The Fiat Stilo Rally Cup PRE Tempest Rally

Posted: November 8, 2004 8:55 PM

The event was the final round of the series and of the Kwik Fit Pirelli British Rally Championship, which has used the Aldershot based gravel stages as its finale for three years. The Stilo Cup points permutations meant that it was mathematically possible for any of the top four to take the crown, but Chris Davies started the rally only needing a finish to be champion.

He set about the task with some style, and although he gave second best to Paul Tod and Tom Metcalfe on two of the three stages on Friday night, he was never slower than second and led by six seconds from Metcalfe. The young Scot described a stage two indiscretion: “We came over a crest into a hairpin left and I had to go for the hand brake to try and turn the car in.” he continued, “It was all a bit frantic but we managed to stay on the road even with a 360 degree spin.”

Tod found the crests quite difficult to read in the dark as they did not show up in the daylight recce, but his first stage victory kept him in touch with the top pair at the end of the first night. Fourth placed Shaun Woffinden was just under 20 seconds behind the leader, attributing his comparatively slow pace to a couple of factors,:“I thought we’d bent something on the rear, but it was a catching wheel scraper,” he reported, “and Bob (Duck) and I have never competed before so it’s a bit of a learning curve for us both.”

Tempest Rally End Leg 1 Results
1 Chris Davies/Nathan Parry 12:44.9
2 Tom Metcalfe/Kirsty Riddick 12:50.9
3 Paul Tod/Iestyn ap Dafydd 12:57.3
4 Shaun Woffinden/Bob Duck 13:04.2

Saturday dawned damp and overcast, but the daylight obviously suited Woffinden who immediately laid down the gauntlet with a fastest time. Davies still led, but the margin was down to 3.9 seconds and it was Woffinden at his heels. Both Tod and Metcalfe had gear selection difficulties on stage four, Tod managing to stay in touch with second placed Davies while Metcalfe dropped over a minute to the leader. “We’ve had the same problem for most of the year,” said a resigned Tod, “but just when we thought we’ve got it fixed it’s come back again.” Metcalfe was in a worse situation, having never encountered a similar mechanical problem; he limped through most of the next three stages to service. Woffinden was quickest on all three stages but he had his own tale to tell at service. “I couldn’t believe it,” he grinned, “first I passed Tom, then Paul and when I saw Chris parked at the side of stage five, I thought, “That’s it, if I finish, I’ve won the championship!” I couldn’t concentrate for the rest of the stage.”

His report of Davies’ demise was confirmed by the Welshman’s crestfallen service crew, “He’s parked in stage five with a broken driveshaft,” was the brief description given. Both Tod and Metcalfe however, made it back, and were despatched to the next loop of four stages, Metcalfe now in the same position that Davies had occupied: finish and win the Stilo Cup.

The reports at each successive service were very similar, aside from Woffinden sneaking two further fastest times, all the remaining ten stage victories went to a storming Paul Tod. Stage fourteen saw Tod encounter a brief gear problem again, but try as he might, he could not catch Woffinden who by now had a commanding lead. Metcalfe did the sensible thing, “I’m slowing down for potholes, jumps, corners, anything!” he said, “All I have to do is finish to make my 21st birthday complete.”

The finish area was in darkness by the time the three Stilos completed the final stage of the final round of 2004. It did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of two camps in the Stilo service area, Woffinden and Metcalfe making it event and series winners respectively. Paul Tod was not too disappointed though, taking second place on the rally, his best result of the year.

There was champagne for both winners but the photographs with the prize Super 1600 Fiat Punto were reserved for Tom Metcalfe. The birthday boy congratulated Chris Davies’ championship winning co-driver Nathan Parry, as Kirsty Riddick only joined the Metcalfe camp on round three. Woffinden’s hat-trick of victories catapulted him from fourth to second in the final points table while Davies slipped to third.

Next year will see Tom Metcalfe contest the British Rally Championship in the Super 1600 Punto, while another batch of hopefuls battle for the title of 2005 Fiat Stilo Rally Cup champion.

Tempest Rally Final Results
1 Shaun Woffinden/Bob Duck 1:23:10.8
2 Paul Tod/Iestyn ap Dafydd 1:25:56.4
3 Tom Metcalfe/Kirsty Riddick 1:29:59.1

Final Drivers Championship  Points
1 Tom Metcalfe 120
2 Shaun Woffinden 117
3 Christopher Davies 112
5 Paul Tod 98
4 William Bonniwell 92
6 Joan Vila Roca 38
  
Final Co-drivers Championship  Tot
1 Nathan Parry 112
2 Kirsty Riddick 102
3 Iestyn ap Dafydd 98
4 Ian Fraser 92
5 Howard Pridmore 92
6 Jordi Barrabes 38
7 Bob Duck 25
8 Roger Herron 18

• Tempest South of England Rally - 5-6 Nov 04
• Fiat Stilo Cup

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14/10/04
WOFFINDEN MAKES IT TWO IN A ROW
After a nine week break in the Fiat Stilo Rally Cup, all the competitors were ready to rejoin battle as the series arrived in Malton for Trackrod Rally Yorkshire. The penultimate round of the one-make championship, Rally Yorkshire’s famous fast gravel stages saw a dramatic change at the top of the points table.

Leading by just two points, Willie Bonniwell/Ian Fraser arrived having contested Wales Rally GB two weeks earlier. They had started the car for the first time on Tuesday only to discover the engine was running on three cylinders. Undaunted, they decided to make the trip from Oban and changed the engine computer before safety scrutiny, but the misfire developed into a rattle. Despite the best efforts of his team and fellow competitor Tom Metcalfe, the rattle proved to be terminal and the crew loaded the car on the trailer.

“I’m absolutely distraught,” said the visibly upset Bonniwell, “After preparing the car after Rally GB, we had no idea the engine was damaged and with it has gone our chance of winning the championship. It’s still mathematically possible but it would need other people to retire.”

With Bonniwell’s fate still on everybody’s mind, the first day got under way with three loops of three stages returning to Pickering Showground for service. The Super Special stage around the showground was just over half a mile and Shaun Woffinden/Howard Pridmore laid down the gauntlet, pipping Paul Tod/Iestyn ap Dafydd by just 0.3 seconds. A further 1.5 seconds back was Chris Davies/Nathan Parry followed by Tom Metcalfe/Kirsty Riddick, a mere 0.4 seconds further back.

The 9.28 miles of Cropton saw Woffinden extend his lead, but the drama was from Metcalfe. Suffering from inconsistent braking, he couldn’t stop at the end of a long straight and spent nearly ten minutes stuck in a firebreak. “Spectators helped us back out but it took ages,” he shrugged, “There’s no damage but I’ve blown it for any chance of a win.”

