Woodpecker / Sixty & Worcestershire National Rally - 5 Sep 09

Video Clips

Posted: September 6, 2009 10:32 PM

COOKSON GIVES 'DAISY' A REPRIEVE...

Posted: September 6, 2009 9:28 PM

Following on the disappointment of retirement in his last two outings, Saltash rally driver Alan Cookson bounced back in style on the penultimate round of the 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship by taking third overall on the Ludlow-based Sixty & Worcestershire National Rally which formed part of the Woodpecker Rally.

With a newly rebuilt engine, the Robert Wiseman Dairies, Kick Energy, GillettsSpar.com, Kumho Tyres, Riverside Property Services and Olverelectrical.com supported Subaru Impreza WRC, nicknamed 'Daisy', because of the Friesian cow livery, performed faultlessly.

"The car did everything I asked of her today and I was really pleased with the performance of the whole team, Julian was spot on with the notes and I haven't enjoyed an event like this for a long time. The second run through Haye Park was magic with everything coming together perfectly," said Alan.

He continued: "I know I had said that this was going to be the last event for 'Daisy' but after today I feel that I want to give her one last run on the Trackrod later this month as she has performed so well and I would like to say thank you to my sponsors and give them another good result in Yorkshire."

Apart from an intercom fault on the first stage, which cost the pair a few seconds, they maintained a good pace throughout the day staying in touch with the leaders and Alan added: "There were a lot of local people competing today with a lot of local knowledge and it was good to compare times with them."

The result secured Alan and Julian runners-up spot in Class 8 of the 2009 MSA Pirelli Gravel Championship and elevated them to seventh overall in the main championship standings.

Alan is now looking forward to the final round of The 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship; the Pickering-based Trackrod Rally Yorkshire on September 26th.

PEREZ CLAIMS SECOND SUCCESSIVE VICTORY...

Posted: September 6, 2009 9:26 PM

Following on from victory last time out on the Pro-Art Signs Swansea Bay Rally, former champion Steve Perez (Chesterfield) and co-driver Paul Spooner (Raglan) stormed to a dominant victory on the penultimate round of the 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship by winning every stage of the Sixty & Worcestershire National Rally today.

As part of the Ludlow-based Woodpecker Rally, which was making a welcome debut in the ANCRO-organised series, the Ford Focus WRC crew came home well ahead of their nearest rivals Nik Elsmore (Coleford) and co driver Craig Drew (Bream) after a dominant display in and around the famous Welsh borders.

From the very first stage Perez set the pace in the ex Marcus Gronholm Kick Energy-backed car, stopping the clock three seconds ahead of his nearest rivals and from then on, he built on his lead to win by a mammoth two minutes and eight seconds.

Although the title had already been decided with Marcus Dodd (Poole) and Andrew Bargery (Hove) claiming a third successive crown in their Hyundai Accent WRC in Swansea, Perez's victory moved him and Spooner into a comfortable second place in the standings and also clinched him two class awards for good measure.

With no round of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evo Challenge on the event, two crews failed to add to their points tallies, namely Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Martin Brady (Nevan) and Simon Hughes (Abergele)/Craig Parry (Oswestry) but with their best result of the season, Elsmore and Drew moved into joint fourth place going into the final round of the series with the Trackrod Rally in Yorkshire in three weeks time.

After two non-finishes, Alan Cookson (Saltash) and Julian Wilkinson (Wandsworth) claimed their first ANCRO podium finish of the season in what is probably their swansong event in their venerable Subaru WRC nicknamed 'Daisy' and in doing so, climbed to seventh overall in the standings and with it, runner-up spot in Class 9.

The Tonypandy pairing of Trev Baynham and Anthony Bailey were hoping for a third maximum score in Class 8 in their Ford Escort and with it an unassailable lead in the Mintex Two Wheel Drive Challenge but their day ended on the final stage with a broken driveshaft on their Ford Escort, the same fate which also befell Trevor Martin (Medstead) and Ray Cleghorn (Chalfont St Peter) who retired their Subaru Impreza at first service.

Former ANCRO champions Roger Duckworth and Mark Broomfield (Subaru WRC) were in contention when they experienced engine management system problems, which caused the engine to cut out continuously, and as a result they dropped nearly eleven minutes to the leaders to eventually finish in eighth overall.

Full Results

Posted: September 6, 2009 5:39 PM

Full Results & Times - Nat A (ANCRO)

Full Results & Times - Nat B (BTRDA)

Results: Tynemouth Computer Services Rally Results

PEREZ AIMS FOR WOODPECKER SUCCESS...

