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Cheviot National Rally - 11 Nov 07 (Date Change)Posted: November 14, 2007 9:52 AM - 5915 Hits
UTS CHEVIOT National Rally 2007 (National A)
Posted: November 14, 2007 9:52 AM
SIMPSON HOMES IN ON TITLE!… STEVE SIMPSON & MARK BOOTH are the 2007 MSA Asphalt Rally Champions! An outright win on the final round of the Championship, the UTS Cheviot National Rally, saw Simpson take the title in style while, although absent from the event, Booth had already amassed sufficient points to claim the Co-drivers’ title. Prior to the start of the event, Simpson and Booth were tying with John & Caroline Price in their respective categories and it was ‘game on’ to decide the winners. However, a rare error from JP saw his familiar Metro 6R4 slide off the road and out of the rally on the opening stage. From that point on, Booth was confirmed as Champion Co-driver, while Simpson still had to post a top three points-scoring finish to ensure that the trophy spent the next twelve months in Manchester! With 2006 runner-up co-driver PATRICK WALSH on the notes, the pair set about putting in a masterful display and, although an actual rally win was not a pre-requisite, it certainly served to end their season with a flourish! John & Caroline Price should take consolation from the runners-up spot in the Championship, while MARK JASPER/DON WHYATT were 2nd in their particular 6R4 on the rally. Third, after a late charge saw them moving up the leaderboard, were CHRIS MARSHALL/SIMON HUNTER in their Mitsubishi Lancer, but 4th was enough to ensure TOMMI GRAHAM/MIKE BAILEY (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9) 3rd place in their first full season of MSA Asphalt Championship events. The final round of the BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series was the Keith Knox Stages which ran alongside the Cheviot over the Otterburn Ranges, and ADRIAN SPENCER/MARK HEWITT went into the event just needing to finish to claim the inaugural title. Their immaculately prepared Subaru Impreza not only did what was required of it, but also led home the other contestants in the series. Spencer‘s only rival was GARY LE COADOU whose Toyota Celica GT4 required maximum points on the day if there was to be any chance of a change at the top of the table. It wasn’t to be and, after a fraught time, the car was forced to join the ever-growing list of retirements. On the subject of fraught seasons, GRAHAM HOLLIS, who had retired from both the Jim Clark and Ulster Rallies when his Escort RS suffered mechanical maladies, needed an untroubled run on Otterburn to secure both Class B11 and the Rear-Wheel Drive category. 5th overall gave him both these and moved him up to 4th in the overall Championship. Class leader prior to the Cheviot, ROB ALDERMAN, co-driven by his wife PAULA, was forced out after a loud bang emanating from under the bonnet of their Escort RS and the retirement also put them out of the running for RWD honours. DAVE PRICE had already made sure of Class B12 in his Escort Mk6 RWD and, prior to the Cheviot, was leading both Hollis and Alderman in the race for RWD honours. However, a broken driveshaft not only put paid to a finish on Otterburn, but also to Price’s domination of the RWD section. RICHARD CLEWS/BARRY JAMES finished an excellent 7th overall on the final event of the season in their Peugeot 106, confirming them as B10 and Front-Wheel Drive champions. RICHARD BUTLER/MATT DUBBER brought their Honda Civic Type ‘R’ home to a class win and, although they finished ahead of the Astra of PAUL HAREWOOD/BOB JONES, Harewood still takes N3 honours in the Championship. GEOFF GLOVER/CHARLIE TURNER arrived on the Cheviot having had all sorts of dramas with their Vauxhall Astra RWD since its last outing. Hoping they were by now behind them, the crew set out to enhance Glover’s standing in Class B11 – Turner was already assured of the Co-drivers’ award. Unfortunately, it was not to be as a cracked exhaust manifold saw to it that progress over the Army Ranges was hampered somewhat. In the BTRDA Rally Series, PAUL KENDRICK/ANTON BIRD maintained their 100% finishing record – six finishes from six starts – in their Chrysler Sunbeam, ensuring they ended the season in runners-up spot behind Spencer/Hewitt. Elsewhere, STUART SPYER/PETER WILLIAMS brought their Vauxhall Nova home ahead of the Nissan Micra of ANDREW GREGORY/HUW DAVIES, ensuring that the two crews finished the season as joint winners of Class C1. The Otterburn Ranges always pose a tough challenge and, as usual, there were retirements aplenty! In addition to the Prices & Aldermans, the Mitsubishi Lancer