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BHRC preview, round one: Mid Wales Historic Rally
Dunlop/WONAGO MSA British Historic Rally ChampionshipPress release: Tuesday, 1 March 2011
The 2011 Dunlop/WONAGO MSA British Historic Rally Championship will start in spectacular style on Sunday (6 March) with the Rally Marketing Mid Wales Historic Stages.
With the Newtown-based rally moving to the start of the calendar, a superb field of over 70 cars will tackle the classic stages of Hafren and Myherin as used on Wales Rally GB in November. The entry is crammed with quality as well as quantity and this popular event should prove the perfect start to another season of historic rallying.
Category 1
Running first on the road will be the older cars in category one (pre '68) and four Porsche 911s head the pack. Top seed is the Porsche of Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride, back for another assault on the overall BHRC title.
With the Sunbeam Tiger of Jonathan Gale not due out until later in the season, Nutt still has plenty of opposition and running behind the familiar Porsche will be the flying Volvo Amazon of Graham Waite/Gill Cotton, which will run Nutt close over these fabulous gravel stages. Two more Porsches will also feature with stable mates Rikki Proffitt/John Stanger-Leathes and Derek and Roisin Boyd aiming to chase Nutt, with Edmund Peel and Janet Craine completing the Porsche quartet.
Two Lotus Cortinas should also be in the reckoning with Paul Mankin teaming up with seasoned co-driver Peter Scott and Simon Wallis/Graham Wride fielding their Alan Mann Racing-liveried car.
Category 2
Category two, for the post-historic cars, has three Escort Mk1s at the head of the pack as defending champions David Stokes and Guy Weaver lead the category two cars away. They will surely be the category benchmark, but right behind them will be Stefaan Stouf and Joris Erard for only their second foray into Wales. The Belgian crew are on a roll right now, having won the Roger Albert Clark Rally and Boucles de Spa in the last four months! Third of the big three in category two will be Rupert Lomax and David Alcock and any one of this trio could be on top when the crews return to Newtown on Sunday afternoon.
Class C3 promises to be just as hard fought as local aces Tim Jones and Don James head the runners in their Pinto-powered Escort Mk1. However, defending class champions Andrew Siddall and Captain Thompson will be right on the pace as will James and David Young on an all too rare outing in their Escort Mk1. Class dark horses could be Dick Slaughter and Geoff Dearing in the Escort Mk1 previously rallied by Dick's son James.
Meanwhile, C2 should also feature a great contest as the new pairing of Matt Fowle and Jane Edgington head the entry in Matt's 1600cc Escort Mk1, but they will be challenged by the similar cars of Rex Ireland/Adrian Scadding, Nick Danks/Martin Corbett and David Kirby/Ben Friend.
Category 3
The contest for category three and top overall honours will be the highlight of the rally as a stunning line-up of cars and drivers prepare to do battle. Running at the head of the field, having won the corresponding rally last June, will be Nick Elliott in his Escort Mk2. With regular co-driver Dave Price tied up with work commitments, Nick has enlisted the co-driving services of Chris Brooks and just how well they settle in together over the opening stages could have a big impact on the final result, as a 12-mile stage in Hafren gets the event off to a demanding start.
Second on the road, and sure to trade times with Elliott, will be Julian Reynolds and Ian Oakey, while a gaggle of quick Escorts will head the chase of Elliott and Reynolds. Ryan Barrett/Paul McCann, Paul Griffiths/Paul Williams, Will Onions/Dave Williams and Tim Pearcey/Neil Shanks are all major contenders and their relative pace will be the big talking point of the day. Lining up to stop this being an Escort benefit is the Vauxhall Chevette of Rob Smith and Shaun O'Gorman and their pace at the end of last season marks them as a real threat to the Ford brigade.
