You can download some specification on both cars here

If you want to discuss and get more information please call Richie Windress on 07968 737356. If you don’t get through to him straight away, try sending him a text message as he may be out on rally duties.

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Announced at the Autosport International Show at the NEC in Birmingham, the agreement will see WD-40 take over the title sponsorship of Petch’s Ford Fiesta R5 rally car for the entire year.

A seasoned competitor in the BTRDA Rally Championship Petch has continued to mix it with the UK’s best drivers over the last eight years, proving himself as one of the top talents in the UK. After a close battle throughout the 2014 season, Petch will once again be fighting for the top honours this year.

Stephen Petch, said: “It’s amazing to be working with a household brand such as WD-40. We had a great season in 2014 but with the support of WD-40, I am sure that we can push even harder for the title in 2015.

“As a team we are looking forward to working with WD-40 during the 2015 season. We have a great car and a fantastic car livery that is going to stand out in the forests and be one the fans will look out for.”

David Whittome, head of marketing for WD-40 Company, said: “We are extremely delighted to be sponsoring Stephen Petch and becoming a part of a team that will see the WD-40 brand back in UK motorsport. Stephen is a talented driver and I am sure that the 2015 season is going to be very exciting.”

For more information on WD-40’s range of products, visit the website at: www.wd40.co.uk.

Stephen will be on the Rally GB stand on the 8th January with his R5+ at next weeks Autosport International Show, along with his new sponsors.

Needless to say, the car will be suitably dressed for the occasion.

Only 5 of these are made and Tom is taking orders now for £60 + £15 Postage to UK mainland only.

Steve and John were equally impressive finishing 6th overall in the Evo. Sadly Mike Williams in the other Evo had to retire after SS3 with a blown turbo.

Next up for team is the Grizedale Stages on Saturday 22nd November.

Images copyright of Tom Irvine Photography

The Accent WRC took a wide around one of the corners and hit 2 massive logs of wood, before being falling into a ditch. Steve managed to reverse the car out of the ditch and continue but the damage was too extensive and he had to retire.

With conditions proving to be very tricky, courtesy of snow lined stages and ice in places, the crews were always going to be in for an interesting time and, when thick clouds of fog descended on the stages, crews had minimal visibility with which to negotiate the forestry tracks. Despite this Stephen was on fine form, going fifth fastest through the opening stage, despite not being altogether happy with the handling of the car.

An equally strong run on Stage 2 was on the cards until Stephen was caught out on a tightening corner, slid wide and got stuck in a ditch. Due to the icy nature co-driver Michael Wilkinson had to jump out and push the stricken car out of the ditch, and even with the help of spectators the pair dropped well over a minute and a half, plummeting them to 23rd overall.

Swift work by the SG Petch mechanics saw the handling issues rectified at first service and Stephen then mounted a spirited fight back, eventually returning to Coniston in seventh position overall. Some consolation was the fact that he came home second in class.

Stephen said: “A typical rally for us really, lots of excitement and plenty of dramas. The car was all over the place in the morning and we just got caught out and ended up in a ditch. Once we’d sorted the handling out the car was brilliant, and if you remove the 90 seconds we lost on Stage 2 we’d have won our class and finished fourth overall.”

Despite Steve Petch Snr’s early retirement, the team have experienced a 90 percent reliability record in 2008, a statistic that helped Stephen to take a top 3 in class in the ANCRO Gravel Rally Championship in his first year in a World Rally Car.

Although now officially retired from rallying Steve still enjoys the occasional blast around the forests, and after a strong second overall on the recent Malton Forest Stages, he has proved that he is still as quick as ever.

Son Stephen, the 2007 Mitsubishi Evo Challenge Junior champion, has recently completed his first full season at the helm of a world rally car when he used one of the SG Motorsport Hyundai Accent WRC’s to good effect, finishing second overall in class B13 after a year of highs and lows where the young County Durham driver showed his maturity with a string of reliable runs in all conditions.

“It’s good that Dad and I get to have another battle with each other this weekend. The Grizedale Forest Stages are always well organised and a brilliant way to end the season. I’m not sure what the weather conditions will be like but I’m sure it won’t be plain sailing out there.” said Stephen.

The Coppermine Grizedale Forest Stages takes place on Saturday 29th November 2008. Based in Coniston the 41 stage mile long rally takes in six stages in the Grizedale Forest complex, with the action beginning at 9:00am.

For more on the rally please visit www.grizedalestages.co.uk

Using the SG Petch Motorsport run Hyundai Accent World Rally Car that son Stephen normally campaigns, Steve and co-driver John Richardson used the opening run around the Pickering Showgrounds to dust off the cobwebs. They then went third fastest through the opening runs of both Cropton and Gale Rigg and returned to Pickering for the first service lying fourth overall. The afternoon saw Steve raising his game and on the second run through Gale Rigg he was a mere one second off the pace of Tony Thompson, the eventual rally winner. This increase in speed saw Steve and Ian move up the leaderboard and the pair returned to Pickering in second position overall.

“Once again a big well done to the whole organising committee of the Malton Forest Stages, the event ran faultlessly and despite the atrocious weather a good time was had by all. We had a lot of fun out there, even if the weather made it interesting at times.” said Steve

At present SG Petch Motorsport has no confirmed plans for the rest of 2008 but a run for Stephen Petch Junior on the Grizedale Stages is likely.

Steve was a regular at the head of the field in the late 1990’s and earlier in the ‘noughties’ but hung up his helmet and went into semi retirement two years ago. Since then the Durham based businessman has returned to action for the occasional blast and more often than not still runs near the top of the leaderboard thanks to his rapid pace.

The last time Steve Petch Senior competed in a rally was two months ago on the Trackrod National Rally where he was trading times with son Stephen until the transmission broke near the end of the event. Steve will again use the very same Mitsubishi Evo 9 on this weekends Malton Forest Stages and will be hoping for a more successful run.

“We’re just going out for a bit of fun. I’m definitely not thinking of making a full time return to rallying, but there are some forests that I still love competing in, and Dalby is certainly one of them. We’re not worried about our pace, just as long as we have smiles on our faces at the end of the day.” said Steve.

The rally begins from Pickering Showgrounds at 8:30am on Sunday 2nd November 2008. A compact route takes the cars through some of the best North Yorkshire forests, Cropton, Gale Rigg and Langdale, before returning to Pickering for the ceremonial finish at around 3pm. The rally also includes three spectator stages in the Pickering Showgrounds making it a great day out for the family.