Tour of Cornwall - 23-24 Mar 07

Posted: March 26, 2007 10:16 AM

---

---

BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series - BARKER’S FOCUS!
Andy Barker and co-driver Steve Mort took maximum points in the BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series by finishing in 2nd place overall in their Ford Focus STI on the Vospers Tour of Cornwall at the weekend.

Following the dreadful weather for the opening encounter on Epynt, the second round of the BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series took crews to the south-west of England for another very tough challenge, albeit in dry conditions this time! Split into two legs, the ‘Tour’ consisted of eighteen stages – four on Friday evening and the remainder on Saturday.

Having retired on Epynt, Barker/Mort opened their account in fine style, while Gary Le Coadou, who was absent from the opener, took 2nd place points with a fine 7th overall in his Toyota Celica GT4. 3rd, and finishing just outside the top ten, were Neil Cloughley/Robert Pike whose Ford Escort Cosworth had lost second gear during the final leg. Whilst a definite disadvantage on some of the shorter stages, the car had set off on Portreath with its hazard flashers on to warn other competitors of the problem, only to catch and pass another car!..

BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series contenders Chris Davis/Brandon Parker were leading the Vospers Tour of Cornwall outright in their Darrian T90 for ten of the eighteen stages but, as it turned out, it was not a good event for the cars. First to go were Wadebridge motor trader Mike Tregoning and his co-driver Neil Gould when their example clouted a chicane on the first run through Predannack, while Davis/Parker actually retired with just two stages to go.

In the meantime, the Darrian GTR of Chris O’Connor/Mark Mason left the road on SS13(!) and beached on a mound of earth. While the crew were unscathed, they knew their rally was run as the car would not budge. As they opened the doors to get out, it became obvious that the hot exhaust and brakes had set fire to the gorse underneath which, in turn, soon spread to the car. In spite of the best efforts of the marshals and other competitors who stopped to offer assistance, the car was completely destroyed in the inferno.

While we are obviously pleased that Chris and Mark were unhurt, we would like to offer our commiserations to them on the total loss of the car and hope that it will not be too long before we see them out and about competing once again.

Tom Bye/Peter Howes were 13th, and 2nd in class, in their Peugeot 205, while Mark Carrow/Phil Melson finished a couple of places lower to take a class win in their Peugeot 106. Mark had had ‘one of those weeks’ after a newly-installed engine suffered a broken valve spring a couple of days before the rally. Much time on the phone was followed by much time in the car as he first sourced and then set about collecting a new spring which was actually fitted with less than 48 hours to spare. Mark’s dedication to duty – and the subsequent class win – saw him awarded with the ‘John Price Rallying Star Drive’ salver at the Prize Presentation at Pentewan Sands.

Paul Kendrick/Anton Bird posted the second finish of the season in their Chrysler Sunbeam to move into 2nd place in the BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series points while, one place behind in the Cornwall results, Richard Connolly (Ford Sierra Cosworth) moves into the series lead.

Ian Copping and his co-driver Dave Rowley, who had flown in from a business trip to the USA on the Friday morning, reached the finish in 20th place which puts the Ford Fiesta RWD into 3rd overall at the one-third stage.

Graham Watkins/Mark Powell (VW Golf) and Craig Jose/Chris Howells (Peugeot 205) should be well-pleased at posting finishes on their first event in the series but, as ever on an event as tough as the Tour of Cornwall, there were a number of registered crews, in addition to those in Darrians, who didn’t see the finish line.

Pete Donnachie’s co-driver, Glyn Thomas, had to attend a business meeting in West Sussex on the Friday morning, before dashing all the way down to St Austell in time to sign on. He managed it but, then, their Subaru Impreza retired on the second stage with driveshaft failure – not happy bunnies!…

On his first event in the BTRDA Series in his recently-acquired Ford Escort Cosworth, Mark Welch was sidelined with cam belt failure early on the Saturday but, hopefully, the damage will be minimal as it happened on a road section. Mark Cooper’s Renault Clio V6 and Matt Speed’s Nissan Micra RWD were both forced out, while Paul Davey/Andy Todd were just four stages from home when one of their MG ZR’s driveshafts broke.

The next round of the BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series is the Millbrook National Rally on 28th May.

Full Results
North East Rally Services

Tour of Cornwall

---

PRE EVENT NEWS

• BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series - CORNISH CAPERS!…

BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series - CORNISH CAPERS!…
The BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series continues over the weekend of 23rd/24th March with the running of the Vospers Tour of Cornwall and more than 20 registered crews make up a third of the total entry. Following the dreadful weather conditions experienced on the John Price Rallying Tour of Epynt, the least they can hope for is some sunshine!

Having been forced to miss the opening round, Wadebridge Ford Dealer MIKE TREGONING and co-driver NEIL GOULD are contesting their ‘home’ event in their Darrian T90 GTR and it goes without saying that the pair will be looking for a good score to open their account. Following retirement on Epynt, the same could be said for Worcestershire crew CHRIS DAVIS & BRANDON PARKER, also in a Darrian. The pair were 10th overall on their last visit to Cornwall in 2005 and will have good reason to feel that they can improve on that this time.

MARK WELCH takes the start at Pentewan Sands Holiday Park, near St Austell, in his recently-acquired Ford Escort Cosworth, while the hybrid Ford Focus STi of ANDY BARKER/STEVE MORT should suit the stages in the area.

CHRIS O’CONNOR/MARK MASON journey down from the north-west and north-east of England respectively with their Darrian GTR and GARY LE COADOU joins the fray with his Toyota Celica GT4. Runners-up in the points on Epynt, PETE DONNACHIE & GLYN THOMAS will start the event in their 2.5 litre Subaru Impreza one place in front of the Renault Clio V6 of MARK COOPER.

West Midlanders PAUL KENDRICK & ANTON BIRD had a good run on Epynt and a repeat performance in Cornwall could easily move their Chrysler Sunbeam from its current 5th place in the table. NEIL CLOUGHLEY has somewhat further to come as he flies in from his adopted home in San Fransisco to meet up with co-driver ROB PIKE and take the wheel of his Escort Cosworth! MATT SPEED/PAUL COOK had a year off in 2006 but now return with their Nissan Micra RWD, starting just ahead of another re-engineered car, the Ford Fiesta RWD of IAN COPPING/DAVE ROWLEY which survived the drenching on Epynt to claim fourth-place points.

The variety of vehicles contesting the BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series is further outlined by the Sierra Cosworth 4x4 of RICHARD CONNOLLY, the Peugeot 205 of TOM BYE/PETE HOWES and the VW Golf of GRAHAM WATKINS/MARK POWELL.

MARK CARROW (Peugeot 106) comes from Weston-super-Mare while CRAIG JOSE/CHRIS HOWELLS (Peugeot 205 Mi16) and PAUL DAVEY/ANDY TODD (MG ZR) are two of several crews who actually travel north to the start from their homes in Truro!

Leg One of the Vospers Tour of Cornwall starts at 7.00pm on Friday 23rd March at Pentewan Sands when competitors will attempt four special stages in the dark. Following an overnight halt, the competition recommences at 8.00am on the Saturday morning. Following a full day’s rallying, the Awards Presentation will be at the Holiday Park at 10.00pm that evening.

Tour of Cornwall