However, category three is not just about the battle in class D5 at the top of the field. In D4, the Opel Asconas of Steve Magson/Geoff Atkinson and Paul Kynaston/Gary Bulley will add welcome variety, while a superb class D3 entry should also deliver an absorbing contest. Top seeds in D3 are Guy Woodcock and Hu Kent in the first of the Pinto-powered Escort Mk2s, but they will be chased by the similar cars of Stuart Clarke/Andy Ballantyne, Polly Patti/Chris Dewsnap, Chris White/Tim Sturla and David Lloyd-Roberts/Dei Jones. Ranged against the Escorts will be the Opel Kadett of Peter Smith and Russ Langthorne, who will arrive in Newtown on Sunday morning fresh from contesting the Malcolm Wilson Rally the day before in their Escort Mk1.
The Rally Marketing Mid Wales Historic Stages is organised by Newtown and District Automobile Club Ltd. For more details about the event, please visit the website at: www.MidWalesStages.co.uk
Added: 1st March 2011 [permalink]
Preview, round eight: Trackrod Historic Cup
Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally ChampionshipPress release: Friday, 17 September, 2010
Once again, the Trackrod Historic Cup (Saturday 25 September) brings the curtain down on the Dunlop/Wonago.com MSA British Historic Rally Championship season as the BHRC crews take the annual chance to tackle the classic Yorkshire forest stages. With a fine entry of 66 historics, it will be a great end to another superb season of historic rallying.
After another challenging season, the overall title race will be decided over four long stages in the famous Dalby and Langdale forest complexes and three crews remain in the running for the title. The strongest hand lies with David Stokes and Guy Weaver in their Escort Mk1 following another maximum score on the penultimate event in Belgium. If they repeat that result with another category two victory in Yorkshire, they will be confirmed as overall champions.
However, ready to challenge are category one crews Jonathan Gale and James Whitaker (Sunbeam Tiger) and Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride (Porsche 911). Gale/Whitaker start the final round with the upper hand, but need to win to make sure of the category title and have the best chance of the overall crown should Stokes/Weaver falter. Nutt/McBride, meanwhile, can only go all out for category one victory and see where their rivals have finished.
Category one
At the head of category one will be Gale/Whitaker and Nutt/McBride, as one of the strongest category one fields of the season includes contenders in the HRCR Stage Rally Challenge and HRCR Mini Cup.
The big rival to the Tiger and the Porsche will be the flying Volvo Amazon of Graham Waite and Gill Cotton. However, the long Yorkshire straights should favour the sports cars despite the spectacular efforts of Waite. Other quick cars in classes B4 and B5 include the Porsche 911s of Phil and Barbara Smith and Edmund Peel/Kevin Devine, while the Lotus Cortina of Paul Mankin and Desmond Bell makes a welcome return to the BHRC after an engine failure earlier in the season.
Among the Minis, Clive King and Bob Ward should set the pace, while class B1 will be contested by Nick Pinkett and Richard Simpson (Saab 96) and Mike Barratt and Jody Watson (Sunbeam Stiletto).
Category two
Despite starting the season with non-finishes on three of the first four gravel rallies, Stokes and Weaver have since had a fabulous campaign, topped by victories in category two on the Isle of Man, Ulster and Flanders. Now, another victory is the target to clinch the overall title.
However, the opposition in category two is strong and includes Steven Smith and John Nichols in the Escort Mk1 that Smith debuted in Flanders. Stokes knows that he must beat Smith in Yorkshire, while other challenges in class C5 come from Chris Browne and Liz Jordan (Escort Mk1) and 2009 Trackrod winners Stefaan Stouf and Joris Erard (Escort Mk1).
Another challenger for victory in category two will be class C4 leaders Tim Mason and Graham Wild (Porsche 911). Mason will be hoping for better fortune than a year ago when his run on his home rally ended less than a mile into the opening stage with driveshaft failure.
Mason and Wild go up against another Porsche 911 in class C4, the car of fellow Yorkshire crew Peter Smith and Russ Langthorne, while a welcome return to the BHRC is made by the glorious Lancia Stratos of Steve Perez and Paul Spooner.
