The Silverstone Tyres Stars 1400 Rally Championship battle for the prize drive on Wales Rally GB went to the wire on this weekend’s Tempest 2 Rally.

Of the four potential winners it was down to Luke Pinder/Martyn Taylor and Richard Sykes/Simon Taylor to fight for honours, whoever finished ahead, would take the funded MGZR prize drive.

Sykes set off with his usual gusto, throwing down the gauntlet with a time five seconds quicker than Pinder who confessed to having an indiscretion with a bank. “We were a bit quick into one corner and threw the car sideways,” he explained, “We hit the bank and it filled the wheels with mud. It put them out of balance for a while so Richard took time off us.”

Championship leaders Matt Cotton/ Anthony Godden’s only chance to win the series relied on both Pinder and Sykes retiring, a situation that became one step closer on stage two. Sykes gear linkage broke forcing him to manually select second gear.

“We got through stage two and the time wasn’t bad.” explained Sykes, “The guys replaced the linkage, but couldn’t set it up properly at service and we struggled until stage four, when the ‘box cried enough.” His retirement meant Pinder merely had to cruise to the finish to take the coveted prize.

Meanwhile Mark Gamble/Steve Link were on the move, overcoming several problems with fuel pressure, breaking rear dampers and losing a brake calliper and all their brakes, to move into second.

As Dale Robertson couldn’t pass Cotton in the FIA Championship class, he had decided to push for a good overall result and began to pull clear of the Cornishman. “I’m making novice mistakes and can’t catch Dale,” shrugged Cotton, “I think I need to go to a rally school and learn it all again.”

On a charge Pinder remarkably set three fastest overall stage times in his diminutive 1400cc Ford Ka and led the Tempest Rally 2 outright. Having seen off Sykes, Luke just had to finish at the front of the pack to collect the coveted prize and seal the Championship title. However, Pinder’s dream was nearly thwarted by penultimate stage differential failure, plummeting him to fourth, dropping minutes in the process and with it, losing the overall lead of the Tempest 2 Rally. “I have never been so concerned or nervous on an event, Luke said at the finish, “We had to complete most of the final two stages and loads of road miles with just one-wheel drive.”

It wasn’t enough to rob him of a hard-earned series victory and although his demotion elevated Gamble to the lead of the rally, he was elated. “It was a shame we couldn’t battle with Richard to the finish,” he said, “but near the end when the diff packed up, I thought it might go to Matt after all.”

Cotton finished third on the rally, but just five points behind Pinder in the final Championship table. “We won the FIA class and beat Dale by a point in the standings, so we did all we could and I’m pleased for Luke.” He said.

Robertson’s second place was enough to net him third in the series, the young Scot already ready for the move up to the British Rally Championship in 2008 with a newly purchased Mitsubishi.

The final Silverstone Tyres 1400 Rally Championship event was won by Mark Gamble/ Steve Link in their Peugeot, taking second on the Tempest 2 Rally to boot. It was their second win of the season and Mark made an emotional dedication at the finish to a close friend who had recently lost his life. 

Other finishers were brothers Andy and Matt Hercliffe and Supradip Dey Roy/Bradley Magnus whose entry on Wales Rally GB that will be run by the same outfit that will service Pinder’s attempt.

With only three weeks to the final round of both British and World Rally Championships, Pinder and co-driver Martyn Taylor will have plenty to keep them occupied. Not least will be the preparations for their longest recce, longest rally and first foray into International rallying.

The prize doesn’t end there though, as the WRGB prize drive is complemented by free Rally 1 entries on all the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship events; perhaps an opportunity to use that International experience to the full in 2008?
 
Results

Mark Gamble / Steve Link Peugeot 106 - 0.56.19
Dale Robertson / Paul Beaton MGZR - 0.58.56
Matt Cotton / Anthony Godden MGZR - 0.59.39
Luke Pinder / Martyn Taylor Ford Ka – 1.00.29
Andy Hercliffe / Matthew Hercliffe MGZR – 1.01.53
SD Roy / Bradley Magnus MGZR – 1.06.48