1:40pm Thursday 11th March 2010
By Neil Johnson
ROSS Miller was left fuming after slower cars cost him time and valuable places on last weekend’s Roskirk Stages.
The Whalley driver looked set for at least 15th place on the rally, held at the Three Sisters, Wigan, until two stages from the end.
“We were baulked by a slower car on the penultimate test,” said Miller, who is contesting the SD34 and ANWCC Championships.
“He wouldn’t let us through and then cut right across the front of us on the approach to the hairpin.
“We were left with nowhere to go and couldn’t avoid a collision. The impact cost us at least 10 seconds, and although we complained to the clerk-of-the-course afterwards, the organisers reckoned it was a racing incident.
“Looking on the positive side, we were getting faster and faster as the stages went on. The damage isn’t too bad, the front nearside and bumper are crumpled. It just means a trip to the panel beaters this weekend!”
Miller and co-driver Grant Williams will be back in action on the SMC Stages at Weeton on March 28.
Accrington’s Steve Johnson kicked off his F1000 campaign on the same event with a fine third place – despite a spin on the second corner of the day!
“The tyres were still cold and there wasn’t much grip,” explained Johnson, who was co-driven by Steve Butler.
Like Miller, Johnson had an altercation with another driver, clashing at the merge junction on SS3.
“The driver’s door has taken a hefty knock, but nothing a bit of T-Cut won’t solve!” he joked.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/trade_directory/