Class C3 promises one of the best battles of the season, headed by Yorkshiremen Andrew Siddall and Captain Thompson in their Escort Mk1, who have already won the class title. However, on their home rally they face a big challenge, headed by Welshmen Tim Jones and Don James (Escort Mk1) and backed up by the similar cars of James Slaughter/Phil Peak, Guy Smith/Patrick Walsh and Robin Shuttleworth/Ronnie Roughead.
A fine class C2 field includes several championship newcomers, but it is the Escort Mk1 of Vince Bristow and Tim Sayer that it sure to set the pace as the Sussex crew battle to get up among the more powerful class C3 cars.
Category three
A superb entry of category three cars will deliver some spectacular action and with the category title already sewn up by the Vauxhall Chevette of Rob Smith and Shaun O'Gorman, there are no championship issues to be settled.
Leading the field away on his first run in the BHRC will be local legend Steve Bannister, partnered by Louise Sutherland in his historic specification Escort Mk2. Going up against Bannister will be Nick Elliott and Dave Price and Ulster Rally winners Connor Corkill and Rob Fagg.
Other rapid Escort Mk2s will be in the hands of Roger Kilty/Lynette Banks, Tim Pearcey/John McNichol, Charlie Taylor/Steve Bielby, Dick Slaughter/Geoff Dearing and notable dark horse Warren Philliskirk/Emma Slights. From Belgium comes the Escort Mk2 of Christophe Jacob and world-class co-driver Stephane Prevot. Lining up against the Escort pack will be the Opel Ascona 400 of local crew Steve Magson and Geoff Atkinson.
In class C3, Richard Lane and Frank Richer head the pack in their Escort Mk2, while class D2 will be a battle of the Sunbeams ass Ian Coulson/Joe Jones go up against Michael Kent/Miles Cartwright.
The Trackrod Historic Cup starts at 7.30am on Saturday 25 September from Scarborough. For more details about the event, please visit the website at: www.rallyyorkshire.co.uk
Added: 17th September 2010 [permalink]
Preview, round seven: Historic Tour of Flanders
Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally ChampionshipPress release: Monday, 6 September, 2010
The seventh and penultimate round of the Dunlop/Wonago.com MSA British Historic Rally Championship takes crews to Belgium for the Historic Tour of Flanders (10/11 September).
The annual contest on the challenging asphalt roads takes on a new format for 2010, with the bulk of the rally packed into a long and demanding Saturday after two stages on Friday evening. By late on Saturday night, the rally will be complete.
Three crews stand out at the head of the title race, with current points' leaders Jonathan Gale and James Whitaker (Sunbeam Tiger) striving to fend off the Porsche 911 of Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride. However, it is David Stokes and Guy Weaver (Ford Escort Mk1) with the most to gain. If they can take maximum points in Flanders and again on the final round, the Trackrod Historic Cup (25 September), they will have an unbeatable maximum BHRC score.
Category 1
Gale and Whitaker top the category one entry in the thundering Tiger and should go well on the Belgian asphalt. Should Stokes and Weaver falter, Gale/Whitaker could get to within one point of a maximum score, so they need to beat the Nutt/McBride Porsche to maintain their title hopes.
But the pace of Nutt's Porsche will surely take the fight to the Tiger on an event that Nutt and McBride know well. Equally, the Porsche crew still has its own title hopes in what remains a very open contest.
Other contenders in category one include the Porsche 911 of Rikki Proffitt and Bob Duck; while among the smaller-engined category one cars are the Mini Cooper of Peter Horsburgh/Graham Carter, the Sunbeam Stiletto of Mike Barratt/Jody Watson and the Sunbeam Imp of Ian Fisher/John Connor.
Category 2
The focus of category two will be the progress of Stokes and Weaver as they try and add another win to their growing tally. However, they face plenty of opposition, notably from Jeremy Easson and Alun Cook in another Escort Mk1. If Easson and Cook can win the category in Belgium and Yorkshire, they still have a chance of taking the overall BHRC crown.
