The MAXXIS MSA English Rally Championship returned to Cumbria for the Carlisle Rally which took place over stages in the western side of the giant Kielder forest.
The 2014 English Rally Champion Matthew Robinson, accompanied by Graham Wilcock in a historic spec Fiat 131S, were the highest placed finisher in the MAXXIS MSA English Rally Championship on the Carlisle Stages. They were also the winners of class E5 ahead of a close battle between Alan McDowall / Gavin Heseltine and Tony Williams / Karen Phelps both in Ford Escort Mk2’s
In the hotly contested E2 class Jordan Hone / Paul Hone (Proton Satria) held a slender lead ahead of Keith and Mairi Riddick (MG ZR) and Chris Powell / Jim Lewis (Talbot Sunbeam) but in the second half of the event it was Joe Evett / Phil Hall (MG ZR) who took up the chase with fastest times on the last 2 stages.
Joint Championship leaders James Hutchins/ James Hood (Vauxhall Nova) took an early lead in class E3 closely followed by Tim and Kit Leigh (Fiesta R200) but they retired in the 13 mile Kershope stage leaving the Fiesta crew to take maximum points. The Escort Mexico of Robin Shuttleworth/Ron Roughead was next, maintaining their 2nd in class in the championship points.
In the E1 class for standard cars up to 1400cc the principal contest was between Dominic Hodge / Stefan Arndt (Micra) and Emily and Eliot Retallick (Peugeot 205) with the Micra crew coming out ahead. However, the positions are reversed in the championship points where Emily’s three finishes / three scores keeps her ahead.
Cameron Davies/Lee Taylor (Fiesta ST) ’s third consecutive win in class E4 sees them assuming the lead of the Championship overall, while Sam Bilham’s similar Fiesta was 2nd in class on the day. Cameron also retains his lead in the Junior Drivers section of the Championship with his co-driver Lee Taylor leading the Junior co-drivers.
The MAXXIS MSA English Championship class winners on the Carlisle Stages were: –
- Class E5 Matthew Robinson / Graham Wilcock Fiat 131S 45m 01s
- Class E4 Cameron Davies / Lee Taylor Ford Fiesta ST 45m 59s
- Class E3 Kit Leigh / Tim Leigh Fiesta R200 47m 43s
- Class E2 Jordan Hone / Paul Hone Proton Satria 47m 16s
- Class E1 Dominic Hodge Stefan Arndt Nissan Micra 49m 19s
A full list of all the MAXXIX MSA English Rally Championship points are published in the Competitors section of the Championship website www.englishrally.co.uk
The fourth round of the MAXXIS MSA English Rally Championship will be the Tyneside Stages held on the infamous tarmac roads in Otterburn, Northumberland on Sunday 7th August.
