Round 7 - 2010 MSA Asphalt Rally Championship & BTRDA Asphalt Rally Challenge
Round 4 - 2010 Epynt Challenge
MSA ASPHALT RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - COLE – ‘IT’S MINE!’…
Posted: August 30, 2010 12:52 PM
Second place on the Eventsigns Mewla Rally but, more importantly, maximum Championship points were enough to confirm Damian Cole and co-driver Craig Drew as 2010 REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Champions at the weekend. Although there are still two rounds left to run, the Herefordshire crew’s fifth maximum score of the season put the destination of the title beyond doubt but, as is so often the case, the end result does not tell the whole story…
For much of the day on the Epynt Military Ranges in the Brecon Beacons, Cole/Drew were trailing Peter Lloyd/Graham Handley in their Subaru Impreza S14. After an incorrect tyre choice for the first couple of stages, Cole found himself just over half a minute behind Lloyd at the halfway point and it was then that the fightback started! Intermittent rain showers made the going treacherous for everyone but, be that as it may, fastest times from Cole on both the fifth and sixth stages began eating into Lloyd’s lead. However, on SS7, it so nearly came to nought when a momentary lapse, caused by a light on the Focus WRC’s dashboard coming on, saw the car leave the road whilst flat in 6th gear. There was remarkably little damage, apart from a chunk out of one of the car’s rear wheels. ‘Lady Luck’ was shining on them and the tyre remained inflated, but a minute had been lost before they had regained their composure and were on their way again.
Arriving at the start of the final stage down in 3rd place, well over a minute behind the leader, Cole could hardly believe it when news filtered through that Lloyd’s Subaru had had a problem and had slid off the road into a ditch, from where there was no escape. So, Cole and Drew arrived back at the finish of the rally at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells to claim 2nd overall, the MSA Asphalt Championship and the ‘Kings of Epynt’ title – not a bad day’s work, by anybody’s standards!
Lloyd/Handley were left to rue what might have been while another excellent drive from Simon Mauger in his Ford Escort MkII was rewarded with 3rd overall, keeping alive his hopes of taking the runner-up spot in the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship. The only person who could deprive him of it now is John Stone (Skoda Fabia WRC) who was absent on this occasion.
2009 BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series champions Adrian Spencer/Mark Hewitt continued the development programme with their new Subaru Impreza and will be well-pleased with a 10th place finish, while former BTRDA Series front-runners Gary Le Coadou/Paul Hollingham brought their newly-built Toyota Corolla WRC to a Championship round for the first time. Not really knowing what to expect from the car at this level, their hard work saw them take a class win and Gary was awarded the John Horton Motorsport Management ‘Star Drive’ salver at the Awards Presentation for the event.
Richard Clews/Barry James took maximum Championship class points in their Ford Fiesta, finishing a couple of places ahead of the amazing 1300BDA Escort of Graham Muter/Steve Hallmark. Top B11 scorers were Geoff Glover/Bob Brown in their RWD Astra, with the Peugeot 205 of Tim Daltry/Paul Ohren-Bird keeping a close eye on them throughout the day.
Chris Rice earned some all-important points in N4 in his Impreza, especially as the similar car of his main rivals, Chris Daykin/Dan Megannity, ended its rally in a ditch on SS5. The Honda Civic of Phil Merrills/William Kelly and the returning Chris Gravestock/Mark Harmer (Peugeot 106) both survived the rigours of Epynt, while Martin Newson/Peter Morris also managed to coax their MG ZR to the finish after a drama late in the day. As it had attempted to pass them near a chicane, another car had made contact with the MG, dislodging the front bumper in the process. The whole thing had then detached itself and become wedged under the front of the car. Martin & Peter completed the stage but, having only recently bought the bumper, the thought of having to shell out another £400 to replace it again did not sit too well with them!
If Alison Lock was expecting an untroubled run over the Ranges in her Mini, she was to be disappointed as well! The car’s exhaust broke below the manifold, making for slow and extremely noisy progress until it could be fixed at service on Mabion Way. However, at least she finished the event, which is more than can be said for some!...
