Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship

News round-up after event seven: Historic Tour of Flanders

Welcome to the latest issue for 2007 of the post-event news and gossip update for the Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship.

The Tour of Flanders wrapped up the asphalt element of the season and produced some fabulous battles for the top places, carried out in a great spirit of sportsmanship.

As ever, the thrash around the closed roads of Belgium was a popular and challenging event and remains a worthy round of the championship.NewsChris Browne and Ali Cornwell were a late entry after a big rush to rebuild their Escort after an accident in Ypres at the end of June. The car was finally finished in Belgium at 1am on Saturday morning after nine weeks of work. Unfortunately, a gearbox problem (see below) cost them time early on, but they took a top ten finish.After some pretty torrid luck in recent times, Mike Barratt and Jody Watson were pleased with their event, even though it finally ended in a non-finish for the Mini Cooper S. They led B2 after five stages, and were third fastest category 1 car on Zoning 1, just eight seconds off the time of Neil Calvert's Lotus Cortina. Unfortunately, the engine boiled later in the day when they were running second to James Stait. "We had a great run," said Mike. "Unexpected problems hit Clive King and James early on, but we were beating Terry Cree and were very pleased with the pace."Jeremy Easson rallied for the first time since March in his Escort Mk1, with Alun Cook alongside. "I do like this event," said Easson, before head gasket failure put them out early on the second day of the Belgian rally. The outing was part of Easson's build up for the Roger Albert Clark Rally in November.Back in action after a 20-year break from rallying was Andrew Siddall in an Escort Mk1 hired from XS Racing. "I'm doing it to see if I still like it," said the Huddersfield driver, who last competed on the 1990 RAC Rally. He now plans to tackle the Trackrod and Roger Albert Clark rallies.James Stait and Gill Cotton had a dramatic weekend. The MG Midget's throttle jammed open on two of the first three stages, so James had to revert to driving on the ignition switch. With that sorted, they charged along, only to crash out on the De Ruiter stage on Sunday when the Midget flipped in a ditch.Back after a break from rallying due to surgery was Preston Ayres, co-driving for Craig Salter in the Escort Mk1. A team insider reported that this was Preston's first rally since reaching his 60th birthday. He is also set to co-drive for Geoff Fielding on the East African Safari Classic in November, starting as car 10 in Geoff's Porsche 911.Quotes of the weekend"I can't believe how competitive it is." Jeremy Easson has been out of the BHRC for six months and was impressed with the category 2 pace."It's all lovely. The weather is brilliant and the stages are good. What more could you ask for?" Craig Salter enjoyed himself on the way to third in category 2."I've told him that if we go off, I'm not pushing." Salter's co-driver Preston Ayres laid down the ground rules for his first event following ankle surgery."We turned towards the crowd instead of the other way. That surprised a lot of people." Graham Samuel nearly wrong-slotted on the Zoning stage."We could have squashed a mosquito against a gate post, but didn't touch the post, it was that close. Sheer skill!" Neil Parsons, tongue firmly in cheek after a very close moment."We went off three times on the first stage. It's OK now we've calmed down." Paul Drinkall had an exciting start."The air-con isn’t working." Bill Robertson found it warm inside John Worthing's Escort. "If I eat any more bananas I'll look like a gorilla." Robertson again, and I'm so much resisting the temptation to add any further comment."I retired after one and a half stages last year, so I'm glad to be here." Peter Egerton en route to C3 spoils."The man's a maniac!" David Stokes' view on the pace of Jimmy McRae."Congratulations, you old fart!" McRae to Stokes at the end of the rally."He passed me the gear lever half way through Passendale. I told him that was his job, not mine." Ali Cornwell gives partner Chris Browne a straight answer mid-stage. "It came off in my hand," countered Chris, with what Ali described as a typical male excuse."It's like driving my Mini, the way it is braking." Frank Cunningham was delighted with a chance of brake pads."That's twice now that Mr McRae has beaten me into second, with two different drivers. I'll have to see who I can find next!" Ian Oakey enjoyed his weekend alongside Gareth Lloyd.PointsProvisional BHRC overall driver points after round seven:1 David Stokes           1832 Dessie Nutt             1803 Jimmy McRae         1704 Gareth Lloyd           1595 Neil Calvert             1506 Terry Cree               1397 Paul Mankin            1248 Clive King                1199 Phil Smith               11510 John Worthing        112etc.Provisional BHRC overall co-driver points after round seven:1 Guy Weaver             1832 Geraldine McBride    1803 Andy Richardson      1704 Richard Shores         1395 Ryland James           1236 Arlene Cookson        1207 Barbara Smith          1158 Bill Robertson          1129 Dean Mitchell           10510 Frank Richer          101