Last updated 19:29, Thursday, 27 November 2008

CHARLES Graves and Ron Palmer took an excellent fifth overall on the Rally of the Tests last weekend.

Driving their Jaguar XK150 they gradually moved up the leader board during the four days and nights of concentrated rallying.

The Rally of the Tests is probably the toughest rally in the UK with night navigational sections, regularity and special tests plus very little time in bed! This year’s event started in Bournemouth where the 80 crews took part in a “prologue” of tests on Thursday before the rally proper started on Friday with the first loop into the West Country finishing at Taunton. The second leg took the crews north to Stoke and the final and third section headed into Wales to the finish at Llandudno.

Only a dozen of the cars failed to complete the route, but they included Cumbrian Kevin Savage with his Irish driver Frank Fennell in the Alfa Romeo who were one of the favourites.

However, with Charles and Ron taking fifth overall and first in class, we also had the Cockermouth-based Ian Tullie navigating the fourth-placed Sunbeam Rapier of Malcolm Pickering and Robert and Sue McClean taking their big Rover P4 to 21st place and second in class.

This weekend we have the Furness DMC Coppermines Grizedale Stages, one of the highlights of northern stage rallying on Saturday. Full details are on the excellent Grizedale Stages website – http://www.grizedalestages. co.uk where spectator timings and viewing areas are detailed.

Despite the economic situation there is a good entry numbered to 90. A surprise top seed is the Impreza of Mark Higgins and Nicky Grist who are having a pre-Rally GB shakedown – the car being prepared in south Cumbria by TEG Sport. They will be by far the quickest crew in the event but it may be that they opt out of taking a victory by not handing in their time card.

Of the more local crews we have Gary Thomlinson/Jemma Bellingham in an Impreza at 14, Willie Jarman/Mark Fisher at 27 in their Escort Cosworth, while Paul Benn has a rare outing in another Escort Cosworth at 28 with Keith Richardson alongside; Richard and Edwin Cook, the new SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Champions, at 37 in their now very quick Astra, Alan Mayhew/Bryan Newton run their Impreza at 41 and Peter Thornton/Steve Thompson have a similar car at 43.

Dave and Steve Nicholson run at 64 in their Nova, Sian Beaty has her little Ka at 79, Nick Stamper/Steve Brocklebank have switched to a Skoda at 85 and Martyn Breen/Simon Graham have a 106 Rallye at 89.

Next weekend sees the LE JOG passing through the county and MG Cumbria run their Famous Christmas Cracker Run from Penrith to Keswick.

Once again it has attracted crews from all over the UK.

Regulations for the two Croft single venue events, the Christmas Stages at the end of December and the Jack Frost Stages in mid January, are now available online.

Wigton Motor Club’s awards dinner will take place at the Skiddaw Hotel in Keswick on Saturday, January 17. Tickets are just £20 and are available from David Agnew.

o The Grizedale Stage Rally takes place this weekend.

West Cumbria Motorsport Club members will be in attendance, with 10 crews taking part and many more helping marshal on the day.

The Grizedale Rally is also the last round of the ANECC Championship, but, with most of the class won and Richard and Edwin Cook winning outright, this is going to be a blast around the forest for most.

The ANECC Championship Awards night this year is going to be held in the Sheep and Wool Centre in Cockermouth, hosted by West Cumbria Motorsport Club.

It is being held there because WCMC members are receiving five out of the eight championship awards, including overall winner.

Our first club member away on the Grizedale Rally will be Richard Cooke at car 4. He is navigating a Ford Focus WRC 02 car, while Willie Jarman/Mark Fisher, in the Willie Jarman plant-sponsored Escort Cozy, are away at car 27 and right behind them in another Cozy, and making a welcome return, is the ever-popular Paul Benn. Sitting alongside him will be the very brave Keith Richardson.

The 2008 ANECC Champions of Richard/ Edwin Cook in the Sam Clark-sponsored Astra are away at car 37, Peter Thornton’s Scooby is car 43 and two places behind him in a very quick Mk2 Escort is Alex Benn. Dave and Steve Nicholson are away at car 64 in the Nova, Sian Beatty/David Antrobus in the High Moorside Enterprises and Nuvia-sponsored KA are at 79, with the Pug of father-son duo Reg and Andrew Irving at car 84 and at car 89 is the very quick Pug of Martin Breen and Simon Graham.

For more details of times and car parking, visit www.grizedalestages.co.uk.