Arthur Forster and Ed Stark were jubilant winners at Wiscombe Park on Sunday (25 April) in round two of the 2004 John Cooper Challenge. Both scored incredibly close-run victories as the MINI S Class and Club Class competitors tackled the technically challenging Devon venue.
Already, the openness of the competition in the John Cooper Challenge is becoming apparent as four drivers have now taken victories across the opening two events. Lydden Hill sprint winners Martin Wallbank and Stephen Campbell finished third and fourth in their respective classes at Wiscombe.
A superb field of 28 MINIS competed against the clock in the hillclimb, in the second and final speed event on the 2004 calendar. Less than a second covered the top four cars in the S Class, while the top 10 Club Class cars were within a second of class winner Stark, who sliced 1.3s from the Club Class hill record on his attacking second run. In all, the top 12 Club Class drivers all recorded times beneath the year-old class record!
Forster really attacked the 1000-yard hill on the first of the two timed runs and stopped the clocks in 46.68s, which was a standard that no one else in the S Class could quite match. Nick Smith came the closest on his second run to get within 0.16s, while Lydden winner Martin Wallbank took third in 47.03s from Tony Skelton. Forster was elated to take the victory, which was reward for his mammoth journey to Devon from Northumberland. "It was definitely worth coming," he said as he collected the spoils.
The Club Class marked a marvellous victory for 20-year old Stark, competing in only his second motorsport event. He worked at improving his speed all day, and shot to the top of the class times with a 48.73s climb on his final run of the day. Despite minimal experience, Ed put his victory down to his family's motorsport heritage. "It's in the blood – my father and grandfather were both rally drivers," he said, still over-joyed at the result.
Barney Craggs led the chase of Stark, and chipped his time further on his second run to end the day only 0.14s adrift in second, while Jonathan Shepherd was on the podium for the second time in two events in third place ahead of Lydden winner Stephen Campbell.
The John Cooper Challenge now switches focus to racing, with the next event at Donington Park on Saturday, 15 May.
