Wyedean Rally - 12 Feb 11

Tom Cave performs well on the Wyedean in JRM Evo X

Posted: March 27, 2011 5:46 PM

Driving a JRM Mitsubishi Evolution X on an event for the first time, 19-year old Tom Cave from Aberdovey, together with Co-driver Craig Parry, delivered an impressive performance on Saturday’s Wyedean Rally, by finishing seventh overall and second in Group N.

Having arranged to hire a JRM car for the Forest of Dean-based event, with a view of going on to contest the British Rally Championship, Cave tested the Mitsubishi on Friday morning at Walters Arena and, following a few adjustments to the car’s setup, was very pleased with the way it performed.

It was therefore a blow that, on the morning of the event, a stomach upset almost forced him to retire – even before the rally began! However, he opted to continue and, as it turned out, on the very first of the day’s seven stages, he set the second-fastest time overall! An excellent performance in a new car and on his BTRDA and Wyedean Rally debut.

As other competitors more familiar with the stages and those in more powerful machinery started to push, Cave’s second place came under threat. However, his case was not helped when he suffered a number of spins during stage three.

At the service halt the team found a broken rear anti-roll bar link, which would have most certainly unsettled the car. Added to this, a change of tyres onto the type used for British Championship events was also suspected to have altered the way the car handled.

Even so, Cave never set a time outside the top ten in all of the event’s seven stages and was obviously enjoying his first experience in a JRM Mitsubishi. He was therefore extremely satisfied to finish second in Group N and seventh overall, amongst a field of 180 cars.

“I was very happy with the way the JRM Mitsubishi felt to drive. The team did a really good job”, said Cave. “Without the problems of the day I am sure we could have challenged for the class win and a higher overall placing. I therefore look forward to driving the car again now I have some experience of it – and hopefully I’ll be feeling better too!”

Team Manager John Barnes was extremely pleased with the outcome:
“Tom drove really well and I’m delighted that the car performed so well too. I am also pleased that it has now been confirmed he will be with us for the first round of the British Championship.”

The JRM Rally Team will next be in action on the Rally Sunseeker, the opening round of the British Rally Championship, which takes place on 26 February. Cave will be joined at this event by Daniel Barry, who will drive another of the company’s Mitsubishi Evolution Xs.

Tom Cave second in class on BTRDA debut

Posted: March 27, 2011 5:28 PM

Teenage rally driver Tom Cave was delighted to finish this weekend's Wyedean Rally, the opening round of the 2011 BTRDA championship, in seventh place overall and second in Group N. Tom, driving a rented Mitsubishi Lancer EvolutionX prepared and run by JRM, put in an extremely strong performance, despite a stomach bug which meant he spent most of the night before the start being ill.

Before the start of the event, Tom said that as the stage mileage was relatively low, he would have to attack from the very start to get a decent result. He was true to his word and set the second fastest stage time overall on the first timed test of the rally, ahead of a brace of world rally cars and open-class machinery.

The competition responded instantly on the following stage but it was the third that would cost him a possible class win. On the longest test of the event, he struggled to find the grip and balance he sought, spinning in the stage twice and dropping more than 15 seconds in the process.

At the following service, the team diagnosed a broken rear anti-roll bar link, which was the cause of the handling issues. This was repaired and he returned for the final loop of three stages.

By this time, local hero Nik Elsmore had overhauled Tom and despite his best efforts, he wasn't able to close the gap to Elsmore. However, he was able to rise from eighth to seventh by the finish of the event, claiming second in Group N in the process.

Commenting after the finish, Tom said;
"I'm happy with today, definitely, especially when you consider that I very nearly didn't start at all.

"It began well, with the time on the first stage but we had a massive moment going over the finish line, with the car aquaplaning for what felt like hundreds of yards and we ended up going up a bank.

"The second stage was good but on the third stage, the long one, I didn't get a good rhythm. The car just didn't feel right somehow - the back end was all over the place - and we spun twice. The JRM guys found a broken link at the service, but I think the 15-20 seconds we lost cost us the class win.

"I took things a little steadier this afternoon, as I didn't feel 100%. For me, the last stage was the best, as I found a really good rhythm and there were loads of spectators in that stage, egging us on, which always gives you a huge boost.