Other leading class C5 cars include the Escort Mk1 of Chris Browne and Liz Jordan, who should fly given their extensive experience of the Belgian roads. Meanwhile, class C4 should be the domain of the Porsche 911 of Peter Smith and Russ Langthorne, although the mighty Chevrolet-powered Vauxhall Firenza Can-Am of Mick Strafford and Graham Henshaw will be a real highlight of the event. This is Strafford's first BHRC outing with the spectacular 5-litre monster and his progress on the Belgian roads will be watched with great interest.
In class C3, Andrew Siddall and Captain Thompson are having a tremendous season and have come back strongly after an engine failure on the Isle of Man in their Ford Escort Mk1. They will start favourites for the class victory in Belgian, while C2 features a late entry for pacesetter Vince Bristow in his Escort Mk1, with Jane Edgington co-driving for the first time. David Kirby and Sean Kennedy also contest class C2 in their Escort Mk1 and a welcome addition to category two is the class C1 Lancia Fulvia of Steve and Tony Graham.
Category 3
Category three is the most open of all, with four or five crews all in the running for victory. Top of the bunch, in both event and championship terms are Will Onions and David Williams in their Ford Escort Mk2. Onions is steadily building his asphalt experience and will head to Belgium after strong runs on the Isle of Man and in Ulster, while Darren Moon and Graham Wild are also strong contenders in their Escort Mk2. However, class D4 pacesetters Rob Smith and Shaun O'Gorman had a great result in Ulster with their Vauxhall Chevette despite Smith's lack of time on asphalt.
Meanwhile, the return to the BHRC of former champion Steven Smith, partnered by Phil Spurge, in his recently acquired Triumph TR7 V8 adds a real dark horse to the mix. The Triumph will go up against the Chevette and the Porsche 911 of Adrian Kermode and Maurice Beckett in class D4. Back in D5, Onions and Moon have strong opposition from the Escort Mk2s of Tomas Davies/Gwynfor Jones and Phil and Mick Squires.
The Historic Tour Flanders is organised by the Autoclub Midden Vlaanderen. For more details about the event, please visit the website at: www.omloopvanvlaanderen.be
Added: 6th September 2010 [permalink]
Preview, round six: Ulster Historic Rally
Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally Championship
Barrett and McCannPress release: Wednesday, 11 August, 2010
The 2010 Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally Championship continues next weekend (20/21 August) for the sixth of eight events - and the second asphalt rally of the season - with the championship's first visit to Ulster.
The Ulster Historic Rally is another tough event, coming a month after the annual foray to the closed public roads of the Isle of Man. With many of the crews being new to the challenging Ulster stages, it promises to be an enthralling event.
Category 1
Heading the category one field will be the Sunbeam Tiger of Jonathan Gale and James Whitaker, winners on the Isle of Man last time out after a tough battle with the Porsche 911 of defending champions Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride. No one will have more local knowledge than the Porsche crew, so they will be all out to carry local honour and see off the rumbling V8 Tiger. Currently, consistently good pace has put Nutt and McBride at the head of the BHRC points' table and they will want to press home their local advantage this time around.
Chasing Gale and Nutt will be Rikki Proffitt in his Porsche 911 with the hugely experienced Peter Scott on the notes for only the second time. Notable among the smaller cars in category one is the remarkable Singer Chamois of Gary and Jane Edgington, fresh from a fifth straight finish on the Isle of Man.
Category 2
Former champions David Stokes and Guy Weaver will head the category two field in their Ford Escort Mk1, following a great victory on the Isle of Man. However, they have a strong line-up of rivals in similar cars, headed by the uber-experienced Jeremy Easson and Alun Cook. Add in the Escorts of Chris Browne/Liz Jordan and Ulstermen Ernie Graham and Iain Johnston, and it makes the strongest class C5 field of the season so far.
