News Stories
Classifieds
Shop
TV Guide
LinksGreenerways Rally - Eco Tyre Initiative - 14 Jun 09
Posted: June 17, 2009 1:02 PM - 4630 Hits
- Higgins & Newby win Greenerways Rally
- Photos
- Results
- GREENERWAYS TYRE TEST TURNS INTO TOP TUSSLE
- Entry List
- Entries come rolling in
- Greenerways Rally New Date: 14th June 2009
- Details
Higgins & Newby win Greenerways Rally
Posted: June 17, 2009 1:02 PM
Sunday’s Greenerways Rally took the Eco Tyre project a step further, Mark Higgins and Lynn Newby leading the event which went some way to simulate a full rally traversing a forest stage.
Higgins and his stand-in co driver, TEG Sport team boss Newby, were probably favourites to win the event, after BRC rival Keith Cronin could not attend. Nevertheless the pair set fastest times on all but one of the seven runs to take victory from team-mate Jock Armstrong, again co driven by a novice in the guise of chief engineer Stuart Newby.
2009 BRC regulars Dave Weston Jnr and Aled Davies had held second place from the outset, even pipping Higgins on stage four, but they stopped with fuel starvation just half a mile from the end of the final test.
British Rally Championship Team JRM Lico crew David Bogie and Kevin Rae had fuel pump problems and stopped briefly in stage two, later struggling to start their Evo 10 and amassing penalties to drop down the order.
It was therefore relative newcomer to rallying Jim McNeil and experienced co driver Kim Baker who took third, a handful of seconds per mile off the pace of triple British Rally Champion Higgins.
Peter Stephenson brought his fantastic sounding MG Super 2000 home in fourth, ably guided by last minute co driver Chris Davies. With Weston scoring a final stage maximum, he dropped to fifth ahead of a pair of newcomers to gravel rallying.
Club competitors Simon Bowen and Richard Robinson had been improving all day and having a great experience on the new surface. But they slipped off the road on the penultimate run, becoming victims of one of Kielder’s infamous ditches.
Despite this, they were still classified ahead of BRC Media Co-ordinator and another gravel novice Simon Moss. His notes were kept in order by Emma Morrison who is more used to the Swift Sport Cup in the BRC, however the pair had transmission problems and took penalties for stages four and five.
The talk of the service area was all about the Pirelli tyre itself though. Mark Higgins summed up at the end of the event, “The purpose of this event was to see the effect of a less aggressive tyre on the gravel surface and I think it proved very successful. It was inevitable that the cars had less grip than we are used to and we proved the stage times are slower when we did a final run on a conventional tyre at the end of the event.”
He continued, “Apparently the results from a spectator’s point of view are an improvement though, the car certainly moves about a lot more, although we had some differential problems which made it even more spectacular!” He concluded, “I'm pleased to have been involved in this project as it could very well help secure the future of forest rallying in the UK, Its now in the hands of the Forestry Commission.”
Event originator Mark Taylor said, “It has been a very useful exercise and the Forestry Commission engineers now have much more data with which to assess the damage caused to the tracks.”
“I think all the drivers enjoyed the experience and if a closer pattern tyre is eventually adopted as the norm, the Greenerways Rally proves that a level of competitiveness is still achievable.”
He concluded, “This project would never have happened without the input from Pirelli, the Forestry Commission and the MSA. But even with their assistance there would have been no rally without the Cumberland Sporting Car Club, all the marshals, rescue crews and people who have given up their free time to help secure the future of British forest rallying. Thanks to all.”
GREENERWAYS TYRE TEST TURNS INTO TOP TUSSLE
Posted: June 8, 2009 9:33 PM
The vital Greenerways Rally project to assess the impact of a future gravel rally “Eco Tyre” is set to be as entertaining as enlightening. The Forestry Commission and MSA will be on hand to observe the damage inflicted by the equivalent of a whole rally using this tyre. But they will also be treated to a battle between some of the country’s top drivers, as well as handful of clubmen who are there to have a punt for the silverware on offer.
Mark Higgins tops the entries, with TEG Sport boss Lynn Newby dusting off her co-drivers overalls for the event. The battle royal joined between Higgins and Greenerways number two seed, Irishmen Keith Cronin & Greg Shinnors in the British Rally Championship, may not be at stake here, but you can bet that they will still be checking their stage times at every opportunity, eager to seek an advantage.
David Bogie & Kevin Rae will also make the change back to gravel mid-way through their BRC campaign, currently between asphalt events. But the youngster is joining battle away from two regular series’, currently trailing Jock Armstrong by just three points in the Scottish Rally Championship after closing the gap with victory on the Jim Clark Reivers Rally.
With Armstrong at car four, he and Bogie will have their own battle to play out ahead of the next SRC rally at the end of June. But it will be interesting to match the top drivers from the BRC and SRC on this one-off event. There will be a battle of the co-drivers between TEG Sport team cars too, as Lynn’s husband and team engineer Stuart Newby will co-drive for Armstrong.