At service Woffinden’s lead had grown to 8.8 seconds from Davies with Tod just 2.5 seconds further back. Tod was delighted, “We’ve made our own notes and we’re getting into them now.” he enthused, “The car’s going well and it’s nice to be up with the front pair.”

The next three stages totalled 28.41 miles and Davies took the first two stage wins with Woffinden taking the time back on the long Givendale stage. Metcalfe and Tod both had problems; Metcalfe having a recurrence of his Manx misfire and Tod’s car refusing to change out of second. The pair crawled through the stages, making it back to service where the crews attempted repairs. Within minutes, Tod’s car was restored to full health, but his painfully slow progress on such fast stages had cost him third place to Metcalfe. The young Scot’s crew attempted to change the fuel pump but were thwarted by a stubborn seal that refused to open, so he went to the final loop of stages with fingers crossed.

The honours were once again shared between Davies and Woffinden with Davies sensibly accepting that second place would suffice for the sake of the championship. Woffinden extended his lead to over 23 seconds at the final service of the day despite clipping a small tree on the Super Special stage. “I couldn’t believe it,” he mused, “The car turned in more than I expected and I whacked a tree,” he continued, “There’s not a great deal of damage but it happened right in front of all the spectators. I’m more embarrassed than anything.”

Metcalfe continued with an intermitted misfire until the crew diagnosed a loose wiring connection at the final service of the day. With Tod’s gearbox fixed, his speed was encouraging until he caught a slower car, dropping time while unable to get past. “The guy just didn’t see us,” he said, “I can’t really blame him since the back of all the cars are absolutely caked in mud. It’s just one of those things.”

End of Leg 1 Positions
1 Shaun Woffinden/Howard Pridmore 1:09:01.6
2 Chris Davies/Nathan Parry 1:09:24.8
3 Tom Metcalfe/Kirsty Riddick 1:23:06.3
4 Paul Tod/Iestyn ap Dafydd 1:25:37.3

Just under forty miles of competition awaited the crews on day two, with five stages split by one main service halt. Two runs on the Super Special stage and three blasts through the forests saw three different stage winners, Davies taking no chances in the run for home.

Metcalfe opened his account with an advantage of 0.5 seconds over Tod on the 0.51 mile Showground stage but the Scot stamped his mark on the longest stage of the day, beating nearest rival Woffinden by 4.5 seconds. At service the overall positions remained unchanged, Woffinden changing a wishbone as a precaution and Metcalfe frustrated that the off on day one and subsequent misfire probably denied him a chance at the win.

Tod took control of the next pair of stages and rued a minor indiscretion before service which left him in a ditch for fifteen seconds. “I’ve proved that I can set the times with these two stage wins, it’s annoying that my early gearbox problems cost me a chance at the lead.”

Davies was in a philosophical mood. “All I needed to do was put in solid finish on the rally.” he said, “It has been difficult to maintain concentration especially on the long straights. But in rallying, it’s not over until the final control, so we’ve pushed as hard as we dared without making mistakes.,” He continued, It’s really disappointing for Willie (Bonniwell), I was looking forward to a good scrap and I certainly wouldn’t wish something like that on anybody.”

Woffinden took the final stage win to seal his domination of the event, leading from start to finish. He echoed Davies’ sentiments, “Willie would have made the battle more entertaining but we’re delighted to take the second victory in a row and there’s still the Tempest to go. We’ve moved up one place in the Championship and it’s still possible to win if other crews have problems.” Woffinden also took the victory in the British Rally Championship Formula 2000 category, although Davies heads the points table with one round remaining.

The final round of the Fiat Stilo Rally Cup is based in Aldershot on November 5/6 and the series will end its inaugural year with fireworks. Whether they are literal or metaphorical remains to be seen on the South of England Tempest Rally.

Trackrod Rally Yorkshire Final Results
1 Shaun Woffinden/Howard Pridmore 1:51:42.2
2 Chris Davies/Nathan Parry 1:52:30.8
3 Tom Metcalfe/Kirsty Riddick 2:06:14.4
4 Paul Tod/Iestyn ap Dafydd 2:08:39.2

Provisional Drivers Championship Tot
1 Christopher Davies 112
2 Tom Metcalfe 100
3 Shaun Woffinden 92
5 William Bonniwell 92
4 Paul Tod 76
6 Joan Vila Roca 38

Provisional Co-drivers Championship Tot
1 Nathan Parry 112
2 Howard Pridmore 92
3 Ian Fraser 92
4 Kirsty Riddick 82
5 Iestyn ap Dafydd 58
6 Jordi Barrabes 38
7 Roger Herron 18

• Trackrod Rally (Yorkshire) - 2-3 Oct 04
• Fiat Stilo Cup

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03/09/04
Fiat Stilo Rally Cup POST Manx Rally
WOFFINDEN TAKES WIN NUMBER ONE
The longest event of the 2004 Fiat Stilo Rally Cup witnessed highs and lows for the five championship contenders as the top spot changed four times before the finish.

The usual unpredictable Isle of Man weather played a part in the titanic struggle for overall honours as the crews tackled the first five stages on Thursday evening. The first two stages before service comprised a short spectator stage immediately after the start in Ramsey followed by the 7.88 mile Cornaa stage. Joint championship leader Chris Davies set out his stall taking the opening stage win in perfect conditions with fellow Abergavenny driver Paul Tod just 0.2 seconds down. Less than five seconds separated the drivers as they approached stage two but the leaderboard had a different complexion when they arrived at service. Willie Bonniwell was not about to let Davies get away so easily and he set a storming pace, nearly ten seconds clear of closest man Shaun Woffinden. Davies followed with Tom Metcalfe suffering a misfire and Tod losing confidence when he clipped a bank, taking on some mud in the front wheel.

Two runs through the traditional Castletown stage followed service, but the heavens opened and with darkness falling these two stages and the final stage of the leg had crews frantically cutting tyres to wet pattern in an effort to find more grip. The closeness of the competition was highlighted on the streets of the picturesque coastal town as Metcalfe took his first stage win on the first run. Davies was just 0.9 seconds behind with all five crews again separated by only six seconds. Davies responded, exactly matching Metcalfe on the second run, while Bonniwell extended the overall lead to 6.6 seconds from Woffinden. Tod admitted to being over cautious in the treacherous conditions but the five cars were still only separated by less than twenty seconds. The final and longest stage of the day at 13.83 miles saw the lead change again, Metcalfe setting a stunning time in the dark, foggy conditions. Bonniwell dropped to fourth when he clipped a bank and nearly took the tyre off the rim, finishing the stage with a flat. “I took it fairly easy afterwards,” he said, “the last time I went hard in the fog it ended in disaster!”