"The car felt good - JRM did a really good job - and we're heading for the Sunseeker now feeling strong and hopefully, looking for a good result."

Bird/Riddick Delighted with Wyedean Second Place

Posted: March 27, 2011 4:26 PM

Penrith rally driver Paul Bird returned to the forests for the first time in nearly a year and was delighted to come away with a runner-up position from today's Team GMF Wyedean Rally.

Along with Scottish co driver Kirsty Riddick in the Frank Bird Poultry-backed Ford Focus WRC08, shod with DMACK tyres, the pair were contesting the opening round of the BTRDA Rally Series and for the former National Champion, it was his first ever visit to the Forest of Dean Stages.

After a steady start as he reacclimatised himself with the car on gravel and the high speed tests of the rarely used forests, Bird gradually upped the pace as an enthralling battle for the lead was staged between multiple Wyedean winner Andy Burton in his radical Peugeot Cosworth and the Ford Focus of regular BTRDA front runner Mike O'Brien.

Bird went fastest on SS3 and at the end of the fourth stage; only six seconds separated the three leading crews going into the final three tests. However, Burton's experience proved valuable and he extended his lead to 20 seconds after SS6 but a great drive by Bird saw him stop the clocks fastest on the final stage to claim a superb runner up placing.

At the end of the event, the Kawasaki World Superbike Team boss said: "All things considered, I have to be delighted with second place behind a driver of Andy's capability and reputation on this event which he has won six times now. It was my first time on gravel since last year's Malcolm Wilson Rally so I was a bit rusty but doing the Jack Frost Rally at Croft certainly helped. I'd heard a lot about these stages and indeed they were unique and very fast so to set two quickest times was also pleasantly surprising. It is important points in the bank and hopefully Andy and the rest of the BTRDA competitors will be venturing to my neck of the woods for a rematch in three weeks time!"

Indeed Bird's next outing will be his local Malcolm Wilson Rally in his native Lake District on Saturday 5th March which he has won three times. This year, he'll be looking to avenge the disappointment of last year when he was leading going into the penultimate stage only for a puncture to force him out and deny him a record breaking fourth victory.

Results

Posted: March 27, 2011 4:22 PM

1, Andrew Burton/Robin Kellard, Peugeot Cosworth, 0:43:08
3, Hugh Hunter/Andy Marchbank, Ford Focus WRC, 0:43:38
4, David Wright/Michael Wilkinson, Mitsubishi Evo9, 0:44:13
5, Roger Chilman/Andrew Sankey, Subaru Impreza S9, 0:44:16
6, Nik Elsmore/Paul Spooner, Mitsubishi Evo9, 0:44:20
7, Tom Cave/Craig Parry, Mitsubishi Evo10, 0:44:45
8, Roger Duckworth/Mark Broomfield, Subaru Impreza WRC, 0:44:47
9, Nigel Griffiths/Jon Scott, Subaru Impreza, 0:45:23
10, Harry Hunt/Steve McPhee, Mitsubishi Evo9, 0:45:52

Wyedean Rally - 12 Feb 11 - FULL RESULTS

Results by Tynemouth Computer Services Rally Results

Seeded Entry List

Posted: February 8, 2011 10:48 AM

Snowman Rally - 19 Feb 11 - SEEDED ENTRY LIST

• Wyedean Forest Rally

PERFECT DARTS – A FULL HOUSE!...

Posted: February 8, 2011 10:43 AM

180… is the number of cars Forest of Dean Motor Club Ltd has assembled for the GMF Motor Factors Wyedean Forest Rally. Based, once again, at Chepstow Racecourse, the event maintains its hugely popular place in the UK calendar and not only does the capacity entry list boast quantity, but quality abounds throughout each of its constituent elements.

The first group of competitors to leave the Racecourse start will be those in up to 1400cc cars and the category winner for the past two years, Julian Wilkes, has the honour of leading the rally away in his Vauxhall Nova. Co-driven by Will Rutherford, the Taunton driver will be aiming for a hat-trick but, as is always the case, there are any number of others who will be hoping to rain on his parade! Not least of these will be former BTRDA 1400 Championship winner Darren Pinchin (Proton Satria) whose co-driver, Karen Watts, lives in the Forest of Dean. Darren is once again setting out on the long road to win the Millers Oils sponsored 1400 Championship, but seven other drivers in the top ten have similar aspirations!

