Severn Valley Rally - 30 May 09

Video Clips

Posted: June 3, 2009 2:19 PM

Barry & Brady continue with winning form.

Posted: June 2, 2009 4:13 PM

Photo: cmwi.net

Daniel Barry from Enniskerry Co Wicklow continues with his season of success by taking his fourth victory of the year in the highly competitive Mitsubishi Evolution Challenge. Partnered as ever by his navigator Martin Brady from Navan the pair have remained consistently fast and on the road all year to claim not only victories in the Mitsubishi one make series but also by virtue of their consistent performances the pair also hold the overall lead in the UK National Gravel Rally Championship ahead of the higher powered World Rally Cars.  

The Severn Valley rally was based in the Welsh town of Builth Wells and it visited seven of the best and most challenging stages over the Welsh forests and hills. Daniel and Martin got their event off to the best possible start and held 2nd overall after the first test. Stage two saw them drop back to 4th after class rival Simon Hughes fought back and reclaimed two seconds. Determined that this was not to be a precedent Daniel and Martin redoubled their efforts and pushed harder on the short stage three and claimed back one vital second and again in stage four set a time 4 seconds faster than Hughes to move them back into the lead of the fierce Mitsubishi battle. It was a lead they were never to relinquish although Welsh local Hughes kept the battle fierce and the margins remained tight. Going into the final and most difficult 16 mile stage the gap was just two seconds in favour of Barry & Brady, the Irish crew were determined and pushed to their best efforts and as fast as the car could carry them and despite a worrying moment when overheated brakes meant a reluctant handbrake saw them visit a ditch briefly they came out of the stage a further 8 seconds ahead of Hughes to seal the victory in the Mitsubishi race by ten seconds and also take a rewarding podium position of 3rd overall.  

Daniel commented at the finish ramp “it was a really tough day, the weather was so warm and with little wind the dust was hanging in amongst the trees and at times it was almost impossible to see where we were going, but we were determined that we had the advantage gong into the last stage and we worked so hard all day to get into and hold the lead that Martin & I just focused all the way through the last stage and it all fell into place, the car was brilliant all day and never missed a beat which is a credit to our small family run team. We go home a happy bunch tonight and were looking forward to the last few rounds of the championship, if we keep the flow going and more wins like this then hopefully we can achieve the ultimate goal of the championship win”.

Evos - Daniel Barry.Martin Brady win for the fourth time this season.

Posted: June 2, 2009 12:01 PM

Round five of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge witnessed the closest battle of the year so far, the hot, dry and dusty conditions in the mid-Wales forests provoking fierce competition, the final results seeing Daniel Barry and co-driver Martin Brady claim their fourth victory of the season. They crossed the line just ten seconds ahead of Simon Hughes/Craig Parry, with Nik Elsmore/Craig Drew a slender 0.7 seconds behind in third.

Starting and finishing at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells, the Severn Valley National Rally uses some of the best forest stages in the UK and is therefore regarded as a favourite by many competitors. Five of the 10 registered Evolution Challenge crews were entered, which although is less than previous years, the Mitsubishis still represented 30% of the National A field.

The event featured four stages before the first service halt, followed by another two before the second. It then concluded with the longest of the day – a 16-mile run through Radnor Forest.

The gauntlet was laid right from the word go, when Barry/Brady stopped the clocks on stage one just 1.6 seconds ahead of Hughes/Parry, who in-turn were 2.6 seconds ahead of Elsmore/Drew. But on the longer 12-mile stage two, Hughes/Parry reversed the position by emerging 2.2 seconds ahead, Barry reporting he couldn’t seem to find a rhythm and feeling below par due to a cold.

After the third stage Hughes/Parry were just 1.2 seconds ahead. Then, on stage four, Barry/Brady went on the offensive and came into service leading the Evo Challenge by three seconds, Hughes reporting that he needed to make some adjustments to his car’s suspension.

Elsmore/Drew were not for behind in third, with only a gap of 7.9 seconds between them and second place – even following a spin in SS3. For the first two stages they were being challenged by Owen Murphy/Dai Roberts, who had finally got to the bottom of their car’s previous electrical problems. However, they now found that the turbo was not providing enough boost and Murphy became frustrated not to be mixing it with the leading pair.

Adding to his problems was a missed note at the end of SS3 when the car slid wide, clouted a bank and seriously damaged the rear off-side suspension. Although managing to limp back to the service halt, the prospect of taking a first win was now very much in question.