End of Leg 1 Positions
1 Tom Metcalfe/Kirsty Riddick 29:59.3
2 Shaun Woffinden/Howard Pridmore 30:04.4
3 Chris Davies/Nathan Parry 30:07.2
4 Willie Bonniwell/Ian Fraser 30:08.9
5 Paul Tod/Iestyn ap Dafydd 30:30.0

In typical Manx style, day two dawned bright and sunny, but the first run of the day was cancelled, the crews being allocated a notional time when an accident stopped the stage. After the next stage the overnight positions remained unchanged, although Bonniwell was struggling with a broken gear linkage support and Tod had a coming together with one of the Island’s infamous high banks. “I couldn’t slow down enough for a 2 right and hit the bank.” he rued, “The car went up the bank and landed on two wheels. I just managed to put some lock on or it would have gone over, but the track control arm is bent and we’ve dropped about five minutes.”

A loop of three stages followed, with the lead changing twice, so close were the times. Although Bonniwell took victory on each stage, Davies snatched the advantage from Metcalfe after stage eight. Bonniwell’s rise through the order was unrelenting, moving from fourth to first in just two stages. Metcalfe’s fall through the order was equally spectacular, as the misfire returned, dropping him from first to fourth in the same two stages. Back at service the battle between Woffinden and Davies was exhilarating, Woffinden’s experience of the Island leaving him 0.4 seconds clear of the Welshman while Tod had clipped a rock on the other front corner but sustained little damage.

The morning’s five stages were repeated in the afternoon but both stage twelve and fifteen were cancelled after accidents. The order remained unchanged before the final planned loop of three stages, Bonniwell taking another stage win and Metcalfe solving the misfire in service.

Stage thirteen was to prove unlucky for several crews. Metcalfe had a clean run, setting his fourth fastest time to claim third place, but despite Woffinden collecting a rear puncture on rocks dragged out by a previous car, he emerged the surprised leader. Bonniwell hit the same rocks but his front tyre deflated immediately and he stopped to change it, losing three minutes and demoting him back to fourth. Davies inherited a short-lived second, the car refusing to change out of third gear while Tod broke a gearbox mount which he repaired on the road section using a ratchet strap.

The final stage of the day saw Woffinden take his first stage victory and Bonniwell overhaul Davies, the youngster unable to resolve the problem on the road section. At the day’s final service all the crews had work to do with the five Stilos pronounced healthy as they arrived at Parc Ferme for the night.

End of Leg 2 Positions
1 Shaun Woffinden/Howard Pridmore 1:51:34.1
2 Tom Metcalfe/Kirsty Riddick 1:52:34.9
3 Willie Bonniwell/Ian Fraser 1:53:54.3
4 Chris Davies/Nathan Parry 1:54:44.3
5 Paul Tod/Iestyn ap Dafydd 1:57:32.9

The weather on day three looked unsettled with a couple of spots of light rain early on. Over seventy miles of competition remained and after stage one was cancelled, tyre choice became easy as the skies brightened for the rally’s final seven stages.

Stage seventeen, the 5.42 miles of Ravensdale passes the famous Brandywell Cottage but the hairpin bends proved the undoing of Paul Tod. “I got round the hairpin OK,” he said, “but the driveshaft joint broke as I accelerated away and the car wouldn’t drive on one ‘shaft so we parked up.” Tod’s demise did not change the order and while Davies took victory on the stage, the battle for the lead continued. Metcalfe was on a charge and Woffinden’s one minute advantage was slashed to just 38 seconds by the first service halt. “I may have backed off a bit too much,” commented Woffinden, “but there are still five stages to go and I can up the pace if necessary.”

The rally’s final five stages time run out for young Metcalfe, as his valiant attempt to catch Woffinden was hampered by the cancellation of stage 22, reducing the mileage on which he could attack. Bonniwell had a scare when the early support bracket problem recurred and he lost two sump guard bolts when the car bottomed out heavily. Davies had his driveshaft flange bolts shear just ¼ mile from the penultimate service halt, dropping three minutes and incurring 30 seconds penalty.

The final stage of the rally finished immediately adjacent to the famous TT grandstand, the centre for rally HQ and service and it was Shaun Woffinden/Howard Pridmore who took their first win of the season, pulling out all the stops with a final stage time 25 seconds ahead of the chasing Tom Metcalfe/Kirsty Riddick. “I knew I could go fast in the last stage if Tom got close,” smiled Woffinden, “but he decided to back off as well, so the gap was comfortable at the end. It’s great to win here since it’s such an endurance event on unforgiving roads.”

Willie Bonniwell/Ian Fraser maintained their position in front of championship rivals Chris Davies/Nathan Parry, to move the Scots two points clear in the Fiat Stilo Rally Cup with two rounds remaining.

There is a two month gap before the crews journey to Trackrod Rally Yorkshire based around Malton and Pickering on 2/3 October, but four Stilos will contest Wales Rally GB before then on 17-19 September. The official Fiat Auto (UK) Junior team consists of Leon Pesticcio, Andrea Perego and Chris Davies while Willie Bonniwell will compete as a private entrant

Manx International Rally Final Results
1 Shaun Woffinden/Howard Pridmore 3:08:42.9
2 Tom Metcalfe/Kirsty Riddick 3:09:31.7
3 Willie Bonniwell/Ian Fraser 3:10:38.5
4 Chris Davies/Nathan Parry 3:13:13.4

Provisional Drivers Championship Tot
1 William Bonniwell Oban 92
2 Christopher Davies Abergavenny 90
3 Tom Metcalfe Dumfries 80
5 Shaun Woffinden Gainsborough 67
4 Paul Tod Abergavenny 58
6 Joan Vila Roca Girona 38

Provisional Co-drivers Championship Tot
1 Ian Fraser Isle of Mull 92
2 Nathan Parry Abergavenny 90
4 Howard Pridmore Risley 67
5 Kirsty Riddick Castle Douglas 62
3 Iestyn ap Dafydd Bargoed 58
6 Jordi Barrabes Barcelona 38
7 Roger Herron Kilwinning 18

• Manx International Rally - 29-31 Jul 04
• Fiat Stilo Cup

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07/07/04
Fiat Stilo Cup - POST Jim Clark Rally

CONFUSION RAINS ON STILO WINNER
Five of the Fiat Stilo Rally Cup protagonists arrived for the start of the championship¡¯s fourth round in Kelso, ready for the new challenge of asphalt. The change of surface, together with uncertain weather conditions, would make tyre choice difficult and the stages potentially treacherous if it rained, and rain it did. The first stage was a short 6.6 miles in the Lammermuir Hills to the south-east of Edinburgh, and Scots Willie Bonniwell/Ian Fraser took the early advantage, having treated the wet stages with some respect. They were followed by series leaders Chris Davies/Nathan Parry just six seconds adrift and determined not to lose sight of the leader. Davies was relieved to see his car at the start, since it arrived straight from the body shop, having been damaged while testing two days before the rally.