Chasing the Escorts will be the class C4 Porsche 911 of Peter Smith/Russ Langthorne, which scored a famous victory in Kielder in April, while the Pinto-powered Escort Mk1 of Andrew Siddall/Captain Thompson should head class C3. Their opposition includes the similar car of James Slaughter/Phil Peak, back in fine fettle after an off on the Isle of Man, and the road-rally specification RS2000 of brothers Michael and David Pedley. Lining up against the Escorts will be the Saab 99 of Jim Valentine and Andy Harris and the Porsche 914 of Richard Morgan and Tim Madeley.
Class C2 has a strong line-up, topped by the amazingly rapid 1600cc Escort Mk1 of Vincent Bristow/Tim Sayer and including the Escorts of Neil Rudd/Brian Hodgson and David Kirby/Sean Kennedy.
Category 3
Local hopes for victory in category three rest with Omagh's Ryan Barrett, partnered by Paul McCann from the Isle of Man, in his Escort Mk2. Although this is Ryan's home event, he has never tackled these stages before but his performance on the Isle of Man last month suggests that he will be hard to beat.
Will Onions and Dave Williams top category three in the championship in their Escort Mk2 after a strong run on the Isle of Man, even though Onions has only limited asphalt experience. This will be his first time in Ulster and he goes up against a strong field that includes Manxmen Connor Corkill/Rob Fagg and Welshmen Gareth Lloyd/Ryland James, while Roger Kilty/Lynette Banks are closing in on the leading pace in their Escort Mk2.
Ranged against the Escorts in category three will be the Triumph TR7 V8 of Stephen Hall/Aggie Foster and the Vauxhall Chevettes of Rob Smith/Shaun O'Gorman and Tony Thompson/Steve Hartley.
The Ulster Historic Rally is organised by the Northern Ireland Motor Club Ltd. For more details about the event, please visit the website at: ulsterrally.com
The historic rally starts from Antrim on Friday afternoon (20 August) and finishes on Saturday afternoon.
Added: 11th August 2010 [permalink]
Preview: Harry Flatters Historic Rally
Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally ChampionshipPress release: Monday, 26 July, 2010
A little piece of history will be made on Sunday (1 August) when the SGC Printing Harry Flatters Historic Rally runs as a round of the Waterend Asphalt Cup. Although not a full round of the 2010 Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally Championship, the Epynt event is a round of the mini-series of asphalt events that runs under the BHRC umbrella.
The other rounds of the Waterend Asphalt Cup are the recent Isle of Man Historic Rally and the forthcoming Ulster Historic Rally and the Historic Tour of Flanders. A representative 16-car historic entry has been assembled for the Harry Flatters, headed by Mark Solloway and Den Golding, who are chasing a hat-trick of wins on this event in their Escort Mk2.
Given Solloway's knowledge of Epynt and his outstanding commitment across the ranges, it is hard to see him being beaten if the car runs strongly, but Terry Brown/Martin Jones will lead the chase in their Escort Mk2.
Top of the regular BHRC title contenders will be David Stokes and Guy Weaver in their Ford Escort Mk1, although they will face tough opposition in category two from local expert Toby Adam in his very rapid Pinto-powered Escort Mk1 and Neal James/Kevin Jones in their similar car.
Switching to category two for the Harry Flatters will be Northern Ireland crew Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride, who are running their class C4 Porsche 911 rather than their regular category one car. Class rivals to Nutt include the Porsche 911 of Wyn Jones and Ray Evans.
Meanwhile, back in category three, another four Escort Mk2s will be flying in the hands of Simon Tysoe/Cliff Simmons, Connor Corkill/Rob Fagg, Phil Squires/Mick Squires and Tomas Davies/Eurig Davies. Tysoe is proven to be quick over Epynt, while Manxman Corkill is getting quicker all the time and will want to bounce back with a strong result after a trying time on his home event earlier in July.
