2009 Fiesta SportTrophy UK

Championship Points After Final Round

Posted: July 22, 2009 9:30 PM

Pos Driver Points
1st Craig BREEN 140
2nd Matt EDWARDS 115
3rd Kris HALL 100
4th Mark DONNELLY 98
5th Ross FORDE 96
6th Kyle ORR 83
7th Tom WATSON 75

Fiesta Sporting Trophy UK

Kick Energy FST Media Award Round 1 and 2 winners announced

Posted: May 8, 2009 12:45 PM

As a brand new initiative for the 2009 season, Steve Perez, Managing Director of Global Brands Ltd (the company behind the KICK ENERGY brand), launched a unique award designed to reward competitors for their promotional skills. Competitors in the UK’s leading single-make rally championship were given the chance to have their event entry fee paid and increase their profile at the same time thanks to sponsors Global Brands and the Kick Energy brand.

To help promote both themselves and the series, competitors are invited to submit as many examples of media coverage they have generated as possible and the crew judged to have generated the best media by Kick Energy will win a paid entry to the next round.

With entries from the first two events of the series received by the Kick Energy team, the winning competitors have been chosen.

For the Malcolm Wilson Rally, Stefan Davis wins the award. Davis (29) from Kent made his FST debut on the opening round of the series, buying his car only one day before the event. Davis actually led the event at one point during the rally but retired late on in the day. Davis received a large half page picture in his local paper, the Adscene, which helped him secure the win.

The second round of the series was the Bulldog International Rally Wales and, for this event, Rory Hall and co-driver Lee Burgess win the Media Award prize. Hall (26) from Fishguard finished the event seventh in the FST classification in his first season back after a sabbatical from the championship. Both Hall and his co-driver Burgess supplied a large number of articles in their local press with good exposure for the Kick Energy brand. This combined effort saw them take the prize.

Davis and Hall both receive a cheque covering their entry fee to the next round of the series.

The Kick Energy FST team are happy to announce that they received a large number of high quality entries to the competition and other crews that deserve mention include Round 1 winner Kris Hall (19) from Appleby, Round 2 winner Matt Edwards (24) from Cockermouth and Stevie Brown (22) from Peterhead.

Crews are still able to send in their press cuttings from the Pirelli International Rally, Round 3 of the series. The closing date for these entries is Monday 18 May.

Round 1 winner, Stefan Davis, said:
“Its absolutely awesome to have Kick Energy helping people like me who are always fighting to get a budget together for the next round. I think no-one can argue with the energy Steve Perez puts into rallying in the UK and this is another example of him genuinely helping the sport at every level - even grass roots. I must say a massive thank you to Steve!”

Round 2 winner, Rory Hall, said:
I would just like to say how thrilled I am to win the Bulldog Media Award. Due to the economic downturn and personally having a small budget, it’s been very difficult to get this far with the championship. Winning this award is a huge help for the next round in Scotland. I would just like to say a massive thank you to Steve Perez at Global Brands. It means a lot.”

Kick Energy Fiesta SportTrophy unveils innovative media award

Posted: February 23, 2009 3:19 PM

A unique award designed to reward competitors for their promotional skills has been launched by the Kick Energy Fiesta SportTrophy.

Competitors in the 2009 version of the UK’s leading single-make rally championship will get the chance to have their event entry fee paid and increase their profile at the same time thanks to sponsors Global Brands and their Kick Energy brand.

Global Brands are one of the UK's most successful independent drinks companies thanks to the success of their products VK Vodka Kick and Corky's Vodka Shots. Kick Energy is Global Brands latest success story, thanks in part to it's association with motorsport.

To help promote Kick Energy after each round of the championship competitors will be invited to submit as many examples of media coverage they have generated as possible - and the crew judged to have generated the most by the team at Global Brands will win a paid entry to the next round.

The award is the latest initiative by series sponsors Kick Energy to encourage Fiesta SportTrophy competitors to develop their skills both in and out of a rally car. With media coverage and promotion playing a major role in modern motorsport, it is seen as vital that young crews in the series work hard to get to grips with that aspect of their career as early as possible.

In 2009 the seven-round Kick Energy Fiesta SportTrophy 2009 will run alongside the British Rally Championship, with the season opening in early March at the Malcolm Wilson Rally, and close with the Trackrod Rally in September.

Global Brands chairman, Steve Perez, said:
“It's great to be able to support young drivers on one of the first challenges in their rallying careers and it's great that they have the opportunity to race in the British Rally Championship. The competitors are going to need an energy boost from Kick Energy as their driving skills will be tested to the max!"

M-Sport Business Development Manager, Andrew Wheatley, said:
“ Once again Global Brands have created an initiative that is brilliantly simple but will give the competitors a real tangible benefit to their season. In order to give competitors the chance to get the best out of this opportunity we will hold a tutorial on this subject with our media partners Motorsport News before the first round of the series. We look forward to seeing the results!”

