What a way to end the 2011 Ontario Road Rally Cup navigational series. A spectacular rally - great roads, challenging instructions, a very close finish, great roads, an excellent turnout (24 entries), beautiful weather, and did I mention great roads? First place in Expert and Intermediate ORRC standings were up for grabs at this event, but the appearance of 3 more expert teams (for a total of 7!) and a couple of extra intermediates had the contenders really working for their points.
In the end, in Novice, it was David Saunders and Denis Pronin who took first, followed by Chris Allum and Gary Allan in second and Andy Mason and Jennifer Allison in third, with only 0.5 minutes separating the 3 teams.
Intermediate class saw Peter Brownhill and Gary Corbett take a decisive win, but they needed Tim Burgess and Perry Ford to finish last to have a chance at the series title. But Burgess and Ford finished second which was enough to give them the overall intermediate title. In third was Chris and Jonathon Pye, with Scott Pardy and Bruce French hot on their tail.
The expert class has been an excellent battle the entire year, with three teams swapping wins throughout the 10 rally series, and a fourth team joining in later in the season to unsettle things. Jane and Bruce Leonard had the lead coming into Open Road Rally and only needed to finish 1st or 2nd to clinch. The teams of Stephen Deneka and Opal Gamble, and Trevor Hancher and Ted Doig both needed to finish ahead of the Leonard's. And Roger Sanderson and stand-in navigator Lynda Connelly were there to keep things honest. But, holy cow! in addition to season late-comer Sanderson, there were three more local expert teams charging up the calculators and digging out the Reid's tables, ready to have at it. With 1.9 minutes of penalties, Leonard and Leonard took the win, with Ian O'Halloran and Steve Carrick 0.1 behind in second. Deneka and Gamble finished third with 2.6. In all, only 2.5 minutes separated first from fifth.
Overall ORRC finishing positions can be found in the 2011 ORRC Scores link to the left.
2011 Expert Title: Driver, Navigator
1st: Jane Leonard, Bruce Leonard
2nd: Stephen Deneka, Opal Gamble tied with Ted Doig
3rd: Trevor Hancher
2011 Intermediate Title: Driver, Navigator:
1st: Tim Burgess, Perry Ford
2nd: Peter Brownhill, Gary Corbett
3rd: Chris Pye, Jonathon Pye
2011 Novice Title: Driver, Naviagtor
1st: Ian Pucket, Yevgeniy Gospodinov
2nd: Sandra Maynard, David Maynard
3rd: Chris Weigel, Douglas Harvey
Now it's time to get ready for Rally of the Tall Pines, November 25, 26, (over 50 entries so far!) then we're back at again in the new year with January Jaunt, on the 7th in Waterdown, hosted by Toronto Autosport Club. Details to follow. Then Mr. Roaldi will have to try to live up to expectations when we go back to Perth for the Rideau Winter Rally, January 21. |
home
