Patriot Stages - 27 Sep 09

BTRDA ASPHALT RALLY SERIES - JONES MARKS SPENCER’S CARD!..

Posted: October 4, 2009 1:41 PM

Following the penultimate round of the Richard Egger Insurance BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series, the EDP Photo News & Bob Dowen Rally Services Patriot Stages, the battle for the 2009 title is tighter than ever! Defending champion Chris Jones took maximum points in his Ford Focus STI on the capacity 100-car event, but 2007 Series winner Adrian Spencer moves into the lead of the Drivers’ table – by just one point!

However, that does not tell the whole story of a very tough event at the Caerwent MoD Training Area near Chepstow. Seven stages, each of approximately ten miles, had to be completed and, in what looked to be a repeat of last year, Chris Jones led the event overall for the first three before falling behind the extremely quick and well-driven Ford Escort that went on to win the rally.

Jones’ co-driver on this occasion was not registered for the BTRDA Series, so the honour of ‘top dog’ in that category went to Andy Wynn who guided Mark Welch to 4th place in his Ford Escort Cosworth. Having already experienced a lack of brakes, Welch finished the final stage on a puncture but the result puts him up to 2nd place in the points table.

Meanwhile, Adrian Spencer and co-driver Mark Hewitt were putting in a solid display in their Subaru Impreza before driveshaft trouble on the sixth stage cost them over two minutes to the leaders. Nevertheless, 8th place in the final results was enough to elevate the driver to the top of the table with just the UTS Cheviot Keith Knox Stages on 25th October to go.

Stuart Bliss/Richard Marsh put their Honda Civic through its paces to record a Top Ten finish which was just reward for the driver’s hard work prior to the start. Having sensed something was wrong, Bliss had removed the Civic’s gearbox, only to find that there were a couple of teeth missing from the pinion. The car, complete with the repaired unit, was only fully mobile at midnight on the Saturday! He, too, picked up a puncture on the last stage but managed to make it to the finish without having to stop and change the offending wheel.

The Peugeot 205 of Paul Boxall/Teresa Butler was plagued with fuel problems for the first couple of stages and the resultant time loss put them well down the order. Once the car was restored to full health, they set about trying to catch Bliss/Marsh and, although having to give best by 50 seconds, they have secured the Series class (C3) for the season. They also have one hand on the ‘Two-Wheel Drive’ category, but they will have to wait a few weeks before the final destination of the award is known.

BTRDA Series leader prior to the trip to Caerwent, Paul Price put in yet another good result – his fifth from five starts – in his Peugeot 106. He now finds himself in 3rd place overall, but still only one point off the outright lead. With daughter Vicki Williams egging him on, Paul has shown just what can be achieved in a 1600cc car and, whatever happens between now and the end of the season, the class (C2) is already beyond the reach of anyone else.

Tim Daltry/Paul Ohren-Bird have also finished every event they have started in their Peugeot 205, in spite of a lurid high-speed spin with one stage to go. Fortunately, the car performed its pirouette without making contact with anything solid and arrived at the finish unscathed!

Co-driver Richard Bliss’ efforts to increase both his class and overall points tallies paid off while Chris Daykin/Steve Lloyd needed a finish in their Vauxhall Nova in their quest to catch the Austin Mini Cooper of Class C1 leader Alison Lock. After the Mini disgraced itself with transmission failure on the second stage at Caerwent, the two drivers now tie for the lead of the class and must wait a month to sort it out!

On an event that lost close on 50% of its original entry during the day, the fact that only two of the BTRDA Series entrants failed to make the finish will be of little consequence to either Alison Lock or Gary Le Coadou/Paul Hollingham whose Toyota Celica GT4 went out with a broken front hub on the third stage. The winners of the recent Anniversary Stages at Longcross had already damaged first gear on the startline of the opening stage, before being sent packing by the loss of a wheel…

So, BTRDA Series contenders now join forces with those from the Richard Egger Insurance MSA Asphalt Rally Championship for the season finale on the Otterburn Military Ranges in Northumberland. Always a tough challenge, the weather at that time of year can, on occasions, add to the severity of the event. Time will tell!…

BTRDA ASPHALT RALLY SERIES - NO GAMES ON THE PATRIOT!...

Posted: September 20, 2009 9:54 AM

As the penultimate round of the Richard Egger Insurance BTRDA Asphalt Rally Series, the EDP Photo News/Bob Dowen Rally Services Patriot Stages comes at a very important time for all contenders. Following the Eventsigns Mewla Rally at the end of August, the top five drivers are separated by a mere nine points and, with dropped scores about to come into play, there is a lot at stake for all concerned.

With a 100% finishing record thus far, leading the table is PAUL PRICE in his 1600cc Peugeot 106. Right behind him, after a maximum on the Mewla, is 2007 Series winner ADRIAN SPENCER (Subaru Impreza) whose co-driver MARK HEWITT actually leads his particular category.

Having missed the opening round of the season, an outright win on Rally of the Midlands, followed up by a good run over Epynt, have helped keep MARK WELCH and ANDY WYNN (Ford Escort Cosworth) in a podium spot. Their visit to Caerwent this time last year was not without its problems and a clear run this time would be greatly appreciated by everyone in the team!…

With a new car under construction, GARY LE COADOU/PAUL HOLLINGHAM have continued to use their Toyota Celica GT4 this year. Apart from being forced to retire from Rally of the Midlands whilst leading the event, they have put in a consistent series of results – and a couple more before the season ends would do them a power of good! In direct contrast PAUL BOXALL/ TERESA BUTLER (Peugeot 205) took their best result of the year so far in the Midlands, while their ‘low’ point was a non-finish on the first visit to Caerwent in March.

Defending BTRDA Series Champion – and winner of the 2008 Patriot Stages – CHRIS JONES is having a real roller-coaster of a season! Maximums on the first two rounds in his Ford Focus STI were followed by retirements on the next two, leaving him in 7th place in the table at this juncture. With two events left to run, the situation is still recoverable but a bag of points at Caerwent is required if things are to improve.

Having started their season on the Tour of Caerwent, STUART BLISS/RICHARD MARSH will be returning to the MoD Training Area in their Honda Civic to continue their rivalry with current class leader PAUL PRICE. Bliss has a score in hand and a couple of good runs on the final two events could possibly see a change at the top!…

TIM DALTRY/PAUL OHREN-BIRD have brought their Peugeot 205 to the finish of each of the three rounds they have started so far, finished 3rd in class on each occasion and are…. 3rd in class C3! CHRIS DAYKIN/STEPHEN LEWIS (Vauxhall Nova) were only able to begin their season on Rally of the Midlands in June, but sound performances since then are keeping them in touch with the Austin Mini Cooper of ALISON LOCK.

The whole event takes place entirely within the confines of the Caerwent Training Area and seven demanding stages, totalling 75 miles, are contained in the route. The first car starts at 8.45am on the Sunday morning and the event is due to finish at 5.30pm that afternoon.

N.B. : Caerwent Training Area is a non-spectator venue.

Unseeded List of Entries

Posted: September 20, 2009 9:53 AM

• Forresters Car Club (Patriot Stages & Tour of Caerwent)

Regulations / Details

Posted: January 1, 2009 12:01 AM

• Forresters Car Club (Patriot Stages & Tour of Caerwent)