Within 0.9 seconds of the championship leaders was the chasing pair of Tom Metcalfe/Kirsty Riddick, who had instructions from their team manager to take it easy on the early stages. Paul Tod/Iestyn ap Dafydd had a moment on the grass but managed to stay within 0.2 seconds of Metcalfe, while Shaun Woffinden/Howard Pridmore's rally nearly got off to a disastrous start, as they took a wrong turn on the way to the stage start.

At the first service halt after two stages a new leader emerged with a 4.9 second advantage. Metcalfe had set a storming time and leap-frogged into the lead, with Bonniwell slipping to third behind the improving Woffinden, now second. Paul Tod arrived with the rear offside wheel toed-out ,having clipped a kerb on the exit of a gravelly corner. The only crew missing from the fray was the championship leader Chris Davies, who telephoned in with an explanation; ¡°We¡¯d changed the tyres on the road section before stage two and the car fell off the jack,¡± he said, ¡°but we went into two full of confidence until we reached the corner that caught Paul (Tod) out. The car went into a four wheel drift and hit the kerb hard. It bent the rear beam, broke the wheel and snapped a front strut so we¡¯re resigned to spectating. Obviously we¡¯re disappointed, but it¡¯s just one of those things.¡±

The next five stages were topped and tailed by the Langton spectator stage. At just two miles long, it boasts a famous water splash and a huge jump where many great drivers have come unstuck.

Bonniwell blitzed the opposition in the first run through and re-took the lead, with Metcalfe second, a mere 0.5 seconds behind. Woffinden took it easy in the slippery conditions and dropped to third, with Tod setting third fastest and maintaining fourth position.

Stage four was a re-run of stage two. The technical 13 mile Abbey St Bathans stage climbs the Lammermuir Hills from the south with plenty of crests and unseen corners to catch out the unwary. Metcalfe¡¯s first run through was not to be repeated as he suffered a puncture and dropped over seven minutes when his car also fell off the jack whilst changing it. Kirsty was lucky to escape unscathed from a bizarre incident when another competitor lost a wheel at speed. ¡°While we were changing the tyre his wheel came off and flew about twenty feet in the air. It landed a yard away from me then bounced off into the river, I was very lucky.¡± she commented. After the stage Bonniwell still led from Woffinden, while Tod emerged having bent the rear beam on the other side. This left him third, and 18 year old Metcalfe a distant fourth.

The final three stages of the day left the positions unchanged, with Bonniwell opening up a lead of 50.9 seconds. The gap could have been less but Woffinden caught and passed the struggling Tod on several stages, the Welshman fighting just to keep the car in a straight line. With good pace notes Metcalfe was able to push, and had closed the gap on Tod to just 18.6 seconds. All the competitors were relieved to reach the overnight halt, although most did not have much sleep, with a late finish and early re-start on Saturday.

More changeable weather awaited the remaining four Stilos on Saturday, and although the roads were dry, the front runners had dragged mud onto the roads, leaving the conditions unpredictable.

Bonniwell was the first to be caught out, spinning in a farmyard on the 7 mile Blackadder stage. He dropped around 20 seconds, allowing Woffinden to close the gap. Tod continued to suffer with a wayward rear beam, the metal weakened by repeated bending and straightening, but he and Metcalfe retained their positions, running further down the field after re-seeding overnight. Woffinden took 5.1 seconds on Ayton, but lost the advantage when they realised they had the wrong notes as the countdown for the next stage began. ¡°It was six or seven corners in before Howard had found the correct page and we could push.¡± rued Woffinden.

Stages 11, 12 and 13 were run together before the next service, but Bonniwell found 11 and 12 to be his unlucky numbers. He dropped around 10 seconds on stage 11 with an excursion into a field through an open gate. But more importantly, he suffered a front puncture two miles into the soaking nine mile Eccles stage, driving on the flat and dropping over 30 seconds.

This left Woffinden the surprised new leader; although he admitted he had pushed hard, the gap was small at just 13 seconds. He was even more astonished to see Metcalfe¡¯s time on stage 12. The youngster was 32 seconds quicker than the next Stilo, and took not only the stage win but had set a top 20 time overall, beating all but two Super 1600 cars in the treacherous conditions. He passed Tod for third and took another stage win on the new three mile Mack¡¯s Hill stage, albeit by just two seconds from Bonniwell.

Stages 11, 12 and 13 were used in the same order again after service, but the rain had stopped and the stages dried quickly. Paul Tod set his first fastest stage time, with all the wheels pointing in the same direction and the car behaving in the dry. Metcalfe was second quickest, but Bonniwell¡¯s car was beginning to show the signs of his hard charging. With a bent front strut and too much camber on the rear he was just 0.7 seconds quicker than Woffinden through the Swinton stage, after the leader had a near miss with another car, narrowly missing it as he slid off, and losing a few seconds in the process.

Bonniwell took the bit between his teeth and pushed hard on Eccles, determined not to let his first run through faze him. The strategy worked and he emerged 0.8 seconds ahead of Woffinden, with Metcalfe extending his lead over Tod.

Once again, Metcalfe took the Mack¡¯s Hill stage from Bonniwell, both extending the gaps to the crews behind, with Bonniwell now 13.6 seconds clear of Woffinden. Tod was unable to push Metcalfe as his beam had sagged again, although final service beckoned.

The last seven stages began and ended with a pair of runs through Langton, and the first, stage 18, was to prove controversial. Woffinden was quickest but there was an error in the results which put him a full seven seconds quicker than his actual time. With many championships this may not have mattered, but with the Stilos so close it proved crucial at the finish.

Woffinden took the lead on the next stage which he held until the last pair of tests through Langton. Bonniwell had begun to struggle with the gearbox, but he maintained his pace, staying in touch with the leader. Metcalfe clipped a tree stump in stage 18, spinning 360 degrees and bending the offside rear suspension. Thus, Tod inherited third, and with no more service halts before the finish, Metcalfe had to pray the suspension, and his nerve, held, just so he could make the finish.

Following the cancellation of stage 21, the final pair of stages (22 and 23) saw another two trips through a rainy Langton. The first of the pair was where the error on stage 18 was to come to light when there was confusion between the event results and the competitors¡¯. Nevertheless, Bonniwell pushed hard and took an astonishing 9.1 seconds off Woffinden. This left him seemingly still trailing by 3.2 seconds with one stage to go. He closed the gap to 1.8 seconds on the final run, but it appeared to be too little too late.

Woffinden duly took the champagne at the finish ramp in Kelso but the drama was not over. When the results were declared final at 8.30pm on Saturday, the seven second discrepancy was discovered and included, leaving Woffinden blissfully unaware of his demotion from first to second and Bonniwell equally oblivious to his elevation to joint championship leader. It did not change the final places though, Tod taking the junior award and finishing third ahead of early leader Metcalfe.

