A late entry followed by a late charge saw Aylesbury’s Dick Mauger and Andrew Street take victory on the EMCOS Stages in their Escort Cosworth. This was the twelfth running of the event by EMCOS (Enthusiasts Motor club Of Stonehouse) and was once again held at Down Ampney Airfield. Mauger was no stranger to the EMCOS podium as he took the spoils on the inaugural EMCOS stages back in 1989.

Leading the field away on the first of ten stages, were local experts Peter and Tim Stojanov in their Ford Escort. They started as favourites after recently winning the last event held at the venue. They were followed by other local crews of Andy Gwynne/Laura Forsyth in their rapid little Corsa and the Escorts of Steve Harkness/Wayne Ball and Mike Carroll/Adrian Deane.

Each stage was run twice and with the use of a road section a couple of loose tracks, which are not usually used, enabled the organisers to make the venue a lot different and more taxing for both man and machine.

Fastest on stage 1 was Harkness/Ball setting a time one second quicker than the Stojanovs and six up on both Gwynne/Forsyth and Mauger/Streets. Stage 2 saw the same four crews heading the stage times with Gwynne and Harkness both setting fastest times. The three two wheel drive Escorts were trying to put their local knowledge to good effect whilst Mauger was hindered by remembering the venue as well as getting caught up in the dust of other competitors. After two stages then Harkness led Gwynne and Stojanov with the only retirement so far being Rick Neale and Mark Shipton with mechanical failure.

Mauger and Gwynne took stages 3 and 4 respectively but they only managed to narrow Harkness and Ball’s lead rather than take it away. With a mixture of smooth and loose and wet and dry surfaces, tyre choice became a bit of a lottery and so it was local knowledge which helped crews set top ten times in smaller engined cars. Ben and Tom Jefferies in a Nova were having a tight battle with Jamie Napthine and Iain Laws’ newly acquired Honda Civic for fifth overall and runner up spot in the 1600cc class whilst Toby Harris and Mark Kennedy were already up to ninth in their 1400cc Fiesta.

Stages 5 and 6 saw the glorious sunshine continue and Mauger stepping up a gear. He had now set a pace that was not to be beaten for the rest of the day. The battle for second came down to two as the Stojanov’s diff gave way and Mike Carroll started to drift backwards being uncomfortable with his tyre choices. Stage 6 saw Steve Harkness panicking as he had a monumental spin whilst on slicks which cost him 16 seconds and at the same time dropped him to third. The mid-day session seemed to take its toll as a number of cars gave up the ghost. Harris broke a half shaft handing his minute lead to venue virgins Barry Williams and Jeff Cottle in their Nova. Former top co-driver Steve Turley retired from the top ten when his Impreza’s turbo went bang. Whist father and daughter pairing of Steve and Melanie Claridge went home with engine failure.

The last four stages saw Mauger open up a lead, whilst the runners-up spot saw the tables turn when Gwynne broke a driveshaft losing 17 seconds back to Harkness. Napthine got to grips with his new Honda putting enough pressure on Jefferies to force him into retirement.

And so, at the end of a very smoothly and efficiently organised event, Dick Mauger and Andrew Street took the spoils by 39 seconds from Harkness and then Gwynne. Napthine took a career best fourth and second in class behind Gwynne. Fourth went to Carroll ahead of a late charge by Zimbabwean Lindsay Adams who made a welcome return after a three-year lay off.

First in the 1300cc class went to the Williams Nova whist best EMCOS crew were Dave Skinner and Terry Roseblade in their real wheel drive Samba.