Red Kite Stages - 2 Feb 14

More In Car

Posted: February 25, 2014 1:52 PM

Owen Murphy & James O'Brien (Talbot Sunbeam) SS1

KUMHO REWARDED WITH VICTORY IN FIRST RALLY OF 2014

Posted: February 6, 2014 10:01 AM

Richard Hill and Pat Cooper took their newly-built MKII Ford Escort to an historic win in last weekend’s Red Kite Historic Stages event – the opening round of the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship.

The 60-strong field enjoyed stages in the Calo and Crychan complexes and, though conditions were surprisingly good considering the ongoing wet weather, the return of heavy rain as the leading cars set about the deciding 15-mile long test certainly upped the ante. Hill and Cooper trailed their fellow MKII-mounted rivals Nick Elliott and Dave Price going into this last stage, but were handed the lead when the other Ford was caught out by a bump and crashed out of the event. The Kumho pair eventually won by a convincing 45 seconds from Terry Brown and Den Golding – an experienced crew whose combined ages total 136!

Kumho backs new Clubmans Challenge

Kumho is supporting the new-for-2014 Clubmans Challenge that now forms part of the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship. The company is giving away two tyres at each of the seven rounds, the winner of which will be drawn from a hat containing the names of all the registered crews. The Challenge recognises crews competing on limited resources and, to be eligible, teams must use no more than six tyres per rally. The Kumho Clubman’s Challenge runs alongside the main championship and is both class and category based.

Championship Manager Colin Heppenstall said:
“We have pledged to try and contain costs and maintain a level playing field, and the Kumho Clubmans Challenge is a major part of that commitment. We are very grateful to Kumho for its generous support of this initiative and for providing welcome assistance to crews competing on limited budgets.”

Kumho’s European Motorsport Manager Steve Thompson remarked:
“We are very happy to offer support to competitors in this excellent championship, which was won by Kumho driver Marty McCormack last year. Motorsport is an expensive pastime and it’s good to think we can make life a little easier for those putting their heart and soul into contesting this very competitive series.”

The next round of the seven event championship is the Mid Wales Stages rally on March 2.

Photos

Posted: February 5, 2014 11:15 AM

Chris Evans Photos

WWRS R.A.C. Rally Championship award winners announced

Posted: February 5, 2014 9:34 AM

The special award winners for the first round of the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship have been announced following the Red Kite Historic Stages (2 February).

Graham Thatcher and Robert James posted the first retirement of the rally with gearbox problems for their Hillman Avenger on the opening stage. The last retirement was the Ford Escort Mk2 of Vince Bristow/Tim Sayer, which went off near the end of the final stage in Crychan. Both crews will receive a £100 voucher from West Wales Rally Spares, as will Ford Escort Mk1 crew Paul and Daniel May after their number came out of the hat in the draw for a third voucher.

Meanwhile, Ford Escort Mk2 crew John Baker and Seyyan John will receive a cheque for £237.50 from Holton Homes after their number came out in the draw for a refund of 50% of the event entry fee.

The new Kumho Clubmans Challenge was a runaway success, with 23 out of the 60 R.A.C. crews electing to contest this new Challenge for crews using no more than six tyres during the event. Significantly, the top overall finishers in the Challenge were Tim Freeman and Paul Wakely (Ford Escort Mk2) who finished a tremendous fifth overall.

Category winners in the Kumho Clubmans Challenge were Simon Wallis/Graham Wride (Lotus Cortina) in Category 1, David Kirby/Chris Rixon (Ford Escort Mk1) from Category 2, Freeman/Wakely in Category 3 and Tom Coughtrie/Calvin Cooledge (Ford Escort Mk2) in Category K. Gareth Lewis won two tyres from Kumho for his Ford Escort Mk2 in the draw for Challenge contenders.

The ‘Spirit of the Rally’ product award from Fuchs Lubricants goes to Terry Brown for a superb second overall in his Ford Escort Mk2 on one of his favourite rallies. Terry and his younger co-driver Den Golding are both pensioners!

Simon Pickering and Colin Jenkins won the Best Improvement on Seeding, which is a set of axle brake pads from Mintex, after an excellent run in their Ford Escort Mk1. Finally, Meirion Evans won the ‘Hard Charger’ award of a 20-litre jerry can from Green Valley Industrial Supplies. His pace in his Escort Mk2 was excellent despite a couple of problems and he was fastest of all over the final 15-mile stage in Crychan.

