Former Scottish Champions Dave Weston and Dave Robson claimed the honours on Sunday’s (November 4) Pickering-based Malton Forest Rally.

The crew, seeded at number two, finished just 22 seconds ahead of last year’s winner Barry Johnson and co-driver Stewart Merry in their Ford Focus WRC on the Malton Motor Club event.

Johnson and Merry, who had swapped their regular Subaru Impreza WRC car for a Mitsubishi Evo Step 2 WRC, came home 11 seconds in front of 2004 winners Steve Petch and John Richardson in their Hyundai Accent WRC. 

Petch/Richardson were in the lead after stage two in Cropton but Weston, who won the inaugural rally in 2003, and co-driver Robson soon edged ahead after stage three. At the halfway point, Weston/Robson were still out in front with Johnson/Merry breathing down their necks with just 14 seconds between the two.

Weston/Robson stayed ahead in the afternoon with 16 seconds separating them from Johnson/Merry heading into the tenth and final stage. They managed to claim a further six seconds across the last test and take victory on the event as they posted fastest times across eight of the day’s stages.

Tristan Pye/Kirsty Riddick were fourth overall in their Group N-spec Subaru Impreza followed by Metro 6R4 crew Warren Philliskirk and Emma Slights, who was making her co-driving debut.

The 45-mile compact forest gravel event saw 64 cars battle it out for various honours across technical stages in Cropton, Gale Rigg, Dalby, Staindale and Pickering Showground, including around 25 local crews.

Clerk of the course Graham Harper said: “The event went well, once again it has been a success. It was a good day and I’d like to thank everyone involved right across the board including the organisers, marshals and competitors. 

“It ran smoothly, despite being a slight delay, which was handled well. We’ve had some positive feedback from the crews about how compact it was and how good the stages were, I’m very pleased with everything.”

The first Malton Motor Club crew home was Gavin Read and Craig Jenkinson who were 15th overall in their Subaru Impreza whilst Nick Cook and Neil Colls took the first Motoscope Rally Equipment award for the highest finishing two-wheel drive Ford Escort Mk1 or Mk2 in their Mk1 as they were 17th.

The highest finishing ANCRO Forest Rally Challenge competitor was Ford Fiesta ST driver Max Utting, who was 19th overall. Paul Hudson took the Christine Francis award for the highest finishing Malton Motor Club co-driver as he guided Dave Craven to seventh place in his Mitsubishi Evo 6.

The fifth running of the Malton Forest Rally was once again sponsored by Mellors Elliott Motorsport/Aero Maintenance and as well as being a round of the ANCRO Hankook Forest Rally Challenge was also a round of the SG Petch ANECCC, Kent Cams ANCC and ANEMMC championships.

1  Dave Weston  Dave Robson  Ford Focus WRC01             0:44:06       
2  Barry Johnson  Stewart Merry  Mitsubishi WRC                0:44:28 
3  Steve Petch  John Richardson  Hyundai Accent WRC       0:44:39 
4  Tristan Pye  Kirsty Riddick  Subaru Impreza N11              0:45:17 
5  Warren Philliskirk  Emma Slights  Metro 6R4                   0:46:05