Burton wins Woodpecker

Dominic Scott, from Ludlow, surprised a few of the regular BTRDA 1400 competitors at the weekend's Woodpecker Rally, picking up the 1st in class 1400S award, finishing 2nd overall in class and 46th overall in the rally.

Scott, 18, started rallying in 2007 and, at 14, was the youngest person ever to compete in the Gulbus Rally in Latvia.

Since then, he has been competing in the Junior Rally Championship, designed for youngsters who don't hold a driving license, offering a safe and controlled platform to hone their skills.

This year he has entered a few selected events in the BTRDA Rally Series before a full championship attack in 2012 in his MGZR.

"The Woodpecker Rally is my home event and a natural choice in our bid this year to gain as much experience as possible," Scott said.

"The car's being maintained and run by Neil Weaver – he was the 2006 BTRDA 1400 champion plus he's local and has a great knowledge of the stages."

Scott, partnered by local co-driver James Bailey, said he had not expected such a good result considering the competition and that his plan had been to just build his knowledge.

"Of course I planned to push to see how far up the leader board we could get but our ultimate aim was to finish all the stages and get the experience. Being so close to Justin Lawson (first overall) and Darren Pinchin (2011 BTRDA 1400 Champion) was a real confidence boost.

"The car ran faultlessly plus the Hankook tyres we were running just gave us so much grip and feedback. Everything came together for us and now I'm itching to get back out."

Scott is now considering his options for the rest of 2011 and 2012.

"I'd love to do a few more rounds this year but budget is the biggest hurdle we've got. I'm working hard to earn money and everything I have is being ploughed in to rallying."

A total of 130 cars entered last Saturday's rally, which was organised by the Sixty and Worcester Motor Club.

Amid dusty conditions, the winners of the major categories were:

Overall winners – Andrew Burton and Robin Kellard: Two-wheel drive – Joe Price and Christopher Brooks; 1400cc winners – Justin Lawson and Paul Hargreaves; and Historic section winners Nick Elliott and Dave Price.

Lyonshall's Andy Burton is in his final year of competition in the Peugeot Cosworth hybrid kit car which will be banned from UK rallying in 2012. With the 2011 BTRDA Championship under his belt with two events to go he claimed victory in this year's Woodpecker with his 10th win on the event.

Ludlow Castle Motor Club was well represented and top crews in competition included Roger Chilman and Andrew Sankey (Subaru WRC), Shaun Gardener and Ben Innes (Mitsubishi EVO 5.9) and Alex Allingham and Mark Glenerster (Subaru Impreza).

Chilman and Sankey put in very consistent times all day and were in front for the first three stages until Burton wrested the lead. The car had no problems, but they couldn't match the pace of Burton on the last two stages and had to settle for a well deserved second place overall.

Gardener and Innes in the TNT Tyres Mitsubishi Evo had a very short Woodpecker Stages Rally last year, retiring on the first stage. Gardener spent the last year rebuilding the car and doing a few more modifications to enter his favourite rally which he has won twice. After a year out from rallying the 2006 BTRDA Champion was looking good on the stages.

With a spin on SS1 and a puncture on SS2 costing him time Gardener finally got his wake-up call and was putting in good stage times.

"Ben was fantastic all day, I owe the result to him," Gardener said after the rally as they finished fourth overall. Even after a year's absence and a car that is down on power to the WRC cars this result just proves what a good driver he is.

Other LCMC members to finish were:-

12th o/a Simon Rogers (Mitsubishi EVO V1); 13th o/a and 1st two wheel drive car Joe Price/Chris Brooks (Mk11 Escort RS); 23rd o/a Keith Wilde/Phil Clarke (Subaru Impreza); 24th o/a Alan Walker/Jez Rogers (Ford Escort RS1800); 46th o/a and 1st in class Dominic Scott/James Bailey (MGZR); 49th o/a Alex Allingham (Subaru Impreza); 75th o/a Chris Ridge (Subaru Impreza).