Sezoens Rally - 22-23 May 09

Euro Rally Challenge kicks off with the Sezoens Rally

Posted: May 21, 2009 11:02 AM

The second season of the international Euro rally Challenge will start this Saturday in Bocholt Belgium, where the Sezoens Rally will be driven. This race, with large stretches of gravel, is the third round of the Belgian Championship as well as the second race in the Dutch Rally Championship.

Six races in six countries
The organization has once again, with the cooperation of the competitors, been able to put together an appealing rally calendar for the coming year. There has been an overwhelming response from organizations throughout all competing countries. The Thüringen Rally has even been especially rescheduled for June in order to be included in the ERC. Last year the championship was driven in three countries, in 2009 the participants will be competing in six countries. From May until the end of October the ERC will be driven successively in Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Holland, and France.

Erik Wevers takes on buddy Mark van Eldik!
The Euro Rally Challenge, an initiative of Erik Wevers and Mark van Eldik, is designed for rally teams who wish to participate in an exciting international program, where stiff competition is guaranteed. The level of camaraderie is high, especially during the ERC parties after every race but on the stages the teams battle not only for the points… but also the honor.

Both ERC promoters will be competing in Bocholt. Yes, you read that correctly! Mark van Eldik will be starting in the Sezoens rally after a long period of inactivity due to his accident last year in Hellendoorn. The Subaru driver will be presenting a new generation Impreza WRC in Bocholt which is brilliant news for the fans of the fast and spectacular Dutchman.

Erik Wevers, last year’s championship winner, will have to deal with a lot of resistance from the competition in his speedy Focus WRC06. The Hungarian driver Korda and the Italian Guidi, will not be competing in the first race of the season, however this will be compensated by the special appearances of two guest drivers, René and Dennis Kuipers, both of whom will be racing their spectacular Impreza WRCs. René Kuipers, navigated by ERC coordinator Bart Hissink, will be showing off his brand new S14 which will be delivered just a few days before the start of the race by Prodrive, which together with M-Sport are partners of the Euro Rally Challenge this season. The two top teams of the World Championship will have the opportunity to follow the progress of the ERC in person.

Competition Stimulated
It has become obvious that the pending arrival of the ERC delegation in Bocholt has stimulated a number of WRC drivers to take on the challenge. Seven time Belgian Champion Patrick Snijers (Impreza WRC S12), Paul Lietaer (Impreza WRC), Melissa Debackere (Corolla WRC), Peter van Merksteijn Jr (Ford Focus WRC07), Bernhard Ten Brinke (Ford Focus WRC06) are all lined up to do battle with the ERC big guns.

International company
The Euro Rally Challenge remains an international happening, with the Hungarian driver Mihali Hodula (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6), the German Janina Depping (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo7), and Marcus Hesse (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6), the Danish drivers Michael Pedersen (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9), Klaus Bodilsen (Lancer Evo7) and Martin Knudsen (Honda Civic R3), as well as the Dutch Edwin Schilt (Subaru Impreza WRX N14) and Joost Kusters (Subaru Legacy Gr.A) all competing in the ERC debut race for 2009.

Euro Rally Challenge

Event Website

Posted: May 21, 2009 11:00 AM

Sezoensrally (be)