Crosby on Eden driver William Stobart and Boyzone star Shane Lynch won the Cumbria-based Stobart Rail Pendragon Stages Rally on Sunday (24 August).

Stobart, sponsor of the event, and pop singer Lynch started at number one in their Eddie Stobart-backed Ford Focus WRC and lead from the outset to finish up a comfortable one minute and six seconds ahead of local driver, Appleby’s Dougi Hall and co-driver Richard Cleasby in their Mitsubishi Evo.

John Stone and Lee Carter were third overall in their Metro 6R4 followed by Kirkby Lonsdale Motor Club (KLMC) crew Ian Joel and Graeme Wood in their Ford Escort Cosworth and Tyneside crew Andy Fenwick and Lee Tindall in fifth in their Skoda Octavia WRC.

A capacity entry of 115 cars started the 65-mile tarmac event, which used stages on the Warcop Army ranges and Lowther Park, including many Cumbria-based crews.

Despite no spectators being allowed in Lowther Park to watch due to health and safety reasons following the recent wet weather, the ramp in Penrith town centre proved popular as around 200 people turned out on both visits as the crews chatted with the commentator en route from first service in the early afternoon before visiting the ramp again at the finish in the early evening where the spraying of the champagne took place.

Clerk of the course Tim Foster said: “Yet again it’s been a fantastic event and everyone’s enjoyed it.

“Obviously it’s a shame that we couldn’t allow spectators in to watch in Lowther Park and we thank the public for avoiding the area, but the ramp in the centre of Penrith proved popular and we’re pleased so many people turned out.

“I’m thankful to everyone that’s helped make the event the success it is: the organisers, the marshals, the sponsors Stobart Rail, the Lowther family, the MoD and Eden District Council. It’s been a great day out yet once again and well done to all the crews.”

Meanwhile, a raffle held by the organisers – Kirkby Lonsdale Motor Club, Eden Valley Motor Club and Northallerton Automobile Club – to raise money for the Great North Air Ambulance made £750 after all 150 tickets were snapped up by competitors eager to win the prize of a free entry to next year’s event.

Top Ten Finishers:-

1 William Stobart/Ford Focus WRC   68:26
2 Dougi Hall/Mitsubishi Evo 9      69:32
3 John Stone/Metro 6R4             70:28
4 Ian Joel/Ford Escort Cosworth    70:31
5 Andy Fenwick/Skoda Octavia WRC   70:55
6 David Hardie/Subaru Impreza      72:06    
7 Michael Johns/Mitsubishi Evo 6   72:27
8 Mark Holmes/Metro 6R4            72:48
9 Ross Hunter/Mitsubishi Evo 4     73:06
10Ian Dixon/Ford Escort RS         73:11