RALLY fan Pete Tattersall made his first visit to Wigan’s Three Sisters race circuit as a spectator in 2000.

Eight years on, the Burnley garage owner was back at the kart track to collect his first championship trophy after winning the inaugural Three Sisters Rally Challenge.

The series takes in the three special stage rallies which take place at the circuit every year.

And finishing third, fourth and sixth was enough for Tattersall and co-driver Stephen Riley to take the title in their Ford Escort Mk2.

“I first visited the Three Sisters eight years ago and thought it was a great venue, so when the Challenge started I was determined to try and win it,” said Pete, who runs Tatt’s Autos in Rushworth Street, Burnley.

“Lots of rally drivers don’t like the Three Sisters because it’s a short, narrow circuit, but to me doing an event there is like doing 12 superspecials. It’s fairly technical and because the stages are so short, you can’t afford to make a mistake or you’ll ruin your time.

“For drivers on a limited budget like me, it’s affordable and very social. All the family and friends come to watch and it’s 45 minutes down the road from Burnley. I’ve enjoyed every minute.”

But Tattersall, who drives an Escort Mk2 powered by a 2-litre Vauxhall engine, didn’t have an easy time going in the final round, the Keith Wood Memorial Stages.

He almost failed to take part after discovering his car had a buckled half-shaft at the start. With no spare of his own, fellow competitor Wil Owen came to his rescue.

Although the replacement wasn’t a perfect fit, it held out long enough for Tattersall to finish sixth and take the honours.

Overall victory went to Stuart Deeley and Alistair Dodd in the Lotus Banks Europa, 25 seconds ahead of Brian Hardman and Paul Jackson (Ford Escort Mk2).

In the same event, Accrington’s Steve Johnson extended his lead in the SD34 stage rally championship with a great class win in his one-litre Nissan Micra.

Neat and tidy all the way round the circuit, the former autotest champion made no mistakes through the day, consistently beating all the other cars in the up-to-1300cc class despite being one of the lowest-powered.

Johnson now leads Dave Blackburn, who finished 16th overall, by 27 points going into the final round, the Neil Howard Memorial Stages, which takes place at Melbourne Airfield near York later next month.

Victory there will be enough for him to claim a unique hat-trick of SD34 titles.

Before that, Johnson will be contesting this weekend’s autosolo organised by Knutsford DMC and then the two-day Glyn Memorial Stages at Anglesey.

Also making a return to action was the distinctive orange Lada Riva of Burnley garage owner Peter Heys. Off the road for two years being rebuilt, Heys and his co-driving wife Nicola lasted until the halfway stage before retiring.

* Pete Tattersall would like to thank sponsor United Furniture of Rushworth Street, Burnley, and Pendle DMC members Graham Howard and David Blackburn for their help rebuilding his car.