Woodpecker Stages Rally 2010

Date published: 09 September 2010

MSA Production Cup leader Alex Allingham from Stalybridge and co-driver Mark Glennerster from Swindon battled hard for a top ten result on the Woodpecker Stages Rally. The Woodpecker based in Ludlow was the penultimate round of the Hankook Welsh National Championship and the MSA Gravel Championship.

The pair had a great start to the rally in their Prodrive built Subaru Impreza setting 3rd fastest time on first of the 7 challenging forest stages. “The Hankook tyres worked perfectly in there” said Alex “that gave me the confidence to push”. The stages where dry and very dusty and this was causing the duo a few scary moments with the dust hanging in the trees. After stage 2 the pair were 6th overall and 2nd in the group N class. Stage 3 was to see a set back in there rise up the leader board with a front puncture costing the team 28 seconds from their rivals. With the pace being so quick up the top end the field this loss of time dropped them down to 12th place.

They literally “dusted themselves off” and headed for the daunting Radnor Forest complex. This classic Welsh forest stage will be used on this years WRC Wales Rally GB, and with their eyes firmly set on their two championships started there challenge back up the leader board leaving the two Radnor tests in 10th position. A final Service halt in Ludlow gave the pair time to plan an assault going in to the final 2 stages. Alex, backed by “Richard Allingham Cars” passed rival Tom Naughton on the “Wigmore” stage before a further place gain on the final stage beating the more powerful WRC car of Stephen Petch to finish a superb 7th overall and 2nd in GpN.

Alex commented at the finish "We lost a lot of time with a front puncture on one of the morning stages which was pretty frustrating and then we had an issue with hanging dust as well but all in all it's been a great day out in the woods."

The result increases Alex and Marks lead in the Welsh National Championship in both the Overall and Group N Standings. The Subaru Impreza pairing lead the MSA Production Cup and Subaru Cup.

Alex would like to thank his sponsors, Richard Allingham Cars, Workwear4you, McCrash Rally Media, Adgespeed, Grade A Subaru, Racebits.co.uk , Brokenpencil.co.uk and also his latest sponsor Enzobodyshop.com.