilks | Peugeot 205 | 14m 07s | |
| 17 | Mark Stokes | Chris Valentine | TBA | 14m 12s | |
| 18 | Dave Dodds | Karl Ellis | Land Rover 110 | 17m 12s | |
| 19 | Andrew Evans | Keith Witton | TBA | 18m 29s | |
| 20 | John Jennings | Chris Bennett | Vauxhall Astra | 1F 28m 24s | |
| 21 | Nicolas Nicolaou | David Millard | Vauxhall Nova GTE | 2F 08m 21s | |
| 22 | Rich Derricutt | Rich Parry | TBA | 2F 13m 09s | |
| 23 | Michael Vergers | James Scott | BMW 320i | 6F 17m 51s | |
| 24 | Paul Barnacle | Chris Atkinson | Ford Escort RS2000 | 8F 28m 20s | |
| Experts | |||||
| 1 | Steve Massey | Steve Coupland | Peugeot 205 GTi | 7m 24s | |
| 2 | Simon Gibson | Alan Ogden | Ford Escort | 9m 05s | |