Joe Cruttenden East Belgium Rally

Joe Cruttenden East Belgium Rally

Having taken a short break from competing in rally’s following his relocation from Newhey to Cockermouth, to work for the M-Sport Ford World Rally team; Joe Cruttenden competed in two rallies over the last two weekends, with varying levels of success.

Two weeks ago Joe competed in a round of the F1000 junior championship, co-driving for 15-year-old Josh Cornwell on the Woodbridge stages. Needing a good finish to hold their championship position, the pair set some quick times in the 1000cc Mirca. After the first pair of stages they were in third place, only a few seconds behind the Citroen C1’s holding first and second place.

Stage four saw them slip back into fourth place with an issue on the suspension.

Stage five was where it all came to an end, with the car blowing a hole in the engine block the size of a golf ball.

"This was the best Josh has ever driven and we knew were putting the pressure on the two cars in front, but that’s rallying," said Joe.

Joe's next rally was a much different event, from the disused MOD base near Ipswich to the fast flowing roads of the Southern Belgium countryside. Joe was co-driving for Norfolk based Jamie Brown in the Fiesta R2.

A round of the Belgium Rally Championship, the East Belgium rally, ran 13 stages on closed public roads around its base in the town of St Vith, just south of the famous Spa F1 racing circuit and on the Germany and Luxembourg borders

Thursday evening gave a chance to run the car over a special shakedown stage, where crews can sample the stages to come and make sure the car and the lights are set up. Friday was recce day, travelling the stages and making pace notes of the stages.

The first three stages ran North of St Vith, Joe and Jamie going well, moving up to 44th place after the first stage. But a spin on Stage two cost them 30 seconds, dropping them back into the 55th place.

"Up against the best rally teams in Europe a spin can be so costly", said Joe.

Following a 30 minute service and new tyres, the pair pushed back on the next pair of stages and gained a few places back.

"We were catching and passing the R1 Fiesta that started a minute before us, so we knew we were going well", said Joe.

Having made it back to the third service and refuel of the day the pair then tackled the next pair of stages, a mixture of forest roads and tarmac roads.

The last three stages were run in the darkness. The lamp pod fitted and both feeling under the weather.

"We were not feeling well,” said Joe “Which wasn’t helped by over shoots on two junctions," he added.

The pair finished the rally in an excellent 33rd position and seventh in the Fiesta Championship and some well-earned points.

Joe's next rally will be the next round of the F1000 Junior championship in South Wales.