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Mitsubishi Evo pilot Stephen Petch Junior salvaged valuable points on this weekends Park Systems Rally and kept his Mitsubishi Evo Cup championship hopes alive with a spirited fight back after earlier punctures cost him valuable time on possibly��one of the toughest��rallies of the year.
Stephen, using a borrowed car on his return to active competition after an unpleasant accident on the Isle of Man in early August, knew he had to score well on this weekends penultimate round of the Mitsubishi Evo Cup if he was to be in with a shot at the title, but was also conscious of the need for mechanical sympathy.
However, the County Durham based driver was hampered with a puncture on the opening 19 mile stage, costing him a lot of time and leaving him with a tall order if he wanted to gather a decent points haul from this, the penultimate round of the championship. A top time on the very next stage helped Stephen regain confidence as he went quicker than championship rival Anthony Willmington and considering that Stephen’s borrowed car was of an older spec and therefore not quite as quick, this was no mean feat.
Stephen’s fight back continued on Stage 4 with the SGP Motorsport driver going another 7 seconds faster than Willmington, and this despite picking up yet another puncture 2 miles from the end of the stage.
Stage 5 underlined his true talent and capabilities. In a ’showroom special’ production car Stephen stopped the clocks a mere 5 seconds slower than the fastest World Rally Car and was 5th fastest overall as well, taking another 5 seconds out of his championship rival.
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