Last updated 19:41, Thursday, 06 November 2008

LAST weekend saw the Malton Stages in which West Cumbria Motorsport Club had three entries.

CHAMPIONS: Richard and Edwin Cook retained their Association of North East Car Clubs title

This rally was also the penultimate round of the Association of North East Car Clubs Championship and with only 10 points separating the top two crews it was going to be a tough rally.

The top two are members of the club and with the defending champions Richard and Edwin Cook still in the lead despite not finishing the last round – the Cheviot Stages – they were determined to see this one to the end.

Willie Jarman and Mark Fisher did finish the last one even with a slipping clutch and were out for a good finish to take the championship to the last round, the Grizedale Stages.

But rallying can be a very cruel sport, and it was for Jarman and Fisher as they blew their front differential on the very first stage, forcing them to retire.

That gave the Cooks a relatively easier rally as they only had to finish to retain their ANECCC title.

And after a very clean and smooth drive the father/son duo did just that and brought the Sam Clark-sponsored Astra home to the finish and received 20 points, giving them the championship.

The Cooks have had an excellent year, and out of the eight championship rounds they entered they have been the highest placed finisher on five of them.

The prize for the win is the same as last year – an all-expenses-paid entry to the Jack Frost Stages Rally in January in one of Steve Petch’s rally cars.

Unfortunately, the club’s other entrant, Peter Thornton, had problems with his exhaust on stage six and was forced to retire.

The Grizedale Stages held later this month is the last local rally and five WCMC crews have already entered with more almost certain to join the line-up.