Northern Stage Rally Championship

Bulletin 8 – October 2007

First of all, my apologies for the delay in getting these updated results out to you. I know it’s that time of year when many of you will be looking at what are the possibilities for you to win awards and whether you need to submit entries to the last few rounds or whether to save your money for next year. Unfortunately the delay has been caused by the results from the last round, the Thor Hammer Stages. The results are very unusual in as much as they classify almost everyone as finishers, even though crews may have only completed one stage. I have been seeking clarification from the organisers but without success. The situation only effects Stuart Wilson, Chris Goward / Daz Parker. These updated results will remain provisional until I can clarify the situation but I felt I should get an update to you. Hopefully by the time I put out the next update – after the Tour of Mull (I won’t have time to get an update out after the Trackrod) things will have been sorted. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Anyway, according to the results I have, the Championship contenders took the 2-litre class by storm, filling 5 of the top 6 class places! Top of the pile was Brett Mitton (115 points) with John Deegan / Chris Smith (110) second in class, Alistair Hutchinson / St John Dykes (106) in 3^rd, Chris Peart / Gordon Blyth (96) 5^th and Stuart Popplewell (91) in 6^th.  Also picking up decent scores were Andy Okane / Phil Clowes, 108 points for winning the 1400 cc class, Garry Salmon / Steve Dargan, 91 for 4^th in the 1600cc class, and Ben Wilkinson, 83 for 3^rd in the 1400cc class.

As the results after the Lindisfarne only went out by e-mail here’s a quick update on how that went. Top score went to Tracey Louise & Garry Muir (112) followed by Tim Stell / me (92). It was a cracking event.

As we approach the final few rounds it is Brett that has a decent lead in the overall driver’s Championship on 581, from Alistair (487) and John (473) with St John leading the Navigators Championship on 566 ahead of Chris Smith (473) and Steve (441).

It’s a similar picture in the Multi-use challenge with the same names filling the same spots and almost the same in the Tarmacadam Challenge except Kev Monaghan has pushed his Pirtek Corsa into 3^rd place and in the navigator’s table Steve Dargan is in second ahead of Chris Purvis in 3^rd. Looking at the entry list for the final Tarmacadam round, the Tunnock’s Tour of Mull, these places are likely to remain unchanged so it will all come down to who wins overall and who wins the individual Tarmacadam challenge. The Multi-use Challenge can still be won by 4 drivers and 3 Navigators with one round remaining. Of course, with 3 forest rounds to go it’s a lot more uncertain in the forest challenge.

Next Events

·          Trackrod Clubman's Trophy Rally, Saturday 6th October www.rallyyorkshire.co.uk

·          Tunnocks Tour of Mull , 12-14 October. www.2300club.org

·          Malton Forest Rally, Sunday 4^th November   www.maltonmc.co.uk

45 stage miles based at Pickering Showground for £380. Event contact is Linda Harper, 01904 760050

·          Neil Howard Memorial Stages Rally, Sunday 25^th November  www.bolton-le-moorscarclub.co.uk

55 mixed surface stage miles at Melbourne, York for £180. Event contact is Ian Perrott, 0120 885537

·          Grizedale Stages Rally, Saturday 8^th December  www.grizedalestages.co.uk

Good luck to everyone out on the Trackrod this weekend and I look forward to seeing some of you up in Mull next week.

Mike