Rallye Sunseeker 2003 review. Story and images provided by RallyingOnline.com. 08 February 2003
The 2003 Rallye Sunseeker was won by Marcus Dodd in a Subaru Impreza WRC coming home 19 seconds clear from the ever-impressive Andy Burton in his stunning home built Peugeot Cosworth. Third was David Mann in a Group A Subaru Impreza a further 30 seconds in arrears.
Raymond Munro took fourth in yet another Impreza and fifth was Roger Duckworth in his Impreza. Rounding off a Subaru kind of day was 6th place man Phil Morgan in another Impreza. In fact, apart from Burton, you had to look down to the eighth placed man, Martyn Harrison in a Metro 6R4 before the Impreza stranglehold was broken.
Will Nichols in an Impreza won group N although second place went to Paul Alexander in a Mitsubishi Evo 7. In third was Nigel Griffiths driving yet another Subaru.
Retirements included Mark Perrott with gearbox problems. He left the fray on SS13 whilst lying in 4th place. Steve Petch retired his Hyundai Accent WRC after 4 stages with propshaft failure. Robert Woodside in a Toyota Corolla WRC retired after a terrifying high speed accident when he experienced brake failure at 130mph on SS3 and Gary Midwinter in the sister Escort WRC to Perrott's also retired with gearbox problems.
As usual, the event was slickly organised and the fine weather conditions meant that the spectators were out in force to witness another Dodd win. Who would bet against him for 2004? That is unless he turns up in his Mark 2 Escort.
Official Rallye Sunseeker site - organised by the Southern Car Club
RallyingOnline.com - the premier UK rally portal
RallyGallery.com - more images from this and other rallies
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