Killer Kielder kills again

From Chris Biewer [ 22/11/2004 ].
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The Roger Albert Clark = RAC Rally is part 1 of a revival attempt of a proper RAC Rally GB. The Roger Albert Clark Rally is for the historic cars. Part 2 is called the Lombard RAC Revival Rally and will be a longer version of this event with modern cars and a route more typical for old days. The Lombard RAC Revival Rally will start on Thursday, 25th November, and lasts 4 days, 50 stages and 1920km! The Lombard RAC Revival Rally also takes a more classic route starting from York through Scotland, Kielder, Lake Destrict and then 2 days in Wales with the last day being basically the complete 2004 Wales Rally GB route plus Sweet Lamb - just to show off how small and easy modern WRC events have become! The historic cars Roger Albert Clark Rally however is confined "only" to northern England and Scottish border land.

The Roger Albert Clark Rally (also abbreviated RAC!) started off on Sunday, 21st November, with a fight between Stig Blomqvist in a Ford Escort RS1800 and Richard Tuthill in a Porsche 911. But then proceedings took a change with the long and famous Harwood Forest stage, that in former WRC RAC Rallies often marked the first proper forest stage after the sunday run on stately homes. In Harwood Jeremy Easson, a regular group N winner on the RAC in the 1990s, took the stage win, followed by Malcolm Wilson and Richard Tuthill. Surprisingly it was exactly the RAC legends Stig Blomqvist and Hannu Mikkola, sharing 6 RAC wins between them, to have lost the touch to the front a little in this stage. But in the last, long Rooken test, it was Malcolm Wilson all the way, Mikkola 2nd quickest in the stage already being half a minute down with Blomqvist another half a minute away. Tho at the end of the day it was Malcolm Wilson to take the lead in a Ford Escort RS1800.

Leg2 seemed to be more in control of the legends. The day started with Scottish classic stages as Ae, Castle O'er & Twiglees. Stig Blomqvist won most of the stages of leg2, but Hannu Mikkola also moved up the leader bord. In the afternoon it was Malcolm Wilson leading from Stig Blomqvist with Hannu Mikkola in 3rd. Porsche 911 driver Richard Tuthill couldn't quite go the pace of the Escort brigade and the early rally leader was down in 6th place. The top3 are all driving Mk2 Escort RS1800s and all are legends. Malcolm Wilson is of course now Ford's WRC team boss and also finished 3rd on the RAC 1993, driving a Ford Escort Cosworth. Stig Blomqvist won the RAC in 1971 in a Saab and in 1983 in an Audi Quattro A2, while Hannu Mikkola is a 4 times RAC winner, 1978 & 1979 as a Ford Escort RS1800 works driver and 1981 & 1982 as an Audi Quattro works driver. Stig Blomqvist also drives a well historic car, his Escort RS1800 on this event is "MLD 999P", exactly the car Ari Vatanen crashed in style on the 1978 RAC, exactly here 26 years ago!

Before Kielder the rally seemed to be in control of rally legends. But killer Kielder once more confirmed its name. Out of all people it was Hannu Mikkola to hit trouble in Kielder Forest's most famous stage, Kershope. We are still awaiting details, but the 4 times RAC winner has lost 7 minutes and 3 places in Kershope. Tomorrow is the last day of the Roger Albert Clark Rally and this day kicks off with another run over the demanding Kielder-Kershope stage.

Results after leg2:
1. Malcolm Wilson, Peter Martin, Ford Escort RS1800 2:05:24
2. Stig Blomqvist, Ana Goni, Ford Escort RS1800 +53
3. Jeremy Easson, Alun Cook, Ford escort RS1800 +3:35
4. Richard Tuthill, John Bennie, Porsche 911 +7:20
5. Ray Bellm, Marc Jones, Ford Escort RS1600 +8:09
6. Hannu Mikkola, Ieuan Thomas, Ford Escort RS1800 +9:57
7. Richard Gower, Carl Williamson, Ford Escort RS1600 +10:03
8. Philip Squires, Michael Squires, Ford Escort RS1800 +10:44
9. Steve Perez, Neil Dashfield, Porsche 911 +11:20
10. Grant Shand, Frank Richer, Ford Escort RS1800 +11:25