Championship points are being awarded as per the final results, and battle will recommence at the end of July on the all-tarmac Manx International. As usual,the event is based in Douglas, and takes place over July 29/30/31.


Jim Clark Memorial Rally Final Results No Driver Co-Driver Time
60 Willie Bonniwell Ian Fraser 2:38:44.1
63 Shaun Woffinden Howard Pridmore 2:38:49.3
62 Paul Tod Iestyn ap Dafydd 2:46:28.3
61 Tom Metcalfe Kirsty Riddick 2:50:19.8

Provisional Drivers Championship Tot
1 William Bonniwell 72
2 Christopher Davies 72
3 Tom Metcalfe 58
4 Paul Tod 58
5 Shaun Woffinden 42
6 Joan Vila Roca 38

Provisional Co-drivers Championship Tot
1 Ian Fraser Isle of Mull 72
2 Nathan Parry Abergavenny 72
3 Iestyn Dafydd Bargoed 58
4 Howard Pridmore Risley 42
5 Kirsty Riddick Castle Douglas 40
6 Jordi Barrabes Barcelona 38
7 Roger Herron Kilwinning 18

• 2004 Jim Clark Memorial Rally - 2-4 Jul 04
• Fiat Stilo Cup

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15/06/04
DAVIES TAKES VICTORY IN DUMFRIES
RSAC Scottish Rally June 11/12 2004

History will show that Chris Davies and Nathan Parry led the third round of the Fiat Stilo Rally Cup from start to finish. However, the eventual result was far from guaranteed, and the stage chart shows that four of the six regulars took stage wins on the 85 mile event.

Competitors were greeted by an uncertain weather prospect on Friday morning. But following a tiring reconnoitre of the ten stages and successful safety scrutiny, the high clouds meant perfect rallying conditions for the three Friday evening stages.

A familiar village name to rally drivers, Ae, to the north east of Dumfries, held new challenges for the drivers and co-drivers alike. Re-configured for the 2004 event, the sandy 8.98 mile opening stage saw Davies emerge leading by 10.3 seconds from a surprised Willie Bonniwell/Ian Fraser. The Scots admitted to being out of practice with no time for pre-event testing, while the Welsh pair had pushed hard on the high speed sections to eek out the early lead.

Englishmen Shaun Woffinden and Howard Pridmore were not too far behind, wanting to put their retirement on round two behind them. Woffinden eased off on the muddy sections, the cool conditions not suiting the comparatively hard compound Pirelli tyres, and finished just 2.6 seconds adrift of Davies.

It was not a comfortable position to be in since a scant 0.7 seconds further back were Spanish duo Joan Roca and co-driver Jordi Barrabes. The experienced Catalan driver recognised some of the sections, having competed on the event in 2003, and set a competitive time despite his mechanics having only fitted the gearbox that morning.

With all the Stilos being the same specification, the times were all close, and fifth placed Paul Tod/Iestyn ap Dafydd were only 17 seconds behind the leader. Tod¨ˆs confidence was a little shaken after suffering brain fade on a fast right over a crest, but he was happy to be within seven seconds of Bonniwell.

Dumfries youngster Tom Metcalfe was joined by his regular co-driver Kirsty Riddick for his home event. The pair were reunited for round three in an effort to rebuild Tom¨ˆs confidence after crashing out of the first two events. They were pleased with their performance, but planned to ignore the time sheets until they were settled together again.

The second stage was a short blast through a section of forest adjacent to the service area north of Dumfries, and Roca set the pace. The spectators in the purpose-made quarry amphitheatre section were kept entertained, as the top five Stilos were separated by just 2.8 seconds, all pushing hard through the bowl. Paul Tod was the only one off the pace, the Stilo digging into a rut on the approach to the water splash, pitching his car to the outside of the corner. The time loss was minimal but it elicited a cheer from the crowd which was loud enough for the crew to hear from inside the car! Roca¨ˆs pace and the closeness of the competition was enough to move him from fourth to third at the first service, at the expense of Woffinden, the pair separated by just half a second in the Spaniard¨ˆs favour.

The final stage of the day was a repeat of Ae, and Bonniwell woke up to the threat from Davies. He was 5.5 seconds quicker, closing the gap at the end of leg one to just 2.1 seconds. Davies explained the dropped time, ⌠I braked too late for a fast downhill left and right and went sideways off the road. By the time I had gathered it back up, I had the steering wheel pointing in the wrong direction and went off again on the other side of the road!¡ö

The darkening stage claimed the rally¨ˆs first Stilo victim. Like the other crews, Woffinden was using his lamp pod but had it set quite high. Over a fast crest the road in front was unlit and by the time the car had settled, the next corner was too close. He went off on the outside, and although undamaged and able to move the car, it steadfastly refused to regain the road, bellying out on the sump guard and ending his rally.

Roca was another with problems in the dark. His car had refused to start with the key since the new gearbox was fitted, but this was compounded by a recurrence of his round two gear selector problems. This dropped him to 4th behind a delighted Paul Tod. The Welshman was elevated from 5th to 3rd in one stage, despite struggling with a bent rear axle.

Metcalfe was also pleased; daring to look at the time sheets, his confidence was building, taking fourth fastest time on the final stage of the leg. ⌠I wouldn¨ˆt wish ill fate on any of the other guys, but my game plan is to have a trouble-free run and hope it nets me decent championship points at the end.¡ö

The first two stages of leg two saw the battle between Davies and Bonniwell intensify, Davies taking first blood by 1.5 seconds after spending some time on two wheels over a fifth gear bump. Bonniwell returned on stage five, this time 1.8 seconds in front, leaving him trailing the Welshman by the same 1.8 second margin going into stage six. He managed this with a slight misfire which was diagnosed as a faulty throttle pedal sensor.

Behind the leading battle, Metcalfe set a pair of third quickest times, consolidating his third place, while Roca suffered power steering failure mid way through the stage. He commented, ⌠I prefer to work out in the gym, I am not happy to exercise in the stages.¡ö

Tod was spotted with the bonnet open at the arrival of stage 5, having dropped time on SS4. The problem was explained at service, ⌠It stuck in either 2nd or 3rd gear and I have driven a stage and a half and all the road sections like that. We dropped loads of time trying to fix it and we¨ˆve picked up over two minutes road penalties, but we¨ˆre still here.¡ö

Bonniwell¨ˆs fight for the lead ended on SS6 when a damaged front strut caused the car to bottom-out on a badly rutted corner. The car pitched sideways and was dragged into the inside where it stuck fast. With no assistance on hand, Bonniwell and Fraser were sidelined as spectators for the remainder of the test, dashing their hopes for a second win. Davies took the stage victory with Metcalfe a surprised second on the stage and now second in the points, despite catching the ailing Roca on SS6 and SS7. Tod also continued with his car jammed in gear, the service crew unable to rectify the problem at service.

