Comment

Picture courtesy of Simon Clarke Photography

Quinton Motor Club's leading co-driver Ian Allsop had something of a surprise outing on the latest round of the BTRDA Championship.

With a weekend free from his duties with usual driver Jon Ingram, Michael O'Brien invited him to fill an unexpected vacancy alongside him in his Ford Focus WRC 02 on the North Humberside Rally. Neither disappointed their new partners, with the pair coming home second overall behind Vodka Kick boss and Allsop's old rival Steve Perez, who was returning to the forests after finally recovering from his accident on last year's East African Safari Classic.

O'Brien was delighted with such an outcome on his first rally with Allsop, whose reputation has him currently under consideration for a place in the Ford works' team for World Championship events later in the year. After such a result, Michael was quick to sign Ian up for two further events later in the season when his other commitments, particularly with Jon Ingram in the MSA National Gravel Series, will allow.

Next weekend, Allsop heads even further north for the next round in this championship - the Border Counties Rally in the infamous Kielder forest - with Ingram in his Subaru Impreza S11 WRC.

After his retirement on the last round of the BTRDA Championship, fellow Quinton member Martin Healer was better pleased by a steady drive to finish 14th on the North Humberside and ninth in class in his Ford Escort WRC.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the country, the same weekend saw Quinton's tarmac experts competing on the Tour of Caerwent Rally in Monmouthshire.

Following a quiet year in 2007, former multi-Heart of England Champion Julian Jones returned to the fray with Anthony Hackett alongside him reading the notes. After a troubled day with brake and propshaft problems that restricted the top speed in their Rallyaction Ford Escort Mark 2 on the long Caerwent straights, the Quinton pair were delighted and somewhat surprised to take fourth overall and second in class, beating many four-wheel drive cars and even WRC vehicles.

Quinton's tarmac specialists are now looking forward to the club's own annual single-venue event - the Horiba D'Isis Stages Rally - at the MIRA Proving Ground near Nuneaton on April 12.

10:09am Thursday 10th April 2008

Print

Email this

Comment