The third scot in the line-up, Aberdonian Dave Weston Jnr, looks like taking the event seriously. The BRC newcomer is sticking with co-driver Aled Davies and no doubt hoping that the brief switch back to gravel will be a green light to post a podium place.
Like TEG Sport, the BRC’s Revolution Wheels Rally Team will field two cars. Geoff Jones, having had a taste of the BRC on the Jim Clark, will be co-driven by team boss Warren McKiernan. Neither is new to rallying, in fact Geoff has more experience than most, but Warren’s experience of making pace-notes may put him at a disadvantage to the second Revolution crew.
Rob Swann and Darren Garrod will put their experience from several years in the British Rally Championship to good use on the 5.37-mile stage. With just two passes to make an accurate set of ‘notes, accuracy will be the key, so the long term partnership should pay dividends.
Another crew used to each other and currently lying fourth in the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge, are Irishman Owen Murphy and Welsh co-driver Dai Roberts. The third Lancer in a field dominated by Subarus, Owen will hope that the reputed power advantage of the Evo will be sufficient to move him up the order on this sprint event.
Welsh co-drivers are obviously in vogue, since Chris Davies has secured a seat in the noisiest car in the field. Peter Stephenson’s last outing in Kielder was as part of the British Rally Championship where he finished a creditable 15th overall on the Pirelli International Rally in April.
Simon Bowen and Richard Robinson are true clubmen, convinced that their first gravel event will be one to remember. The car was only built in readiness for February, but Bowen has already contested several local club events, recently moving further afield for the Jim Clark Reivers Rally.
Another Clubman Jim McNeil is joined by the second female co-driver on the event, Kim Baker. Having scored a ninth place overall on March’s Riponian Rally, Jim’s move up from a Nova last year has proved successful, the in-car partnership with Baker carried forwards for this unusual event.
Finally British Rally Championship media man Simon Moss is joined by BRC regular Emma Morrison. The pair has contested a couple of events in the eBay Impreza, but Moss joins Bowen as a gravel first-timer, hoping his steadfast co-driver will impart some confidence.
The event format of a single repeated loop is designed to simulate an entire rally competing on the “Eco Tyre” and as such the drivers will have plenty of opportunities to hone their lines through the corners. But the true test will be whether the narrow pattern tyres make a difference to the wear and tear on the surface on what will be an interesting and hopefully entertaining event.
Spectator information
Spectators will be strictly limited to the forest with no access to the service area, which is remote from the forest access point and special stage. There will be a designated spectator car park at £10.00 per car. Access will be open to spectators from 12.00 noon via map reference 80/706870.
If planning to attend the event please approach the Kielder Water Dam along the unclassified road, either from the West (Saughtree via B6357) or East (Bellingham via B6320).
Cars will run at one minute intervals, competing anti-clockwise round a 5.5 mile stage. The schedule after the 12.45 start has been left deliberately flexible, but the action will be pretty much non-stop.
Because of restricted space and access, the Service Area is out of bounds to all spectator vehicles. During the service halts there will be around a twenty minute gap between loops. In this time Cumberland Sporting Car Club will send a spectator control car through the stage with information on the event’s progress.
Itinerary
12.45 Start
13.01 SS1 Greenerways
----- SS2 Pirelli
----- SVA Service
----- SS3 Forestry Commission
----- SS4 Motor Sports Association
----- SVB Service
----- SS5 Motorsport News
----- SS6 Cumberland Sporting Car Club
16.00 Finish & Award
Entry List
Posted: June 8, 2009 9:31 PM
No
Driver
Co-driver
Car Make
1
Mark Higgins
Lynn Newby
Subaru Impreza
2
Keith Cronin
Greg Shinnors
Mitsubishi Lancer
3
David Bogie
Kevin Rae
Mitsubishi Lancer
4
Jock Armstrong
Stuart Newby
Subaru Impreza
5
Dave Weston Jnr
Aled Davies
Subaru Impreza
6
Geoff Jones
Warren McKiernan
Subaru Impreza
7
Rob Swann
Darren Garrod
Subaru Impreza
8
Owen Murphy
Dai Roberts
Mitsubishi Lancer
9
Peter Stephenson
Chris Davies
MG S2000
10
Simon Bowen
Richard Robinson
Subaru Impreza
11
Jim McNeil
Kim Baker
Subaru Impreza
12
Simon Moss
Emma Morrison
Subaru Impreza
Entries come rolling in
Posted: June 3, 2009 1:49 PM
Entries so far include:
-
Jock Armstrong Impreza
David Bogie Lancer
Simon Bowen Impreza
Keith Cronin Lancer
Jim McNeil Impreza
Mark Higgins Impreza
Geoff Jones Impreza
Simon Moss Impreza
Peter Stephenson MG S2000
Rob Swann Impreza
Euan Thorburn Impreza
Dave Weston Jnr
Greenerways Rally New Date: 14th June 2009
Posted: October 17, 2008 10:31 AM
The Greenerways Rally, the project crucial to evaluating the benefits of a closed pattern gravel tyre, will be run by the Cumberland Sporting Car Club in the Kielder forest complex on Sunday June 14th 2009.