Posted: September 1, 2009 7:14 PM

Round seven of the 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship heads for Ludlow in Shropshire for the penultimate round of the series this weekend (Saturday 5th September) with the Woodpecker Rally making a welcome debut in the ANCRO-organised series.

Although the title has already been decided with Marcus Dodd (Poole) and Andrew Bargery (Hove) claiming a third successive crown in their Hyundai Accent WRC, there is still plenty to play for in the various classes that comprise the series.

Winners last time out on the Pro-Art Signs Swansea Bay Rally, Steve Perez (Chesterfield) and Paul Spooner (Raglan), head the entry list on the Sixty & Worcestershire National Rally in their Ford Focus WRC which will see them contest around 57 miles of stages to the west of Ludlow in some of the classic forests of the Welsh borders.

The 2004 ANCRO Champion is red-hot favourite to claim victory which will strengthen his claims on runner-up spot in the series as well as a couple of class awards.

With no round of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evo Challenge on the event, a couple of crews who are at the cutting edge of the leaderboard won't be adding to their points tallies, namely Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Martin Brady (Nevan) and Simon Hughes (Abergele)/Craig Parry (Oswestry) although Nik Elsmore (Coleford) and co driver Craig Drew (Bream) should score their best result of the season if they reach the finish in their Mitsubishi Lancer.

After two non-finishes, Alan Cookson (Saltash) and Julian Wilkinson (Wandsworth) are hoping for a better run in their venerable Subaru WRC they call 'Daisy' and after racking up their first decent points haul of the season on the Swansea Bay, Trevor Martin (Medstead) and Ray Cleghorn (Chalfont St Peter) will be looking to do likewise in their Subaru Impreza. The Tonypandy pairing of Trev Baynham and Anthony Bailey will be hoping for a third maximum score in Class 8 in their Ford Escort too.

The first car leaves the start at Ludlow Racecourse at 8.30am on Saturday 5th September and returns for the finish later that afternoon.

COOKSON TO BID FAREWELL TO 'DAISY'?

Posted: August 31, 2009 3:53 PM

Following on the disappointment of retirement in his last two outings, Saltash rally driver Alan Cookson is looking to bounce back on the penultimate round of the 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship which takes place next Saturday with the Ludlow-based Woodpecker Rally.

Along with Wandsworth co driver Julian Wilkinson, the pair will be back in action in the venerable Friesian cow-liveried car nicknamed 'Daisy' but it could well be the final outing for the Robert Wiseman Dairies, Kick Energy, GillettsSpar.com, Kumho Tyres, Riverside Property Services and Olverelectrical.com supported Subaru Impreza WRC.

Having had the engine rebuilt after the failure on the Pro Art Signs Swansea Bay Rally back in July, the pair are hoping that the fresh engine, coupled with a driver and navigator that are also fully refreshed from summer breaks, they can be back on the pace they were on before disaster struck on the previous rally.

Additionally, with this round of the series jointly comprising both ANCRO and the BTRDA series, it will give them a great opportunity to see how they fare against the WRC cars that compete on the BTRDA series on a regular basis.

"It's a long time since we were last in Ludlow on a rally, the last time we were there we had our faithful Ford Escort nicknamed 'Yellow Peril'. It was so long ago that it was parked alongside Andy Burton's Alfa Ferrari which I don't believe he has used for a long time! Having said that, we're new to this event but the stages used are very similar to those on the Severn Valley Rally, which we unfortunately missed earlier this year, but we have done that event the last two years running, so we are familiar with the surroundings," said Alan.

He continued: "We are really hoping to get a good result in 'Daisy' in Ludlow as it could be the last rally we do in her this year as we are really keen to use a Group N car again. We are in the middle of negotiating a deal to run a TEGSport Group N Subaru N12B on the Trackrod Rally in Yorkshire later next month in preparation for contesting the British Rally Championship in 2010, albeit in a newer N14 Subaru if the budget is there to build and run the car."

A finish will secure Alan runner-up spot in Class 8 of the 2009 MSA Pirelli Gravel Championship and depending on his overall result; he could elevate himself from eighth to fifth overall in the main championship standings.

Entry List

Posted: August 31, 2009 3:53 PM

• Woodpecker Rally

Entries Received to Date:

Posted: August 19, 2009 10:10 AM

Competitors page of:

• Woodpecker Rally

List of Entries Received:

Posted: July 28, 2009 12:47 PM

• Woodpecker Rally

Regulations / Details

Posted: January 1, 2009 12:01 AM

• Woodpecker Rally