Icelandic Rally Champion Daniel Sigurdarson and co-driver Isak Gudjonsson were debuting their Evo X in the Evolution Challenge and, although treating this event as a learning exercise for their new car, their pace was more than respectable. However three spins on SS3 - as Sigurdarson tried to find the limits of his car’s handling - lost them over 30 seconds, the delay seeing them in fifth place at the service halt.

The next two stages saw Barry/Brady edge further ahead of Hughes/Parry, but not by much – in fact on stage six the leading trio of Evos were so close they were only separated by one-tenth of a second! Having set the fastest Evo Challenge time on SS5, Elsmore/Drew were closing the gap in third – and were ready to pounce if either of the leaders faltered.

Murphy’s car now had all it’s wheels pointing in the same direction, but to his dismay, it was still down on power and he looked unlikely to make any impression on the leaders. Therefore, at the second service halt, the time sheets showed Barry/Brady ahead by two seconds from Hughes/Parry, with Elsmore/Drew 15 seconds further back. It was therefore all down to the final stage in Radnor Forest.

Not far from the start Hughes/Parry spun and lost an agonising ten seconds before getting going again. Then, Barry/Brady did a similar thing, their car straddling a ditch momentarily – all of which meant that Elsmore/Drew were now right with them.

As the anxious crews checked each other’s times at the end of the stage, the clocks revealed that Barry/Brady had come out on top by just over 10 seconds. However, having recorded another fastest Evo Challenge time, Elsmore/Drew very nearly overhauled Hughes/Parry, just 0.7 second separating the second and third-placed crews at the finish.

Murphy/Roberts did the best they could in the afternoon and were relieved make it to the finish – picking up the Sunoco Spirit Award for their efforts, whilst Sigurdarson/Gudjonsson were delighted to record a trouble-free run and confirmed that their last-minute decision to enter was well worth the trip from Iceland.

“The hot and dusty conditions made this a tough event, but I’ve really enjoyed it”, said Barry. “We’ve had a great battle all day, which went right to the final stage and you just couldn’t afford to make a mistake. This is my fourth win in the Evo Challenge this season and things are now looking really good for the title.”

Barry and Brady also finished third overall and continues to lead the MSA National Gravel Championship by two points.

The UK Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge now takes a short break before the sixth round, which sees a return to the Welsh forests with the Swansea Bay Rally on 18th July.

The 2009 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is supported by Mitsubishi Motors UK, Ralliart, Pirelli tyres, Sunoco fuels, JR Motorsports, Speedline Corse wheels, Carbone Lorraine brakes, Walkinshaw Performance, Sparco racewear and PIAA lights - who sponsor the junior award for under 25-year old drivers.

Round five – Results
1 Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Martin Brady (Navan) 1:04:48.6 2 Simon Hughes (Abergele)/Craig Parry (Llanymynech) 1:04:58.9
3 Nik Elsmore (Coleford)/Craig Drew (Bream) 1:04:59.8
4 Owen Murphy (Cork)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen) 1:06:20.0
5 Daniel Sigurdarson (Iceland)/Isak Gudjonsson (Iceland) 1:06:53.9

BHRC report, round three: Severn Valley Historic Rally

Posted: June 2, 2009 11:04 AM

Report, round three: Severn Valley Historic Rally The battle for the top prize on round three of the Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship, the Severn Valley Historic Rally (Saturday 30 May) came down to a straight fight between Welshmen Gwyndaf Evans and Julian Reynolds.

Evans claimed back the lead he had lost earlier in the day with a faultless charge through the final stage in Radnor, claiming category three victory for his Viking Motorsport Escort MK2 by just 3.5s. Other category wins went to Graham Waite/Gill Cotton (Volvo Amazon) and Rupert Lomax/David Alcock (Ford Escort MK1), a result that puts Lomax to the top of the championship table.

Category 1
Despite spinning on the first stage in Cefn and twice in Crychan, Jonathan and Graham Gale (Sunbeam Tiger) pulled out a three-second lead over Waite/Cotton, but the roles were reversed through Halfway. “I nursed my tyres through the stage, and just gave it what I could,” said Gale. The result was Waite emerging with a lead of just a fifth of a second, but after Gale fitted new rear tyres it went back in his favour as they headed for service. “It was too dry for us really and too much uphill where the Tiger’s power told,” Waite replied.