Next up will be a field of over 30 ‘Historic’ cars, the first of which are the Ford Escort MkIIs of Cheltenham’s Nick Elliott/Dave Price and Pete Elkins (Westbury) and Andrew Joll. Pete is also contesting the BTRDA Silver Star Championship (for two-wheel drive cars) in which he finished runner-up in 2010. With a full season in prospect, his avowed intent is to go one better this time! With 18 Fords of various shapes and sizes in the first twenty Historics, Phil Collins (Pontrilas) and Bryan Thomas wheel out their Opel Ascona 400 in an attempt to keep the ‘Blue Oval’ at bay. There will be some battle here as the rally progesses!

In the absence of last year’s winner Steve Perez, starting the Wyedean with No.1 on his doors is Andy Burton (Kington) in his familiar Peugeot Cosworth. Due to an impending change in the regulations from the start of 2012, this will be the last time that the five-times winner of the event’s car will be eligible to compete and, with Robin Kellard strapped into the co-driver’s seat, ‘Burty’ will be looking to make it six before he has to change direction. 2007 Wyedean winners Hugh Hunter (Ruthin)/Andy Marchbank are next in their Ford Focus WRC, with the similar car of former MSA Gravel Rally Champion Paul Bird at No.3. The Cumbrian and co-driver Kirsty Riddick have already won the Jack Frost Stages Rally this year and will be contesting the first two rounds of the Silverstone Tyres BTRDA Rally Series, the Wyedean and their ‘local’ event, the Malcolm Wilson Rally, before deciding on the programme for the rest of the year.

Nik Elsmore (Coleford), partnered by 2010 winning co-driver Paul Spooner, is still trying to emulate his father Graham’s three wins on the Wyedean (1975/76/77). So far, Nik has put his name on the trophy in 2001 and 2009, but the third victory is proving elusive. He will be driving a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9 as he attempts to redress the balance but will have the added pressure of another former MSA Gravel Championship winning crew, Roger Duckworth (Whittlebury)/Mark Broomfield, running right behind him in their Subaru Impreza WRC. Nobody said it was going to be easy!...

The first car leaves the start at 8.00am on Saturday 12th February and, having completed seven special stages in the picturesque Forest of Dean (not that they will have much time to admire the view!), the survivors will begin arriving back at the finish from approximately 2.45pm.

Tom Cave joins JRM for the Wyedean Rally

Posted: February 7, 2011 7:17 PM

JRM will take part in its first rally of the year next Saturday (12th February), when 19-year old Tom Cave drives one of the company’s Group N Mitsubishi Evolution Xs in the opening round of the BTRDA Series, the Wyedean Forest Rally. This will be Cave’s first outing in a JRM car, the talented Aberdovey youngster hiring it for this event.

After a highly successful season in 2010, when JRM achieved its goal of winning the British Rally Championship Teams’ title, the company has decided to look at other areas where it can increase its profile and develop its business of hiring and selling rally cars and competition parts. It is therefore delighted to be running Cave in the Forest of Dean-based event and, if all goes well, hopes the association will continue for the Rallye Sunseeker - the first round of the MSA British Rally Championship - which takes place at the end of February.

“We are extremely pleased to see Tom in one of our cars this weekend”, said JRM Team Manager John Barnes. “It is also good for us to have a profile in the BTRDA series and, if this leads into the first round of the British Championship as well, it will be an excellent start to the season for us.”

Although working with the JRM team will be a new experience for Cave, he does have former knowledge of driving a Mitsubishi to call on, as he previously competed in an Evo X in Latvia last year. And, if his performance two weeks ago on the Red Kite Stages in South Wales is anything to go by - when he finished an excellent second overall - he could well be on the pace of the front-runners this weekend.

“I'm looking forward to the event, even though pretty much everything is new’, said Cave. “The only constant is Craig [Parry, his co-driver]. We're in a new car, with a new team, on a new event with route notes, which are also new to me. No pressure then...”

"I think that because of the level of competition and, with many of the other drivers in the event having previous experience of the rally, the only way is flat out from the start. I think a top-five finish and possibly a class win would be an excellent result and that's what I'll be aiming for.”

