TERRY Martin did his chances of retaining the SD34 Road Rally title a power of good by claiming maximum points on last weekend’s Memorial Rally.

The Blackburn driver finished 11th overall on the event, which took in the lanes of the Ribble Valley and the Trough of Bowland, in his Proton Compact.

With regular navigators Jerry Hettrick and Paul Taylor unavailable, Martin teamed up with experienced mapman Bob Hargreaves for the 135-mile long rally.

Seeded at car 10, the pair got off to a good start over Longridge Fell but went off the road at Ivar, acknowledged as the worst corner on OS map 90.

Although a wrong tyre choice left them unable to challenge the front-runners, including eventual winners Steve Retchless and Sam Collis, Martin still enjoyed an excellent run down Melling White.

“It was a cracking rally with an excellent route, thanks to Steve Kenyon and his team from Garstang and Preston Motor Club,” said Martin.

And it was an eventful night for other East Lancashire crews and SD34 contenders.

Last year’s winners Steve Entwistle and Jason Crook finished 19th overall and second in the historic class, dropping less than 12 minutes over the night to the winners in their 1964 1071cc Mini Cooper S.

“We picked up a slow puncture on a front tyre through the first half which cost us a good couple of minutes, so I’m pretty happy with the result.” said Entwistle.

Fellow Mini men Pete Tyson and Neil Harrison were one of the first retirements with a broken transmission near Gisburn Forest.

Clitheroe and District Motor Club members Paul Buckel and Steve Butler (Vauxhall Nova) enjoyed a night-long tussle with fellow club members Simon Boardman and Mark Blunt in their Proton Compact.

A missed codeboard resolved the issue, with Buckel claiming 20th overall and second semi-expert, and Boardman coming home in 33rd place.

Colne’s Pete Jagger and Chris Williams finished well in 23rd place, two places ahead of Dave Whittaker, from Pendle DMC, and Steve Hartley.

Neil McCarthy and Alan Barnes, also from Clitheroe, had a great run to third in the novice class on their first rally for 22 years.

The BMW crew would have won their class comfortably – if they hadn’t driven straight through the control manned by local Rally Liasion Officer Alan Shaw!

And Paul Gray and Marcus Pomfret enjoyed a steady run in their Mini Cooper, lying second in the novice class until they cracked the exhaust manifold near Lower Bentham.

Acknowledged as one of the best events on the road rally calendar, this year’s Memorial attracted a great 46-car entry with no less than 25 crews in the experts class – drawn from all over the North of England and Wales.

“A big thank you to all competitors, marshals and members of GPMC for helping to make the rally such a success,” said clerk-of-the course Steve Kenyon.

“Well done Steve and Sam on the win and to all class award winners, we hope to see you all next year!”

Results: 1: Steve Retchless/Sam Collis (Ford Escort) 4m 56s; 2: Steve Head/Michael Gilbey (Vauxhall Astra)4m 59s; 3: Jonty Bloxham/Nick Bloxham (Peugeot 106) 5m 02s 4: Meilir Jones/Richard Morris (Vauxhall Astra)5m 35s; 5: Ade Green/Kev Wilson (Proton Satria) 6m 29s; 6: Tim Powley/Leigh Powley (BMW 318i) 6m 57s.