First world rallying points for Cruttenden

Newhey based rally co-driver, Joe Cruttenden score his first points in the Intercontinental Rally Championship

Last weekend saw Newhey based rally co-driver, Joe Cruttenden score his first points in the Intercontinental Rally Championship. Cruttenden, 22, who was co-driving for 17-year-old Chris Ingram, from Stockport, was competing in the 3rd round of world wide series, the Circuit of Ireland Rally.

The rally based in Armagh, Northern Ireland ran 15 stages through the infamous narrow and twisty lanes around the City, with the addition of a opening Super Special Stage through the Titanic Quarter area in Belfast on the Friday night and two runs through the streets of Lisburn, on the Saturday afternoon.

The first 5 stages ran Friday evening with the last 2 stages running in darkness.

"We were happy with our first two stages, setting some fastest class times", said Cruttenden. "We were looking forward to the dark, when we knew we could increase the pace, and when we caught the car that started one minute before us on stage 3, we knew we were doing just that."

By the end of the first leg, the results were showing Joe and Chris lying 2nd in class and 6th fastest two wheel drive car, against a lot of experienced crews.

The second leg started on the Saturday morning with the first of 10 stages.

"We had an off on the first stage, which knocked the confidence a little but we managed to get things together and started pushing again in an attempt to gain the places we lost," said Cruttenden.

After the mid morning service, the pair went to repeat the first 3 stages of the morning again and try to climb back up the leaderboard.

"Things were all going well until the road section between stages 9 and 10, we were slowing for a road junction and couldn't get the car out of 5th gear. We found the gear linkage had broken, so with the help of a piece of wire acquired from a local farm, we managed to temporally fix it, allowing us to take a steady run through stages 10 and 11, before heading back to service an a more perminate fix."`

Stages 12 and 13 were runs through the streets of Lisburn, on which the pair set two second fastest class times moving the them into 3rd in class, where they remained through the last two stages of the rally.

This rally topped a good week for Cruttenden, who had been informed that he had been selected to join the Motor Sports Association Academy, where he will be mentored by Colin McRae's Codriver, ex World Champion Nicky Grist.

"I hope to learn a lot from Nicky and use it to enhance my career", said Cruttenden.

He added: "I would also like to thank our sponsors for this weekend, Reid Rains Estate agents and PEC Racing have been great supporters and we thank them immensely."

Next rally is the third round of the British Rally Championship, The Pirelli Rally, through the forests of Kielder and the Scottish Borders.