The Wyedean Rally starts and finishes from Chepstow Racecourse. It features a route of 45 competitive miles split into six stages in the surrounding forests, plus a 1.5-mile spectator stage through the racecourse itself. The full entry of 180 cars will see Cave’s JRM Mitsubishi up against a variety of other machinery, some of them WRC cars, as well as B13 (open class) and other Group N (production class) cars.

Event Preview

Posted: February 4, 2011 9:20 PM

The forthcoming GMF Motor Factors Wyedean Forest Rally (12th February) heralds the start of the 2011 Silverstone Tyres BTRDA Rally Series and the capacity 180-car entry list is already telling us that, come the end of the season, there will be some different names on many of the trophies. Steve Perez is not defending his Gold Star title, Silver Star Champion Jon Ballinger’s Opel Manta isn’t yet ready to enter the fray and Millers Oils 1400 & MSA English Championship winner Matt Edwards’ name does not appear on the list. Only teenage BTRDA Rally First Champion Ash Slights is staying put to gain more experience at this level before taking the plunge and moving up.

So, that then begs the question ‘who will be the 2011 Champions’? Well, if we knew that!.... Each section of the entry list for the Wyedean is positively overflowing with ‘pretenders’ to their respective crowns and, at this stage, attempting to single out individuals for further scrutiny is, indeed, a difficult task.

Let’s start with the Millers Oils 1400 Championship contenders as it is they who, running at the front of the field, will be first to leave Chepstow Racecourse from 8.00am on 12th February. Former Champion Darren Pinchin and his co-driver Karen Watts, who is a resident of the Forest of Dean, are back in the former’s Proton Satria, ahead of the Vauxhall Nova of Justin Lawson/Paul Hargreaves and Clive Anstey/Tim Currie in a Corsa. In total, seven of the top ten crews – and a lot more besides - will be chasing 1400 Championship points. Wyedean regulars will know that the weather sometimes has a bearing on the eventual outcome but, along with the organisers, they are hopeful that will not be the case this year!

From within the 1400 entry, BTRDA Rally First sees Ash Slights/Tom Hughes first off in their Toyota Yaris, with the Rover 214 of Dave & Michael Town and Joe Evett/Calvin Houldsworth’s Vauxhall Nova right behind them. In the up to 1000cc class, the Nissan Micras of Mick Smith, Alistair Sutherland and Ian Arden start line astern but will they still be in the same order by the time they arrive back in Chepstow?

On the Wyedean, those who have entered the Historic classes will run between the 1400s and the ‘main’ field and, in amongst them, are a number of drivers who have registered for the Silverstone Tyres BTRDA Silver Star Championship. From amongst them come some of the finest exponents of two-wheel drive forest rallying in the country. For instance, Pete Elkins’ 2010 season didn’t start until mid April, but such were the calibre of his results in his Ford Escort MkII that he ended the year in runner-up spot, behind Jon Ballinger. With a full Championship in prospect, can he go one better this time? Fellow Escort pilots including Terry Brown, Warren Philliskirk, Barry Jordan, Mick Jones and Will Onions would like to think otherwise, but time alone will tell....

OK, so the current Silverstone Tyres BTRDA Gold Star Champion will be absent, but Andy Burton (Peugeot Cosworth – 2003), Hugh Hunter (Ford Focus WRC – 2008), Roger Chilman (Subaru Impreza – 2005), David Wright (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9 – 2009) and Shaun Gardener (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO5.9 – 2006) can sign the attendance register in his place! Former MSA Gravel Champion Paul Bird (Ford Focus WRC), who has also registered for the Gold Star Championship this year, will be having his first experience of rallying in the Forest of Dean and Charlie Payne will be travelling down from Yorkshire with his similar car.

With a few gaps, most of the Top 30 on the Wyedean entry list have already registered for the BTRDA Rally Series and, in amongst them, there is a very healthy Group N contingent. In either Mitsubishi Lancers or Subaru Imprezas, Tom Naughton, Tom Cave, Pat Naylor, Alex Allingham, Tristan Bailey, Jamie Anderson, Paul Davy and James Grint are all eminently capable of leading the ‘Production’ battle and no doubt sparks will fly as they attempt to do so!

