Severn Valley (Munity) - 3 Jun 06

Posted: June 5, 2006 7:18 PM

Driving on his local event Middleton beat former champions Roger Duckworth and Mark Broomfield by over a minute after a day of drama in the Welsh forests.

Fellow ANCRO Championship contenders Barry Johnson and Marcus Dodd ended up retiring from round four of the MSA Gravel Rally Championship due to varying problems, Johnson and co driver Stewart Merry rolling their Subaru WRC comprehensively and Marcus Dodd going out with mechanical problems along with his co driver Andrew Bargery.

Middleton’s success was his second of the season having taken victory on the opening Rallye Sunseeker in Bournemouth but thanks to Duckworth’s consistency he now jointly leads the series along with Group N driver Anthony Wilmington going into next round in Wales next month.

In the supporting classes Wilmington took victory in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Cup with Rob Smith taking the win in the Subaru Group N Masters. In the Peugeot 206 Cup Miles Johnston took the victory ahead of Declan Magee.

Overall Result
1) Craig Middleton/Robin Hernaman (Hyundai)
2) Roger Duckworth/Mark Broomfield (Subaru)
3) Bob Ceen/Alastair Douglas (Subaru)
4) Julian Reynolds/Paul Spooner (Subaru)
5) Richard Gower/Aled Davies (Hyundai)
6) Rob Smith/Shaun O’Gorman (Subaru)

ANCRO MSA National Rally Championship

Severn Valley Motor Club

• 2006 ANCRO MSA National Rally Championship
• 2006 Fiesta Sporting Trophy UK

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PRE EVENT NEWS

• SEVERN UP….

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25/05/06
SEVERN UP….
Just seven points separate the top eight drivers meaning the battle for the 2006 MSA Gravel Rally Championship continues in earnest next weekend (June 3rd) when competitors converge on mid-Wales for round four of the series in the shape of the Severn Valley National Rally.

Having visited England, Scotland and the Isle of Man in the three previous rounds, the classic Welsh forests around the Powys town of Builth Wells will see the leading competitors scrapping it out as the series hots up.  

And whilst a couple of ‘ANCRO’ regulars won’t be on the start ramp, there is strength in depth in the entry list with modern Group N machinery mixing it with the spectacular WRC’s and again looking to upset the apple cart.

  There is no one more surprised than Anthony Willmington and co driver Andy White who lead the series outright in their Mitsubishi Lancer but the Dorset pairing are expecting a serious challenge from former National Champion Marcus Dodd and co driver Andrew Bargery (Hyundai Accent WRC) who leads the field away while last year’s winners of the then named Mutiny Rally, Craig Middleton and Robin Hernaman, will be looking to put their retirements from the previous two events - after winning the season opener – behind them in their similar car. Double Scottish champions and MSA Gravel Championship runners-up, Barry Johnson and Stewart Merry (Subaru Impreza WRC) will also be looking for honours as will Roger Duckworth and Mark Broomfield in their Subaru WRC and don’t rule out the Hyundai of Richard Gower and Aled Davies either.  

Sadly, the champions for the past two years are absent for this event with 2004 victor Steve Perez away contesting the Barbados Rally Carnival and 2005 champion Paul Bird is looking after his bike racing team at the Isle of Man TT Races on Saturday before flying back to Mallory Park for the BSB meeting the day after.  

The event will also host the ANCRO based Mitsubishi Ralliart Evo Cup whereby Tony Thompson and Jon Dunning head the standings while in the Subaru Group N Trophy, Wyn Humphreys and Mark Lewis lead the way. In the Peugeot 206 Super Cup, Yorkshireman Miles Johnston heads the pack while Willmington’s consistency sees him lead the Innovation Motorsports Challenge Cup and in the supporting ANCRO Clubmans class, Maidstone’s Nick Kelly leads the series overall.   

  The event gets underway on Saturday morning from the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells at 08.00 before returning to the finish at around 17.30.

Full Entry list on:

ANCRO MSA National Rally Championship

Severn Valley Motor Club

• 2006 ANCRO MSA National Rally Championship
• 2006 Fiesta Sporting Trophy UK