Carlo
26th October 2008, 20:11
UK drivers Grant Shand & Chris Parsons in their Mk2 Escort RS1800 took out the Classic division of the 2008 NZ Silver Fern Rally. Eight days and 1200km of special stage rallying around the South Island on New Zealand saw Grant control the class from day one onwards. Finishing 3rd overall behind the Mazda RX7 Batmobile of Andrew Grundy (now known as "The Stig" as even most Kiwi's did not know who he was) and Craig Marshal with the Peugeot 206GTi it was an outstanding drive in a blind event.
Classic Placings as follows
1st. Grant Shand / Chris Parsons UK Escort RS1800 3rd o/a
2nd. Brent Rawstron / Ian McKee NZ Escort RS1800 5th o/a
3rd. David Hills / David Callaghan Aust Escort RS1800 7th o/a
4th Simon Tysoe / Rob Dyson UK Escort RS1800 8th o/a
5th Euan Fuge / Mike Gibbs NZ Mazda RX3 9th o/a
6th Willie Rutherford / Chris Cunningham NZ Porsche 911 10th o/a
7th Merv Hatcher / James Cowles NZ Mitsubishi Starion 12th o/a
8th Ian Begg / Greg Scott NZ VW Golf GTi 13th o/a
9th Robbie Elliott / Neville Barton NZ/Aust Datsun Stanza 15th o/a
10th Gary Smith / Richard Skilton NZ Escort RS1800 16th o/a
11th Iain Freestone / Rod McLean UK Escort RS2000 18th o/a
12th Andrew Barnes / Guy Simmons UK Escort RS1800 19th o/a
13th Keith Cornell / Andrew Graves UK/NZ Escort RS1800 20th o/a
14th Keith & Mary Anns Callinan Aust Escort RS1800 21st o/a
15th Rob Wylie / Paul Turner NZ Nissan 240RS 22nd o/a
16th Jeff Judd / Greg Kennedy NZ Escort RS1800 23rd o/a
17th John Keast / Paul Cross NZ Escort RS1600 24th o/a
18th Vincent Bristow / Jeff Ashfield UK Escort Mexico 25th o/a
19th Dean & Kennys Pester NZ Escort Mexico 30th 0/a
20th Keith Stewart / Wayne Reed NZ Escort RS1600 32nd o/a
21st Jacob Scannell / Nina Thompson UK Escort RS1600 36th o/a
22nd Eddie Pinkham / Bill Hunter NZ Mazda RX7 GpB 37th o/a
23rd Bruce Lyle / Iain Lyle UK Escort RS2000 39th o/a
24th Paul Walbran / Andrew Walbram NZ MGB 41st o/a
25th Nelson Marshall / Allan Glenn NZ Ford Capri V6 42nd o/a
Steve French & Colin Booth had a high speed accident destroying their new RS1800, Both drivers received hospital treatment and are out and about in New Zealand endevouring to enjoy their trout fishing holiday. One with a broken wrist and the other with broken ribs but nothing will deter them from the fishing.
Jimmy McRae was so pleased with his Escort that he tried to post it home, unfortunately he could not manage to get all of it into the farmers letterbox in an undamaged condition.
Full stories, results, photos etc available on http://www.silverfernrally.co.nz
Classic Placings as follows
1st. Grant Shand / Chris Parsons UK Escort RS1800 3rd o/a
2nd. Brent Rawstron / Ian McKee NZ Escort RS1800 5th o/a
3rd. David Hills / David Callaghan Aust Escort RS1800 7th o/a
4th Simon Tysoe / Rob Dyson UK Escort RS1800 8th o/a
5th Euan Fuge / Mike Gibbs NZ Mazda RX3 9th o/a
6th Willie Rutherford / Chris Cunningham NZ Porsche 911 10th o/a
7th Merv Hatcher / James Cowles NZ Mitsubishi Starion 12th o/a
8th Ian Begg / Greg Scott NZ VW Golf GTi 13th o/a
9th Robbie Elliott / Neville Barton NZ/Aust Datsun Stanza 15th o/a
10th Gary Smith / Richard Skilton NZ Escort RS1800 16th o/a
11th Iain Freestone / Rod McLean UK Escort RS2000 18th o/a
12th Andrew Barnes / Guy Simmons UK Escort RS1800 19th o/a
13th Keith Cornell / Andrew Graves UK/NZ Escort RS1800 20th o/a
14th Keith & Mary Anns Callinan Aust Escort RS1800 21st o/a
15th Rob Wylie / Paul Turner NZ Nissan 240RS 22nd o/a
16th Jeff Judd / Greg Kennedy NZ Escort RS1800 23rd o/a
17th John Keast / Paul Cross NZ Escort RS1600 24th o/a
18th Vincent Bristow / Jeff Ashfield UK Escort Mexico 25th o/a
19th Dean & Kennys Pester NZ Escort Mexico 30th 0/a
20th Keith Stewart / Wayne Reed NZ Escort RS1600 32nd o/a
21st Jacob Scannell / Nina Thompson UK Escort RS1600 36th o/a
22nd Eddie Pinkham / Bill Hunter NZ Mazda RX7 GpB 37th o/a
23rd Bruce Lyle / Iain Lyle UK Escort RS2000 39th o/a
24th Paul Walbran / Andrew Walbram NZ MGB 41st o/a
25th Nelson Marshall / Allan Glenn NZ Ford Capri V6 42nd o/a
Steve French & Colin Booth had a high speed accident destroying their new RS1800, Both drivers received hospital treatment and are out and about in New Zealand endevouring to enjoy their trout fishing holiday. One with a broken wrist and the other with broken ribs but nothing will deter them from the fishing.
Jimmy McRae was so pleased with his Escort that he tried to post it home, unfortunately he could not manage to get all of it into the farmers letterbox in an undamaged condition.
Full stories, results, photos etc available on http://www.silverfernrally.co.nz