Simon Hunter, who was sitting in John Indri’s Darrian, was in for a short rally. Pre-event dramas had cast doubts on their participation at all but, having sorted all those out, the car’s clutch began to slip on the opening stage and the pair were on their way home shortly afterwards.
Jim Sharp/Amy Mackinnon’s long trip down from the north when their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9’s front diff. failed on SS2, the same stage that claimed the Astra of James Martin/Dylan James, reportedly with a broken driveshaft. The Subaru Impreza of Steve Cressey/Sam Collis didn’t get much further and Mike Perkin’s Ford Puma disappeared shortly after halfway.
Tim Seipel/Martin Haggett suffered the indignity of a seized engine in their MG ZR on SS6 and Ian Copping/Dave Rowley registered a rare DNF when their Fiesta RWD’s gearbox packed the fiddle on then opening stage.
The REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship moves on to Caerwent for the Patriot Stages on Sunday 26th September and, although the overall title has now been claimed, there is still plenty of unfinished business that needs to be concluded by the time the series reaches its final on the Otterburn Ranges on 10th October.
Stage maps and Seeded Entry List
Posted: August 22, 2010 11:04 PM
MSA ASPHALT RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - MAUGER PUSH OVER EPYNT!…
Posted: August 22, 2010 11:11 AM
Simon Mauger arrives at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells for the start of the Eventsigns Mewla Rally as leader of the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship. Victory last time out, on the Tyneside Stages in his rapid Ford Escort MkII, gave the Bicester driver the edge but now, as dropped scores start to bite, the pressure is on to maintain the top spot.
The 100-strong Mewla entry list is headed by last year’s winners, Peter Lloyd/Graham Handley in their Subaru S14 WRC. Although these two are registered for the REIS Championship, they are not in a position to fight for the title but their proven speed over the Epynt Ranges must make them one of the favourites on the day.
Behind Lloyd are Damian Cole/Craig Drew in their Get Connected! Ford Focus WRC. Having already accrued four maximum scores, one more good run virtually guarantees them this year’s title but, as everyone involved in rallying is only too well aware, there’s many a slip!...
The Asphalt Championship accounts for almost a quarter of the total number of starters who are spreads throughout the list. 2009 BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series Champions Adrian Spencer/Mark Hewitt return to put some more competitive miles on their recently-completed Subaru Impreza while, making their Championship debut in a Toyota Corolla WRC are Gary Le Coadou/Paul Hollingham. Both crews are using the latter half of this season as a warm-up to a full assault in 2011.
Having made their series debut on Epynt back in March, Jim Sharp/Amy Mackinnon return once again in their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9. Although the experience ultimately ended in retirement, good performances in the interim have seen them move up to 4th place in the overall table, with a possibility of a Top 3 finish by the end of the season.
MSA Asphalt Championship registered contenders continue with :
* James Martin/Dylan James Vauxhall Astra GT/E
* Dave Price/TBA Ford Escort Mk6 RWD
* Steve Cressey/Sam Collis Subaru Impreza
* Mike Perkin/Alf Chanter Ford Puma
* Richard Clews/Barry James Ford Fiesta
* Chris Rice/Gareth Price Subaru Impreza
* Geoff Glover/Bob Brown Vauxhall Astra RWD
* Graham Muter/Steve Hallmark Ford Escort
* Tim Seipel/Martin Haggett MG ZR
* Craig Jose/Nigel Hewett Peugeot 205
* Ian Copping/Dave Rowley Ford Fiesta RWD
* Tim Daltry/Paul Ohren-Bird Peugeot 205
* Chris Daykin/Dan Megannity Subaru Impreza
* Chris Gravestock/Mark Harmer Peugeot 106
* Martin Newson/Peter Morris MG ZR
* Alison Lock/Russell Joseph Austin Mini Cooper
The first car leaves the start of the Eventsigns Mewla Rally on the Epynt Ranges at 8.00am on Sunday 29th August and, eight stages and eighty-five miles later, the survivors will begin arriving back in Builth Wells at 5.00pm that afternoon.
Entries Received
Posted: August 18, 2010 8:54 PM
Regulations available
Posted: July 4, 2010 7:18 PM
Event Flyer / Details
Posted: January 1, 2010 12:01 AM
Regulations will be available from late June.
Event Flyer and details available at:
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