Although Gale started the last stage through Radnor with three seconds in hand, it was Waite who grabbed the victory. “We went off after going flat out over a crest into a hairpin,” Gale explained. He restarted in front of Waite but moved aside rather than delay his rival. One notable absentee was the Porsche 911 of Dessie Nutt/Geraldine McBride. “We caught Gale’s dust and I misjudged where the next bend was, then went off backwards into a ditch,” said Nutt. So third overall in the category was the Hillman Imp of Geoff Taylor/Steve Greenhill. "We had no clutch in Gwibedog but it had been great until then. The rear suspension legs cracked too in Halfway, so we will have to look after it,” said Taylor.

Paul Mankin/Desmond Bell (Lotus Cortina) held third on the opening stage, but after picking up a misfire in Crychan, they punctured later in the same stage. “We tried to carry on and then lost the tyre and had to stop. We had a spare rear but the puncture was a front, so it made the next two stages very interesting,” said Mankin.

As well as Nutt, stage two had also claimed the Minis of Terry Cree/Richard Shores and Peter Williams, with head-gasket and clutch problems respectively. Meanwhile, Mike Barratt/Jody Watson (Mini Cooper) got ahead of Philip and Barbara Smith (Porsche 911) on stage four. “It was so dry that the dust got in Barbara’s throat and she couldn’t read the notes,” said Philip. Nick Pinkett and Jonathan Lodge were also in the wars after rolling their two-stroke Saab 96 in Gwibedog. “It had been perfect until then. It’s my first time in this car for two years and I rolled it,” said Pinkett.

Taylor caught Barratt in Radnor, but retained a safe third. “With the clutch gone and the dust we're not going for heroics,” said the class B1 victors. Although Barratt retained class B2 victory, he lost fourth to the Smiths. “We were losing the exhaust a bit but really pleased with how things went,” said Barratt as Mankin and Pinkett completed the finishers.

Category 2
Having come so close to victory on the previous round, Lomax and Alcock proved unbeatable in Wales in their Escort Mk1. They held the category lead from start to finish, while winners last time out, Tim Mason and Graham Wild, had to be content with a day-long second in their Porsche 911. “We had a couple of overshoots on the second and third stages, but I had reasonable grip,” said Lomax as he arrived in service with a 25.7s lead over Mason. “We punctured three miles from the end of stage four; I was trying so hard on my return to the Welsh forests,” Mason replied.

It was a much tighter affair behind the lead pair, with Drew Wylie/Howard Pridmore (Escort Mk1) in third after Cefn, before slipping behind the similar car of Tim Jones/Don James in the battle for C3 spoils. However, the class contest changed dramatically when Wylie's car got became beached on a rock on stage four. “We were stuck for four minutes and had no spectators to help,” said Wylie. Jones also spun and stalled at a hairpin, but still arrived at service in third place ahead of the C5 Escort Mk1 of Ernie Graham/Robin Kellard.

However, Graham had David Stokes/Guy Weaver closing in, after they had lost time in Cefn when Darren Moon’s rolled car restarted just in front of them. “We had got a steering problem too," reported Stokes. "When you turn it, it won’t pull back without a lot of effort,” he said. Though still ahead, Lomax expected to lose time on the final 16-mile stage in Radnor. “I had three-quarter throttle stuck wide open, but we gained more time instead of losing it,” he said. The final winning margin over Mason was 41.4s, “I did spin and stall again though,” said the Porsche driver. The victory not only gives Lomax the lead in category two, but also the overall lead in the championship.

Stokes had a final flourish through Radnor, which took him from fifth to third. “The steering was just as bad, but it was a character building day,” he said. Graham held onto fourth; “not quite quick enough,” he concluded. But for C3 winner Jones, only dropping from third to fifth was a relief. “It was a huge moment, I lost it at a hairpin and was left hanging over fresh air,” he explained.

Jones still held on to the class C3 victory over the Escort Mk1 of James Slaughter/Phil Peak. “We had two good stages, ran out of tyres, slid off on stage four, so had new tyres for Radnor. It’s my best result ever, even though we had gear selection problems at the end,” said Slaughter. Philip Wylie/James Whitaker claimed third in class over Neal James/Kevin Jones on the final stage. “We really went for it and it almost worked,” said James. “Brilliant, even though I started the last stage in reverse,” Wylie added. Mason topped C4 from fellow Porsche crew Peter Smith/Russ Langthorne. In class C2 the Escort Mk1s of Vince Bristow/Dean Mitchell and John Worthing/John Cadwallader duelled for supremacy. Bristow lost out on stage two having led on the opener, despite having no brakes. “I had to remember to pump them until we could fix it in service,” he said. From stage four he was in charge, with Worthing still holding on to second despite a roll in Radnor when he clipped the bank at a tight hairpin.

