Silverstone -26th Aug 2001

Official Organiser's Report:

Duckworth extends RallySprint lead after victory at Silverstone's Historic Festival.

Roger 'Jedi' Duckworth (Towcester) has extended his lead in the Loctite National RallySprint Championship after taking his Autosportif-prepared Integral Powertrain/Listers Subaru Impreza WRC to an impressive victory at the Silverstone Historic Festival meeting.

Having beaten Steve 'Hannibal' Smith (Lancia Delta Integrale) from Northallerton in the Quarter Finals, Duckworth knocked out the defending RallySprint Champion, Oxford's Steve Hill (Mitsubishi Lancer) in the Semi-Finals. The scene was set for a much-awaiting Grand Final with Chris 'The Terminator' Mellors (Bakewell) but victory was assured even before the start lights went out when Mellors jumped the start in his Chep-sponsored Escort WRC.

As fading light reduced the finals to one lap of Silverstone's Roger Clark RallySprint Circuit, a huge crowd saw Hill finish third, ahead of Durham's Steve 'The Boss' Petch, who was making his debut in the spectacular NSG Hyundai Accent WRC.

Duckworth said: "It was a real shame that Chris jumped the start because he is a great competitor and I was really looking forward to a great final. I saw out of the corner of my eye the Escort twitch on the start line but I wasn't sure he'd jump the start or not, so I set off as hard as I could.

It wasn't until Chris slowed that I realised it wasn't just gamesmanship on the start line and that he really hadn't meant to do it. I'm delighted to have won and the fact that Steve Petch, who was equal on points going into this event, finished fourth has given me a good advantage going into the final round of the series. We still have a lot to do to win the title and the final round in Cardiff is going to be fantastic."

Mellors said: "My windscreen was misting up a little so I put the wipers on to clear it. As the wipers crossed the screen I thought the start lights had done out and I lifted the clutch. In a split second I realised my mistake, but I'd broken the start beam and that was it."

Ollie Clark (Desford) won the Group N category after a stunning drive in a Mitsubishi Lancer. He finished just ahead of the NSG Subaru Impreza of Ryan 'Road Runner' Champion (Castleton). Carmarthen's Rhidian 'Tiger' Jones made another fine account of himself in his Impreza.

Scotland's William Bonniwell won the Dunlop Mick Jones Escort Challenge, beating Graham Hollis in the final for the first time. The Welshman was slowed with a down on power Mk2, however, after replacing his normally-aspirated Cosworth engine with a 2-litre Pinto. The man receiving the biggest cheer was Ollie Clark, but he couldn't prevent Northallerton's Charlie Taylor finishing third.

Such was the interest in the historic section that three classes had to be created to accommodate the drivers. It was an all Norwegian final in the high-powered H3 category, with Bjorn Andreas Viko (Mk 1 Ford Escort BDA) beating his compatriot Tom Erik Haugher (Triumph TR7 V8) in a closely fought final. It was just reward for Viko, who'd knocked out the RS200 of Middlesborough's Terry Maynard in the Semi-Final.

In the H2 Final, Wardington's Francis Tuthill (Porsche 911) beat, believe it or not, Ollie Clark (Escort Mk1). Kevin Bristow (Aylesbury) put in a fine performance in his Datsun 240Z, while Nick Whale was one of few casualties, breaking the gearbox in his Porsche.

In the all-Mini H1 Final, Adrian Kermode (Isle of Man) beat Graham Churchill (Silverstone). John Deacon (Norwich) finished third in a Mk1 Lotus Cortina.

Paul Winrow continued his unbeaten run in the Quad Bike RallySprint Challenge, winning the third round ahead of Paddy Thorne.