Thrilling finish to Blackpool-to-Torquay rally

READ MORE: Rally of the Tests gets under way in Blackpool

This four-day reincarnation of RAC Rallies from the 1950s and ’60s was marking its 20th anniversary.

Willan and Frost brought their Volvo PV544 to the finish almost two minutes ahead of Paul Dyas’ and Martyn Taylor’s Volvo Amazon, while Paul Crosby and Ali Proctor completed the podium places in their Austin Mini Cooper S.

It could have been a different story had early leaders Kurt Vanderspinnen and Bjorn Vanoverschelde not suffered mechanical problems at Weeton on Friday.

Their Ford Lotus Cortina suffered a broken half-shaft, forcing them to miss much of the day’s schedule, but they eventually made the finish.

Willan led after Friday’s stage from Blackpool to Stoke but a broken rear shock absorber mount meant a social media appeal went out and he was in a local concrete works that night, undertaking a repair mission.

He had another scare on Saturday when dropping a minute in traffic, allowing Dyas to close within 20 seconds, before rebuilding his advantage.

After two 12-hour days of competition, Sunday’s final leg of the rally was slightly shorter but, nevertheless, equally challenging.

However, Willan all but sealed his win through Worthy Farm, where his time over an eight-mile regularity held on gravel tracks restored his two-minute lead.

A steady, but nervous, trek to the Torquay finish followed to see Willan and Frost take their victory.