of 2007 Group N Champions NICK JAMES/BILL ROBERTSON and Escort WRC of Manxmen DAVE CORRIS/MARK PERRYMAN were sidelined during the day. ADRIAN DRURY/PHILLIP STONE also went out after an accident in their Peugeot 106. BTRDA Series competitors KARL & CHRIS DAVIES put their Impreza off the road, coming into contact with a large rock in the process, while IAN COPPING/DAVE ROWLEY’s progress was halted by clutch failure in their Fiesta RWD. SIMPSON TAKES ALL ON CHEVIOT RALLY Manchester driver Steve Simpson claimed victory on today’s UTS Cheviot National Rally and in doing so clinched the 2007 MSA Asphalt Rally Championship title. Co-driven on this occasion by Patrick Walsh on the Whickham & District Motor Club/Hadrian Motor Sports Club-organised event, the Hyundai Accent WRC driver finished a comfortable two minutes and nine seconds ahead of the Metro 6R4 of Mark Jasper and local co driving ace Don Whyatt to win the rally and the championship honours for the first time. His title rivals, John and Caroline Price, bowed out on the first stage in their Metro 6R4 after they left the road, leaving Simpson with the simple task of making it to the finish in order to be crowned champion. His regular co-driver Mark Booth took the co-drivers’ spoils in the series despite missing out on the sixth and final round. Simpson and Walsh took charge at the top of the leaderboard on stage eight when early leaders Andy Fenwick and Lee Tindall retired after hitting a straw bale at a chicane and damaging their new Skoda Octavia WRC. Other notable retirements included John Stone and Lee Carter in their 6R4, who failed to finish after damaging their suspension on stage one as only thirteen crews made it to the finish following a high rate of attrition across the challenging asphalt stages. “It’s fantastic to win the rally, it’s a great feeling and it’s been a cracking day,” Simpson said after the day of action on the closed military roads of the Otterburn ranges in Northumberland. “It’s fantastic to take my first asphalt championship title, it’s a dream come true.” Third home were Chris Marshall and Simon Hunter in their Mitsubishi Evo 5, who were two minutes and a half minutes down on Jasper/Whyatt. Fourth went the way of Tommi Graham and Mike Bailey in their Mitsubishi Evo 9 who were followed by Graham Hollis and Ashley Trimble in their Mk2 Ford Escort, who won class B11. The Scottish pairing of Jude Wylie and Dave Robson were sixth in their 6R4 whilst Richard Clews and Barry James were seventh and winners of class B10 in their Peugeot 106 with Ryan Borthwick and Robin Laird eighth in their Peugeot 206. Mark Worley and Hamish Campbell finished ninth and won class N4 in their Mitsubishi Evo 9 with Richard Butler and Matt Dubber rounding-up the top ten in their Honda Civic Type R and taking the N3 victory. Winners of the Keith Knox Rally, the national B event running alongside the Cheviot, were the Tyneside crew Michael Glendinning and Andrew Roughead in their Subaru Impreza. They finished a comfortable two minutes and five seconds ahead of John and Jim Rintoul in their Mitsubishi Evo 6. UTS Cheviot National ‘A’ Rally Results 1 Stephen Simpson/Patrick Walsh Hyundai Accent WRC 1hr 37m 01s 2 Mark Jasper/Don Whyatt MG Metro 6R4 1:39:10 3 Chris Marshall/Simon Hunter Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5 1:41:44 4 Tommi Graham/Mike Bailey Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 1:42:09 5 Graham Hollis/Ashley Trimble Ford Escort Mk2 1:43:36 6 Jude Wylie/Dave Robson MG Metro 6R4 1:44:24 7 Richard Clews/Barry James Peugeot 106 1:46:59 8 Ryan Borthwick/Robin Laird Peugeot 206 1:48:20 9 Mark Worley/Hamish Campbell Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 1:48:48 10 Richard Butler/Matt Dubber Honda Civic Type R 1:50:15
Pre Event News
04/11/07 WHO WILL SURRENDER?…. The final round of both the 2007 MSA Asphalt Rally Championship & BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series sees contenders congregating on the Otterburn Ranges in Northumberland on Sunday 11th November and the situation in each is such that there will be a huge amount of pressure on the title aspirants as the day unfolds. The UTS Cheviot National Rally brings the MSA Asphalt Championship to a conclusion and, after five rounds, JOHN PRICE (MG Metro 6R4) and STEVE SIMPSON (Hyundai Accent WRC) are actually tying on points. Price is credited with the lead as he has two maximums to his credit to Simpson’s one. However, the maths are fairly simple – first one home takes the title. Will it be Price, who has been there on a never-to-be-equalled twelve times already, or Simpson for whom it would be a first National title?