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LinksNeath Valley Stages - (Sat) 10 Aug 13
Posted: May 30, 2014 8:40 AM - 5935 Hits
Round 6 - 2013 RAC Rally Championship
- Video Clips
- Perez/Heriot Takes Datsun 260 To Class Victory In Wales
- McCormack wins WWRS R.A.C. Rally Championship thriller
- Results
- Owen and James go Historic in legendary Sunbeam Lotus
- Neath Valley set for WWRS R.A.C. Rally Championship round four
- Entries Received
- Regulations / Details / Website
Perez/Heriot Takes Datsun 260 To Class Victory In Wales
Posted: February 6, 2014 11:57 AM
Triple British champion Steve Perez got back to his winning ways when he contested the Neath Valley Stages at the weekend as part of his preparations for the Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally later this year.
Driving the Amigos Tequila-flavoured beer branded Datsun 260Z in which he has contested the Safari Rally on three previous occasions and will do so again this year, Perez, from Chesterfield, and co-driver Sasha Heriot battled against a couple of handling issues to emerge in 12th overall and third in class B12 but took the Series 6 class victory to add to previous successes this year.
The 2003 British Historic, 2004 National ANCRO and 2010 BTRDA champion also netted maximum points in the WWRS RAC Rally Championship class, declaring the event a success and he was happy with the result:
"This was mission accomplished this weekend with a great test in Walters Arena on Friday followed by a good, clean run in the rally without any major problems. Because the car is built to withstand the rigours of the Kenyan terrain, it's very heavy and uncompromising so we couldn't be as competitive as what we'd have liked but we still got some big air on a couple of the jumps! To put it into perspective, the whole rally this weekend was less than half the mileage of the first stage of the Safari Rally but it was good to give the Datsun a shakedown and it was a bonus that we achieved a good result against more modern cars. What it also means is my follow competitors in the Gentlemans World Rally Class (G-WRC) Andrew Siddall and Geoff Bell will have taken notice of this result and will need to up their game in their respective similar cars when we get out to Africa!"
The Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally takes place between 21st and 29th November 2013 whereby Steve has seconded legendary co-driver John Millington into action, but before then, Steve will be in action on the forthcoming Ulster Historic Rally as well as the Roger Albert Clark Rally in November, both of which he will contest in the Amigos Tequila-flavoured beer branded Lancia Stratos.
Further information is available by following Steve Perez Rallying on Facebook at www.facebook.com/steve.perezrallying and on Twitter @steveperezrallying. For further information on the company's products, including Amigos beer, please visit www.globalbrands.co.uk and the team's official rally website is www.steveperez.co.uk.
McCormack wins WWRS R.A.C. Rally Championship thriller
Posted: February 6, 2014 11:54 AM
Marty McCormack and Phil Clarke took their third win from four rallies in the Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship after a superb battle on today’s Neath Valley Stages (Saturday 10 August).
After a fabulous day of competition, McCormack/Clarke headed the similar Ford Escort Mk2 of Nick Elliott and Dave Price by just seven-tenths of a second after 45 flat out stage miles in the Rheola and Margam complexes.
To show just how competitive things are at the head of the championship, Jason Pritchard/Dale Furniss and Matt Edward/Sam Collis finished within 20 seconds of McCormack. Other notable championship series winners included Terry Cree and Richard Shores, who topped series 2 in their BMW 2002 and Mark Spencer/Steve Pugh who claimed series 7 in their Ford Escort Mk2.
Series winners were:
Series 1: Chris Tooze/Jo Tooze (Singer Chamois)
Series 2: Terry Cree/Richard Shores (BMW 2002)
Series 3: Marty McCormack/Phil Clarke (Ford Escort Mk2)
Series 4: Jason Pritchard/Dale Furniss (Ford Escort Mk2)
Series 6: Steve Perez/Sasha Heriot (Datsun 260Z)
Series 7: Mark Spencer/Steve Pugh (Ford Escort Mk2)
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The Neath Valley Stages, organised by Three Counties Car Club, drew universal acclaim from championship contenders who praised the organisation, the format and, most of all, the stages. Former British Rally Champion Jimmy McRae was one of many drivers who arrived at the finish wanting to go round the stages again, such was the quality of the gravel roads used. “The stages were fantastic,” said McCormack with a view echoed by every finisher.
Owen and James go Historic in legendary Sunbeam Lotus
Posted: August 5, 2013 10:57 PM
Owen Murphy with his regular co driver head off this weekend for The Neath Valley Stages in the UK. Owen who has rallied an Avenger and a Sunbeam but is better known for his exploits in a Mitsubishi Evo 9. John Leahy who owns the Iconic ex Russell Brookes Andrews Heat For Hire Sunbeam Lotus asked Owen would he like to drive the car on a few events.
Owen said he did not have to ask twice I am familiar with that car as my dad had all the old videos of Russell Brookes in the Sunbeam My dad always dreamed of owning a works one and now I get the chance to drive this Iconic car. John Leahy made me the offer and my first spin was in Goodwood at the festival of speed what an event and what great fun I had in the car, the car felt good and seemed to handle well but that was only a spin now we must see how this car goes against the historic regulars which is a very competitive type of rallying in the UK. Owen said thanks to John Leahy for the opportunity to drive this car hope we get some good results.
Joining Owen is his regular co driver James O’ Brien, James is one of Ireland most experienced co drivers and is just as excited as Owen to be in this Iconic car. James said to be rallying against rally legends of the past like Jimmy McRae is just great and this car has a lot of history it should be a great day out.
Owen will have his regular sponsor with him on the Rally so the Andrews Heat For Hire Car will run on Owens preferred brand of tyre Hankook.
