Celebrations for Payne and Petch on Woodpecker Rally

Along with Welsh co-driver Carl Williamson, the Simpson Safety-backed Ford Fiesta driver was embroiled in a tussle with rival Luke Francis going into the Ludlow-based penultimate round. All sorts of permutations were possible, but if either failed to finish, the title would be decided before the Yorkshire-based Trackrod Rally early next month.

Francis drew first blood in his Subaru on the opening stage, but the Welshman rolled into retirement halfway through SS2, handing the initiative to Payne, whose mathematics told him a podium finish would be sufficient to claim his first BTRDA championship.

Despite the tricky, damp conditions, Payne controlled his pace to maintain third position throughout the event and cross the finish ramp in third place to win the title with a round to spare.

Payne’s agenda was totally different to that of Hamsterley driver Stephen Petch and Crook co-driver Michael Wilkinson, who went all out for their first win and achieved it in style in the SGP Motorsport-prepared and WD-40-backed Ford Fiesta R5+. The pair took over the lead from Francis on SS2 and were never headed to record their first win of the season.

With their outside chance of the title gone despite a great end-of-season run which has seen them claim a brace of runner-up placings as well as the win, the pair are now hoping to hang onto third position in the series with a good run in the Yorkshire forests on their home Trackrod Rally on October 1.

Meanwhile, three local crews were in action on the Promenade Stages Rally on the Wirral, including Darlington’s Paul Swift and Barnard Castle co-driver Giles Dykes in their Ford Escort Mk2. The duo were having a great run in third place overall when the transmission broke and they were forced out.

There was a great battle between the Pickhill crews of Katy and Kari Bates in their Tanfield Engineering-backed Peugeot 106 and the MGZR of Chris Pattison and John Marshall. Pattison endured a day of problems to end up 58th overall, pipped by Katy, who was driving in her first event, who took 57th to round off a memorable day.

CHRISSY Rouse is on the mend and looking forward to building on the progress he made at Cadwell Park, in Lincolnshire, over the recent bank holiday weekend despite a huge crash which he has no recollection of.

The 20-year-old from Burnopfield, in County Durham, had been on course for his best result of the year as the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship headed to his favourite track.

Starting from seventh on the grid on the CECS/Mission Racing BMW, he rode a solid opening lap and moved up one place to sixth. Settling in nicely behind former champ Adam Jenkinson, Rouse was in a good position to begin challenging for fifth by the time the pack began the third lap.

But disaster struck as he was coming towards the end of the lap when a tiny mistake resulted in him losing the back end and he high-sided, hitting the ground hard. He was helped off the track by marshals before heading to the medical centre. Circuit doctors sent him to hospital for a CT scan and a full check before allowing him to be driven home later that evening, and he hopes to be fit for this weekend’s round at Oulton Park.

Also in action was Hutton Rudby rider Neil Bainbridge, who claimed 18th place in the Pirelli Superstock 1000 Championship race on his KLM/Hare Bulk Haulage-backed Kawasaki, but Saltburn’s Davey Todd crashed out of the Pirelli Superstock 600 race in the early stages.

TONIGHT sees the SG Petch Redcar Bears speedway team in action at the Media Prima Arena against Ipswich Witches.

The Bears have been in a rich vein of form recently and will be looking for another victory when the tapes go up in heat one at 7.30pm.

Thursday sees the visit of Rye House Rockets before the final meeting of the season takes place the week after for the Teesside Silver Helmet. This is the oldest individual trophy in English speedway and is much sought-after. The line-up is made up of the Bears plus invited riders.

HARROGATE’S Mike ‘Spike’ Edwards is bidding for a further motorcycle championship title as he eyes up the opportunity to race in the Bahrain Superbike Championship.

Comprising a six-round, one-make series using Ducati 899s, the first race takes place in late October, with one race each month, except December, through to the final race on April 21 next year.

With six British Championship titles, Edwards is hoping for more success on a Ducati and will document and promote his championship progress through his online presence.

For more information, email mail@mike-edwards.net.