SATURDAY'S scorching heat brought the crowds out in their droves to see Wallasey Motor Club's MTM Promenade Stages Rally in New Brighton, as promenade master John Price, with co-driver Justin Brooks in the MG Metro 6R4 recorded a seventh Promenade Stages Rally win.

Price was involved in a close battle at the start with the early leaders. Early pace setters Mike Oates and Lisa Addy stormed around the opening stage in their ex-Colin McRae Subaru Impreza World Rally Car, to edge out a one second advantage over the Metros of Price and 1998 rally winner Lyndon Barton. The remaining 6R4 pilot, Peter Lloyd was unhappy with the car after the first two stages and retired after the next with transmission problems, closely followed by Barton.

By Stage nine of 12 Oates and Price were tied on time. Oates had a real look of determination but as the car shot off the startline the Subaru's centre differential failed, handing the lead to Price who powered passed the stricken Impreza.

Mark Morgan secured the road rally class, Peter Hamlett and Hayley Davies took the best mixed crew award, Neil Harrison and Neil Thompson finished as Best Novices, and Martin Fox's Rovaru hybrid was awarded the John Hill Memorial Award for the best presented car.

Wallasey Motor Club crews not faring well on their home event were Dave Martin and Bob Milloy, whose V8 Sierra only managed a matter of yards before the clutch exploded causing immediate retirement. Managing a bit further were Wallasey's Des Penny and Gary Marriott in their Subaru Impreza who despite a good start were forced to retire with transmission failure.

Top 10 finishers:-

1, John Price/Justin Brooks, MG Metro 6R4, 41 mins, 24 secs; 2, Mark Jasper/Alan Snell, Escort Cosworth, 41 mins, 39 secs; 3, Hugh Hunter/Mark Stewart, Sapphire Cosworth, 42 mins, 11 secs; 4, John Morgan/Julian Howitt, Nissan Sunny GTi F2, 42 mins, 43 secs; 5, Damien Cole/Hugh Austwick, Darrian T9, 43 mins, 07 secs; 6, John Harland/Max Hall, Darrian T9, 43 mins, 51 secs; 7, Geoff Roberts/Kevin Skellern, Ford Escort Mk2, 44 mins, 00 secs; 8, Malcolm Geddis/Gordon Bradford, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5, 44 mins, 45 secs; 9, Chris Marshall/Guy Wickham, Ford Escort, 44 mins, 57 secs; 10, Robert Dick/R. Steele, Ford Fiesta S, 45 mins, 10 secs.

Further details can be found on the rally website on www.promrally.currentbun.com

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.