Race Retro

Another year has flown by since the last Race Retro and here we were back again at our local show. This time around we took in the first and last days of the show with the Sunday being especially foul, still we enjoyed the action and had a great time always. It seems amazing to think that this is the 8th year of the show and we’ve been to every single one. With the show going from strength to strength, coupled with the growing interest in historic motorsport, we can only see this show growing year on year.

Rallye Sunseeker

Down to Bournemouth for the opening round of the British Rally Championship and all change as 2011 is set to be the year of the young guns, with the old guard not present. From the start it was a two horse race between David Bogie & Kevin Rae (Evo IX) and Tom Cave & Craig Parry (Evo X). Bogie struck first but Cave then went fastest on stage 2 to take the lead. Bogie went fastest on stage 3 to snatch the lead back but Cave then cut the lead over the next two stages before Bogie set fastest times on stages 6 and 7. Cave closed in once more but with the gap at ten seconds going into the final stage Bogie went fastest to win whilst Cave lost over ten seconds. An excellent battle throughout with Bogie taking his first BRC win from Cave who just kept ahead of Elfyn Evans & Andrew Edwards (Impreza N15) who improved as the day passed.

Boucles de Spa

Our second visit to the Ardennes for the Boucles de Spa. This year we had Friday night competitive action to look forward too also as the organisers ran a seeding stage. Without the snow of 2010 the rate of attrition was high with several high profile crews not making it beyond the seeding stages. In the rally overall it was some familiar names who took top honours as Stefaan Stouf & Joris Erard (Escort MkI) had an immaculate drive to add the Boucles de Spa 2011 to their RAC Rally 2010 title. They fended off the Escort MkII of Bjorn Waldegaard & Stephane Prevot who took 2nd overall with the Porsche 911 of 8 times Boucles de Spa winner Patrick Snijers & John Gistels completing the podium.

Wyedean Forest Rally

The last Wyedean for the Peugeot Cosworth of Andy Burton & Robin Kellard and it duly proved to be a fairy tale ending as the crew took an emotional victory. The event had started out with Hugh Hunter & Andy Marchbank (Focus WRC) taking an early lead over the first stage before Burton took the lead on stage 3 with 2nd fastest time. Meanwhile Paul Bird & Kirsty Riddick (Focus WRC) went fastest on stage 3 to be tied 2nd place overall with Hunter. Stage 5 saw Burton go fastest to take a lead which held until the end of the rally, whilst Hunter had a minor off which enabled Bird to take 2nd overall with Hunter completing the podium.