Leader Davies backed off on the remaining loop of three stages, but Roca pushed hard and took SS8 by 5.5 seconds before suffering power steering failure again. With all gears operational Tod took third fastest from Metcalfe, all four holding station overall.

Tod was fastest on the final pair of stages with Davies second, but Roca and Metcalfe were close on SS9, Roca just 0.5 seconds in front. The strain showed on his face at the end of the rally, losing nearly 17 seconds on the final stage to the local pair.

Tod¨ˆs push was not enough, he and ap Dafydd never recovering from their slow times whilst stuck in gear, and finishing fourth. Roca and Barrabes were disappointed with third, confident that their problems cost them the chance of a win, while Metcalfe and Riddick were delighted that the game plan worked, taking their first finish of the season in second.

But the honours went to Chris Davies and Nathan Parry who proved that their win on home soil in Wales was no fluke. ⌠We had a bit of a scare on the last stage with a slow rear puncture,¡ö said Davies, ⌠and although we would have liked to have beaten Willie on time, the win is no less special for us. It will be nice to go onto the asphalt of the Jim Clark with a clear lead in both Junior and overall championships.¡ö

The fourth round of the Fiat Stilo Rally Cup is the Jim Clark Memorial Rally based in Duns in Berwickshire on July 2/3. The lanes around the birthplace of one of Scotland¨ˆs finest race and rally drivers will be a fitting venue for the championship fight to continue.

The Fiat Stilo Rally Cup acknowledges support from Fiat Auto (UK), Hi-Tec, Toora Competizione, PIAA, Bardahl, Pirelli and media partner Motorsport News.

RSAC Scottish Rally Results

No Driver Co-Driver Time
27 Chris Davies Nathan Parry 1:28:32.5
32 Tom Metcalfe Kirsty Riddick 1:32:32.0
34 Joan Roca Jordi Barrabes 1:35:38.5
29 Paul Tod Iestyn Ap Dafydd 1:38:11.6

Provisional Drivers Championship  
1 Christopher Davies 72
2 William Bonniwell  47
3 Tom Metcalfe  40
4 Paul Tod  38
5 Joan Roca 38
6 Shaun Woffinden  20

Provisional Co-Drivers Championship  
1 Nathan Parry  72
2 Ian Fraser  47
3 Iestyn ap Dafydd 38
4 Jordi Barrabes  38
5 Kirsty Riddick 22
6 Howard Pridmore  20
7 Roger Herron 18

Fiat Stilo Cup

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18/05/04
Fiat Stilo Rally Cup POST Rally of Wales
DAVIES HOME RUN
The picturesque town of Dolgellau was bathed in sunshine for the International Rally of Wales, where six Fiat Stilo Rally Cup crews joined battle for round two of the UK's newest one make rally series.

Situated in the heart of rally country, the town is no stranger to the sport, but it played host to the whole event for the first time in its history.

As championship leaders, Scots Willie Bonniwell and Ian Fraser led the cars over the start ramp in the town square, heading for the first pair of stages in the forest complex to the south and east of Dolgellau.

The 15.84 mile Dyfi stage could have been instrumental in the result of the rally with Bonniwell's car developing a water leak mid-way through and Paul Tod¨ˆs car sticking in fourth gear. They were relieved, but the other Stilo crews were disappointed, when an accident caused them to drive non-competitively through the final part of the stage. A total of fifteen crews were allocated a nominal time, effectively making stage two their first competitive test.

Having affected a temporary repair at the roadside, on the next stage Bonniwell went on to set a blistering pace, fifteen seconds clear of Gainsborough's Shaun Woffinden and Howard Pridmore. Unfortunately the repair had cost them time and the resulting one-and-a-half minute road penalty dropped them to last Stilo. Woffinden benefited and led at first service. He and Pridmore had made their own pace notes and found they worked well on the 11.53 mile Dyfnant stage, but both were on guard in case their round one misfire returned. Abergavenny pairing, Chris Davies and Nathan Parry, were a further nine seconds adrift, with Davies admitting that the car had been fine but he had been asleep.

Snapping at the locals' heels and just 1.9 seconds down were Catalan Joan Roca and his Spanish co-driver Jordi Barrabes. They were another pair who returned to the first service suffering from tiredness after a gruelling 14 hour recce the day before, during which they suffered two punctures on their recce car.

Less than ten seconds behind were Paul Tod and Iestyn ap Dafydd. The second all-Welsh crew suffered when their car became stuck gear again, a problem that was remedied at service. However, they were another crew who picked up road penalties, but 20 seconds was a small price to pay for the roadside repair.

Scots topped and tailed the time sheets on stage 2, with Dumfries represented by Tom Metcalfe and Roger Herron, who also had problems with gear selection, the pair only having 1st, 3rd and 5th gears before the service halt.

At 7.95 miles, Pantperthog was a relatively short stage and the times were close. Roca took the stage win and leapt into the lead, but Bonniwell began his fight-back, stopping the clock just 0.9 seconds adrift of the Spaniard. Eight seconds further back and maintaining second place was Davies, with Metcalfe having a clean run just nine seconds behind the Welshman. Tod and Woffinden struggled, with Woffinden dropping to third while Tod had Bonniwell closing on his fifth place.

Stage four was a re-run of Dyfi and it proved that in rallying, everything can change in an instant. Bonniwell had the bit between his teeth and stormed through with another fastest time, with Davies gamely hanging on 14.9 seconds behind. However, after the stage, the time sheets showed the Welshman leading. Roca had taken six minutes to affect a mid-stage gear selector repair, dropping him to last Stilo.

He was not placed sixth though, since stage four saw the demise of former leader Woffinden and the improving Metcalfe. Back at service Woffinden explained his retirement: "We hit a big outcrop on a fast left hander and it pulled the driveshaft out." He continued: "It was only half-a-mile from the end of the stage and we managed to drive out, but called it a day on the road section when the diff started complaining."

Metcalfe's disappearance was rather more spectacular, with the car reportedly spotted upside down in a ravine, wedged between two trees. Both driver and co-driver were unhurt, but the car remained there until the stage was over.

This elevated Paul Tod from fifth to third where he remained until the end of day one, although his final stage of the day was hampered when he caught the dust from the car in front which had slowed with a puncture.

Having leap-frogged Tod on stage four, the final stage of the day saw Bonniwell reduce the gap to new leader Davies by a further eight seconds, leaving him poised for a charge on Sunday's three stages.

