AFTER missing out on victory by only a second in last year’s North West Stages Rally, Tony Bardy made sure of success this time around to take first place by over a minute in his familiar Nissan Sunny GTi-R.

With regular co-driver Reg Smith out of the country, Bardy renewed an old partnership with Tony Walker and despite not having competed together for 10 years they proved a winning combination.

Their closest challengers, Blackburn’s John Stone and his co-driver Lee Carter, enjoyed a brief spell as rally leaders on Saturday morning but a failing clutch saw the Skoda Fabia WRC crew settle for second.

Last year’s winners Kevin Proctor and Dave Bellerby had headed the standings after Friday’s four-stage leg but a wrong tyre choice on Saturday ruined any hopes the Subaru Impreza pairing of a repeat victory at the Blackpool-based rally.

The final outcome could have been different but for a timing error that cost Paul Bird and Kirsty Riddick a six-minute penalty at the start of Friday’s first Blackpool stage.

It left them in 81st place overnight but an all-out attack on Satuday saw them haul their Ford Focus WRC up to fifth place.

Top two-wheel drive finishers were Blackburn businessman Russell Morgan and Martin Kenyon, who claimed eighth place in their Escort Mk1 ahead of Pete Gibson and Josh Davison.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6 crew had been sixth before being forced to tackle the last group of six stages with three-wheel drive after breaking a rear differential.

Adrian Atkinson and Dave Riley completed the top 10 in another Evo6, despite losing all their brakes in Weeton. David and Steven Benson brought their Honda Civic home 11th overall after switching to ice tyres and setting a string of top 10 stage times on the final leg to claim the Class B win.

Class C winners Barry Stevenson-Wheeler and John Pickavance nursed their Escort RS home with an ailing gearbox to finish 12th overall, while Class A winners Andrew Fawcett and Chris Purvis were 17th in their Vauxhall Nova.

Accrington Motor Sport Club duo Steve Johnson and Steven Butler were forced to run their Nissan Micra without any auxiliary lights simply because they didn’t have any, but they still came out on top of the Class F standings.

“With the ice and snow, in 30 years of rallying that was one of the best results I’ve ever had,” Johnson said.

“Just to finish the rally in those conditions was a real achievement.

“I’ve marshalled before but it was the first time I had competed. A lot of credit has to go to the marshals for being out in that weather.”

Withnell co-driver Paula Swinscoe helped Andy Davison to 21st position overall, while Kelbrook’s Ross Butterworth was 36th and seventh in class B alongside Pendle Motor Club’s Jonny Koonja.

Graham Chester and Clitheroe navigator Ian Rayner were 38th overall and eighth in class B.

The icy conditions took their toll, though, with a high rate of attrition resulting in no fewer than 40 of the 85 starters retiring.

Among them were Blackburn’s Nigel Worswick and Clive Molyneux as well as Derek Blyth and co-driver Phil Peak, who hails from Oswaldtwistle.

Steve Quigley and Blackburn navigator Terry Martin were also unable to complete the event, as were Tom Preston and Andrew Park.

Saturday’s Blackpool stages were only saved after the organisers arranged for the local Council to grit the stage.

Blackpool Borough Council were rewarded for their efforts with the ‘Spirit of the Rally’ Award.