Dave Weston Junior claims maiden victory as he wins Malton Forest Rally

Weston%20Jr%20Malton%20Forest%20Rally%2009%20Winner%20MS Dave Weston Junior claims maiden victory as he wins Malton Forest Rally

2009 Malton Forest Rally winners Dave Weston Junior and Ieuan Thomas in their Subaru Impreza. Photo credit: www.mppix.com

Young Scottish driver Dave Weston Junior claimed his maiden victory as he won Sunday’s (1 November) Pickering-based Malton Forest Rally.

Following in the footsteps of his father Dave Weston, who was the first winner of the event in 2003 and the only person to win it twice in 2007, Weston Junior and co-driver Ieuan Thomas, in their Subaru Impreza, finished just two seconds ahead of Thirsk driver Tim Pearcey and co-driver Sam Collis in their Mitsubishi Evo 9.

Third place was taken by Peter Stephenson and Ian Windress in their Ford Focus WRC on the 45-mile gravel event.

The battle for the top spot was a close affair. After stage three just three seconds separated the top three of Tristan Pye, Weston Junior and Pearcey.

The positions remained the same after stage four and after stage five, the second Showground test, there was just two seconds between Pye and Weston Junior.

In the final stage, the second 15-mile run through Langdale, Weston Junior took advantage at the top of the leaderboard from Pearcey, as Pye retired following a puncture on his Subaru Impreza.

The highest finishing local crew were Malton Motor Club members Phil and Simon Pickard, who were fourth in their Ford Escort Cosworth. Simon also took the Christine Francis Memorial award for the highest finishing Malton Motor Club co-driver.

Clerk of the course Graham Harper said: “The event’s yet again been a success, it was a good day, despite the rain, and I’d like to thank everyone involved right across the board including the organisers, marshals and competitors.

“It ran very smoothly and we had no hold ups to contend with. I’d like to congratulate Dave Weston Junior on his first win.”

Jeremy Easson and Graham Wild took the Motoscope Rally Equipment award for the highest finishing two-wheel drive Ford Escort Mk1 or Mk2 in their Mk1 as they were seventh overall.

The seventh running of the Malton Forest Rally, which is run by Malton Motor Club and Selby DMC, was once again sponsored by Mellors Elliott Motorsport/Aero Maintenance and was a round of the Motoscope Northern Historic Rally Championship, SG Petch ANECCC, Fostek Engineering ANCC, EMAMC and ANEMMC championships.

The MFR will return on November 6 2010.