LEE Sharples' bid for the EARS/Motoring News rally series looks set to go down to the wire.

Another points scoring finish on the latest round, the Wirral-based Promenade Stages, ensured the talented Darwen driver maintained his second place in class B9.

Torrential rain on the stages and a host of niggling problems with his Vauxhall Nova 1300 kept the pressure on Lee and co-driver Jim Alcock, who needed to finish in the top six.

"We've had a relatively trouble-free season so far, but I reckon we had a year's worth on this one event," said Lee, who is sponsored by Ovalworld and ACS estate agents, Blackburn.

"The horrendous weather made the stages treacherous, so we decided not to try any heroics and just get to the finish, although I think the car just wanted to go home!

"We clipped a kerb on the first test and bent the steering, then we had trouble with the carburettor, causing a spark plug to disintegrate, which then led to a chronic engine misfire.

"The service crew managed to repair the car, but on the penultimate stage, a coil lead fell off, and we lost one-and-a-half minutes stopping to put it back on again.

"And to cap it all, the fire extinguisher went off as we crossed the finishing line, covering us and the inside of the car with white powder!"

Despite all their problems, Lee and Jim collected a valuable eight points towards the championship, and with just three rounds to go, any one of four drivers could win the category.

Next round is the Rally Marketing Mewla national rally, based on the fearsome Epynt ranges in mid-Wales, on August Bank Holiday weekend.

Previous sport story

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.