The Oswestry based Bulldog Clubman Rally set the stage for the final round of the Vodka Kick backed Fiesta SportingTrophy UK at the weekend. The rally was 45 miles of classic mid)Wales with just four stages for crews to demonstrate their pace.

Despite the fact that the championship was won on last month’s McRae Stages, the penultimate round of the series, the 2007 FST UK champions Jonathan Greer, 19)years)old and co)driver Jonny Hart made the trip from Northern Ireland and walked away with their fourth win of the series. The Belfast duo won the event by 26 seconds from fellow Ulsterman, 19)year)old Alastair Fisher and his co)driver Paul Morris. Tommi Walster, 21 from Nottingham and Tim Sturla claimed the final podium spot, but only just.

The crisp temperatures in the morning made tyre choice an easy decision, all competitors opting for the softer compound BF Goodrich tyre. First casualty of the day was Tim Sunderland and co) driver Andy Street. Their fire extinguisher went off on the way to the first stage and they were unable to continue. Stage one was to claim another two FST crews.

Liam Regan broke the gearbox mount, which in turn pulled the drive shaft out and broke the crank sensor. Max Utting slid wide on a hairpin and got stuck in a ditch, his Fiesta ST tipping on its side. There was minimal damage but Max and co)driver Huw Mathias were unable to continue.

Greer and Hart were quickest out of the blocks, setting a time three seconds quicker than their nearest rivals, Fisher and Morris, over the eight mile Dyfnant stage. Walster and Sturla finished the stage in third place while local driver, 18)year)old Elfyn Evans and Richard Edwards were fourth.

Stage two saw Greer set a blistering time, 18 seconds quicker than the next fastest Fiesta, Walster, a time which was also fourth overall in the clubman rally. He extended his lead to 27 seconds going into the first and only service halt of the day. Fisher struggled with grip through the second stage, the 13 mile Dyfi Main test, and he overshot a couple of hairpins. His time, nearly 28 seconds slower than Greer, was enough to drop him to third with Walster
moving into second place despite a near roll at the start of the stage. Co)driver Sturla remarked, “I braced myself for a roll. I can’t remember anything as close to a roll before!”

Stage two saw the demise of Richard Archer who slid off near the start of the stage. The glaring sun caught him out and he hit a bank, breaking a bottom arm. Evans maintained a consistent pace through stage two and remained in fourth place going into service. James Everard, 22 from Hull, and David Jobling were sixth after SS1 but moved into fifth place going into service with a very quick time through Dyfi Main.

Barry Greer arrived into service complaining of a knocking noise coming from the front of the car and he was sixth with two stages to go. Stephen Parry)Jones and Jamie Edwards were seventh after two stages while Clive Hilton and David Ingamells were in eighth place; both crews
reporting a clean run through stages one and two, no problems.

Greer and Hart extended their lead to 30 seconds after SS3 after another fastest time through the 14 mile Gartheiniog test. Fisher and Morris were 1.9 seconds further back and 0.4 seconds quicker than Walster and Sturla; Walster maintaining his second place overall. Evans and
Edwards emerged from the stage 1.5 seconds down on Walster. The final stage saw Fisher and Morris claim their first quickest FST time of the event after a
fantastic burst through the 8.5 mile Dyfnant test, they were over six seconds quicker than Greer but more importantly for them, over 17 seconds faster than Walster and they reclaimed second place.

Walster and Sturla were on too hard a compound and they slid off and stalled on two corners and consequently dropped to third place. Evans was 8.5 seconds quicker than Walster but it was not enough to move the young Welshman into third place, finishing 0.7 seconds adrift and in
fourth place. Everard and Jobling finished the event in fifth place, their best result of the season. Barry Greer and John Lemon found the cause of the knocking noise by replacing a front drive shaft. They maintained their fifth place ahead of Parry)Jones and Edwards.

Clive Hilton and David Ingamells finished the event in eighth place, also their best result of the season. Greer, Parry)Jones and Hilton all claimed maximum points in the Competition Car Insurance Best Improvement on Seeding Award, however, Barry Greer claims the 2007 title. Jonny Greer won the Castrol Hard Charger Award for setting quickest time on three stages. The result of the top four Fiesta SportingTrophy UK crews saw them take third, fourth, fifth and
sixth places overall on the Clubman section of the rally. A very credible result and testament to the pace of the top FST crews.

2007 FST UK champion Jonathan Greer said:
“I really enjoyed the rally and the stages were very challenging. The event ran according to plan after I took the lead on SS1. I’ve really enjoyed the  hampionship and was pushed hard all year. The car has run well all day and all season. I want to say thanks to the team for giving me a faultless car. The guys have been great! ”