MSA ASPHALT RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - MAUGER IN LEAGUE OF HIS OWN!..
Posted: September 28, 2010 11:01 AM
Winning the penultimate round of the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship, the EDP Photo News & Bob Dowen Rally Services Patriot Stages, at the weekend has confirmed Simon Mauger as runner-up, behind Damian Cole, in the overall Drivers’ points table for this year.
Partnered on this occasion by Paul Morris, Mauger put in one of his customary performances in his Ford Escort MkII to take the win – his second of the season – at the expense of Peter Lloyd/Graham Handley who retired from the top spot when their Subaru Impreza’s gearbox broke.
Seven stages at the MoD Training Area at Caerwent were on the cards and it was 2009 rally winner Steve Leonard and co-driver Sion Humphreys who set fastest time on the opener in their Ford Escort MkII. However, contact with one of the kerbs, for which the venue is well-known, on the next removed a wheel and saw the Jersey pairing arrive at the finish of the stage on the brake disc. Frantic activity in service kept them in the event until the last but one stage when the car’s gearbox began to tighten and they pulled over before any major damage was done.
While Simon Mauger took maximum drivers’ points, the honour of top co-driver fell to Paul Hollingham who navigated Gary Le Coadou to 3rd overall in their Toyota Corolla WRC. The car’s front valance bore witness to a close encounter with a kerb on the opening stage when a combination of cold tyres and excess speed caused it to slide off. Undaunted, the crew continued with the development of the car and should be well-pleased with the result.
Having suffered a broken differential on their last outing on the Mewla, James Martin/Dylan James brought their Vauxhall Astra home to a class win on the event and to the news that they have secured the highly competitive B11 in the Championship this year. Their enjoyment of what has been their first full season at this level has been there for all to see and their enthusiasm has paid off handsomely!
Graham Muter/Steve Hallmark were troubled by a somewhat lowly seeding in their 1300cc Ford Escort and, consequently, spent some time catching cars. Nevertheless, unable to contest the final round on Otterburn in a couple of weeks’ time, a Top 20 finish at Caerwent sees their 2010 Championship score sheet read ‘6 starts, 6 finishes, 6 maximum scores’ – a full-house by anyone’s standards. For his perseverance in the ‘small’ car, Graham was awarded the John Horton Motorsport Management ‘Star Drive’ salver on the day.
Defending Group N champion Chris Rice was fortunate to get out of the third stage as his Subaru Impreza had sustained a nearside front puncture on the way round. Arriving at the venue marginally ahead of class rival Chris Daykin and then seeing him go OTL after an off, meant that he had to finish to secure the Championship class. He did, but Daykin’s Typhoon Rally Team can take some consolation from the knowledge that, in his first full season of rallying, co-driver Dan Megannity cannot now be beaten in N4.
Cornish crew Craig Jose/Nigel Hewett have had a very successful season this year in their Peugeot 205 and, in spite of tying up Class B10 with a win on Caerwent, are still intending to travel to Otterburn for the finale. Tim Daltry/Paul Ohren-Bird were just half a minute behind them in their own 205 to put them in 2nd place in B11. However, Tim could still be caught by either Geoff Glover (Vauxhall Astra RWD) or the RWD Fiesta of Ian Copping whose trip to Caerwent was foreshortened by a leaking clutch slave cylinder that caused the unit to start to slip.
Alison Lock’s Mini suffered transmission failure on its visit to the Patriot in 2009, but no such dramas this time! A clear run continued her 100% finishing record for the season.
Returning to the MSA Asphalt Championship after spending time – and money! – acquiring a new car unfortunately didn’t have the desired effect for Neil Arden/Giles Corbett. A Subaru Impreza had replaced their Ford Escort MkII but, by the driver’s own admission, trying to drive the four-wheel drive machine in a similar manner to the old one was a mistake – and, as previously mentioned, those kerbs are very unforgiving! Chris Marshall/Simon Hunter also have them to thank for their demise. Their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO5 attempted to climb one and, in the process, bent both its front bottom arms, pushing the wheels back into the arches. Game over!
So, just the UTS Cheviot Keith Knox Stages Rally left now before the 2010 REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship reaches its conclusion. There are still a number of classes to be decided and, consequently, the pace will be no less frenetic when the series arrives in Northumberland!..
Full Results
Posted: September 28, 2010 10:52 AM
MSA ASPHALT RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - LEONARD’S PATRIOTIC DEFENCE!...
Posted: September 10, 2010 11:09 PM
Having been absent from the last few rounds, Jersey driver Steve Leonard rejoin the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship on the EDP Photo News/Bob Dowen Rally Services Patriot Stages which he won in 2009. His Ford Escort MkII was ideally suited to the terrain at the Caerwent Training Area but both Steve and co-driver Sion Humphreys know that they will have their work cut out this time if they are to take back-to-back victories.
In the absence of 2010 MSA Asphalt Rally Champions Damian Cole/Craig Drew, current second and third-placed drivers Simon Mauger (Ford Escort MkII) and John Stone (Skoda Fabia WRC) will be looking for an opportunity to consolidate their positions or, in Stone’s case, move up one!
After an ‘off’ late in the day whilst leading the recent Eventsigns Mewla Rally, Peter Lloyd/Graham Handley have placed an entry in their Subaru Impreza WRC. They are proven Caerwent experts, the latest of their successes coming when they won the last event there in June.
Jim Sharp/Amy Mackinnon still hold 4th & 5th places overall in their respective categories, despite a DNF on the Mewla when their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9 went out with a broken diff. They now have a bit of catching up to do, while Gary Le Coadou/Paul Hollingham continue the development of their Toyota Corolla WRC. Having been absent from the MSA Championship for much of this season while the car was completed, an encouraging run on the Mewla saw them come away from the Mewla with a class win.
Chris Marshall/Simon Hunter are well overdue for a finish on a Championship event. Although they have been absent from a few rounds, the last time their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO5 crossed the finish line was on the Isle of Man back in May. Mark Jasper/Don Whyatt are also making a welcome return and have entered in their MG Metro 6R4. After the first couple of events they were lying in 2nd place overall in the points table and now, with no turbocharger to worry about, they could just be ‘dark horses’ this time out.
Defending MSA Asphalt Group N Champion Chris Rice and Chris Daykin will be present with their respective Subaru Imprezas and, as things stand at the moment, Rice has a slender 3-point lead over his rival.
The capacity 100-strong entry for the Patriot Stages contains 18 Championship-registered contenders (+ a reserve) and, in addition to those mentioned above and in alphabetical order, also present will be :
George Cooke/Charlotte Trivett Citroen Saxo VTS
Ian Copping/Keith Barker Ford Fiesta RWD
Tim Daltry/Paul Ohren-Bird Peugeot 205
Craig Jose/Nigel Hewett Peugeot 205
Alison Lock/Abi Summerfield Mini
James Martin/Dylan James Vauxhall Astra GTE
Graham Muter/Steve Hallmark Ford Escort BDA
Martin Newson/Peter Morris ** MG ZR
Tim Seipel/Martin Haggett MG ZR
** Reserve Entry
The very popular event is one of three that take place at Caerwent each year Training Area and seven demanding stages, totalling 64 miles, are contained in the route. The first car starts at 8.45am on the Sunday morning and the event is due to finish at 5.30pm that afternoon.
N.B. : Caerwent Training Area is a non-spectator venue.
Unseeded Entry List available
Posted: August 25, 2010 2:18 PM
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Posted: January 1, 2010 12:01 AM
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