In Car

Posted: February 4, 2014 6:54 PM

Nick Elliott / Dave Price (Ford Escort MkII) Off

Video Clips

Posted: February 4, 2014 6:53 PM

Hill takes opening WWRS R.A.C. Rally Championship counter

Posted: February 3, 2014 7:29 PM

Richard Hill and Pat Cooper took a dramatic final stage victory on the Red Kite Historic Stages (Sunday 2 February), the opening round of the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship. In what proved to be a perfect start for the championship season, Ray Cunningham and Chris Browne won Category 1 and 2 respectively but only after two tie-breaks!

With a fine 60-car line-up of championship contenders, the Red Kite lived up to all expectations as crews tackled superb stages in the Caio and Crychan complexes. Despite all the pre-event rain, the stages were in excellent condition though heavy rain that returned as the leading crews tackled the deciding 15-mile stage in Crychan made conditions very challenging.

After leading from the start, Nick Elliott and Dave Price took a lead of 28s into the final stage in their Ford Escort Mk2. However, with two miles to go they were caught out by a bump and crashed out of the rally, leaving Hill and Cooper to win by 45s from the flying Terry Brown/Den Golding and Tomas Davis/Eurig Davies.

“It’s not the way I want to win a rally,” said Hill, but for a first run in a car finished three days earlier it was still an impressive start to his title bid. However, that final Crychan stage was not easy for them as the wipers packed up for the last five miles.

Pensioners Brown and Golding were two stars of the rally on their way to second overall after a mighty run on some of their favourite stages. Brown went into the final stage less than 10s up on the Sunbeam Lotus of Owen Murphy/James O’Brien, but a detached oil pipe put the Irish crew out at the start of the stage.

Instead, Davies fended off Darren Moon/Elgan Davies for what became third after a day-long tussle. Davies was another in a car finished only just before the rally. Tim Freeman/Paul Wakely moved up well after a slow start to fend off Gareth Lloyd/Ryland James for sixth. Meanwhile, Meirion Evans and Iwan Jones showed strong pace despite a couple of problems, including a puncture in SS1, and were fastest of all on the final stage.

Retirements included James Potter and Bob Duck with a blown engine in the last mile of the opening stage. They coasted over the finish line and still set a strong stage time, while a good run for Jerry Bailey and Graham Lacey ended with a roll in Caio 2. Vince Bristow and Tim Sayer ran in D5 in the Rally Xtreme Escort Mk2 and were unlucky to retire near the end of the final stage with a non-damaging off after running at a very good pace.

Local ace Gareth Lewis and Dan Holley took first blood in class D3 within the Rob Smith Rallying Category 3 in their Ford Escort Mk2, but there was frustration for Shawn Rayner/Declan Dear who lost the class spoils after sliding into a ditch at the finish line of Caio 2. They recovered to claim second while James Stait/Mike Harris took class D4 in their Sunbeam Lotus despite stopping to change a puncture on Crychan 2. In class D2, championship newcomers Dave Hopkins and Tony Vart took the spoils in their Sunbeam Talbot despite a jammed throttle cable on Caio 2.

There was an absolute cliff-hanger in the Capital Construction Category 2 as Chris Browne/Ali Cornwell-Browne beat fellow Escort Mk1 crew Roger Matthews/Paul Morris on another tie-break after pulling back a 1s deficit on the final stage. Browne got the nod after being a single second faster than Matthews over the opening stage. “That 15-miler is why we go rallying,” said Browne after a great performance.

Class C3 netted a fine debut victory for the Opel Ascona A of Peter Smith/Patrick Walsh after an excellent day, though Peter Egerton and Alun Cook chased hard in their Ford Escort Mk1. Class C2 went to father and son Paul and Daniel May, who made the trip from Newcastle worthwhile with a good day in their Escort Mk1.

There was a fabulous start in the Walker Diecastings Category 1 for the Paddy Hopkirk Trophy as Ray Cunningham/Gary McElhinney (Mini Cooper) ended the rally tied with Simon Wallis/Graham Wride (Lotus Cortina). The Mini crew took the Category on a tie-break by dint of the faster time on the opening stage and also claimed first blood in the Aldon Automotive Mini and Imp Cup.

