Last updated 19:25, Thursday, 20 November 2008

MALCOLM Wilson/John Millington scored a dominant victory on the Roger Albert Clark rally that finished in Carlisle on Monday after four tough days and nights.

DOMINANT: Malcolm Wilson and the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team which won the RAC Rally at the weekend

They led from stage five onwards and were closely pursued by Irish driver Martin McCormack but after Martin hit a log and bent the axle Malcolm had a very controlled drive with the RS1800 to gradually extend his lead to more than six minutes at the end over David Stokes’ RS1600 Escort.

The rally started with some spectator stages and then a good thrash through Yorkshire and up into Cumbria and two runs through Greystoke on Saturday to the overnight halt in Carlisle.

Sunday saw the cars in southern Scotland and then after another night in Carlisle the remaining competitors had to face the daunting forests of Kielder and back to the finish in Carlisle.

In the open rally for non-period cars there was more Cumbrian success for Phil Jobson/Caroline Lodge in their Escort who took second overall while Marcus Noble/Brian Hodgson were fourth in another Escort. Phil Burton/Mal Capstick took their escort to seventh overall.

In the Clubman’s Rally Paul Drinkall/Roy Brown took their 911 to a win with fellow Cumbrians Helen Hall/Mark Dunning fourth in a Sunbeam.

The third of the rallies that aspire to bring back the character of the RAC Rallies of the past started yesterday and finishes on Sunday. The Rally of the Tests is aimed at pre-1972 cars and the bulk of the entries are of the types of car that took part in the RAC Rally of Great Britain prior to that event using special stages.

It is a real test of stamina as it starts on Bournemouth and runs through the South West and then up through Wales to finish at Llandudno. Our local hopes will rest on the very experienced Charles Graves/Ron Palmer in a Jaguar XK150 who did very well last year.

Other Cumbrians include Kevin Savage who is sitting with Frank Fennell in an Alfa and must be a potential winner. Robert and Sue MacClean from VBMC have their Rover P4 and Ian Tullie is on with Malcolm Pickering on a Sunbeam Rapier.

The Rally of the Tests has a very strong Cumbrian link via the organising team of Fred Bent, Antony Preston and Chief Marshal Bob Redhead.

There is good news that the Grizedale Stages will go ahead next weekend despite a drop in entries. Furness DMC tell me they feel that they will have enough entries to cover costs or at worst they have enough in the bank to make up any deficit.

The Grizedale is one of the best events of its type and has a great reputation but from being regularly over subscribed it has suffered from changing interests and tightening purse strings. Hopefully they will get the 75 entries needed to break even.