Also in category three is the spectacular Triumph TR7 V8 of Stephen Hall and Aggie Foster, while Rikki Proffitt and Peter Scott head category one in Proffitt's Porsche 911.
The SGC Printing Harry Flatters Historic Rally is organised by Brecon Motor Club. For more details about the event, please visit the website at: www.breconmotorclub.co.uk
Added: 26th July 2010 [permalink]
Preview, round five: Isle of Man Historic Rally
Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally ChampionshipPress release: Friday, 2 July, 2010
The 2010 Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally Championship switches to asphalt for round five, the Isle of Man Historic Rally on 9/10 July.
The challenging closed public roads of the island always make up one of the most spectacular events of the season and with extra championship points available on this round, there is everything to play for as the leading crews head for Douglas.
Category 1
Heading the category one field will be the Sunbeam Tiger of Jonathan Gale/James Whitaker, winners of the opening round in Wales in March. Consistent top finishes have put them well in contention for the overall title, but now comes the biggest challenge of the season. The Tiger crashed out on the island a year ago, and Gale knows well enough that a strong finish this weekend will really set-up his title bid.
The biggest challenge to the Tiger will come defending champions Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride in their Porsche 911 and no crew has more experience of the Manx roads than the Irish pairing. If Nutt is to retain his title, he needs to beat the Tiger this time. Joining the category one field is the Porsche 911 of Rikki Proffitt/Barry Green and the wonderful Austin Healey 3000 of Graham Goodall/Peter Gilbert.
In class B4, Isle of Man veterans John and Stephen Moxon field their Volvo Amazon to continue a run on the island that goes back more than 30 years. Against them will be the rapid MGB of David Mylchreest/Allan Cathers, while fellow local crew Tom Shimmin/Darren Leadley head class B3 in their Ford Cortina. Notable among the smaller cars is the flying Singer Chamois of Gary and Jane Edgington, which will humble some of the more powerful cars with its pace.
Category 2
Former champions David Stokes and Guy Weaver will head the category two field, for the post-historic cars, in their Ford Escort Mk1 and will be as spectacular as ever. After a troubled start to the season, they won on the Severn Valley and can win again the island, where they have traditionally been very strong. Prime rivals to Stokes will be Rupert Lomax and David Alcock, who will be just as entertaining to watch in their Escort Mk1. Having missed the first half of the season while sorting out a fresh engine, Lomax will be eager to get back into competition.
Chasing the Escorts will be the Porsche 911of Peter Smith/Russ Langthorne, which scored a famous victory in Kielder in April, while class C3 should be the domain of Andrew Siddall and Captain Thompson in their Pinto-powered Escort Mk1. Isle of Man debutants Jeremy Wells and Peter Phillips will chase Siddall in C3, but will be pleased to simply see the finish on Saturday afternoon after the toughest event of Wells' rallying career to date.
Category 3
The category three contest is very open with at least four crews firmly in contention for glory. In championship terms, Will Onions and Dave Williams have the most to gain as they enjoy their best season to date with Onions' Mk2 Escort. His friend and rival Darren Moon - partnered as usual by Chris Parsons - will be a major contender, as will local aces Connor Corkill and Rob Fagg, who are having a great season in their Escort Mk2. Local knowledge could just help them take a first major victory and there would be no more popular victor on Saturday afternoon than young Corkill.
But then there is the Porsche 911 of another local ace in the form of Adrian Kermode, partnered by Maurice Beckett. They could just be the crew to topple all the Escorts. But Kermode also has a strong D4 field to watch out for, including the Lotus Sunbeams of Adrian and Dan Seabridge and John Kirkpatrick/Martyn Quine, along with the Triumph TR7 V8 of Stephen Hall and Alan Jackson. Meanwhile, making a long overdue return to the island after more than a quarter of a century away is the Opel Ascona 400 of Theo Bengry/Les Forsbrook. More quick category three Escorts include those of Roger Kilty/Lynette Banks and David Pritchard/Emyr Hall.