End of Leg 1 Positions
1 Chris Davies/Nathan Parry 13:39.0 
2 Willie Bonniwell/Ian Fraser 14:13.7 
3 Paul Tod/Iestyn ap Dafydd 15:32.8 
4 Joan Roca/Jordi Barrabes 19:28.0 

Nearly forty miles awaited the crews on an uncharacteristically sunny May morning in Wales, and Davies needed all his local support as Bonniwell had vowed to have a charge for the lead.

In the only scheduled service of the day, the teams had just ten minutes to check the cars over after they were released from the overnight parc ferme and Bonniwell had bad news. When he drove out of parc ferme the power steering didn't work, and with no time to trace the fault he headed for the three stages with some trepidation.

Davies and Parry had their fingers crossed, and when an incorrect time penalty was scrubbed, they were convinced that he could hold off Bonniwell's ailing car. The Welshman crossed the line setting a time of 17:02.5 and waited for the Scot, who was just one car back. Astoundingly Bonniwell was nearly nine seconds quicker, and Davies went into the penultimate stage fearing he would be caught.

Meanwhile Tod and Roca held station, with big time gaps in front and behind meaning that they could not catch or be caught without one having serious problems.

Bonniwell's charge was cut short on stage seven when he ran wide at the edge of the track and spun. His error meant that Davies took his first stage victory, over twenty seconds faster. The drama behind was equally tense, with Tod suffering a puncture and Roca a recurrence of his gear selection malady.

The final stage of the rally should have been simple for Davies. With badly blistered hands from fighting with the steering, Bonniwell's charge might have been over. But Davies had to drive the stage with no cooling fan and an eye on the temperature gauge. This allowed Bonniwell and Fraser to take their fifth stage win of the event, but the honours went to the delighted Chris Davies and Nathan Parry, who were just two seconds slower, driving the whole stage with the heater on full to try and keep the engine cool. The two top placed Stilo crews also picked up first and second in the event's Formula 2000 category, and go to the next round equal on points.

Paul Tod/Iestyn ap Dafydd took third place and valuable championship points after their disappointment on round one, while Joan Roca/Jordi Barrabes struggled through, also taking their first points of the season.

The Championship now has three ties, with Bonniwell and Davies sharing the top spot, Woffinden and Tod sharing third and Metcalfe and Roca sharing fifth. Chris Davies leads the Junior category.

The next round is the RSAC Scottish Rally based in Dumfries on 11/12 June, sure to be well worth watching to see the battle unfold for the 2005 Fiat Punto S1600 prize.

The Fiat Stilo Rally Cup acknowledges support from Fiat Auto (UK), Hi-Tec, Toora Competizione, PIAA, Bardahl, Pirelli and media partner Motorsport News.

Final Positions
1 Davies/Parry 59:56.7 
2 Bonniwell/Fraser 00:40.7 
3 Tod/ap Dafydd 02:41.1 
4 Roca/Barrabes 20:11.5 
 
Provisional Championship Positions
1 Bonniwell/Fraser 47 
2 Davies/Parry 47 
3 Woffinden/Pridmore 20 
4 Tod/ap Dafydd 20 
5 Metcalfe/Herron 18 
6 Roca/Barrabes 18 

More info including photos at Fiat Stilo Cup

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26/04/05
Fiat Stilo Rally Cup POST Pirelli International Rally BONNIWELL TAKES FIRST VICTORY
The Fiat Stilo Rally Cup
Pirelli International Rally 23/24 April 2004

Gateshead¨ˆs Baltic Centre played backdrop for the start of the opening round of the brand new Fiat Stilo Rally Cup on Friday evening.

The one-make rally series comprises seven rounds of the Kwik Fit Pirelli British Rally Championship and the Pirelli International Rally was an excellent opener for the six identical specification Fiat Stilo rally cars.

120 miles of flat -out rallying awaited the hopefuls as they set off to sample the infamous Kielder forest complex, with the first three stages unusually taking place in the dark.

Early leader was Catalan driver Joan Roca, who used his last year's experience of dark Kielder stages to good effect. He took 2.3 seconds off Welshman Chris Davies, who pronounced himself happy with his efforts on the 7.03 mile Wether Lair stage. Seven seconds further back was Scot Willie Bonniwell who complained of poor visibility, and a scant 2.2 seconds behind was fellow countryman Tom Metcalfe who was settling in well. Shaun Woffinden was the first of the Stilo drivers to attack the darkness, but the stage was to prove tricky. The Gainsborough man caught the car in front, which slowed him until he managed to squeeze past. The subsequent time loss left him fifth, followed by Paul Tod who was not familiar with night time rallying and admitted that he just wanted to get the night stages over with.

On the second stage, Roca extended his lead to nearly twenty seconds, taking the rest of the Stilos by surprise and laying down the gauntlet to the chasing pack. Davies and Bonniwell held station while Woffinden had a push to take fourth, but lacked concentration after the frustration of stage one. Metcalfe had intercom problems on stage two, while Tod continued his baptism of fire in the darkness.

The crews had a short refuelling stop before the final stage of the evening, a 10.81 mile test south of the beautiful Kielder water. Bonniwell solved his visibility problems by adjusting the spotlights and the improvement was instantly evident, as he set fastest time, albeit a mere 3.8 seconds quicker than Roca. The Spanish crew had their excuse ready though; having caught a car in the stage, Roca reckoned the time lost was about 4 seconds.

Davies pressed on in third, finishing the leg just 4.4 seconds behind Bonniwell, but 32 seconds adrift of Roca. Metcalfe was 9.5 seconds quicker than Woffinden whose co-driver Howard Pridmore spotted an error on his timecard at the end of the stage. The problem was not easily resolved and a one minute time penalty dropped the pair to last Stilo overnight. Paul Tod benefited from this misfortune and ended the night a relieved fifth.

Positions after leg 1
1 Roca/Barrabes 33:00.2
2 Bonniwell/Fraser 33:28.0
3 Davies/Parry 33:32.4
4 Metcalfe/Herron 34:09.5
5 Tod/ap Dafydd 34:51.8
6 Woffinden/Pridmore 35:15.4

Saturday morning¨ˆs re-start was bright and early at 7am, with a service at Hexham¨ˆs Auction Mart before the cars headed into the same loop of stages, daylight promising higher speeds and a continuing battle.

Tom Metcalfe is obviously used to early morning starts as he blasted through the short stage 3.2 seconds quicker than nearest rival Bonniwell, closing the gap on third placed Davies. Just 0.6 seconds separated the second and third drivers through the re-run stage, and they were 5 seconds ahead of Roca with Woffinden a mere 0.6 seconds behind the Spaniard. The run-out to this loop of stages was to prove the downfall of Paul Tod, the Welshman suffering gearbox failure on the road section, a result of low gearbox oil which hadn¨ˆt been spotted at service.