Category 3
Evans/Phil Pugh started the day with a 1.8sec lead from Cefn in their Escort Mk2 over Reynolds/Ian Oakey, while Darren Moon/Chris Parsons were out of contention after only 300 yards. “I took my eye off the ball where the dust was hanging and we ended up our roof,” said Moon.
Ryan Barratt/Barry Ferris (Escort Mk2) held third initially from fellow Irishmen Seamus O’Connell and Paul Wakely, but O’Connell was struggling for grip and fell back in Crychan. Despite a spin in Cefn, which was matched before going off backwards in Crychan, Nick Elliott/Dave Price (Escort Mk2) moved up to third, but by service after four stages, Barratt had regained his lost place. “We just couldn’t get into a rhythm,” said Elliott. “We struggled for grip too and had a 360 on stage two before stalling under braking on stage four,” Barratt added.

But once again Radnor proved to be the decider, with Reynolds starting the stage with just 2.7s in hand over Evans. “I had an idea Gwyndaf would get me,” Reynolds admitted. “I was probably trying too hard and overshot a bit,” he added. But Evans was a popular victor and was quick to sing the praise of his car. “It so much better than on the Bulldog, the engine changes have made it more comfortable to drive,” he said.

Elliott maintained his spinning record but managed to claim third. “We stalled too, but just couldn’t turn it around today after the early problems,” he admitted. Barratt reached the finish in fourth and topped D3, after losing his Escort’s alternator and water pump belts with a nose-dive at a yump. But he was later excluded over engine irregularities, promoting O’Connell to fourth. “I finally woke up on that last stage,” said O’Connell.

Will Onions/Tim Hobbs were set for fifth after changing their Mk2’s ignition pack in service to cure a misfire. But they ended up on three cylinders and lost out to Simon Tysoe/Cliff Simmons at the end.

Following Barratt’s exclusion, Richard Lane/Frank Richer took class D3 from Mark Clifford/Elgan Davies, after Guy Woodcock/Iwan Jones spun and took 45s to restart as they held on to third.

The BHRC action continues with round four, the Mid Wales Historic Stages, on 21 June.

DODD/BARGERY CLAIMS LATE WIN ON SEVERN VALLEY NATIONAL RALLY

Posted: June 2, 2009 10:50 AM

Defending champions Marcus Dodd and Andrew Bargery claimed maximum points in round five of the 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship with an extremely narrow victory in yesterday's (30 May) Severn Valley National Rally.

In their Hyundai Accent WRC car, the pair left it late to secure the win on the Builth Wells-based event as they finished just 0.6 of a second ahead of the Subaru Impreza of Roger Duckworth and Mark Broomfield, who are not contesting the ANCRO series this year, after edging ahead on the seventh and final stage.

Duckworth and Broomfield had led from the outset with Dodd/Bargery getting off to a steady start on stage one before moving into second place on stage two. They struggled with a gearbox problem and lost time in stage four but resolved it in service to eventually go on to claim their third victory of the campaign.

"I've worked very hard for the win. I've been pushed by Roger and Mark all day and it's great to get another victory," said Dodd.

The Irish crew of Daniel Barry and Martin Brady posted a consistent performance to come home third overall, taking the honours in the Production Cup and second place in the championship in their Mitsubishi Evo 9. The result sees them maintain their lead of the series.

They beat the identical machine of Simon Hughes and Craig Parry by 30 seconds as they took third, 0.7 of a second ahead of the Evo 9 of Nik Elsmore and Craig Drew, who were fifth overall after a very close battle between the Group N crews throughout the event.

The unregistered pairing of Damian Cole and Patrick Walsh in their Hyundai Accent WRC were sixth followed by Irishman Owen Murphy and Welsh co-driver Dai Roberts in their Evo 9, claiming 18 points in the Gravel Rally Championship and making it to the finish despite an off in stage three, which caused some damage to the rear of the car.

The Icelandic pair of Daniel Sigurdarson and Isak Gudjonson were eighth overall in their Mitsubishi Evo 10 followed by the Subaru Impreza of Grant Rees and Wyn Davies.

Rounding up the top 10 was Wug Utting and his co-driver son Max Utting in their Impreza whilst Neil Gatt and Nick Cadwallader were 12th in their Impreza with Trev Baynham and Anthony Bailey 14th in their Ford Escort - taking maximum points in the Mintex Two Wheel Drive Challenge.

