Neil Roskell won his first event in his new ND Civils/Burdens/Witham Motorsport Ford Fiesta Rally2 after rocketing to an impressive victory on the Corbeau Seats Rally Tendring & Clacton – which is the perfect preparation for the next rounds of the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship, the Manx National Rally.
Co-driven by Andrew Roughead, last year’s Protyre Asphalt runner-up won the event by 11.2 seconds, despite an excursion through a field.
Hugh Hunter/Rob Fagg launched a big push towards the end to close in on the leaders but had to settle for what was still an excellent second in their RSH Tarmac Ford Fiesta Rally2.
Oliver Davies/Jack Bowen (Howells Motorsport/Adam Hewitt Agri Plant and Salvage Sales Ford Escort Mk2) came home second in class 4 (14th overall), while Sam Cox/Paul Brown finished second in class 3 (20th overall) in their Spraytech Aylesbury Renault Clio Cup 3.
Lewis Gatt/Callum Young finished 44th overall in their Gatt Speed Ford Escort Mk2. They may well have finished in the top 20, had it not been for a mysterious electrical fault that caused the car to cut out as the crew were about to check in to the first stage, which saw them receive a big time penalty for checking in late.
Mark Glennerster co-drove Mick O’Brien (Ford Focus WRC) to fifth overall, while Ian Taylor guided Tony Rees (Darrian GTR +) to first in class 4 and 11th overall.
Gareth Bevan was flying on slick tyres in his Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2 and would have been third overall had it not been for an early misfire. Unfortunately, he and co-driver Dafydd Evans retired from sixth place with clutch problems at the start of SS6.
Mike English/Simon Hunter were 10th overall when they were forced to stop when their Proact IT UK/Autowrap Manchester/Kwiktrak Ford Fiesta Rally2 broke two exhaust manifold clamps.
Mark Jasper/Don Whyatt retired their Metro 6R4 with suspension damage, Mark Holmes/Mark Perryman were forced out with radiator issues in their Metro 6R4 and Anthony Allery/Bonnie Papper retired their Salter Demolition Ford Escort RS with a misfire.
Richard Weaver/Cat Lund retired their Ford Fiesta R5 after sliding off the wet and slippery road and hitting a telegraph pole, while Stephen Harvey/Andy Falconer had to stop with a broken radiator in their Telematic Solutions Subaru Impreza.
Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2023 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship is the double header Manx National Rally on the Isle of Man (12/13 May).
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