PACE NATIONAL RALLY
History MADE!
IT WAS a history-making moment when Markku Alen drove his Lancia Rally on to the finish ramp of the Pace Rally at the weekend, after a dominant drive to victory. It was the car's first UK appearance and its first time on 'blind' forestry; at the end of the day it was the first win for a GpB car on these shores, and the car's first ever win. In all, an impressive pre-RAC exercise. Also out on similar activities, Stig Blomqvist and Russell Brookes tussled for second place, the verdict going to the latter. For the rest of the National circus it was the status quo, with Malcolm Patrick finishing fourth and taking his sixth maximum points score of the season a unique achievement perhaps? Mike Stuart took fifth place, and with it the Pace / Autosport Championship runner's-up position, comfortably beating nearest rivals Phil Collins and George Hill, both of whom had troubled runs. There were good performances from Scottish Champion Ken Wood and Esso BTRDA Champion Trevor Smith, who both finished in the top 10, separated by just one second at the end. Andrew Wood, who has really got his act together now. took his second successive Gpl win.
There is always that unique appeal of this, the final round of the National series. Proximity to the RAC always attracts a handful of top class crews on development / familiarisation exercises. This has the double bonus of adding to the publicity of the event and giving the regulars something to gauge their own performance by. In addition, it's a good opportunity for competitors from other branches of rallying to come and `test the water', perhaps with a view to an assault in the following year; and finally there is the end of term atmosphere which pervades the rally, makes for a friendly, but keen competition and provides a convivial atmosphere which continues long after the event has finished.
Like the previous round, this event had a star driver in a star car Markku Alen with Ilkka Kivimaki in the fabulous Martini Lancia Rally. That this was to be part of a serious RAC assault was confirmed by the presence of development engineer Giorgio Pianta and team co-ordinator Nino Russo, whilst the service barge (complete with spare body sections!) proved quite a spectator attraction too. The car came to Wales with a much milder state of engine tune than normal, to provide the flexibility required for the British conditions, with the perspex rear window sporting a central stay to prevent recurrences of previous failures due to the engine swallowing chunks of broken plastic!
At number two were Stig Blomqvist and Bjorn Cederberg in their factory Talbot Sunbeam Lotus. The car was running on Lucas fuel injection by way of experiment, but otherwise was as standard, with Des O'Dell, Paul White and Bernard Unett on hand to look after the effort. Russell Brookes and Mike Broad started at three in the Andrews Heat for Hire Chevette, followed by new Pace / Autosport Champion Malcolm Patrick in the Evans-Halshaw Ascona 400. This was probably Malcolm's last rally in the successful car, which is currently up for sale.