“The stages were fantastic,” said Cunningham after a tremendous performance. Wallis was quick to give credit to his rival: “I couldn’t have gone any faster on that last stage and Ray pulled back three seconds to leave it level,” said Wallis who had earlier borrowed an intercom battery from the Irish crew. With 15 Category 1 cars in action, it marked the best field of pre ’68 cars for several seasons and it could have been a three-way lead battle had the Lotus Cortina of Gwilym Roberts/Don James not suffered brake failure at the start of SS4. Roberts was fastest of all over the first three stages and only finished 16s adrift, while father and son Bob and Dale Gibbons claimed Class B3 in their Ford Cortina GT. Steven Higgins and Don Bramfoot took Class B1 in their Saab 96, but the Porsches of Paul Mankin/Desmond Bell and Edmund Peel/Dessie Nutt both retired, with electrical and clutch problems respectively.

Other category winners included Tom Coughtrie/Calvin Cooledge (Ford Escort Mk2) in the Holton Homes Category K and Layton Waters/Kevin Bowcott (Toyota Starlet) in Category O. Coughtrie’s strong run was interrupted by a puncture and then a problem with the jack. Waters was second among the two-wheel drives in the modern rally and had a decent gap over the second R.A.C. contenders, Barry Stevenson-Wheeler and Jon Pickavance (Ford Escort Mk2).

The West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship is the only championship that runs historics first on the road on all events. Round 2 is the Mid Wales Stages on Sunday 2 March.

The Red Kite Stages was organised by Amman and District Motor Club.

Results

Posted: February 3, 2014 7:26 PM

Red Kite Stages - 2 Feb 14 - RESULTS

Results by: Amc Rally Results

Owen Murphy / James O Brien Heading to the Red Kite Rally in the Iconic Sunbeam Lotus.

Posted: January 30, 2014 8:48 PM

Owen Murphy with his regular co driver James O Brien are making the trip to Wales for the Red Kite Rally this historic event is the opening round of the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship. Owen will tackle the event in the Sunbeam Lotus owned by John Leahy.

The car is entered by Zutec Technologies and sponsored by Zutec Technologies , Hunt and Sykes Health and Safety, Tracta Motors Cavan and Hankook Tyres.

In case of snow or ice Owen hopes to have Hankooks New Winter Tyres ready.

Keep up to date with Owen and James on the Red Kite Rally. By checking his web site www.owenmurphyrallying.net.

WWRS R.A.C. Championship set for a superb start on Red Kite

Posted: January 29, 2014 10:43 AM

The 2014 Red Kite Stages (Sunday 2 February) will give the gravel rallying season the perfect start with a superb entry for the opening round of the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship.

In a total entry of 85 cars, 60 of them will be chasing points in the UK’s most popular championship for historic cars. The R.A.C. Championship entry spans 17 different models of car and includes over 25 crews that are new to the championship.

From the Llandovery start on Sunday morning, crews will tackle five fast and flowing Welsh stages and the competition is set to be intense across an entry that is topped by the Ford Escort Mk2 of Nick Elliott and Dave Price.

Heading the field away will be a fabulous line-up 14 cars in the Walker Diecastings Category 1, where the Paddy Hopkirk Trophy awaits the end-of-season champion. This is the best field of pre ’68 cars on a UK rally for more than two years and includes contenders in the new Aldon Automotive Mini and Imp Cup. Running at the head of the pack will be the Porsche 911 of Paul Mankin and Desmond Bell in their first event in the ex-Derek Boyd car.

Set to rival Mankin in the Category 1 contest are Ian Beveridge/Peter Joy (Volvo PV544), Simon Wallis/Graham Wride (Lotus Cortina), Edmund Peel/Dessie Nutt (Porsche 911) and father and son team Bob and Dale Gibbons (Ford Cortina GT).

The Mini contest will be the centre of great interest as Clive King and Russ Joseph take on the identical cars of Irish brothers Frank and Ray Cunningham. Unlike his younger brother, Frank has experience of gravel rallying, but has not rallied a Mini for the better part of a decade. In turn, the Cunninghams will be co-driven by brothers Arron and Ross Forde.

Running alongside the Category 1 cars at the head of the field, and enjoying the very best road conditions, will be the up to 1600cc cars from Categories 2 and 3. In Category 2 are championship newcomers Paul and Daniel May (Ford Escort Mk1), while the Hillman Avengers of Graham Thatcher/Robert James and Keith Davison/Henry Richardson take on the Sunbeam Talbot of Dave Hopkins/Tony Vart in Category 3.