Having listened to competitors and teams supportive of the project, a mid-season date has been found, with additional budget to further reduce the cost of the Eco Tyre initiative event to just £195 per crew. This includes the use of four Pirelli Eco Tyres, a recce of the stage and a shakedown session so drivers can adjust their cars to suit the new rubber.
Part of an initiative to assist in securing the longer term use of forest roads for stage rallying, the aim of the Greenerways Rally is still to evaluate the use of a loose surface, closed-pattern-construction Pirelli Eco Tyre in a competitive environment and against the clock, with the Forestry Commission and MSA on hand to witness the outcome.
The organisers of the MSA British Rally Championship brought Pirelli UK and Forestry Commission together at the end of 2007, running a test with Kris Meeke to see what affect tyre design would have on reducing erosion of forestry tracks. The test was hailed a huge success with Forestry Commission asking the sport to organise a rally where all of the cars would run an Eco Tyre in true competition.
Because the newly designed tyre comes straight from the Pirelli factory in a single size (to fit 6x15” rim), the Greenerways Rally will be for four wheel drive production-based cars including Super 2000 only. Any car from Group N Sapphire Cosworth to Subaru N14 or Super 2000 is eligible, basically anything that has been homologated in Group N4 and still conforms to the spirit of the class.
Open to any competitor holding an MSA issued rally licence, the format is compact to assist in cost saving by holding the event over just one day. More akin to a rally time trial, competitors (driver and co-driver) who enter the event will get to recce the track before tackling five timed runs over a five mile stage in the Kielder Forest complex.
BRC Manager & Project Co-ordinator Mark Taylor said,
“Having seen the results of the original test for myself, I still believe that the Eco Tyre is the way forward, it ticks so many boxes. I'm appealing to everyone involved in the sport to support the event, whether you're competitors, marshals or organisers, this is so important to the future of forest stage rallying.”
“Greenerways and the evaluation of an Eco Tyre, together with our environmental responsibility and relationship with the Forestry Commission, are so important to the future of forest stage rallying. The decision to postpone the event in 2008 was a difficult one, but we didn't want to go off half cocked and I think in the current economic climate, it was the right choice. This project is as important as ever to the future of the sport, so the event must now go ahead with the full support of any driver with an eligible car. I must thank the organising Cumberland Sporting Car Club, partners Pirelli UK, the Forestry Commission, Motorsport News and the MSA for their continued support.”
More Details:
Details
Posted: August 5, 2008 3:36 PM
The forest rally Eco Tyre initiative is set to move up a gear on the 25th October this year with the one-off Greenerways Rally, which will be run by the Cumberland Sporting Car Club and held in the Kielder forest complex. The aim of the event is to evaluate the newly designed Pirelli Eco Tyre in rally conditions, with the Forestry Commission and MSA on hand to witness the outcome.
The organisers of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship brought Pirelli UK and Forestry Commission together at the end of 2007, running a test with Kris Meeke to see what affect tyre design would have on reducing erosion of forestry tracks. The test was hailed a huge success with Forestry Commission asking the sport to organise a rally where all of the cars would run an Eco Tyre in true competition.
Because the brand new designed tyre comes straight from the Pirelli factory, the restriction on size means that the Greenerways Rally will be for four wheel drive production-based cars including Super 2000 only. Any car from Group N Sapphire Cosworth to Subaru N14 or Super 2000 is eligible, basically anything that has been homologated in Group N4 and still conforms to the spirit of the class.
Open to any competitor holding an MSA issued rally licence, the format is compact to assist in cost saving by holding the event over just one day. More akin to a rally time trial, competitors (driver and co-driver) who enter the event will get to recce the track before tackling four timed runs over a five mile stage in the Kielder Forest complex.
BRC Manager Mark Taylor added, “Having seen the results of the original test for myself, I firmly believe that the Eco Tyre is the way forward, it ticks so many boxes. I'm appealing to everyone involved in the sport to support the event, whether you are competitors, marshals or organisers, this is so important to the future of forest stage rallying.”
In another innovation, the entry fee for the event will include the use of four of Pirelli Eco Tyres, a recce of the stage and an inclusive shakedown session so drivers can adjust their cars to suit the new rubber.
David Higgins, current British Rally Championship leader said, “It’s a great concept for an event to test the benefits of this new Eco tyre, and anyone can enter irrespective of your licence grade.” Adding, “I plan to support the rally and think it is important that those involved in the sport consider there impact on the environment, we all have a responsibility here and so hopefully this will help secure a future for forest rallying in the UK.”
More information and regulations
Upcoming