Armajaro MSA British Historic Rally Championship and HRCR Classic Stage Rally Challenge
Preview, round nine: Minilite Historic Somerset Stages
The battle for the overall Armajaro MSA British Historic Rally Championship will be settled on (Saturday 28 October) on the final round, the Minilite Historic Somerset Stages.
Patrick Watts and Steven Smith will go head to head in the last event of the season, which mixes gravel and asphalt tests in 12 special stages in the Somerset hills.Currently, Watts and Elgan Davies (Sunbeam Tiger) have the points' lead, but Smith and John Nichols (Porsche 911RS) will retain their title by two points if both crews win their respective categories.
Former BTCC racer Watts is likely to score maximum points in the historic category, and must hope that Smith fails to win the post-historic category. A year ago, Smith/Nichols clinched the title on the same rally after a mighty battle with the Escort Mk1 of David Stokes/Ian Oakey.
Lining up against Watts/Davies in the historic category will be Neil and Michelle Calvert (Lotus Cortina) as well as the Porsche 911s of Stephen Troman/Martin Brady and David Foster/Terry March. But it will surely take an off or a mechanical problem to come between the Sunbeam Tiger crew and another maximum score.The Calverts are hot favourites for class B4 after a mighty season, while Mike Barratt/Jody Watson will start favourites for class B2 after a season that can best be described as character building. To their credit, they will line up in Minehead to complete a season that has included six non-finishes in eight events for their Mini Cooper. Local crew Alison Lock/Barbara Alexander will settle second in the class within the championship in their Mini, while Phil and Stuart Smith could be the main rivals to Barratt/Watson.
In class B1, it is all to play for as just four points split the two-stroke Saabs of John Parker/Robert Harrison and Nick Pinkett. Although Harrison is secure as champion B1 co-driver, the drivers will sort it out on Saturday.
While Smith/Nichols have to win the post-historic category to retain their BHRC crowns, they face a tougher challenge than Watts/Davies. In particular, David Stokes/Guy Weaver will be on maximum attack in their Escort Mk1. Although the overall title is now out of reach, they could yet grab third overall in the BHRC and would love to end the season with another win. Meanwhile, Ernie Graham (Escort Mk1) is a late addition to the post-historic field and will be very quick.
More quick Porsches will be in the hands of Graham Wilson/Keith Fellows and Paul Drinkall/Roy Brown, while the C2 contest will be as fierce as ever, with Vince Bristow/Dean Mitchell going head to head with John Worthing/Bill Robertson in Mk1 Escorts. Bob Gibbons/Stuart Cardell head C3 in their Escort RS2000.
With the overall title settled, a modest classic entry will line up in Somerset, but the quality is as good as ever as three Mk2 Escorts head the field. Dick Slaughter/Geoff Dearing, Terry Brown/Paul Willets and Martin Freestone/Joanne Oakey are all potential category winners and should have a mighty contest.
Second overall in classics and the D3 class will be settled in Somerset. Arwel Evans and Paul Wakeley (Escort RS2000) currently have the advantage over Mark and Brett Clifford (Escort Mk2), but when dropped scores are taken into account, they start dead level in Somerset. So, whichever crew finishes ahead will take the class title and championship runner-up position.The Historic Somerset Stages starts at 8am on Saturday 28 October from Minehead. It is organised by the Burnham-on-Sea and Minehead Motor Clubs. For more details at somersetstagesrally.com-
