GMF Wyedean Forest Rally 2012

Car 203 – Justin Lawson / Paul Hargreaves

1400 Category 4th

Overall Classification 15th

The Wyedean Rally was always going to be a challenge for the crew of Justin Lawson and Paul Hargreaves, having only competed on the event once before. However the added test of snow and ice meant that the task of competing for 1400 honours would be doubly difficult. Whilst other crews contemplated their tyre choice for the event, this Nova crew had no such luxury and stuck to the S3 gravel tyre provided by their sponsors Silverstone Tyres.

Going in to the first test of day, Swallowvallets, it was obvious that the -6 Celsius temperatures were going to provide conditions to those akin to Scandinavia, and so a cautious approach was taken, with Lawson finding himself taking peculiar lines, and running on the very edge of the road to try and obtain maximum grip.

The next two stages saw the Warrington duo gaining confidence in the conditions, with Lawson recording 4th fastest overall time on the 2nd stage, Serridge 1. However the prospect of matching Julian Wilkes running on snow tyres was becoming all too difficult a task, whilst Ashley Slights was also showing his mature driving ability by putting in some creditable times in the Toyota Yaris. Going in to the main service halt Lawson found himself 3rd in the 1400’s and 7th overall in the event.

The afternoon loop of four stages began with a run through Chepstow Park, a stage that caught out both Wilkes and Slights, and allowed Lawson to close the gap to within 27 seconds with three stages to go. Unfortunately the Yaris of Slights was unable to continue, which set up a battle between the two distinctive Nova crews of Lawson and Wilkes.

The Trelleck Common and Mailscott stages allowed Lawson to continue with his impressive drive, and post 3rd and 4th fastest overall stage times – adding further pressure on to Wilkes. Going in to the final stage, Serridge 2, the gap had been reduced to 18 seconds, and it was felt that a clean run could put Lawson and Hargreaves in a strong position for overall 1400 spoils. However drama was soon to enfold when a brush with a bank saw the Protec Performance backed Nova break a CV joint and subject the car to one wheel drive for ¾ of the stage
– thus taking a stage maximum and putting them out of contention.

“To say we are gutted is an understatement” commented Lawson “…however we have to take the positives away which says that we have the pace to challenge for the Championship.

“Apart from our final stage misery, to achieve what we have for the first six stages of the event, running on standard gravel tyres, is something we are extremely pleased with.”

Lawson finished the day with 4 fastest stage times in the 1400 category, and three top four stage times overall in the event, including 3rd overall fastest stage time through Trelleck Common.

Lawson would like to thank his sponsors and partners, Protec Performance, Service and Sport (Silverstone
Tyres), DW Hargreaves Electrical Contractors, and Leavitt Walmsley Associates.

Short footage of us sliding on the ice into a square right on SS2 Serridge 1 on the Wyedean Rally 2012 taken by a spectator.

After loosing one wheel drive, having only one left, we struggled through SS7, posting a bogey stage maximum time of 13 mins.

After being within 18 seconds of Julian going into this stage, it really hurt….

The video is only 1 min long, but at least 4 or 5 cars passed us while we struggled up this hill, only with the help of spectators did we finish the event.

Although we lost heaps of time we still finished 4th 1400 and 15th overall in the Rally, showing just how quick we had gone in the previous 6 stages.

Gutted.

Incar Footage of SS6 Mailscot on the Wyedean 2012 Forest Rally based out of Chepstow.

Conditions very hard, with frozen ice covered with snow giving the drivers a real test on the day.

Justin & Paul set 4th fastest time overall on the rally in SS6 with 7 min 12 secs and 1st 1400 on this stage, running Silverstone S3 Gravel Tyres.

The 1400s day was won by the superb drive from Julian Wilkes & Will Rutherford in another blue Nova 1400, the team also managed a historic 3rd place overall finish for the whole rally in a 1400 2WD car.

“Well done mucca!”

Incar Footage of SS5 Trelleck Common on the Wyedean 2012 Forest Rally based out of Chepstow.

Conditions very hard, with frozen ice covered with snow giving the drivers a real test on the day.

Justin & Paul set 3rd fastest time overall on the rally in SS5 with 3 min 07 secs and 1st 1400 on this stage.

The 1400s day was won by the superb drive from Julian Wilkes & Will Rutherford in another blue Nova 1400, the team also managed a historic 3rd place overall finish for the whole rally in a 1400 2WD car.

“It’s a hairpin right son”

We are 1st car into the corner

We are 1min 20secs into the video

We are 1min 10secs into the video

1. Martyn Lewis / Richard Lewis
2. Justin Lawson / Paul Hargreaves
3. Dave Bennet / Alastair McNeil

1. Justin Lawson / Paul Hargreaves
2. Darren Pinchin / Karen Watts
3. Brian McGuinness / Ian Harden