Closest ever? 

Round 4 - Ellesmere

23/09/02

The 2002 Goodyear British Off Road Championship is sure to go down to the wire following a nail biting fourth round at an excellent new site in Shropshire.

Paul Choat was victorious outright in a close finish from a hard charging Keith Lewis.  In the classes Colin Read clinched his class in the championship with another dominant display to fourteenth overall.

Fast fields and rutted woodland tracks characterized the penultimate round of the Goodyear MSA British Off Road Championship. Five times British Champion Bruce Tigwell claims that this year's series is "Probably the closest British Off Road championship ever!" Three different teams have already lead the championship and moving into the final round there remain almost half a dozen crews who could lift the coveted trophy.

Championship leader Richard Kershaw extended his still slender lead with an inspired third overall after a busy weekend. Richard's success came despite losing all drive on lap two and then breaking a front wishbone and steering arm on the second lap of Sunday morning. Having completed all fifteen laps Richard was whisked off by helicopter to secure his Northern Off Road Championship victory in a borrowed vehicle! 

In the modified production class Tony Walmsley (Land Rover Defender 90) finally got the result that he has been promising all year with a fine first in class and a top ten finish.

Top ten results

    1. Paul Choat Simmbugghini 1h48m17s

2. Keith Lewis Simmbugghini 1h48m41s
3. Richard Kershaw Amaterati 1h50m55s
4. Trevor Milner Milner R4 Race Truck 1h52m04s
5. Bruce Tigwell Tigwell 4x4 1h52m14s
6. David Eggington Simmbugghini 1h53m32s
7. David Bakewell TMC 4x4 1h59m36s
8. Tom Rimell Land Rover 2h00m55s
9. Ryan Cooke Land Rover TMC 2h01m17s
10. Tony Walmsley Land Rover Defender 90 2h08m15s

Get the full event results and analysis as an Adobe Acrobat file click here to download.

Results for Round 1 - Tunbridge Wells

Results for Round 2 - Glynneath

Results for Round 3 - Kinross