IMPS CAPTURE HONOURS

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 38, 18 May 1965, Page 11

IMPS CAPTURE HONOURS

Hillman Imps, driven by Rosemary Smith and I. T). "Tiny" Lewis, have captured top honours for Britain in the 1900 miles international Tulip Rally in which they have finished first and second overall. Rosemary Smith, the 26-year-old Dublin dress designer, is the overall winner and she becomes one of the very few women drivers to win a top international event outright in competition with the cream of European rally crews. She finished. fractionally ahead of her team-mate "Tiny" Lewis who was driving the second worksentered Hillman Imp in this spring event, which blizzards in the Jura mountains virtually turned into a replica of the Monte Carlo Rally. At one stage snow was falling at the rate of a foot an hour on the Col de Faucille — and only 47 of the 157 starters managed to reach the fini^hing point at Noordwijk in Holland within the tinie limit. Rosemary, who was partnered by Valerie Domleo,

achieved her victory in one of the smallest cars entered in the rally. She also added the Coupe des Dames to the ladies' award which she won only two weeks ago in the Circuit of Ireland International Rally. In addition, she and "Tiny" Lewis were first and second overall in the G.T. category and first and second in their class (850-1150 cc. G.T. cars). Rosemary, who designs her own motoring clothes, joined the Rootes group rally team three years ago and has emerged as one of the world's top women drivers. Among her other achievements she has twice won the Coupe des Dames in the Tour de France and was runner-up, also in an Imp, to Pat Moss in this year's exceptionally tough Monte Carlo Rally. She lists her other hobbies as golf, water-skiing, horse riding, go-carting and bowling. 1. D. "Tiny" Lewis, whose broad 6ft. 3ins. figure is a familiar sight in the Imps works team, was partnered by David Pollard from Bradford and only fractional markings separated him from the top award.