The West Wales Rally Spares HRCR Stage Masters Challenge champion driver was finally crowned on the Hills Ford Stages when Paul Holmes stroked his Ford Escort RS2000 over the line in Much Marcle, Herefordshire. Paul along with co-driver Elizabeth Beesley have played the numbers game this season by entering as many events as they could and picking a class where points were there for the taking. Coupled to this has been great car preparation and an ability to keep out of trouble. It epitomises a clubman effort and it has paid off handsomely.
The Hills Ford Stages took in a compact route in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire with a couple of short stages on the Saturday night before a further ten on the Sunday. Weather conditions were ideal for most of the event with rain making an appearance late on Sunday to make the last couple of stages interesting!
With the driver’s title sewn up there is still the co-driver’s crown to be decided on the Wyedean which will depend upon Guy Weaver finding a chauffer for the day, otherwise Elizabeth Beesley will take that title.
In the classes there is still all to play for and current champions Baz Wheeler and John Pickavance drove a storming rally to claim maximum points and put themselves in a position to challenge Rudi Lancaster who is unlikely to contest the Wyedean Stages. Behind them in the D5 class, which has been contested exclusively by Ford Escort RS1800s this season, Hywel Davies took the class runner up spot after Mike Simpson and Dale Gibbons were side lined by the throttle sticking open. Rounding off the podium were John Morgan and Llinos Jones Edwars in their pretty Dennis Moody built Escort. None of these crews, apart from Simpson, suffered any major problems apart from a little chicane rash for Wheeler and a missing rear lens for Davies after a particularly close brush with a bank.
Class C5 was the domain of asphalt aces Toby Adam and Ian Meakin who flew despite the loss of second gear on the Saturday afternoon in their BDG powered Mk1 Escort. Making a rare appearance on asphalt were Andy Stokes and Jonny ‘Tad’ Evans who upped their points tally to give them an unassailable lead over Jonathan Brace and Paul Spooner who weren’t present. The only crew who can stop them winning the Challenge class are Adam and Meakin if they were to make a surprise appearance on the Wyedean.
Class D4 was sewn up on the Woodpecker Stages by Graham Thatcher and Tim Samuel but Bill Douglas and Dave Tearl have made a late charge to finish runners up in the seemingly unwieldly Volvo 244, the pair checking nothing more than tyre pressures and levels throughout the day.
Steve Powell was the only representative in C2 in his Hillman Avenger and despite a brush with a bale had a very good day to take enough points to put himself equal with Freddy Camp, another class that may be fought out in the Forest of Dean. Russ Joseph wouldn’t have any luck if he didn’t have bad luck this year and it continued when he partnered Harvey Stevens in his Mini but retired with bent steering. Last but not least was Geraint Thomas who brought welcome variety in the shape of his Sunbeam Imp. It looked resplendent at the start but sadly blew its engine on the very first special stage. Hopefully a winter rebuild will see it out again next year.
Photos by Kind Permission of Ben Lawrence