Competitors' Round-up

October/November 1997

Roger Binyon
was up at Croft on October 18th for the final round of the British National Rallycross championship. A wheel fell off the trailer as they entered the circuit, so the crew spent more time looking after the trailer than the car. Once the early-morning fog cleared the competitors were allowed to practice, which was useful as the organisers had changed the layout of the track. The first of three heats had him seeded in the middle of the grid. His usual poor start put him at the back of the field, but a barnstorming charge saw him finish 5th. Second heat he was seeded first and... was last by the first corner again. He managed to get back into first place by dint of sheer engine power. Third heat he started at the back and finished there too. For the final he was seeded 5th out of 10 and... yes, was last again by the first corner. Once again he muscled past everyone only to clout a rim on a pothole, break a trackrod and collect a puncture. So with a total of six working wheels between car and trailer the Turnaround crew set off home. The weekend was deemed a success and they are now looking forward to Darlington on 12th December.

John Blaber/Alan Jamieson
finished off the season in style on the Midland with a 6th in class, 66th overall.

Lee Earnshaw
was out with Mike Bedwell on the Weller Wheels Stages at Goodwood and came first (or perhaps second, I don't have the final results) in class.

Ellya Gold/Ian Harden
had a good first outing on Avon Park (see separate article). The result with two missed splits hides the fact that they got into the top 20 stages times. They then went on to Goodwood where they came a great 17th overall and 7th in class, to win the novice award.

Vanessa Linley/Joe White
were also out at Goodwood, result to follow in next magazine.

Graham Morris
was out with Richard Worts on the Le Touquet rally. Everything was going well until a driveshaft snapped right inside the gearbox - impossible to mend in the time available. They haven't had a great season of events in the Corsa so far, although individual stage times have been very promising.

Justin Northage
finished 3rd Mobil 1 N3 car on the Manx to end his first British Championship 20th overall and 4th N3. If he had scored the 10 bonus points for entering all rounds (he missed the Vauxhall), he would have come 2nd in N3, so this is a great result.

Sue Orchard/Graham Morris
were out on the Wexford rally in the Metro. They went head-on into a bank on the first day on SS6. The hole in the radiator was patched up and they got 1st lady driver, 2nd in class and 61st overall.

Richard Phillipson/Catherine Phillipson
got the fourth class wins out of four events which they needed on the Midland to win their class on the Welsh National Forestry Championship. Catherine ended up first F2 co-driver and first lady co-driver, as well as first lady co-driver on the BTRDA.

Ian Torkington/Paul Smith
got a finish on the Midland to get a Welsh Clubman Forestry Championship class win.

Midland Rally
Southern stories and results from the Midland are listed in the separate article.

For club members to get your news in here, talk to Richard Phillipson on club night, call on 0181 947 3800 or send an email to cdoherty@gartmore.com.