Malton Forest Rally 2024
The Malton Forest Rally wasn’t originally on the calendar for us this year, but when the opportunity came up to join forces with Izzie Holman as co-driver, I knew we couldn’t pass it up. And honestly, I’m so glad we didn’t! It turned out to be an amazing event, with some fantastic stages, a brilliant atmosphere, and a perfectly organised day that made for a really special experience.
Izzie was absolutely spot on from the get-go. Even before the first stage, she had everything covered, and I had 100% confidence in her notes and pacing. I can’t thank her enough for stepping in and doing such an incredible job. The partnership felt seamless from the start.
Preparing for the rally was a bit of a push. With only a week to get the car ready, there was a lot to do, but once again, Ignition Motorsport stepped up big time. The team’s support, both in the lead-up to the event and on the day, was invaluable. I couldn’t have asked for a better crew to back us through the whole thing.
As with any rally, we had our fair share of frustrations throughout the day. Some gearbox gremlins crept in, along with an annoying rogue oil light during the second loop. But despite these little setbacks, we kept our heads down and kept pushing. In fact, after swapping to a fresh rear tyre at service, we both felt like we’d gone quicker in the afternoon loop, especially as the car felt much more planted. Strangely, though, when we compared times, we saw that we’d set identical times on SS1/4 and SS3/6!
There were some improvements between SS2/5, particularly after a “half-spin” on the first loop (at least the spectators enjoyed it!). It’s going to be interesting to compare the on-board footage side by side and see where we really gained or lost time.
Despite a few frustrations, we still had a blast out there on the incredibly fast and challenging Yorkshire forest stages. The terrain kept us on our toes, and we both really enjoyed the challenge.
On top of that, we had some extra excitement with Jordan Joines and Colin Minton teaming up on the event. Jordan, switching into the Ignition R5, did a fantastic job, and together we all wrapped up the ANWCC Forest Championship in style. Jordan ended up in 2nd overall in the co-driver/FWD champion, while I finished 3rd overall driver/2nd in FWD. 🏆🏆 It was a great result to cap off a successful season for us.
Once again, I’d like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who makes it possible for us to go out and compete and make these memories. From the service crew to the organisers, marshals, and spectators, you’re all a massive part of the experience, and I can’t thank you enough for your support.
Next up, we’ve got the Wyedean Rally, where the musical chairs fun ends, and all the co-drivers hop back into their regular seats.
Until next time, folks! Stay tuned for more rally adventures.
