A TRIP to South Wales for the Red Kite Rally gave a first forest outing to the new Chris Allen Garages rally team Escort Cosworth - and answered several questions about both the car and team.

Carnforth's Ian Joel and Graeme Wood used the event as a shake-down before they start their challenge on the 2003 Dunlop Silver Star Championship, promo-ted by BTRDA.

It used the Epynt Military Ranges for the nine stages in extremely frosty conditions - with black ice under the trees adding a little more excitement than was planned by several crews.

Even rally winner Julian Reynolds found ditches on both sides of the track during the final stage.

After a tarmac outing to the Croft on the previous weekend, both Joel and Wood were pleased to return to the gravel tracks and finished less than three minutes behind Rey-nolds' Impreza in fifth overall.

The title chasing starts again in earnest on Febraury 8 with the Wydean Stages in the Forest of Dean before returning to local territory for the Malcolm Wilson Rally on March 8.

Regulations are availble for this event and can be obtained by sending an SAE to Entries Secretary, 9 Bryon Avenue, Bolton-le-Sands, Carnforth, Lancs. LA5 8HN.

January 9, 2003 10:30