In class D3, for the Pinto-powered Escort Mk2s, Mark Clifford and Graham Wild will start as favourites as Clifford tries to repeat his previous top 10 overall finish on the island. His rivals include son and father crew Matt and Dood Pearce in their Escort RS2000.
The Isle of Man Historic Rally is organised by Manx International Rally Ltd. For more details about the event, please visit the website at: www.mir.co.im
The historic rally starts from Douglas on Friday morning (9 July) and finishes on Saturday afternoon.
Added: 2nd July 2010 [permalink]
Preview, round four: Mid Wales Historic Rally
Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally ChampionshipPress release: Tuesday, 15 June, 2010
The 2010 Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally Championship continues on Sunday (20 June) with round four, the Rally Marketing Mid Wales Historic Stages.
Despite coming at the busiest time of the calendar, a strong field will tackle the classic stages of Hafren and Myherin as used on Wales Rally GB in November. The rally also marks the end of the first batch of gravel rallies in the BHRC, with three asphalt events coming next through the summer months.
Category 1
Running first on the road will be the older cars in category one (pre '68) and three cars from the category are currently at the top of the overall BHRC title race. With a seven-point lead going into round four of eight, the Sunbeam Tiger of Jonathan Gale and James Whitaker is enjoying a great season and another strong result on Sunday will really underline their status of title favourites.
But there is a long way to go yet and the result of round three, the Severn Valley Stages, showed that Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride (Porsche 911) are really taking the fight to the rumbling Tiger.
However, it is not just about the two sports cars as the remarkable Volvo Amazon of Graham Waite and Gill Cotton currently lies between Gale and Nutt in the points' table after some tremendous performances.
Ranged against Waite in class B4 is the Lotus Cortina of Gwilym Roberts/Gwawr Hughes and the Volvo Amazon of Dave Reynolds/Cliff Doe.
Among the smaller engined cars in category one, the Sunbeam Imp Sport of Geoff Taylor/Steve Greenhill is likely to set the pace and trouble some of the more powerful cars in the process.
Category 2
Category two, for the post-historic cars, is sure to be a re-match in the season-long contest between old rivals David Stokes and Jeremy Easson in their Escort Mk1s. Both are supremely experienced and it was Stokes, co-driven by Guy Weaver, who won the Severn Valley to make up for two non-finishes on the earlier events. Easson, meanwhile, is partnered by Alun Cook and will be pushing Stokes every inch of the way in what will surely be another excellent sporting contest. Other leading class C5 cars include the Escort Mk1 of Chris Browne/Liz Jordan.
A welcome return to UK historic rallying will be made by the Lancia Stratos of Steve Perez and Paul Spooner, which becomes quicker and more reliable with every event. Class C4 rivals to Perez include Peter Smith and Russ Langthorne in their Porsche 911RS, category two winners in Kielder.
Class C3, for the Pinto-powered Escort Mk1s, is one of the most competitive in the championship and is headed by Tim Jones/Don James, although they start the event one point behind Andrew Siddall/Captain Thompson in the championship battle.
In C2, the remarkable pace of the Escort Mk1 of Vince Bristow/Alan Sayer will set a formidable standard, with opposition from the similar cars of David Kirby/Sean Kennedy, Nigel Godden/Ian Orford and Gary Orton/Mike Morgan.
Category 3
The contest for category three will spearhead the event and it is the Mk2 Escort of Nick Elliott and Dave Price that heads the field away. They came back strongly from a big accident in Kielder to win the Severn Valley and they will surely set the pace again on Sunday.
Taking the battle to Elliott will be round two winners Will Onions and Dave Williams, while chasing hard will be Connor Corkill and Rob Fagg, who get quicker and quicker with every event. More very quick Escorts will be campaigned by Gareth Lloyd/Ryland James, Tim Pearcey/Craig Drew and Roger Kilty/Lynette Banks, while the class D4 Vauxhall Chevette of Rob Smith/Shaun O'Gorman will be right up with the best of the Escorts.
