Rally trophies retained as Swann completes winnning hat-trick

Last year’s winners of the Premier Rally and the Premier Historic Rally both retained their trophies on Sunday in Sherwood Forest Pines with Robert Swann completing a hat-trick of victories.

Reigning Premier Rally champion Swann, with new co-driver Aled Edwards driving his Subaru Impreza S11 for the first time, were consistent throughout the event, enabling them to claim first place by a comfortable one minute, eight seconds.

The Essex-based driver led from start to finish to secure his third win in three years.

The Premier Historic Rally was won by leading entry Jason Lepley and Howard Pridmore in a Ford Escort RS1800 for the second year running, who were 51 seconds ahead of Ripon Motor Club’s Tom Hewick and Mick Johnson in another Ford Escort.

For a third year, the event was ran entirely within Sherwood Pines forestry complex at Edwinstowe as a single venue rally with six rally stages and a mixture of modern rally cars, supported by the historic rally cars of the 70s and 80s in their own rally.

Winners Swann and Edwards were fastest on all six stages, setting the pace for others.

Second place went to the Subaru Impreza N11 of Aaron Newby and Rob Fagg, a position they maintained for the whole of the rally.

Third place went to Forest of Dean Motor Club members Jason Morgan and Jack Walby in their bright yellow Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6, with two minutes, 34 seconds separating them from the leading car.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 of Errol Bairstow and Shaun Wilson finished fourth and fifth went to Dukeries Motor Club members Dave Welsh and Stuart Proctor in a Subaru Impreza

Dukeries Motor Club members dominated the top 10 with Gary Wayne/Andy Smith in the Select Cars-sponsored Subaru Impreza N15, finishing in the same seventh position as last year, three minutes, 51 seconds behind the winners.

Shelly Taunt and Julie Murphy in another Impreza finished eighth, while Tony Bird and Dave Walter’s Escord Cosworth and Dace McLachlans and Colin Mills’ Subaru Impreza came ninth and 10th respectively.

Other awards went to Robert Price/Jonathan Boucard, who were first in Class One in a Vauxhall Corsa, second in Class Two were Chris Grundy/Steve Grundy in another Corsa and second in Class Three were Mark Mazzitelli and Peter Butler in a Ford Escort MK2, all from Dukeries Motor Club

First lady competitor award went to the team of Jon Fox/Emma Morrison in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.

After a good day’s rallying, the Skoda Fabia of Dukeries members Bob Morgan and Adie Williams retired on the fifth stage.

Premier Historic Rally third place honours went to Dukeries MC members Chris Langthorne and Wayne Langthorne in a Ford Escort.

Winner Lepley held onto the lead from the start with fastest times on all six stages, closely followed by Hewick, again finishing second fastest on five stages.

Fourth place also went to Dukeries members Chris Skill and Glenn Hall in an Escort Mark II, some two minutes, 25 seconds behind Lepley, which also won them their 1600cc class.

Mansfield’s Charlie and David Blaney, of Clowne and District Motor Club in an Escort MK2, retired after stage one with a vented block and engine problems,

Car 209, of Stuart Scott and Mark Casey retired halfway into Stage Four when they hit a rut in the track that lifted the back end of their Escort Mk 1, causing them to go sideways, ripping a rear wheel off and rolling the car into undergrowth, both escaping without injury.

Scott said shortly after the crash whilst surveying his upside down Escort: “The car was going well. We are disappointed but unhurt.”

Historic Category One Trophy went to Richard Holdsworth and Yvette Hughes in a Ford Cortina.

The format for the Premier Rally, which used a compact route within Sherwood Pines, again received praise for the third year running from crews that took part, and many are already looking forward to the event in 2014.

There was also praise for the marshals and officials for the event that was organised by Dukeries Motor Club.

Anyone interested in becoming a member can get more information on the club’s website www.dukeries-motorclub.co.uk.

They meet on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at Mansfield Rugby Club on Eakring Road.

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