Local driver Will Nicholls produced a storming drive to secure his maiden win in the Kwik-Fit Pirelli British Rally Championship on the final round of the 2005 season, the South of England Tempest Rally.
The 45 year-old motor dealer from the Isle of Wight battled intermittent power steering problems on his Subaru Impreza to come out on top in the battle with the BRC regulars to clinch his first win in the series on his home event.
"It's great to win the event," he said. "It will probably be my only BRC victory, but it's good to win the event which is closest to home."
The event got underway on Friday evening with three stages run in darkness before a full day of action on the Hampshire/Surrey border.
Early rally leader David Higgins was sidelined at the end of Pavilion, the eleventh of the 16 high speed tests after his Mitsubishi suffered rear differential problems. That gave the lead to team-mate Rory Galligan but gearbox problems on his Lancer Evo Eight cost Galligan time and despite a huge effort on the last three stages the victory went to Nicholls, with Jon Ingram rounding out the podium in his Ford Focus WRC.
There were also podium celebrations for Barry Clark who finished fifth behind the Skoda of Simon Hughes to pick up the points he needed to secure the BRC Production Cup, while team-mate Lorna Smith was crowned Ladies Champion after taking seventh place in her Impreza.
Rally manager Barry Guess said the event, which also included rallies for the Land Rover Rally, Stars of the Future and a Clubmans event was a huge success for competitors and spectators.
"Having such a competitive event with the lead continually changing made for a brilliant rally," he said. "We attracted thousands of spectators into Rushmoor Arena for live action stages and to the forests to see some great rallying."
