Twelve months after taking their inaugural Grizedale Stages win, Scorton driver Steve Petch and co-driver John Richardson from Northallerton took victory once again but the former national champions were made to fight all the way.

With weather conditions at their best for many years last Saturday, it was Shildon's Barry Johnson (Subaru WRC) and Channel Island resident Stewart Merry who were fastest on the opening Grizedale North test to emerge just four seconds ahead of Petch with local aces Dougi Hall (Mitsubishi) and Steve Head (Subaru) giving chase.

SS2 saw Petch, in a new Evo 3.5 version of the Hyundai Accent WRC, respond in Grizedale South with fastest time from Head and Johnson to take over at the front as the cars headed for the opening service park.

Hall lay in fourth ahead of Paul Benn's Escort Cosworth but the opening loop had already caused problems for the front runners, including Penrith's Paul Bird and Northallerton co-driver Ian Windress, whose Hyundai suffered a puncture on SS2 losing them a minute.

By now, Petch was getting familiarised with the new machine and set about attacking the final two stages in Grizedale which were repeats of the opening two and, courtesy of his third stage win, he increased his lead to 18 seconds. Johnson held second place some 22 seconds in front of comeback driver Head with Hall a further 15 seconds adrift in fifth whilst Bird had clawed his way up into the top six.

Into the final stage and Petch set the quickest time to stamp his authority on proceedings for good measure as the pair headed back to Coniston to claim the win. But if Petch was worried about Johnson, he needn't have been bothered as the former Scottish champion dropped a minute on the final stage when a driveshaft broke.

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