New look Kick Energy Fiesta SportTrophy 2009 is officially launched!

Posted: February 23, 2009 2:57 PM

The Kick Energy Fiesta SportTrophy (FST) 2009 has been officially launched this week by series promoters M-Sport - the team behind the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team. After three successful years the championship sees some new changes for 2009, the main highlight being a move that sees the series run alongside with the pinnacle rally series in the UK - The British Rally Championship.

The seven round mixed surface series will ‘kick off’ in early March with the Malcolm Wilson Rally, this is closely followed by the first BRC round - The Bulldog International Rally Wales. The Pirelli Rally in April and the RSAC Scottish Rally in June are followed by two iconic asphalt events, the Manx Rally in July and the Ulster Rally in August. The series comes to a close with the Trackrod Rally in September.

On all rounds except the Malcolm Wilson Rally and the RSAC Scottish Rally (where the full rally will be contested), FST crews have the option to enter one of two events - either the full BRC International event or a shorter event, which runs within the National B BRC Challenge Rally.

All registered FST competitors in the International event will be seeded within the main field and start at the beginning of the rally. All competitors running in the BRC Challenge event will start immediately after the International field. At the completion of the BRC challenge event, the FST event will be declared over. At this point, a set of results including all registered FST crews (from both the Challenge and International event) will be extrapolated to give a set of FST championship results. The International competitors may then carry on and complete the remainder of this event making them eligible for overall BRC class and prize awards. This new multi level format will allow competitors on varying budgets to enter an event to suit them.

The FST will again have a prize fund in excess of £18,000, with £750 for the winner of each round down to £75 for eighth place. The winner at the end of the series will have the opportunity to compete on the final round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge - The UK RAC MSA Rally of Scotland in an M-Sport prepared Fiesta R2 rally car. The top finisher in the championship as well as one “wildcard” will have the opportunity to compete in the FST International Shootout with a chance to win a year’s placement with M-Sport. The highest placed FST and BRC registered junior driver will also receive an automatic nomination for the 2009 Pirelli Star Driver competition.

In keeping with a series of ‘tweaks’ to the series this year, Global Brands who have supported the series from the start will continue to build their links with M-Sport and will support the series through their new and dynamic Kick Energy brand. Global Brands are planning a series of new initiatives for the FST series aimed to help competitors and these will be announced in the near future by separate bulletin. In addition, M-Sport are proud to announce continued support for the 2009 series from technical sponsor Pirelli who will again supply a control tyre for the series.

The series has already received a high amount of interest and with entries already starting to arrive it is hoped that the season will be as exciting as ever. Regulations and entry forms are now available on the Fiesta SportTrophy website.

M-Sport Business Development Manager, Andrew Wheatley, said:
“The success of the FST over the last three years has been fantastic, close competition with a good atmosphere between the crews. After three great years we asked the competitors what they want and it was clear that one format would not suit everyone and so we are hoping this move to the BRC will allow us to give the crews what they want. It should be an exciting fourth year.”

British Rally Championship Manager, Mark Taylor, said:
“It’s fantastic that the Kick Energy Fiesta SportTrophy now runs alongside the British Rally Championship, affording it to the profile it richly deserves and gives an opportunity for it’s competitors to compete on some of the best rallies in the UK”

YOUNG RALLY DRIVER OF THE YEAR SIGNS ON THE DOTTED LINE!

Posted: February 12, 2009 12:16 PM

25 year old Ross Forde, from Oranmore in Galway, today signed the contract to compete in the UK Ford Fiesta ST Rally Championship. As the recipient of the Billy Coleman Award, Ross will drive a M-Sport prepared Fiesta, complete with service crew, tyres and fuel for the 2009 season. The whole package is valued at €50,000 and is funded by the Irish Sports Council, Motorsport Ireland and its Affiliated Rally Clubs.

Ross’s first event in the UK Ford Fiesta ST Rally Championship will take place on 7th March at the Malcolm Wilson Rally in Cumbria.

Ross Forde (left) signing contract at the offices of
Motorsport Ireland with Chief Executive, Alex Sinclair (right).

Championship Rounds

Posted: February 12, 2009 12:15 PM

1. Malcolm Wilson - 7 Mar 09
2. Bulldog International Rally - 28 Mar 09
3. Pirelli International Rally / Tour of Cumbria - 17-18 Apr 09
4. RSAC Scottish Rally - 27 Jun 09
5. Rally Isle of Man - 10-11 Jul 09
6. Ulster Rally - 21-22 Aug 09
7. Rally of Yorkshire (Trackrod) - 26 Sep 09

Fiesta Sporting Trophy UK