Bird/Davies Win Welsh Thriller
Posted: July 14, 2014 12:57 PM
Cumbrian rally driver Paul Bird returned to his fantastic start of season form by winning today's Nicky Grist Stages Rally and in doing so, thrust himself back into contention in the 2014 REIS BTRDA Rally Series
After a second place on the opening Wyedean Rally followed by a win on his local Malcolm Wilson Rally for a record-equalling fourth time, the British Superbike and MotoGP team boss from Langwathby near Penrith was hoping to bounce back after a run of bad luck had put paid to his chances on recent events.
With the best quality entry of the season so far, Bird and Welsh co driver Aled Davies started well with third fastest time on SS1 in their Rubis Petroleum, Cockspur Rum, Fuchs Titan Race and Mac Tools-backed, Dom Buckley Motorsport-prepared Ford Focus WRC07.
With very little experience in the classic mid-Welsh forestry stages, Bird upped the pace over the next three stages to head for the mid-point service in second place, just seven seconds down on leader David Weston Jr.
However, on the way back to the service area, the car suddenly stopped leaving Bird and Davies to attempt to solve the problem. They quickly rectified the problem with the ECU which allowed them to return to service before proper repairs could be sorted by the team.
Into the second loop of stages and Bird immediately reduced Weston's lead to a single second before hitting the front on SS6 to lead by two seconds. Weston pulled a second back on the penultimate stage meaning Bird's lead was just one second going into the final stage in the legendary Crychan forest.
With all eyes focussed on the stop clocks, Bird eventually arrived at the finish adding a further two seconds to his lead to cross the Llandrindod Wells finish ramp three seconds to the good over his Scottish rival with Bird's long time friend and adversary Steve Perez in third.
Having not contested the previous two BTRDA rounds due to other commitments, the result means the former ANCRO National Rally champion is up to seventh in the standings but with other drivers yet to drop certain scores, it's still wide open going into next month's Woodpecker Stages.
Paul Bird:
"After the run of bad luck in the Isle of Man and then in Barbados, this makes up for it a little but I had to drive the wheels off the car. I didn't have the knowledge of these forests like most of the other drivers but I was delighted with the way I drove and didn't make a mistake all day long. We thought our bad luck had returned when the car stopped on the road section but we just fiddled with a few wires, switched things off and back on again and it worked. My kids Frank and Jordan spurred me on today and Lexi's lucky crocodile has found its mojo again! It's a pity I'm jetting off to the MotoGP in Germany tonight otherwise that champagne that Steve Perez would be buying would taste very sweet indeed!"
Photos
Posted: July 14, 2014 12:54 PM
Results
Posted: July 14, 2014 12:47 PM
1 Paul Bird/Aled Davies (Ford Focus 07 WRC) 45:23
2 David Weston Jr/Kirsty Riddick (Subaru Impreza WRC) 45:26
3 Steve Perez/Paul Spooner (Ford Focus WRCv 45:42
4 Stephen Petch/Ian Windress (Ford Fiesta R5+) 46:07
5 Desi Henry/Damien Duffin (Mitsubishi EVO 9v 46:38
6 Jamie Anderson/Chris Brooks (Mitsubishi EVO 9) 46:54
7 Tristan Bailey/James How (Mitsubishi WRC) 47:29
8 Wayne Sisson/Neil Shanks (Mitsubishi EVO 9) 47:35
9 Roland Llewellin/Jamie Edwards (Mitsubishi EVO 9) 47:43
10 Karl Simmons/Guy Simmons (Subaru Impreza WRC) 47:56
Seeded Entry List
Posted: July 9, 2014 12:47 AM
Entries Received
Posted: June 6, 2014 9:05 AM
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RAVENOL supports the best prize in UK national rallying
Posted: May 30, 2014 11:15 AM
Nicky Grist, in partnership with RAVENOL high performance motorsport lubricants, is laying down the gauntlet to all rally drivers to see who is the best national rally driver in the UK. The RAVENOL Nicky Grist Challenge is a one day shoot out to be held on the Nicky Grist Stages on the 12th July, with any entrant into the rally in any class getting the opportunity to prove their ability.
The overall winner will receive up to eight paid rally entries in to the 2015 BTRDA Rally Series, with up to £3000 of RAVENOL products to ensure their car is perfectly lubricated for each rally event.
Nicky Grist said:
“There is nothing else like this in Britain at the moment for rally drivers and it will be an intensely exciting one-day, all-in, shoot-out over some of the best stages on offer in Britain. RAVENOL coming forward as the prize giver has been immense, giving all drivers a really fantastic prize to aim for. But most of all we will be able to name the best national rally driver in the UK.”
Brian Chase, Managing Director of RAVENOL UK, is very enthusiastic:
“We are delighted to be working together with Nicky on this project. The Challenge is all about supporting British Motorsport at club level, something we at RAVENOL are very keen to be involved in.”
Neil Cross, Clerk of the Course for the Nicky Grist Stages:
“Every driver believes they are the best on gravel and now they have the chance to prove it – it is going to be really exciting to watch, and the Quinton Motor Club, as the organisers of the Nicky Grist Stages, are delighted that Nicky, yet again, is bringing a first to national rallying on our event!”
The Nicky Grist Stages is being held on the 12th July with the HQ based at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells. Entry into the rally is through the Nicky Grist Stages website with free registration to the RAVENOL Nicky Grist Challenge to occur no later than event signing on. Spectators can also get all the information they need to see the RAVENOL Nicky Grist Challenge in action on the event's website www.nickygriststages.co.uk
How the Challenge works - The Clerk of the Course for the Nicky Grist Stages will work out the mean average time penalty for each class, based on a number of previous years’ events. This average time penalty will be known as the ATP. The winner of the RAVENOL Nicky Grist Challenge will be decided on the biggest percentage decrease in their class ATP. Should the speeds be slower, the smallest percentage difference to their class ATP will be deemed the winner.
So – do you think you are the best national rally driver in the UK? Then enter the RAVENOL Nicky Grist Challenge and prove it.
On Line Entry / Regulations / Website / Details
Posted: May 1, 2014 11:44 AM
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