Owen Murphy list of results are as follows.
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1999 Irish Junior Rookie Karting Champion.
Winner of the Ford Rally Academy UK 2003.
4th in the Peugeot 206 cup 2005.
1st ever winner of the first round of the Fiesta sporting Trophy 2006 Malcolm Wilson Rally.
Irish GpN National Forest Rally Champion 2006.
Winner of the Billy Coleman Award young driver 2006.
Irish Forest Rally Champion in 2011 in the Hankook Mitsubishi Evo 9.
2012 Winner of the Cork Forest and Moonraker Forest Rally. (Irish Championship)
Twice winner of the Willie Loughman Forest Rally including 2013. (Irish Championship)
On Tar 3 times winner GpN on the Cork 20 Rally.
Second overall in the Gp N car on the West Cork Rally.
Neath Valley set for WWRS R.A.C. Rally Championship round four
Posted: August 5, 2013 1:58 PM
The classic Wales Rally GB stages of South Wales will be the setting for the Neath Valley Stages, round four of the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship (Saturday 10 August).
With 14 models of car from 11 manufacturers and a vast array of quality drivers, including five-time British Rally Champion Jimmy McRae, it is another superb entry for the championship. The historic cars will run first on the road, competing over prime gravel stages in the Rheola and Margam forest complexes. The very compact route, based at Rheola, covers 45 stages miles and just over 60 road miles and the forest tracks are reported as being in prime condition.
The Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club has developed the R.A.C. Championship, which focuses on historic rally cars complying with MSA and FIA historic regulations. But, significantly, it also opens up the chance for the next generation of cars to join the historic fraternity.
The 2013 championship is running over six one-day gravel rallies in England, Scotland and Wales. The championship caters for cars from MSA historic Categories One, Two and Three as well as cars prepared to FIA Appendix K. Additional classes accommodate cars built up to the end of 1986 as well as other pre ’87 cars that do not fully comply with historic regulations.
Heading the main historic field away will be championship leaders Marty McCormack/Phil Clarke and Nick Elliott/Dave Price in a battle of the Ford Escort Mk2s and their respective pace in these forests will be a talking point of the rally. Elliott has more experience than McCormack of the area, but neither crew is on what can be described as familiar territory.
Lining up against McCormack and Elliott will be another leading contender in the form of the Viking Motorsport prepared Ford Escort Mk2 of Jason Pritchard/Dale Furniss, who may elect to run in the Martin Jones Transmissions Series 4 for cars prepared to FIA Appendix K regulations. Whichever category Pritchard enters, he will be a very big rival to McCormack and Elliott in overall terms, having shown increasingly strong pace in recent rounds.
McCormack and Elliott head the entry for the Rob Smith Rallying Series 3, but a gaggle of very quick Escort Mk2s will be in pursuit, including the cars of Matt Edwards/Sam Collis, Terry Brown/Tomos Whittle, James Potter/Bob Duck, Will Nicholls/Nick Broom, Warren Philliskirk/Paul Wakely, Peter Slights/James Whitaker, Jimmy McRae/Pauline Gullick, Tim Freeman/tba, Phil and Mick Squires and event co-sponsor Jonathan Brace with Jonny Evans. All of them add fantastic quality to another very strong field for the WWRS R.A.C. Championship.
Class D4 within Series 3 promises to be very interesting with the addition of an ex-Russell Brookes Sunbeam Lotus for Irish ace Owen Murphy and highly experienced co-driver James O’Brien. Although lacking experience in these forests, Murphy’s pace in Ireland suggests he could be a big contender. Similarly mounted are former BHRC champion James Stait and Glyn Thomas on Stait’s first outing of 2013.
A tremendous seven-strong entry for Class D3 makes it the best D3 field of the season in British historic rallying so far and the addition of asphalt ace Melvyn Evans in his Escort Mk2 adds further quality. Evans, who is an infrequent competitor on gravel, will go up against championship pacesetters Ben Mellors/Alex Lee (Escort Mk2) and the Opel Kadett of Peter Smith/Graham Wild. More rapid Pinto-powered Escorts are entered for Paul Fry/Mike Steele, Duncan Waite/Keith Garton and Ben Friend/Jonathan Jackson.
The Ford Escort Mk1 of Nick Jarvis/Craig Thorley should set the standard in the Capital Construction Series 2 (1968-74), where an excellent entry of 2-litre Pinto-powered Escort Mk1s will take on the BMW 2002 of Terry Cree/Richard Shores. The Escort pack includes the ever-spectacular Dick Slaughter/Geoff Dearing and David Kirby/Chris Rixon.
The WWRS R.A.C. Championship has pioneered a move to allow the 1600cc cars from Series 2 and 3 to run first on the road along with the Series 1 cars and this trial will be repeated on the Neath Valley Stages. The Ford Escort Mk1s of Vince Bristow/Tim Sayer and Robin Shuttleworth/Ronnie Roughead will run at the very head of the rally with the flying Bristow set to be first on the road for his debut rally this season in the Escort. Also running in this group will be the Hillman Avenger of Graham Thatcher/Robert James.
In the Walker Diecastings Series 1, the Lotus Cortina of Simon Wallis/Graham Wride will set the benchmark in an encouraging field of pre ’68 cars. In hot pursuit will be Ian Beveridge/Paul Price (Volvo PV544) and John Everard/Mark Sharpley in the lovely Alfa Romeo GT. Now rebuilt after rolling on the Tour of Hamsterley, the Alfa will be a real crowd pleaser and will be chased by Les Allfrey/Sasha Herriott (Mini Cooper), Chris and Jo Tooze (Singer Chamois) and welcome converts Callum Barney/Ron Channon (Ford Cortina GT).
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