Last updated 19:39, Thursday, 06 November 2008

CONGRATULATIONS to Richard and Edwin Cook on winning the SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship for the third time.

With a steady run at a very wet Malton Forest Stages, they did what was required by taking second.

For the second year the prize drive of a Group N SG Petch Mitsubishi Evo now awaits them on the Jack Frost Stages in January.

Richard and Edwin are members of both the Wigton MC and West Cumbria Motorsport Club and divide their time between stage rallies historic rallies and classic car events.

Fastest on the first stage was Gary Cooper/Jon Riley (Subaru Impreza) but their rally came to a sudden stop on the second stage when the side swiped a gate post and inflicted substantial damage to the rear of the Impreza.

This left the way clear for Charlie Taylor/ Steve Bielby (Ford Escort MkII) to have a clean steady run to maximum points, with no reported incidents.

John Bainbridge/Giles Dykes (Subaru Impreza) took third-place points. They reported the stages were very slippy with a two-wheel moment on Gale Rigg. A change of rear tyres with extra cuts made the car more stable for the second loop of stages.

Although first has been secured by Richard and Edwin Cook, three crews could still finish as runner-up.

William Jarman/Mark Fisher are currently one point ahead of Barry and Michael Lindsay, with Marcus Noble/Helen Hall a further 12 points behind, so it is all down to the last round in four weeks’ time, the Grizedale Stages Rally.

The top five places in the championship are held by Cumbrian crews.

The final round is the Grizedale Stages Rally, based in Coniston in the Lake District, on November 29. Regs and entries are available from the website www.grizedalestages.co.uk.

Tomorrow sees one of the highlights of the year with the annual visit of the Vintage Sports Car Club for the Lakeland Trial.

This event takes place mainly in the north Lakes forests over a dozen or more sections and is for mainly pre-1930 cars.

There are over 120 entries who will set off from the two starting points at Lorton and Bassenthwaite at 9am.

There are four sections in Darling How (MR 182256) and two in Hobcarton (MR191246). Also at Buttermere Old Road (MR170175) and Drumhouse Quarry at the top of Honister (MR225135).

Local interest will be in the performance of Mike Telford in his Ford A and John Meeks in his Vauxhall.

Wigton kick off their social programme on November 12 at the Wigton Rugby Club at 8pm, when Ian Cowan will give an audio visual presentation of how he built his Jaguar XKSS replica. Admission is free, as are the sandwiches.