On stage five, Metcalfe¨ˆs good fortune also ran out, as he rolled the car on a fast right hander and lost around 12 minutes. The pair ended up on their roof with just one spectator to help them right the car, which was nursed through the remainder of the stage. This left Roca back on top, stunning the rest of the field again with a time 23.3 seconds faster than his nearest rival. Davies took second from Bonniwell with Woffinden losing seven minutes in a ditch at the arrival control for stage four, the result of trying to squeeze past another competitor and regain his place in the queue.

Bonniwell was not to be disheartened, and beat Roca by 12.3 seconds on the final stage before service, Scot trailing Spaniard by 32.8 seconds at Hexham. Davies returned for repairs to his front suspension a further 12.1 seconds down, but with a comfortable 2¨o minute gap to Woffinden in fourth. Metcalfe struggled through stage six , but made it back to Hexham with a broken windscreen and bent rear axle. It appeared that he would stay there with only twenty minutes to affect a repair. But his crew worked a miracle and he drove out of the control without dropping any time, and to a well deserved round of applause from a crowd of astonished spectators.

The temptation for a charge on the new loop of stages proved irresistible to Bonniwell, and he blasted through 24.7 seconds quicker than Davies. The Welshman continued to suffer from front suspension problems, while Roca finished the stage 1.6 seconds back but was spotted with the bonnet up after the stage finish. Woffinden was nearly twenty seconds back and suffering from an intermittent misfire that had been threatening all day, with Metcalfe tip-toeing through the stage listening for any untoward noises.

The teams waited for the cars to return to Hexham and although the rest of the order was the same , there was one Stilo missing in the queue for service. Reports from the other drivers told the story of the demise of Joan Roca. He had been delayed at the end of stage seven and drove the short distance to stage eight on forestry roads to find he had lost his place in the queue. His attempt to leap-frog the queue by driving in the ditch resulted in the same fate as Woffinden at the start of stage four. Unfortunately for the Spaniards and despite the best efforts of the other Stilo drivers, he burnt the clutch out while desperately trying to extract the car from the yawning ditch. He was not alone though; Metcalfe spent 26 minutes in another Kielder ditch. A lesser driver would have called it a day, but he persevered and finished the stage with a further 2 minutes time penalty.

The final pair of stages should have amounted to a Bonniwell cruise to victory, but a last stage drama saw the Scot stuck in gear and without power steering. He gamely hung on for ten agonising miles in third gear, but Davies¨ˆ suspension problems also slowed him, leaving Woffinden to take a stage win despite his worsening misfire.

Four relieved Fiat Stilo Rally Cup crews crossed the ramp back in Gateshead, none more so than opening round winners Willie Bonniwell and Ian Fraser, who took §×1000 prize money and the lead of the new championship They also won the Pirelli International rally Formula 2000 category and had their first ever experience of spraying champagne. Second were Chris Davies/Nathan Parry, taking not only §×750 but the Junior category win, and with it a further §×300. Shaun Woffinden/Howard Pridmore took third and §×500, and Tom Metcalfe/Roger Herron took fourth.

The next event is the Rally of Wales in Dolgellau on May 15/16, where battle will be rejoined and Willie Bonniwell will have to beat the Welsh on home ground.

The Fiat Stilo Rally Cup acknowledges support from Fiat Auto (UK), Hi-Tec, Toora Competizione, PIAA, Bardahl, Pirelli and media partners, Motorsport News.

Final Positions/Provisional Championship Positions
1 Bonniwell/Fraser 1:49:17.3
2 Davies/Parry 1:49:46.7
3 Woffinden/Pridmore 1:52:26.5
4 Metcalfe/Herron 2:36:15.9

More info including photos at Fiat Stilo Cup

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29/03/04
SUCCESSFUL DEBUT FOR RALLY STILOS The Fiat Stilo Rally Cup
BRC Live 21 March 2004

The Fiat Stilo Rally Cup kicked off to a flying, if windy, start at last weekend's BRC Live at Nuneaton in Warwickshire. Five of the striking Broom Yellow one-make series cars attended the pre-British Rally Championship shakedown and PR day.

The event, held at Bramcote Barracks near Nuneaton in Warwickshire, was subjected to gale force winds that swept across the former RAF base. This did not dampen the enthusiasm of the Stilo crews, most of whom had only driven a few miles in their brand new 187bhp machines.

Young Scot, Tom Metcalfe, had arrived straight from an event north of the border, showing his commitment to the sport. His team was not alone in showing a professional approach to the event, bringing sponsors to experience passenger rides in the agile left hand drive cars.

Shaun Woffinden pronounced himself happy with the car although the short stage did not favour his preferred left foot braking technique, commenting, "The 0.9 mile stage means we can't get any heat into the brakes or tyres, but once we get onto the gravel, it will be much more predictable."

Former BRC and WRC driver Justin Dale drove the convalescing Paul Alexander's car and reported its balance to be perfect. Alexander was delighted to have feedback from Dale who is hugely experienced in both front and four wheel drive machinery.

Paul Tod was another with no problems to report, except a lack of turn-in on gravel tyres. "The whole event is asphalt," said the Welshman, "but the organisers asked everyone to use gravel tyres to make more of a spectacle for the assembled public and media. It makes for good viewing but it's a good job the stage is not timed."

Fellow Welshman Chris Davies, however, was sidelined when the car developed an oil leak as he took it off the trailer. Fiat Stilo Rally Cup Manager Gary Pesticcio commented, "Chris wisely decided not to run and we will obviously find and remedy the fault. This reinforces the importance of shakedown days to iron out any teething troubles with a new car."

Pesticcio continued by expressing his admiration for both crews and organisers, saying "This kind of event is invaluable for teams and sponsors to showcase their cars and as an opportunity to test their cars and blow away any close season cobwebs. The weather certainly helped blow away the cobwebs and the organisers did a great job to contend with and overcome the conditions."

Fiat Auto UK's Regional Director Mark Webster experienced a passenger ride in the Fiat Punto Super 1600 car that the winner of the UK's inaugural Fiat Stilo Rally Cup will drive in 2005. "It's a fantastic opportunity for drivers to pit their skills against each other in equal machinery," he said, adding: "Fiat Auto UK wholeheartedly supports this championship, particularly with such a high profile and great prize."

The first event for the Fiat Stilo Rally Cup is the Pirelli International Rally which starts in Gateshead on 23 April.

The Fiat Stilo Rally Cup acknowledges support from Fiat Auto UK, Hi-Tec, Toora Competizione, PIAA, Bardahl, Pirelli and media partner, Motorsport News.

For details of how to get the keys for the last 2004 car, contact championship co-ordinator,
Gary Pesticcio on +44 7970 000011 or at gary@stiloicup.com

The Fait Stilo Rally Cup acknowledges support from Fiat UK, Hi-Tec, Toora Competizione, PIAA, Bardahl and Pirelli.