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Funky Elephant Rally 2005
Wessex Motor Club
23rd/24th April 2005
Clerk of the Course: Phil Kendall & David Coles
Route: 145 Miles
Maps: 185
Starters: 31
Winners: Mike East/Roger Davidson (Peugeot 106 Rallye)
Mike East/Roger Davidson took victory on a tough Funky Elephant Rally, which had moved its base for 2005 to Chandlers Ford to allow for a more concentrated route.
Winners: Mike East/Roger Davidson (Peugeot 106 Rallye)
Photograph: M&H Photography
In the past the Wessex MC event has had a reputation for highly cryptic navigation, this year there was a move to easier clues compensated for by an increase in the use of whites - there was over 28 miles of whites in 2005.
Roger Hunt/Ben Greenfield led after the first time card but, two missed code boards plus eight minutes stuck in a big puddle, saw them finish eighth. East/Davidson passed Hunt/Greenfield on the second time card and were never headed again, finishing eleven minutes clear.
Paul Swindells/Dick Howatt took the runner up spot despite suffering electrical problems for most of the event. Christopher Winer/Matt Fowle finished third, while a missed code board dropped Rob Dance/Graham Dance from second to fourth. Despite an oil leak that meant that they had to constantly keep topping up the engine during the second half, Ken Pape/Nick Clarke finished in fifth.
Punctures were a major problem; top seeds Rob Reynolds/John Stringer suffered three, while Richard Lawley/Jon Taylor retired when they ran out of spares.
Carl Gibbs/Lizzie Pope survived a difficult night, where they found their Toyota MR2 unsuited to the whites, but came through to take the Semi-Expert award. The Novice & Club Rally, where contenders had simpler navigation, was won by Andy Field/Rob Fields.
OVERALL RESULTS
| Pos | Driver | Navigator | Car | Penalty | |
| 1 | Mike East | Mike Davidson | Peugeot 106 Rallye | 16m 00s | |
| 2 | Paul Swindells | Dick Howatt | Peugeot 309 GTi | 27m 00s | |
| 3 | Christopher Winter | Matt Fowle | Volvo 144 GL | 35m 00s | |
| 4 | Rob Dance | Graham Dance | Toyota Corolla | 1F 26m 00s | |
| 5 | Ken Pape | Nick Clarke | Ford Escort | 1F 35m 00s | |
| 6 | Alan Woodham | Dave Wilson | Peugeot 205 GTi | 1F 40m 00s | |
| 7 | Paul Hollingham | Mark Collings | Vauxhall Astra GTE | 1F 41m 00s | |
| 8 | Roger Hunt | Ben Greenfield | Vauxhall Nova | 2F 24m 00s | |
| 9 | Rob Reynolds | John Stringer | Subaru Impreza | 2F 34m 00s | |
| 10 | Carl Gibbs | Lizzie Pope | Toyota MR2 | 37F 87m 00s | |
| Novice Class & Club Rally | |||||
| 1 | Andy Field | Rob Field | Ford Escort | 42m 00s | |
| 2 | Roy Cuthbert | Glyn Hayward | VW Golf | 1F 57m 00s | |
| 3 | Nick Baker | Paul Gibbs | Ford Escort | 1F 70m 00s | |
| 4 | Clive Richardson | Mark Saunders | Hillman Hunter | 2F 53m 00s | |
| 5 | Stew Crook | David Findlay | Peugeot 205 GTi | 2F 71m 00s | |
| 6 | Iain Freestone | Nick Kennedy | Peugeot 205 Rallye | 3F 20m 00s | |
| 7 | Mike Saywell | David Curd | Peugeot 205 XS | 7F 57m 00s | |
| 8 | Paul Freeth | Derek Mines | Peugeot 205 | 13F 56m 00s | |
| 9 | David Granville | James Bueno | Renault 5 GTX | 15F 59m 00s | |
| 10 | Ed Pead | John Pead | Audi 90 | 34F 60m 00s | |
| 11 | Stuart Green | R A Richards | Ford Sierra | 39F 75m 00s | |
| 12 | Phil Bennet | Chris Bethell | Peugeot 205 GT | 42F 48m 00s | |