Tour of Caerwent - 29 Mar 09

BTRDA ASPHALT RALLY SERIES - JONES KEEPS UP THE PRESSURE!

Posted: April 10, 2009 9:44 AM

Defending Richard Egger Insurance BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series champions, CHRIS JONES/RICHARD WILLIAMS extended their lead in this year’s series with their second consecutive maximum points score at the weekend. The latest success came on the Fast Impressions Tour of Caerwent on which their Ford Focus STI finished in 2nd place, behind the only World Rally Car in the capacity 100-car entry, having led outright for the first half of the day.

One place behind them, after their best performance for a while, were GARY LE COADOU/PAUL HOLLINGHAM in their Toyota Celica GT4, while CHRIS MARSHALL put his pre-event problems behind him to bring his Mitsubishi Lancer EVO5 home in 7th and take 3rd place points. Co-driver SIMON HUNTER was due to set off for the South Wales venue from his home in Wigan at the crack of dawn on Sunday, only to find that his car wouldn’t start. An early morning visit by the AA man saw Hunter eventually on his way, but there was a good deal on pacing back and forth by the driver in the service area until his co-driver was safely ensconced in the car!

2007 BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series winners, ADRIAN SPENCER/MARK HEWITT, have been having transmission problems with their Subaru Impreza. A number of rear driveshafts have broken in recent events, leading the driver to source a supply of stronger ones in an attempt to cure the problem. The good news is that the plan worked – the bad news is that a front one snapped during the rally!… Nevertheless, a Top 10 finish to add to the points the pair scored on the opening round on Epynt sees Spencer in 3rd place in the Series, very much within striking distance of the leader…

Having missed the run over Epynt in February, 2008 series runner-up MARK WELCH, and co-driver ANDY WYNN, returned in the former’s Ford Escort Cosworth to begin their challenge to go one better this time. Their last visit to Caerwent was fraught with transmission problems, causing them to limp to the finish. 5th fastest times on both the fourth and fifth stages kept hopes alive of a Top Six finish – until the Cossie’s front diff. let go on the final stage of the day. Welch/Wynn lost nearly three minutes to the leaders, dropping down to 11th in the final analysis, and 5th place points were small comfort for all the effort!

GRAHAM WATKINS/MARK POWELL have swopped their 2007 BTRDA Series class-winning VW Golf for a Mark II Escort and are, so far, continuing where they left off. Rounding off the Top 20 gave them the lead in their class, overhauling PAUL BOXALL/TERESA BUTLER whose Peugeot 205 was withdrawn with damaged suspension after four stages.

Newcomers STUART BLISS/RICH MARSH took their Honda Civic to a class win on the event to open their account in the strongest possible way, although PAUL PRICE heads the points table after another consistent finish in his Peugeot 106. Caerwent also marked the series debut of ANDREW HICKS/ RICHARD BLISS and, in spite of a maximum at one point, their 106 went on to finish and claim some useful points.

MSA Asphalt Rally Championship ‘veterans’ PAUL HAREWOOD/BOB JONES have signed up for the BTRDA Asphalt Series this year. Like many others, this was their first visit to the MoD Training Area and, mindful of the potentially troublesome kerbs, guided their Vauxhall Astra GSI to 2nd in class behind Watkins/Powell.

RAY READ/STUART ANDERSON-PETERS put behind them the disappointment of an opening-stage exit on Epynt, when their Audi Quattro did a high-speed pirouette into retirement, to record their first finish of the season, while the Austin Mini of ALISON LOCK ran for much of the final stage with its boot open. Suggestions that this was, perhaps, some form of experiment to gain extra down-force for the Historic car were vehemently denied!…

CHRIS GRAVESTOCK/MARK HARMER began their first BTRDA Series event at Caerwent, but it all came to a very violent end on the first stage. Their Peugeot 106 suffered a front ball joint failure, pitching it into a roll which brought the stage to a halt. Fortunately, the crew was uninjured – which is more than can be said for the car!… The only other ‘DNF’ from amongst the Series competitors was that of the Peugeot 205 RWD of PAUL CULVERWELL who had enlisted the services of Manx resident ASHLEY TRIMBLE for the day. Keep trying, Paul, your luck has to change soon!’…

Following the unfortunate cancellation of the Millbrook National Rally, the next round of the BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series is the Rally of the Midlands on 19/20th June.

Photos:

Posted: April 10, 2009 9:43 AM

cmwi.net

Results

Posted: April 10, 2009 9:42 AM

Amc Rally Results

Seeded Entry List

Posted: March 24, 2009 12:55 PM

Forresters Car Club (Patriot Stages & Tour of Caerwent)

BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series - MAKING AN IMPRESSION!…

Posted: March 18, 2009 10:47 AM

The second round of the Richard Egger Insurance BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series takes competitors to South Wales for the Fast Impressions Tour of Caerwent on Sunday 29th March. The line-up not only features the defending series champions and runner-up, but also 1st & 2nd overall from 2007 and, even at this early stage, it is quite obvious that we are in for a very competitive year!

The organisers, Forresters Car Club, have received a full entry of 100 cars, plus reserves, for their event which features seven special stages at the highly popular MoD Training Area. The last rally to be held there, the Patriot Stages, was won by CHRIS JONES/RICHARD WILLIAMS (Ford Focus STI) who went on to lift the BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series outright. They’ve started this year where they left off by taking maximum points, and a Top Ten finish, on the Tour of Epynt at the end of February and will, quite obviously, be a force-to-be- reckoned-with when it comes to predicting this year’s winners.

MARK WELCH nursed a poorly Ford Escort Cosworth through the last few stages of the Patriot to take 2nd in the series, helped in no small way by maximum scores earlier in the season at Millbrook and on the Rally of the Midlands. He was forced to miss the first round of the 2009 Series but, partnered by ANDY WYNN, is now back with his sights set on going one better this time.

Meanwhile, the 2007 series winners, ADRIAN SPENCER/MARK HEWITT, have returned to the scene of their former triumph and take the start in their always-immaculate Subaru Impreza. They took second-place points on Epynt, ahead of GARY LE COADOU/PAUL HOLLINGHAM, runners-up in 2007, who are using their faithful Toyota Celica GT4 until a new car is completed, hopefully later this year.

In the classes, PAUL PRICE (Peugeot 106) & PAUL BOXALL/TERESA BUTLER (Peugeot 205) took maximums on Epynt and, consequently, arrive at Caerwent with class leads under their respective belts. Returning to the series after a year off, GRAHAM WATKINS/MARK POWELL (Ford Escort MkII) finished less than half-a-minute behind Boxall/Butler on Epynt and will be hoping for a role- reversal this time.

Of those looking for the opportunity to get their season back on track after retirements on the first round, RAY READ/STUART ANDERSON-PETERS (Audi Quattro) and PAUL CULVERWELL (Peugeot 205 RWD) bring renewed optimism to their campaigns, whilst CHRIS MARSHALL (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO5) is currently on the reserve list but, all being well, will get a run.

Joining the series for the first time are ROYSTON CAREY/TONY DAVIS (Renault Clio), CHRIS GRAVESTOCK/MARK HARMER (Peugeot 106) & ALISON LOCK (Austin Mini Cooper).

The first car leaves the start at 8.45am on Sunday 29th March and the event finishes at 5.30pm that afternoon.

Unseeded List of Entries

Posted: March 18, 2009 10:46 AM

Forresters Car Club (Patriot Stages & Tour of Caerwent)

Regulations & Details

Posted: January 29, 2009 10:01 AM

Forresters Car Club (Patriot Stages & Tour of Caerwent)