In the Capital Construction Category 2, it is husband and wife crew Chris Browne and Ali Cornwell-Browne who head the field but they can expect tough opposition from the similar Ford Escort Mk1 of Roger Matthews/Paul Morris. In Class C3, for the non-BDA powered cars, Irishmen Stanley Orr and Brian Cairns are welcome additions and will take on the similar Ford Escort Mk1 of David Kirby/Chris Rixon and the fresh Opel Ascona A of Peter Smith/Patrick Walsh.

Elliott and Price head the entries for the Rob Smith Rallying Category 3, but face a gaggle of very rapid challengers led by 2013 BHRC champion Richard Hill and Pat Cooper in their newly-prepared Ford Escort Mk2. Tomas Davies and Eurig Davies are racing against time this week to rebuild their Escort from a bare shell to start as car number three, while Irish aces Owen Murphy and James O’Brien are next away in their Talbot Sunbeam Lotus and are determined to take the overall fight to the Escorts.

Adding superb depth of quality to the Category 3 field are more very quick Escort Mk2s for Terry Brown/Den Golding, Meirion Evans/Iwan Jones, Darren Moon/Elgan Davies, James Potter/Bob Duck, Tim Freeman/Paul Wakely, Jerry Bailey/Graham Lacey and championship sponsor Gareth Lloyd with Ryland James.

Alongside Murphy in Class D4 is another former BHRC champion James Stait in his Sunbeam Lotus and the glorious Triumph TR7 V8 of Peter Jones/Graham Joseph. Meanwhile, championship newcomers Shawn Rayner and Declan Dear head Class D3 in their Pinto-powered Escort Mk2 and have a gaggle of rivals including local ace Gareth Lewis, Ben Friend/Sean Kennedy, John Baker/Seyyan John and Paul Fry/Mike Steele.

The Holton Homes Category K for FIA specification cars starts with the Escort Mk2 of Tom Coughtrie/Calvin Cooledge, which should be joined by more FIA cars as the season develops.

Running within the concurrent modern event are the cars in Category O for open two-wheel drive cars and heading the R.A.C. pack is the spectacular Toyota Starlet of Leyton Waters and Kevin Bowcott. Their rivals include Escorts for Neal Dwyer/Danny Fenning and Barry Stevenson-Wheeler/John Pickavance and the Opel Manta of brothers Simon and Alistair Crook.

The rally will be based in Llandovery with Rally HQ at the Castle Hotel and the central service area at the adjoining Llandovery Mart. The first historic car will start at 8.30am on Sunday and return to the finish at 2pm.

Entry Lists

Posted: January 29, 2014 10:40 AM

Red Kite Stages - 2 Feb 14 - MODERN ENTRY LIST
Red Kite Stages - 2 Feb 14 - HISTORIC ENTRY LIST

Red Kite entry filling fast

Posted: January 20, 2014 9:39 PM

The organisers of the 2014 Red Kite Stages (Sunday 2 February) from Amman and District Motor Club have urged intending competitors to enter the rally as soon as possible as the entry list is rapidly filling up. With 67 entries already received, and another week to go before entries close for seeding, the 90 places available could all be filled.

The response to the event has exceeded expectations and with entries coming in at the rate of five or six each day the remaining 23 places could be gone before the closing date for seeded entries, which is Friday 24 January.

The historic event is the opening round of the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship, while the modern event is the first round of the In Car Services/Evans Motorsport Tyres Welsh Clubmans’ Forest Championship.

As of today (Friday 17 January), the historic event has 43 entries and the modern event has 24 entries. Of the 67 entries in total, 46 are from R.A.C Championship contenders. Any entries received after 90 will be placed on a reserve list.

The route will take in five stages in the Crychan and Caio complexes, with the return to Caio coming after overwhelming praise for the fast and flowing stage on the 2013 event. As is customary for the event, the stages are in excellent condition.

The rally will be based in Llandovery with Rally HQ at the Castle Hotel and the central service area at the adjoining Llandovery Mart. Documentation and scrutineering will be on Saturday 1 February. The first historic car will start at 8.30am on Sunday and return to the finish at 2.30pm.

Regulations / Entries Received / Details

Posted: January 9, 2014 12:31 PM

RED KITE STAGES