There can have been few sporting events taking part over the weekend whose name was more appropriate than the Aldershot-based Michelin South of England Tempest Stages rally.
As gale-force winds lashed the south of England, St. Leonards driver Phil Morgan, accompanied by Wokingham co-driver Martin Douglas, ignored the elements in his 1998-specification Subaru Impreza WRC to win the event for the third year running.
Close behind, after an event-long battle, was the Welsh pair of Julian Reynolds and Ieuan Thomas in their 1995 Group A Impreza. In third place was the Newbury crew of Steve Fleck and Mark Aspinwall (Impreza), whilst fourth, and winners of the Group N category were Will Nicholls / Nick Broom in an Impreza WRX.
Super 1600 winners were the ever-consistent Justin Dale and Andrew Bargery, Justin taking part in his local event and completing his final outing for Peugeot before stepping up to the World Rally Championship. Dale finished in sixth place overall, his front-drive 206 severely handicapped in the slippery conditions against the four-wheel-drive WRC/Group A and Group N machines.
As he climbed out of the car at the final service he was understandably emotional about leaving his friends and colleagues at Peugeot Sport UK. Next year Gary Jennings will take over the vacant works Super 1600 Peugeot seat as his reward for winning this year's 206 Super Cup.
At the finish in Aldershot town centre, Phil Morgan spoke about his success: ''I'm delighted to be celebrating my third consecutive win. It's been another well-organised Tempest Stages, and I'm absolutely certain that it'll be quite capable of holding its own as a full round of next year's BRC. Some stages were rutted, but not unduly rough. Ash Ranges got this morning off to a challenging start; this afternoon Longmoor was fantastic - very quick and smooth - and I'm sure that the organisers would be able to find more suitable stage mileage if necessary.''
The Tempest wasn't an official round of this year's Pirelli British Rally Championship. It was being run to National B regulations and observed with a view to it becoming fully integrated into the Championship next year, when, if all goes well, it will undoubtedly play its part in re-establishing International rallying as a firm favourite with the many potential fans in the densely populated south-east of England.
Run over two days – the first Leg on Saturday and the second on Sunday – the Tempest started right in the centre of Aldershot, with the main spectator stage at Rushmoor Arena only a few miles from junction 4A of the M3. The Tempest has been held since 1958 in various guises, although only in something like its present format since the mid-70s. Event manager Barry Guess has been involved since 1988, and once again he and his stalwart helpers from the Sutton and Cheam Motor Club, the Middlesex County Automobile Club and Hart Motor Club put on a superb event, thoroughly deserving (if most people's comments were anything to go by) to have itself upgraded to International status for 2003.
As far as the entries were concerned, there was certainly a lack of regular 2002 PBRC regulars on the list, but this was unsurprising perhaps if one considers that it was the end of a long and costly season, and that the Drivers' Championship title had already been decided. At the head of the list, and to its great credit, Peugeot arrived in force with its two regular works 206 Super 1600s for Justin Dale/Andrew Bargery and Rory Galligan/Gordon Noble, in spite of having already wrapped up the Manufacturers' title. The only competition in this category came from Ryan Champion in a works-backed Ford Puma S16, Ryan getting the chance to upgrade after already winning this year's Ferodo Puma one-make championship. One especially disappointing non-starter was the first-ever Alfa Romeo147 in Super 1600 configuration, which should have been making its world debut on this event in the capable hands of Steve Hill. Apparently the engine couldn't be fitted in time.
