Of the 50 starters, four were from West Suffolk MC, and all of them were among the 40 crews who made it to the finish.

The Overall winner was Yorkshire-based Kevin Proctor, after the Subaru Impreza WRC driver, who was taking a break from rallycross, led home a trio of Metro 6R4s.

The local entry should have been stronger, but father and son Jeremy and James Cook, non-started because their Vauxhall Astra was not available.

Highest-placed WSMC crew were Justin Oliver and James Crook – not Jeremy's son – in their Impreza, taking ninth overall and seventh in class.

The Rix family were out in force, Ian and son Aaron coming home 16th overall, and fifth in class in their MKII Escort. Ian's wife Clare secured 25th overall, fourth in class.

For Martin De Vere Packford, the rally marked his debut in the competition. With Karen Cook in the co-driver's seat of his Peugeot 306, Martin came home a creditable 29th overall and ninth in class.

The final round of the AEMC Championship will be held at Rockingham on December 13-14, organised by Middlesex County AC.

On December 6-7, Chelmsford MC provide what is now a rare event in this area, as they organise their Preston Road Rally. This will be based at Barton Mills, with a 185-mile route, of which 105 miles with be competitive and all within a close radius of the start venue.

Chelmsford have always had a reputation for providing an event that is, not only a challenge for the crews, but also their cars as it uses some rather rough tracks.

This is the 30th anniversary year of the Preston and, in many ways, reflects the type of rally Chelmsford MC provided in the past, with the famous Britvic Rally.

p MOTOR RACING. When the British Touring Car Championship gets underway next year, it will do so without any works representation from Seat as the Seat Cupra Championship will no longer be part of the package.

For those drivers and teams with Cupras, it seems all is not lost. Thetford-based Advent Motorsport were involved in the 2008 contest and now appear to be at the forefront of a championship that will cater for these cars.

If all goes to plan, a championship running alongside Formula Palmer Audi at MSVR race meetings, could well happen. The cars could be upgraded to the European Supercopa specification, this providing teams with the chance to race on the European mainland.

Former British Rallycross Champion, John Welch, has run a three-car team of Cupras this year, and I hear he plans to run three in 2009.