Greg Shinnors to co-drive for Rory Galligan on BRC

Posted: April 5, 2005 3:44 PM

28 Year Greg who works as a fitter with Irish Rail, finished 2nd in Group N with Roy White in the 2003 British Rally Championship to add to his Tarmac Gp N title the same year.
He has also won 3 Irish forestry championships: 1998 & 2000 with Dermot Kelly and with Eddie Kinirons in 2003.

A member of Cork Motor Club, Greg started competing in Night Navigation Trials in 1994 and soon progressed into stage Rallying. When not competing Greg can be found Marshalling and Timekeeping on events.

---

19/02/03
David Higgins joins Rory Galligan @ Mitsubishi for 2005 British Rally Championship
Mitsubishi Motors UK are please to announce that current British Rally Champion David Higgins will join its UK works team to contest the 2005 British Rally Championship. Higgins will compete in all eight rounds driving a Group N Mitsubishi Evolution VIII MR, partnered by his regular co-driver, Daniel Barritt.

The 2004 British Rally Champion will join the team alongside Rory Galligan, the Irishman already confirmed as a works driver following his victory in last year's Evolution Challenge.

Looking to increase its motorsport profile in Britain, Mitsubishi Motors UK announced its plans to run two-car team at the Autosport Show in January. At that time the decision as to who would be accompanying Galligan was still to be made.

With the prospect of a busy year ahead, Higgins was unable to confirm his intentions until now and is consequently relishing the prospect of driving for the Mitsubishi UK team: "It's great to have been offered this drive. I feel very much at home with Mitsubishi having won the USA SCCA Championship in 2003 driving an Evolution, as well as being a test driver with the WRC team for 2004 and 2005."

Mitsubishi's aim is to win the Production British Rally Championship, the series created specifically for Group N cars running within the BRC, although both Higgins and Galligan are expected to feature in the leading overall positions.

"Some people may say that having won the BRC in a WRC car last year, swapping to a Group N car is a retrograde step. For me this is not the case. This is a works drive and that makes all the difference. Having tested a number of production Evolutions I know just how good they are. I have enjoyed success driving Group N cars, so to compete in an ultimate spec works version is going to be a great. I think we may surprise a few people with our pace."

Both cars have been built by ADR Motorsport of Chesterfield, who will also be preparing and running them on the events on behalf of Cirencester based Mitsubishi Motors UK.

The man responsible for Mitsubishi's 2005 BRC campaign is Paul Brigden, General Manager for Ralliart at MMUK:
"We have been working towards a two-car programme for some time and I am pleased to have confirmed our plans. I am delighted that David has been able to join us who, together with Rory, provides us with a very strong driver line-up."
"I have to thank a number of people and sponsors who have made the two-car campaign possible: Walon, Speedline Corse, Rampage, PIAA, Competition Car Insurance, Mintex and especially ADR Motorsport and Pirelli, who have both agreed to substantially support this project."

The Mitsubishi UK team's season kicks off with the first round of the British Rally Championship, the International Rally of Wales, which takes place on 24th & 25th April.

• 2005 British Rally Championship
• 2005 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge

---

17/01/05
MITSUBISHI PREPARE FOR TWO-CAR ASSUALT ON BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
First ever full British Rally Championship campaign for Mitsubishi
Rory Galligan to drive works Group N Lancer Evolution VIII MR
Proposed second works car for 2005

This campaign represents the first time ever Mitsubishi has committed to a full season in the UKs premier rally series.

In September of last year it was revealed that the winner of the Evolution Challenge would contest the 2005 BRC, Mitsubishi redirecting the coveted prize of the works drive from the National to the British series.

The switch of championships is expected to provide greater exposure and a higher profile for the UK works team. It has also provided an opportunity for a second car to be considered, as Paul Brigden, General Manager for Ralliart at Mitsubishi Motors UK, explains:

Following the decision to move to the BRC we looked seriously at the possibility of running a second works car. Im delighted to say that our plans are almost in place and we are currently in negotiation with a number of drivers to determine who will partner Rory this year. It is expected that a final decision will be made known later this month.

After securing the Evolution Challenge title in October, Galligan, from Oldcastle (Ireland), was awarded with Mitsubishis 2005 works drive, together with his co-driver Jonty Bolsover, from Chesterfield.

The team will be aiming to win the Production British Rally Championship, a series created specifically for Group N cars running within the BRC and if his pace in last years National Championship is anything to go, then Galligan can also be expected to feature in the leading overall positions.

The opportunity of a works drive does not come along very often, so I am determined to make the most of it, especially after putting so much into winning the Evolution Challenge last year, said Galligan. The whole team at Mitsubishi are very committed to this season and from what I have seen Im confident that the car will prove to be very competitive. I cant wait to get started.

It has been confirmed that both drivers will be regarded as equal within the team and will be competing in identical Group N versions of Mitsubishis latest Lancer Evolution VIII MR model.

The cars are currently being built on behalf of MMUK by ADR Motorsport of Chesterfield, who will be responsible for all mechanical preparation and on-event support.

• 2005 British Rally Championship
• 2005 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge