Brands Hatch Winter Stages 2019

Paul Smith, Dale Bowen, BMW M3.

I’d beg to differ having recently been to the MGJ Engineering Brands Hatch Winter Stages, trusty Nikon in hand. This was the 4th round of 8 events in the MSN Circuit Rally Championship using racetracks across the land for a single venue tarmac rally. By using various combinations of the track, infield, paddock and access roads it allows organisers to create a challenging event.

Ron Walker, Any McCubbin Ford KA.

Here on Pistonclick we reported on last year’s Cadwell Stages Rally (round 2 of the MSN championship) and the last ever Rockingham Stages. One attraction of this championship is that it caters for a wide range of cars. 

Ray Read, Stuart Anderson-Peters, Audi quattro.

The top three seeds were driving a Ford Fiesta WRC, a Peugeot 306 Maxi and a Mk 2 Escort and there were a couple of M3s, a Suzuki Swift JWRC, a TR7 V8 and a Quattro were lower down the entry.

Abi Mahmood, Samantha Bartlett, Suzuki Swift S1600 JWRC.

First car at 09.00 meant an early start from Milton Keynes but the M25 and Dartford Crossing both behaved themselves allowing me to be ready on the inside of Druids for the first stage of the day. Mind you, if you were competing and missed scrutineering on Friday evening you could present your car for approval at what must have been a very chilly 06.15 on Saturday morning.

John Stone, Jack Morton, Ford Fiesta WRC.

From the off it was clear that the top three seeds would dominate the event and so it proved with Stone / Morton in the Fiesta eking out a small 3 second margin over West/ Hounslow in the Peugeot and 7 seconds over Kelly / Colman in the Escort by the lunch break.

Chris West, Keith Hounslow, Peugeot 306 Maxi Kit Car.

Misfortune however struck Stone / Morton on stage 5 when they got stuck behind the stalled Proton of Robinson / Witherspoon at a very tight hairpin and lost around 20 seconds allowing West / Hounslow into the lead.

Mark Kelly, Neil Colman, Ford Escort Mk2.

Over the remaining stages, the top three were very closely matched and West / Hounslow ran out winners by 18 seconds from Stone / Morton who in turn had the slimmest of margins over Kelly / Colman – just 1 second.

The win allowed West / Hounslow to extend their lead in the Championship – but there is a long way to go – Snetterton, Donington, Anglesey and Cadwell Park to be precise.

Wug Utting, Bob Stokoe, Subaru Impreza N12B.

From a photographic perspective, for my first visit to a rally at Brands I concentrated on the area around Druids, Graham Hill Bend and Paddock Hill Bend. Fortunately, there is little in the way of fencing there enabling a clean photo except for the head on shot out of Paddock Hill Bend up to Druids.

Dean Fewings, Bob Smith, Triumph TR7 V8.

As a recent convert to shooting through the fence, I’m getting more comfortable with the technique – and it does create a classic image.

Mike Taylor, Martin Haggett, Talbot Lotus-Sunbeam. Anthony Robinson, Mark Witherspoon, Proton Satria Millington.

With each car passing three times for each stage, there is plenty of scope for different angles, shutter speeds and so on. If you haven’t tried a circuit rally, either as a snapper or a spectator, it’s well worth a look. 

Nick Whale, Paul Spooner, BMW M3.

The added bonus that the circuit’s facilities – food, warmth, loos are close at hand is a definite plus point.