Wyedean Rally - (Sat) 14 Feb 15

Bird/Davies Wins Wyedean In Style

Posted: December 21, 2015 10:07 AM

Cumbrian rally driver Paul Bird got his 2015 BTRDA Rally Championship campaign underway in the best possible fashion by taking a comprehensive victory in the Forest of Dean on today's Weir Engineering Wyedean Forest Rally.

Fresh from last weekend's victory on the Legend Fires North West Stages Rally, the 2005 ANCRO National Champion was back in action in the woods for the first time in three months and competing for only the third time on the Chepstow based event whereby the previous two visits heralded runner-up spot on both occasions.

Along with Welsh co driver Aled Davies in the Frank Bird Poultry, Fuchs Titan Race, Hager and Mac Tools-backed Ford Focus WRC07, the pair were on the pace from the off with Paul keen to make up for missing out on the 2014 title by the narrowest of margins.

Despite the quality entry, the British Superbike team boss upped his pace through the opening loop to arrive at half distance with a 21 second lead. Bird continued his relentless charge without any problems and after five stage wins and three second fastest times, arrived at the finish 34 seconds to the good over Scottish rivals David Weston and Kirsty Riddick in their Subaru WRC.

As well as taking maximum points in the 2015 BTRDA Series opener, it was Bird's third successive rally victory to add to the Legend Fires North West Stages and Coppermines Grizedale Stages Rally. It also meant in the last seven rallies he has contested, he has won five and finished on the podium on the other two occasions.

It also means that the driver from Langwathby goes into his local event next month brimful of confidence as he looks to add another good points haul when he contests the Malcolm Wilson Rally on March 7th. Having won the event for a record-equalling fourth time last year, Bird will be looking to create history by becoming the first man in history to win the Cockermouth-based event five times in his native Lake District.

Paul Bird: "That's the perfect way to get our championship bid underway and I'm especially pleased with how I drove today. The stages are always fast and tricky but I felt sharp and knew it was a case of managing the lead. Everything was faultless today and there was such a strong entry, I knew it wasn't going to be easy but it's good to keep the winning run going and after finishing second twice on this event, it's great to get the win. The crowds were phenomenal and it was like driving on a world championship event but maximum points were what we came for and I'm hoping we can repeat the result on the Malcolm Wilson Rally in three weeks time."

Results

Posted: December 21, 2015 10:03 AM

1 Paul Bird/Aled Davies - Ford Focus 07 WRC - 42m 25s
2 David Weston/Kirsty Riddick - Subaru Impreza WRC - +34s
3 Hugh Hunter/Andy Marchbank - Subaru Impreza S11 - +43
4 Charles Payne/Carl Williamson - Ford Escort Fiesta ST - +1:06
5 Nik Elsmore/Matt Edwards - Mitsubishi EVO - +1:36
6 Damian Cole/Jack Morton - Ford Focus WRC - +1:49
7 Stephen Petch/Ian Windress - Ford Fiesta R5+ - +2:01
8 Peter Taylor/Andrew Roughead - Ford Fiesta S2400 - +2:12
9 Bob Ceen/Andy Bull - Subaru Impreza WRC - +2:29
10 Russ Thompson/Andy Murphy - Mitsubishi EVO 9 N4 - +2:36

Wyedean Rally - (Sat) 14 Feb 15 - RESULTS

Results on Line (Wyedean 2015) | Results by: Tynemouth Computer Services Rally Results

Seeded Entry List

Posted: February 7, 2015 9:33 PM

Wyedean Rally - (Sat) 14 Feb 15 - SEEDED ENTRY LIST

SPOILT FOR CHOICE!....

Posted: January 24, 2015 9:14 AM

In the absence of both 2013 & 2014 Weir Engineering Wyedean Forest Rally winners and defending REIS - RAVENOL Gold Star® Champion Steve Perez entering in his Lancia Stratos this time, the event organisers, Forest of Dean Motor Club Ltd, have the task of deciding who will run with No.1 on their car doors this time - and they’re not short of possible contenders!...

The most recent Wyedean winner who will be heading for Chepstow Racecourse on 14th February is Yorkshireman Charlie Payne who took his Ford Focus WRC to top spot in 2012. That has now been replaced by a Fiesta R5, while 2007 victors Hugh Hunter/Andy Marchbank have since switched from their Focus to an Impreza WRC.

Then there’s Paul Bird who has remained loyal to the Focus in which he finished 2nd overall in the Forest of Dean last year, but also in the frame must be the likes of Stephen Petch/Ian Windress (Fiesta R5+) and Dave Weston/Kirsty Riddick (Impreza WRC) who are both proven winners at this level.

There may well be others who come to the fore during the day and, running as it does in February, it’s always possible that the weather will also have an influence on the result. Who can forget the snowy scene in 2012 when Julian Wilkes brought his 1400cc Vauxhall Nova to the finish in 3rd place overall?....

All the questions surrounding seeding will be answered in a couple of weeks’ time when the entry list is published, but what we already know is that the 40th Anniversary Weir Engineering Wyedean Forest Rally will be fielding a capacity entry of 165 cars.

COLE’S FORD IN THE FOREST OF DEAN!....

Posted: January 24, 2015 9:13 AM

With the entry for the 40th Anniversary Weir Engineering Wyedean Forest Rally reaching 100 in less than a week, one of the first to be received by the organisers was from five-times MSA Asphalt Rally Champion Damian Cole in his Ford Focus WRC.

The Abergavenny driver has a busy season in prospect, adding the REIS - Ravenol BTRDA Gold Star® Rally Championship, of which the Wyedean is the opening round, to yet another defence of his Asphalt Championship title.

Also already confirmed is the participation of 2007 winners Hugh Hunter/Andy Marchbank in a Subaru Impreza WRC, 2012 victor Charlie Payne in a new Fiesta and the Focus WRC of last year’s runner-up, Paul Bird. There also rumours - yet to be confirmed - of an entry from Graham Elsmore, winner of the first three Wyedean Rallies in 1975, ‘76 & ‘77. However, with the entry list filling up so fast - the maximum is 165 - Graham, and anyone else who wants to be part of the birthday celebrations, will need to get their skates on!

FROM 0 - 165 IN 10 DAYS!....

Posted: January 24, 2015 9:11 AM

Such is the popularity of the Weir Engineering Wyedean Forest Rally that, just ten days after the regulations and entry forms went online, the capacity entry of 165 cars has been reached. However, don’t despair! Especially at the beginning of the season when, for a variety of reasons, cars cannot be readied in time, there will be a number of withdrawals between now and 14th February. Consequently, the organisers have opened a ‘reserve’ list and, thus, there is still a chance to take the start of the rally at Chepstow Racecourse on Valentine’s Day.

Although 2014 Wyedean winners David Bogie/Kevin Rae will not be defending their title, the list of possible successors is very impressive, to the point that whoever is tasked with seeding the entry will have a difficult task on their hands!

At the other end of the spectrum, for Forest of Dean Motor Club member Charles Hopkinson from St Briavels, the Wyedean will be his first-ever competitive rally. Charles, who let’s just say won’t see 50 again, has recently taken delivery of his MSA competition licence and has entered his ‘home’ event in an Historic specification Ford Escort MkII, lining up against the similar car of fellow Forest of Dean resident Graham Cox who won the event outright back in 1996.

Entries Received

Posted: January 13, 2015 4:43 PM

Available at:

www.rallies.info/webentry/2015/wyedean/

Regulations / Details

Posted: January 13, 2015 4:43 PM

• Wyedean Forest Rally