… In the Co-drivers’ section, the battle is no less tense. CAROLINE PRICE (JP) and MARK BOOTH (Simpson) are first equal in the points table but, on this occasion, Booth is not available and Simpson has enlisted the help of PATRICK WALSH. Currently, however, Booth would take the title on count-back and, so, Caroline still has to finish 5th highest Championship contender, or better, if she is to reverse the situation. Like Simspon/Booth, Championship newcomers TOMMI GRAHAM & MIKE BAILEY have maintained a 100% finishing record in their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO and, while Bailey is safe in 3rd, Graham has Group N leader NICK JAMES (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO) breathing down his neck for the final podium place in the Drivers’ table. James and co-driver BILL ROBERTSON have monopolised the ‘production’ category this season and, while already assured of Class N4, have the added incentive of a possible Top 3 place. After an absence of several months, MARK JASPER/DON WHYATT are returning to the MSA Asphalt Championship for the Cheviot. The pair were leading the event for a while this time last year before their MG Metro 6R4 suffered gearbox problems, causing them to drop to an eventual 3rd overall. Manxmen DAVE CORRIS/MARK PERRYMAN (Ford Escort WRC) will be rounding off their first season of MSA Asphalt Championship events with a trip to the north-east as they seek to defend their third place in Class B13. Meanwhile former Group N champions CHRIS MARSHALL/SIMON HUNTER (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO), who have not had the best of seasons, will be looking to finish off their year on a high. Having already ensured a Class B12 victory this season, DAVE PRICE (Ford Escort MkVI RWD) now has his sights set on the Rear-Wheel Drive category. Prior to the Cheviot he leads the race by just one point from last year’s Clubman’s Cup Winners ROB & PAULA ALDERMAN (Ford Escort RS). GRAHAM HOLLIS (Ford Escort RS) & GEOFF GLOVER (Vauxhall Astra RWD) are also in the frame, and all four are split by just seven points!.. Similarly, RICHARD CLEWS/BARRY JAMES (Peugeot 106) lead the Front-Wheel Drive contenders, but PAUL HAREWOOD/BOB JONES (Vauxhall Astra), RICHARD BUTLER/ MATT DUBBER (Honda Civic Type ‘R’) and ADRIAN DRURY/PHILLIP STONE (Peugeot 106) will all have other ideas as to the outcome. And if that wasn’t enough, the BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series also reaches its climax on the Keith Knox Stages, the National ‘B’ event running concurrently with the Cheviot. ADRIAN SPENCER (Subaru Impreza) is the current leader but, having been forced to miss an event earlier in the season, co-driver MARK HEWITT finds himself down in 4th place. As far as Spencer is concerned, a combination of a ‘bad day at the office’ and a maximum score from GARY LE COADOU (Toyota Celica GT4) could have a significant effect on the outcome. So, pressure on both title hopefuls here as well! PAUL KENDRICK (Chrysler Sunbeam) is one of only two drivers to have finished all five events so far, a feat which sees him in 2nd place overall in a 1600cc car! Paul and co-driver ANTON BIRD, who actually leads his category, have long since tied up their class and travel to Otterburn with the express intention of maintaining their impressive form this year. Approaching the final round, 16-year old co-driver CHRIS DAVIES, who co-drives for his father KARL in their Subaru Impreza, is in 5th place overall and 3rd in class. Runners-up positions in both Driver & Co-driver categories are within their grasp and it goes without saying that they will be ‘up for it’! IAN COPPING has faced an uphill struggle since his Ford Fiesta RWD broke its gearbox while being loaded on to the trailer prior to the Rally of the Midlands. A non-start, followed by a retirement on the Mewla, have left him in the position of being able to tie with class leader GRAHAM WATKINS (VW Golf), but not beat him. However, an improvement on his 7th place in the overall table is on the cards… In the 1400cc (C1) class, ANDREW GREGORY/HUW DAVIES (Nissan Micra) and STUART SPYER/PETER WILLIAMS (Vauxhall Nova) have still to squabble over first and second places. There are only three points in it – and everything still to play for. Let battle commence!.. The first car leaves the start of the UTS Cheviot National Rally on the Ranges at 8.30am on Sunday 11th November and arrives back at the finish at the Otterburn Hall Hotel at 4.30pm that afternoon. Entry List on: 29/10/07 CHEVIOT STAGES ENTRY LIST FILLING UP! With less than 96 hours until the closing date, the organisers of the The UTS