RISHTON’S Steve Entwistle took second place in the Lake District Classic Rally on Sunday.

Entwistle won the Northumberland Borders Rally in March before securing a class victory in Garstang and Preston Motor Club’s Memorial Road Rally last month, and was back in action at an event based at the Penrith Truckstop by the M6.

Archie and Richard Simmonds took first place in an MG Midget but it was Entwistle and co-driver Bob Hargreaves who claimed second place in their Orangebox Mini.

The event was run on a rare day of clear skies and attracted a 44-car entry list, almost twice as many as last year’s total.

The rally included 13 well laid-out tests and four demanding regularities over some tight, narrow Lakeland lanes – including the classic Bretherdale loop.

Entwistle and Hargreaves had the joint lowest penalties over the irregularities and that helped them pip third-placed duo John Bertram and Niall Thompson, in an Escort Mk2, by only a second.

In the touring event, which featured only the tests, Tot and Maureen Dixon scored a narrow win by two seconds from Ross Butterworth and Nathan Derbyshire.

Results: 1, Archie Simmonds/Richard Simmonds (MG Midget) 805; 2, Steve Entwistle/Bob Hargreaves (Mini) 854; 3, John Bertram/Niall Thompson (Escort RS) 855; 4, Clive Baty/Peter Scott (Escort RS) 870; 5, Joe Norman/Andrew Fish (Mini Cooper) 931; 6, William Thompson Jnr/William Thompson Snr (Avenger) 937; 7, Peter Humphrey/ Dougie Humphrey (Mini Cooper) 952; 8, Steven Byrne/David Byrne (Lancia Fulvia) 975; 9, Ernest Calvert/ Bryan Smith (MGB) 1008; 10, Roger Kilty/Roger Burkill (Escort RS) 1025.