The only crew which failed to finish was Trevor Martin and Ray Cleghorn as they bowed out after stage three with an electrical problem on their Impreza.

The Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship returns with the Pro-Art Signs Swansea Bay National Rally on Saturday 18th July.

Photos

Posted: June 2, 2009 10:36 AM

cmwi.net
mccrash.co.uk

Full Results and Times

Posted: June 2, 2009 10:34 AM

1 Marcus Dodd/Andrew Bargery (Hyundai Accent WRC) 1:03:01.6
2 Roger Duckworth/Mark Broomfield (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1:03:02.2
3 Daniel Barry/Martin Brady (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 GpN) 1:04:28.6
4 Simon Hughes/Craig Parry (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 GpN) 1:04:58.9
5 Nik Elsmore/Craig Drew (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 GpN) 1:04:59.6
6 Damian Cole/Patrick Walsh (Hyundai Accent WRC 1:05:08.8
7 Owen Murphy/Dai Roberts (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 GpN) 1:06:20.0
8 Daniel Sigurdarson/Isak Gudjonson (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10 GpN)1:06:53.9
9 Grant Rees/Wyn Davies (Subaru Impreza GpN) 1:06:55.9
10 Wug Utting/Max Utting (Subaru Impreza 1:07:15.0

Full Results and Times

Full Results and Times - Clubman

Full Results and Times - Historic

Tynemouth Computer Services Rally Results

Evo Challenge teams get set for first Welsh Forest encounter

Posted: May 26, 2009 8:52 PM

This weekend sees the first of two visits to the Welsh forests for the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge, when five crews line up for round five, the Severn Valley National Rally and what has the potential of being the closest battle of the season so far.

After winning three of the previous four rounds, Championship leaders Daniel Barry and co-driver Martin Brady are destined to start as favourites, but are fully aware that they cannot take their current winning form for granted and therefore are eager to add another win to their collection.

After damaging their Evo on the Isle of Man, Barry & Brady’s main rivals Simon Hughes and Craig Parry have a race against time to get their car ready for this event and, with one win under their belt so far, can potentially double their tally this time round.
Third in the series standings are Nik Elsmore and Craig Drew and, after finishing second last time out, are destined to take a win at some point this season – and quite possibly on this event.

Having had to miss the Manx rally due to a recurring electrical problem, Owen Murphy and Dai Roberts are keen to show that they can mix it at the front of the field, their stage times showing that when they don’t have any problems, they have the pace to win.

Making a welcome return to the series, having only appeared for the first round this season, is Icelandic Rally Champion Daniel Sigurdarson and co-driver Isak Gudjonsson. This event will see the first Evolution Challenge outing for their new Evo X and they are another Mitsubishi crew who have a chance of seizing victory this time around.

Because it visits many of the classic stages in mid-Wales, the Severn Valley National is a favourite amongst many of the competitors – especially the Mitsubishi runners, as its fast flowing gravel roads suit the characteristics of the Group N Evolutions. The event’s start, finish and service areas are all based at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells, with the route featuring seven forest stages and a total of 63 competitive miles.

The 2009 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is supported by Mitsubishi Motors UK, Ralliart, Pirelli tyres, Sunoco fuels, JR Motorsports, Speedline Corse wheels, Carbone Lorraine brakes, Walkinshaw Performance, Sparco racewear and PIAA lights - who sponsor the junior award for under 25-year old drivers.

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
Round five entries Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Martin Brady (Navan)
Simon Hughes (Abergele)/Craig Parry (Llanymynech)
Nik Elsmore (Coleford)/Craig Drew (Bream)
Owen Murphy (Cork)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen)
Daniel Sigurdarson (Iceland)/Isak Gudjonsson (Iceland)

BHRC preview, round three: Severn Valley Historic Challenge

Posted: May 22, 2009 10:18 AM

Round three of the Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship brings the BHRC crews back to Wales for the second of three gravel events in the principality and the classic stages used on the Severn Valley Historic Challenge are widely regarded as some of the best of the season. The BHRC is riding a wave of popularity with competitors and spectators and another excellent field will gather in Builth Wells on Saturday 30 May for championship round three of eight.  

Category 1
Category one is for the oldest cars, from the pre '68 era, and they run first on the road with a short gap before the rest of the historic field. In category one, it was the Sunbeam Tiger of Jonathan and Graham Gale that set a cracking pace on the Bulldog Rally to take first blood with the car used so successfully in 2007 and 2008 by Patrick Watts. But in Kielder, Gale hit trouble and slid off the road early in the rally leaving the way open for Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride to win the category in their Porsche 911.