The MSA English Rally Championship has gained the support of Swisher for 2011 and, as the class- based series moves forward, the BTRDA has already received over 50 registrations. Jon Ballinger won it in 2009 in a 2-litre car while Matt Edwards 1400cc MG ZR was victorious last year. Fought out over five of the BTRDA Rally Series rounds, plus the Trackrod Clubman & South of England Tempest Rallies at the end of the season, the Swisher MSA English Rally Championship caters purely for two-wheel drive cars up to 2-litre.

Seven stages in the Forest of Dean are on the menu and the first car is due back at Chepstow Racecourse for the finish shortly after 2.30pm on 12th February.

Tom Cave joins the fray on the Wyedean

Posted: February 4, 2011 8:57 PM

Next weekend will see the second outing in 2011 for teenage rally driver Tom Cave, as he takes part in the Wyedean Forest Rally, based in Chepstow. The 19 year-old will be driving a rented Mitsubishi Lancer EvolutionX Group N car as he aims for points on the first round of the BTRDA championship.

Tom has taken the decision to rent the latest-specification car, prepared and run by JRM, on the Wyedean and most likely, the Sunseeker Rally later this month, the latter the opening round of the 2011 British Rally Championship. He feels that this latest specification of Group N car, essentially the same as the car he drove last year in Latvia and demonstrated exceptional pace, will give him the best chance of success in the BRC and now, the BTRDA series, where he has registered to score points.

And while he will be buoyed by his pace on the Red Kite Stages rally two weeks ago, he is also keenly aware that next weekend will be a far tougher prospect. Not only will local knowledge play into others' hands, there is also a brace of World Rally Cars on the early entry list, as well as cars which fall into the B13 class, essentially somewhere between Group N and Group A.

So for this reason, there's only one course of action - maximum attack from the start of the first stage to the flying finish of the last.

"I'm looking forward to the event," said Tom, "even though pretty much everything is new. The only constant is Craig [Parry, co-driver]. We're in a new car, with a new team, on a new event with route notes, which are also new to us. No pressure then...

"Having said that, at least I have driven a GroupN EvoX on gravel, when I did Rally Latvia last year in the MML Sports car.

"I think with the level of competition and other drivers with experience and local knowledge, the only way is flat out from the start. I think a top five finish and possibly a class win would be an excellent result and that's what I'll be aiming for. Ambitious maybe but you have to have something to aim at...

"We'll be running on the Pirelli tyres that we will use in the BRC, so I'm hoping that we won't have the same puncture problems we had on our last two outings - Scotland last year and the Red Kite last month. It will also give us an idea of how the tyres work and what to expect on the Sunseeker."

Tom will be carrying out a short test in the car prior to the one-day event, which runs from the racecourse in Chepstow on Saturday 12 February.

FORMER CHAMPIONS TEAM UP!...

Posted: January 25, 2011 10:06 AM

The entry list for the GMF Motor Factors Wyedean Forest Rally has now passed the 150-mark and some interesting crew/car combinations have come to light as the first major forest event of the season approaches.

Last year’s Wyedean winner Steve Perez will not be defending his title, leaving co-driver Paul Spooner (Raglan) to hitch a lift with Nik Elsmore. Coleford resident Nik has won the event twice and is desperate to match his father Graham’s tally of three which came between 1975 and 1977.

Meanwhile, the Historic category sees Phil Collins (Pontrilas) enlisting the services of former British Rally Champion Co-driver Bryan Thomas (Leominster) in his Opel Ascona. Bryan’s BRC wins date back over a decade and a half and came with Malcolm Wilson and Mark Higgins.

One of a large number of ‘Historic’ Ford Escorts heading for Chepstow on 12th February is that of Guy Woodcock (Chester) who will be joined in the car for the first time for more than eight years by Hu Kent (Cardiff).

Leaving his particular Opel Ascona at home in Leominster, Wyedean regular Theo Bengry and co-driver Les Forsbrook are opting for the ‘modern’ route and will be lining up in the former’s Ford Focus WRC.

As usual, the Wyedean Forest Rally is the opening round of the Silverstone Tyres BTRDA Gold Star Rally Championship and past winner Andy Burton has set his sights on another title. 2011 is the last year that his hybrid Peugeot Cosworth will be able to compete before a change in the regulations render it ineligible.

Unseeded Entry List

Posted: January 12, 2011 9:56 AM

• Wyedean Forest Rally

Regulations / Details

Posted: January 2, 1990 3:00 PM

• Wyedean Forest Rally