Rally Update Achitexture Challenge & Corinium Stages by Paul Willetts
Local
co-driver Jamie Vaughan had a weekend to remember with overall victory on
Saturdays Corinium Stages at Down Ampney, and followed it up with 3rd overall
on last Sundays Architexture Architects Dixies Challenge, the event organised
by both Forest of Dean Motor Club and Forresters Car Club.
45
miles over 10 tests were on offer on the Epynt military ranges for the maximum
entry of 80 cars, the event was a round of the HRCR Stage Masters series and
Minisport Mini Cup.
For
veteran Tony Rees with Jamie Vaughan alongside in the Darrian GTR, got
off to a good start with fastest on stage 1 by a second, but by stage 4 had
dropped back to 3rd but it was all very tight at the front all day, and a spin on
stage 9 was there only issue and finished a very creditable 3rd overall complete a memorable
weekend for the Monmouthshire co driver.
Jason
Gardner with Will Rogers calling the notes in the Brecon View Plumbing Escort
RS1800 were another local crew in the awards with a fine run to 12th overall &
2nd in class.
Ian
Skipp had Kevin Lane calling the notes the Astra GSI and took 22nd overall
& 4th in class
Ryan
Taylor and Hollie Churchill had a very good day, finishing 31st overall, 2nd in
class and 3rd Mini home.
Ryan's father Paul had his daughter, the ever smiling Jemma in the hot seat in his
Mini Cooper, they finished 54th & 7th in class, making a good day in the
Taylor household.
Those
not fortunate to see the finish were Alan Marriage and Colin Jenkins who rolled
there Escort RS1800 on stage 3 when the car snapped under heavy braking for a
chicane, the car suffered minimal damage and the crew ok.
Matt
Davis and Abi Haycock in there Cooper S retired on stage 4 with head gasket
failure, but not before leading the Mini Cup contenders after stage 3.
Matt's father Eric with Russ Joseph on the notes in the Dennis Motorsport Mini,
retired on stage 3,after sustaining a double puncture.
The
overall event winners were Damian Cole and Paul Spooner in the Get Connected
Ford Focus WRC.
Saturdays
Cirencester Car Clubs Corinium Stages held at the former WW11 airfield, saw
Jamie Vaughan take his first ever outright win alongside Josh Payton in his 2.5
Escort RS by just 5 seconds, after a titanic battle with two 4wd cars in
the shape of Tim Self, s Fiesta R5 and Lee Kedwards Evo 3,with Payton holding
an immediate lead after stage 4, but this was washed away, with a persistent
misfire on stages 5,6,&7, which was traced to a wire from the fuel
injection system, with just 1 stage left they held 3rd place, 7 seconds behind
leader Self, but with the car now 100 %, the duo attacked to take 12 seconds
from the Fiesta driver to win by just seconds after 50 miles of
competition.
"Its
been a great weekend for me, to win my first event Saturday, and now 3rd here
today on Epynt, both rallies went down to the final stage, but really enjoyed
today, it's been a very well organised event, and good stages." said
Vaughan.
