Rallying: District duo start campaign in style

A district duo have started their 2015 Mintex British Historic Rally Championship campaign in style.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Feb 2015, 10:00 BST
Phil Burton and Mal Capstick. Photo: Lucy Owen - Jucy Rally Photographic.Phil Burton and Mal Capstick. Photo: Lucy Owen - Jucy Rally Photographic.
Phil Burton and Mal Capstick. Photo: Lucy Owen - Jucy Rally Photographic.

Phil Burton, Bare, and his regular co-driver, Kirkby Lonsdale’s Mal Capstick, collected maximum points in their class on Sundays’ Red Kite Rally – round one of the UK’s premier championship.

Starting from Llandovery, Wales, on Sunday morning, the organisers had attracted a full entry for the six special stages held over Forestry Commission land.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Overnight hard frost had made the gravel stages extremely slippery causing many crews heart-stopping moments and several excursions into the scenery.

However the Accident Advice Solutions/1Media/Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery/Westgate Tyres/Jones Plumbing/BDS Fuels/Lune Valley Car Sales supported Ford Escort Mk2, now fitted with a state-of-the-art Millington Diamond series 2.4ltr engine. was kept on the island despite Phil and Mal having had a two-year lay-off from competition due to other commitments.

Special Stage 2 had to be cancelled due to hard-packed snow and ice.

After a hard-fought day of top-level competition among the UK’s best loose surface rally crews, Phil and Mal finished a superb 11th overall and first in their class, only missing a top-10 place by one second as they collected maximum points in their 
category.

GMS