March 6, 2023

Laser Tools Racing rally report — 2023 Riponian Rally

The start of 2023 has been a busy one for the Laser Tools Racing Rally Team with two annual awards presentations to attend where after a very successful 2022 we were awarded with 1^st in class 4 and highest placed Ford in the 2022 Clubman Motorsport EMAMC Stage Rally Championship, and a great result in the Alpha Concrete ANEMMC Stage Rally Championship finishing a fantastic 2^nd overall, so a great season with well-deserved rewards at the end.

Report from Peter Outram: To start the 2023 season we headed up to the North Yorkshire Forests for the Riponian Rally where we had to have an emergency stand in Co-driver at short notice due to other commitments and an illness so up stepped Jodie Outram to sit beside me for a baptism of fire on a pace-noted multi-venue stage rally so the pressure was on for Jodie.

Scrutineering was completed on the Saturday afternoon at Thirsk farmers market with no issues and we were all set for the start of the rally on Sunday morning after a short drive across to Wombleton Airfield. Weather conditions were perfect as we started the road section to the first stage. Just as we entered the forest the intercom battery failed so this would mean I wouldn’t be able to hear the pace notes for the first two stages but we set off and I am fairly familiar with them so it wasn’t too bad and despite this we were lying in 35^th out of 60 after stage one with no issues. On stage 2 we dropped a bit of time and we were down to 38^th so with the intercom fixed on the road section to stage 3 it was time for a push which did pay off as we moved up to 36^th and also moved up to second in class. The stages were in great condition and Jodie was getting the hang of everything that needs to done between the stages, as well as during the stages.

After the dinner service we set off back to repeat the loop of stages and all was well; with some good stage times we moved up to 34^th and we were still lying 2^nd in our class but importantly we had no issues with the car. Stage 5 saw us move up a place and with another push on the final stage we finished the rally a fantastic 32^nd overall and 2^nd in class. So we had started the 2023 season on a high and hoping to continue this again all way through. Jodie did a fantastic job at such short notice and thoroughly enjoyed the day and was keen to do some more through the year. I would like to thank all the organisers and marshals who put the event on and to my family for the support you give me and to Laser Tools for the continued support again in 2023.