But the current top scorer in the championship comes from class B4 in the form of the Lotus Cortina of Paul Mankin and Desmond Bell. They’ve had two great runs already this season and now come back to Wales aiming for another strong result to stay at the head of the overall title race. Class B2 is home to the Minis, including the Cooper S of Mike Barratt/Jody Watson and, out for the first time this season, the similar car of Terry Cree and Richard Shores. In class B1, another round of the Imp battle is likely as Gary and Jane Edgington pit their Singer Chamois against the Hillman Imp Sport of Geoff Taylor and Steve Greenhill. The Edgington husband and wife crew took a famous last stage win on the Bulldog, but retired with engine dramas in Kielder.  

Category 2
In category two, for the post-historic cars, Rupert Lomax and David Alcock is the crew to beat after two strong runs, although rotor arm problems in Kielder cost their Escort Mk1 another category victory. Instead, it was the Porsche 911 of Tim Mason and Graham Wild that won on the Pirelli Historic Rally after an excellent run and they have the pace to win again this weekend.

Back in category two for the Severn Valley will be David Stokes and Guy Weaver in their Escort Mk1, after the car was badly damaged on the Bulldog. They borrowed a Mk2 Escort for the Pirelli, but now return to familiar surroundings after a major rebuild on the Mk1. Stokes will go head to head with Lomax at the front of the category, while the return of Ernie Graham/Robin Kellard adds another very quick Mk1 to the contest.

Class C3, for the Pinto-engined Escorts, is one of the toughest in the championship with a whole crop of potential winners. Tim Jones and Don James scored an emphatic victory on home ground for the Bulldog, but in Kielder it was Drew Wylie and Howard Pridmore who took a great victory. Jones has vowed to win again back in Wales, but Wylie is showing great pace this season. Other leading Escort Mk1s in C3 include those of Andrew Siddall/Captain Thompson and Neal James/Kevin Jones. In class C2, for the 1600cc cars, Vince Bristow and Dean Mitchell are likely to set the pace, but have opposition from Matt Fowle/tba, Richard Williams/Richard Ekin, Tony Ginns/Mark Ellis and David Kirby/Sean Kennedy in a battle of the Mk1 Escorts.  

Category 3
Four Escort Mk2 crews stand out at the head of category three, for the cars produced from 1975 to 1981, where the pace this season has been spectacular. Nick Elliott and Dave Price stormed to victory on the Bulldog, but slid off the road on the Pirelli. Instead, it was Darren Moon and Chris Parsons who took a great victory in Kielder to back up a solid start on the Bulldog.

However, both crews know that they cannot afford to overlook Julian Reynolds and Ian Oakey, who could set the absolute pace on the Severn Valley. Reynolds chased Elliott home on the Bulldog, but retired from the Pirelli after gearbox and then overheating dramas. If he gets a clear run on stages he knows well, Reynolds could well make it three winners in three rallies.

But the same can be said of Gwyndaf Evans and Clive Jenkins, who make a welcome return in the car of Phil Mills' Viking Motorsport. They showed good pace on the Bulldog and will now build on that in their second BHRC outing.

Others Escort Mk2s to watch in category three include those of Seamus O'Connell/Paul Wakely, Dick Slaughter/Preston Ayres, Gareth Lloyd/Ryland James, Will Onions/Tim Hobbs, James Potter/Arwel Jenkins and Simon Tysoe/Cliff Simmons. Ranged against the Escorts at the head of the category are the Vauxhall Chevettes of Rob Smith/Shaun O'Gorman and Roger Kilty/Lynette Banks, and Smith is overdue a clear run to show just what he can do against the Escort hordes. More Escorts pack out class D3, for the Pinto-powered cars, and it is the car of Ryan Barrett and Barry Ferris that should set the absolute pace after a stunning BHRC debut victory on the Pirelli. Rivals to the flying Irish crew include David Lloyd-Roberts/Dei Jones, Richard Lane/Frank Richer and Adrian Young/Keith Fellowes.  

The Severn Valley Historic Rally is organised by Midland Manor Motor Club Ltd. For more details about the event, please visit the website below:

Running Order/Entry List

Posted: May 19, 2009 7:36 PM

• Rallynuts Stages (Severn Valley)

Entries Received to Date:

Posted: May 12, 2009 3:03 PM

• Rallynuts Stages (Severn Valley)

Regulations / Details

Posted: January 1, 2009 12:01 AM

• Rallynuts Stages (Severn Valley)