UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 15 – FINAL STAGE

1^st (7) Craig Middleton/Robin Hernaman (Accent WRC) 1.07.33.9

2^nd (5) Steve Perez/Neil Dashfield (Focus WRC) 1.08.00.3

3^rd (4) Paul Bird/Ian Windress (Impreza WRC) 1.08.08.4

4^th (2) Barry Johnson/Stewart Merry (Impreza WRC) 1.08.18.6

5^th (14) Richard Gower/Aled Davies (Accent WRC) 1.11.38.1

6^th (16) John Lloyd/Pauline Gullick (Impreza WRC) 1.12.10.2

7^th (12) Steve Hendy/Mark Milton (Escort WRC) 1.12.37.9

8^th (32) Anthony Wilmington/Andy White (Lancer N) 1.13.15.0

9^th (20) Alistair Tough/Alistair MacKay (Impreza N) 1.13.26.4

10th (48) Michael O'Brien/Steve Smallbone (Impreza) 1.13.40.0

11^th (21) Rob Smith/Alun Cook (Impreza N) 1.13.59.6

12^th (38) Philip McVay/Nick Cadwallader (Impreza N) 1.15.14.4

13^th (27) Tony Thompson/Jon Dunning (Lancer N) 1.15.27.1

This has been a fantastically exciting Rallye Sunseeker with huge battles throughout the leaderboard right to the end of the 15^th special stage with 26 year old Craig Middleton, co driven by Robin Hernaman, coming out as the overall winner in his Hyundai Accent WRC.  Steve Perez would have liked to have won but had to settle for 2nd in his Vodka Kick Focus WRC but was pleased to finish ahead of his great personal rival and friend Paul Bird who was 3^rd.   Middleton brought his Hyundai into the finish control and said. “It’s been an up down, up down day, I thought I was going to lose the rally on the last stage, same as the previous year, this time because I’d no rear brakes having boiled them on the 10 mile previous stage. Luck was on my side today and this is a great birthday present for my Dad, Graham.  The Petch team gave us a steering rack this afternoon which kept us going and that was great. We haven’t planned to do the full championship this year, and we are going testing with another team, but this is certainly a good start to the season”. 

Steve Perez in 2^nd place said. “Craig was well ahead over the last few stages so I just concentrated on staying ahead of Birdy, and we had a good run. The car went well”.  Current Champion Paul Bird was in gearbox trouble all day with his hired Impreza WRC but that didn’t dampen Bird’s enthusiasm for the Subaru, and he said. “The car was mega, I want to drive it again, its better than I even expected. Just a pity we had no 4^th gear all day, so it wasn’t a bad result, but frustrating”.  Barry Johnson led the rally earlier today but then had a few accidents with straw bales and struggled through the afternoon stages. He said. “Its disappointing, I’ve never had so much grief on a rally. The car was filling with smoke towards the end, it was certainly an eventful day”. 

Richard Gower had a good run to come into 5^th in his Accent. John Lloyd was delighted to finish 6^th and said. “It was my best ever result on an ANCRO round, I’m really pleased with how we went today”. Steve Hendy in his Escort WRC did well to bring that older type of car into the finish with such a good result and said it really flowed for him over the last couple of stages.  Anthony Willmington in 8^th also wins Group N and the Mitsubishi award. Alistair Tough in 9^th is 2^nd GpN and wins the Subaru Cup award. While Rob Smith in 10^th finished 3^rd GpN. 

Late retirements included Steve Fleck who pulled out on the final road section. Steve had been 7^th in his Subaru.  Paul Wedgbury went out with turbo trouble on his Subaru. Will Nicholls had been in the top 10 but he was forced to retire when he spun his Impreza on stage 8 and a branch holed the radiator. Just outside the top 12 we have Wyn Humphreys in 13^th. Simon Close 14^th. Wug Utting 15^th. Formula 1 pundit Tony Jardine with Motorsport News Editor Jim Holder co driving were 16^th in their Impreza. Tony Phillips was 17^th.  John McGaffin 18^th.

Finally for now well done to Rick Smith and his splendid organising team for laying on such a fabulous event, a very fitting opener to the MSA Gravel Championship.  Our thanks to all who supported and helped with our RallyNews – particularly Steve Perez, Ollie O’Donovan and Chris Hutchings.