MORECAMBE'S Phil Burton/Mick Fallows took the honours of being first two-wheel drive car on last Saturday's Grizedale Stages. Finishing in 5th place out of the 90 car entry, the local crew where only 90 seconds behind the winner and still ahead of the majority of the four wheel drive brigade in their Driveline supported Escort Mk 2.

Burton in Kendal's Steve Head/Andrew Dugdale alias Team Penguin took the title in only the second time out in a hired Mitsubishi Evolution 4. Although this is their first outright win, the local crew have been knocking on the door of success for the past 12 months and being a finalist for the Jim Clark Award, which would have given them a £50,000 rallying package appears to have given them the confidence needed to win.

Carnforth's Ian Joel/Graeme Wood had a fraught day after having set the fastest time on the first stage, they ran out of track and ended up in the scenery on the next one. The Chris Allen Garages team got back on track fairly quickly, although the lost four minutes were hard to make up and they had to be satisfied with 15th place.

Other local competitors included Glenn Fothergill who navigated John Cressey to 23rd place and in the Kirkby Lonsdale Stage Championship Paul Miller got the points he needed to secure the title for 2000 after rival Trevor Smith put the car in the ditch on the final stage.