CHEVIOT National Rally 2007 (National A) and the Keith Knox Stages Rally 2007 (National B) on Sunday 11th November 2007 have received nearly seventy entries for the event which will decide the destiny of the 2007 MSA Asphalt Rally Championship. Joint championship leader Steve Simpson (Hyundai Accent WRC) is one of those already entered but despite there being no less than five MG Metro 6R4's scheduled to appear so far, the driver who ties with Simpson on 89 points, John Price, is not one of them but hopefully with the postal system getting back to normality, the multiple British Champion's venerable Metro will be on the start line in a couple of weeks time! Entries are still available on a 'first come, first served' basis until November 1st by clicking on www.cheviotstages.co.uk and also a list if received entries can be found there for the event will comprise rounds of the following championships: : MSA Asphalt Rally Championship BTRDA Ashphalt Championship BTRDA Rally Challenge The Tyrespot NE Tarmac Championship HRCR Northern Historic Championship Beatsons Border Rally Championship SGP ANECCC Championship Both Events and the Service Area will be based on the Otterburn Ranges. 04/10/07 REGULATIONS AVAILABLE FOR CHEVIOT STAGES The organisers of the The UTS CHEVIOT National Rally 2007 (National A) and the Keith Knox Stages Rally 2007 (National B) on Sunday 11th November 2007 wish to announce that regulations are now available on the event website. Due to the event being oversubscribed last year, all potential competitors are urged to submit their entries as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Regarding the enforced date change, the MSA has advised the organisers that they do now not require all of the championships registered competitors to agree to this stipulation due to the exenuating circumstances on this occasion therefore the event will comprise rounds of the following championships: * MSA Asphalt Rally Championship * BTRDA Ashphalt Championship * BTRDA Rally Challenge * The Tyrespot NE Tarmac Championship * HRCR Northern Historic Championship * Beatsons Border Rally Championship * SGP ANECCC Championship Both Events and the Service Area will be based on the Otterburn Ranges and closing date for entries is 12.00 noon on 1st November and further details can be found of the official website: NORTH EAST MOTORSPORT DINNER DANCE - SATURDAY 24th NOVEMBER 2007 Whickham & District Motor Club wish to announce that The North East Motorsport Dinner Dance will take place on Saturday 24th November at Gateshead Civic Centre. The event was born out of the idea that, although the North East Clubs organise their own social events, there was nothing in the calendar to allow for members from the various clubs to get together for a social evening. The event is also been arranged to raise funds for the Richard Burns Foundation & the Northumberland Air Ambulance. The organisers also hope to announce some special guests soon and along with this, are hoping arrange an auction & raffle on the evening & if anyone would like to donate any prizes, please contact Paul Hughes on 07964 609271. The evening will start at 7.30pm with a three-course silver service meal followed by the auctions & raffles and a disco will round the evening off. The ticket price will be £ 29.50 per person. To make this a success, could you please give some indication of who would be interested in attending & how may tickets you would require to paulhugh66@yahoo.com 03/06/07 Date Change The organisers of the above event have just been advised that due to large MOD Excercise on the Ranges, the date of 21 Oct 07 will no longer be available. As a result, they have been given a new date of 11th November 2007 Chairman of Whickham and District Motor Club, Paul Hughes, commented: "The problem we are going to have with changing dates is that the championships have to get approval from all of their registered competitors to approve a date change. We are therefore looking to competitors to support the date change that has been enforced upon us. We are also confident, that because there are only two events on Otterburn Ranges in 2007, which offers some of the best tarmac rallying in the UK, we will still attract a full entry." This year the events will be qualifying rounds of the following championships:
* BTRDA Ashphalt Championship * BTRDA Rally Challenge * The Tyrespot NE Tarmac Championship * HRCR Northern Historic Championship * Beatsons Border Rally Championship * Compact M3 Cup * SGP ANECCC Championship * Brick & Steel 205 Ecosse Challenge
Topics:
Cheviot National Rally
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