BIRD WINS GRIZEDALE STAGES AT LAST!

paul bird grizedale stages rally 2009 ianhardy BIRD WINS GRIZEDALE STAGES AT LAST!

After nine years of waiting, Penrith rally driver Paul Bird finally got his hands on the winner’s trophy with a comprehensive start to finish victory in today’s Coniston-based Coppermines Grizedale Stages Rally in his native Lake District.

Driving the www.supercasino.com, Vent Axia and Kick Energy-backed Ford Focus WRC07, Bird and new Scottish co driver Kirsty Riddick won all six stages to emerge victorious by a minute and forty-seven seconds ahead of the Subaru of Alex Allingham.

With changeable weather conditions throughout the day, Bird led by 23 seconds after SS1 in Grizedale South and extended that to 47 seconds after Grizedale North as they headed for first service.

The short and tricky tests in Dunnerdale saw the pair extend their lead to over a minute at second service and despite taking it cautiously through the final two stages in Grizedale, the former ANCRO champion and current boss of the Kawasaki World Superbike Team eased to a comfortable win.

“I’m made up as this was the one rally I was missing from my CV and whilst I’ve not contested it every year, it has somehow eluded me! We had no problems at all and Kirsty did a great job, although I kept telling her to shout at me as the intercom wasn’t great and she’s so softly spoken! I was also suffering a bit with an old collarbone injury from my motocross days, but we took it easy in all fairness, especially in the last couple of stages as I didn’t want a puncture,” said Bird.

Bird will next be in action on the Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally, which takes place on Saturday January 2nd 2010 ay Croft Circuit, where he is looking to add to the victories he took in 2002 and 2003.

Grizedale Stages Rally 2009 Results

1 Paul Bird/Kirsty Riddick (Ford Focus WRC 07) 46m 27s
2 Alex Allingham/Mark Glennerster (Subaru Impreza) 48:14
3 Michael O’Brien/Patrick Walsh (Ford Focus WRC) 48:24
4 Tristan Pye/Stewart Merry (Subaru Impreza) 49:29
5 Steve Petch/John Richardson (Mitsubishi Lancer) 50:09
6 Paul Cooke/Barry McNulty (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) 50:34
7 Alan Cookson/Julian Wilkinson (Subaru Impreza N15) 51:05
8 Gary Tomlinson/Nick Fieldhouse (Subaru Impreza GC8) 51:05
9 Mark Donnelly/John Rowan (Ford Fiesta ST) 51:12
10 Eddie O Donnell Jnr/Eddie O Donnell Snr (Ford Escort) 51:15

Picture courtesy of Ian Hardy. Paul Bird and Kirsty Riddick on their way to winning the Coppermines Grizedale Stages Rally.