Richard Lane and Frank Richer currently dominate Class D3 during a superb season in their Pinto-powered Escort Mk2. Devon crew Stephen Richards/Ian Withecombe and Wayne Bonser/Richard Aston will be chasing, but the pace of Lane will make him very difficult to beat unless he has a problem. However, rallying returnee Shawn Rayner, partnered by Graham Dear, could be a darkhorse contender in D3 in the Escort Mk2 he last rallied more than a decade ago.
The Rally Marketing Mid Wales Historic Stages is organised by Newtown and District Automobile Club Ltd. For more details about the event, please visit the website at: www.MidWalesStages.co.uk
Added: 15th June 2010 [permalink]
Preview, round three: Severn Valley Historic Rally
Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally ChampionshipPress release: Tuesday, 1 June, 2010
The 2010 Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally Championship resumes on Saturday 5 June with the Severn Valley Historic Rally, the third of eight events in the season of historic rallying.
An excellent field of nearly 70 cars, exceeding the 2009 entry, will deliver some superb action over some of the best gravel stages in the country, including some used on Wales Rally GB in November.
Category 1
Running first on the road will be the older cars from category one (pre '68) and it is Jonathan Gale and James Whitaker who will again lead the field away from the start in Builth Wells. Their Sunbeam Tiger is the car to beat in category one and the flowing Welsh stages will suit the rumbling V8. As ever, Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride will head the chase of the Tiger in their Porsche 911.
However, in Kielder on round two it was the amazing Volvo Amazon of Graham Waite/Gill Cotton that emerged for a memorable victory over the Tiger and the Porsche.
Set to join the fray for the first time this year will be the Mini Cooper of Terry Cree and Richard Shores, although they could make a late change of car in the run-up to the event.
Meanwhile, class B1 has four contenders, topped by the Sunbeam Imp Sport of Geoff Taylor and Val Thompson, with Thompson making her debut in the car. Mike Barratt and Jody Watson wheel out their Sunbeam Stiletto, while Simon Whitehead and Gary Wood run their Hillman Imp and Nick Pinkett and Jonathan Lodge have their two-stroke Saab 96 back in action.
Category 2
Category two, for the post-historic cars, ended in remarkable style in Kielder as the last stage caught out the Escorts of David Stokes/Guy Weaver and Jeremy Easson/Alun Cook. Both crews will be determined to make amends this weekend on stages they know well. Chasing the pair of old rivals in Escort Mk1s from class C5 will be the similar car of Chris Browne/Liz Jordan, but the Porsche challenge from class C4 will also be significant.
A debut victory last time out was a great result for Peter Smith and Russ Langthorne in their 911, while Tim Mason and Graham Wild have the speed to really attack the Escorts.
The contest for class C3 - for the Pinto-powered Escorts - has two key players as Tim Jones and Don James go head-to-head with Andrew Siddall and Captain Thompson. It is one win apiece to date, so it is all to play for as James Slaughter and Mark Casey head the chase of Jones and Siddall. However, their start is conditional upon the arrival schedule of Slaughter's second child!
The pace of class C2 standard setters Vince Bristow and Tim Sayer is remarkable in their 1600cc Escort Mk1 and it's difficult to see any of their class rivals getting close to the flying Sussex crew. Leading the pursuit will be the Hillman Avenger of Gary and Jane Edgington.
Category 3
The contest for category three has been one of the highlights of the opening two rallies, with wins going to Nick Elliott/Dave Price and Will Onions/Dave Williams as the action is fought out at a hugely impressive pace. However, the Severn Valley line-up will be missing potential winners Julian Reynolds and Ian Oakey due to work commitments for Reynolds.
Instead, Elliott and Onions will go head to head, with Elliott in his rebuilt car after a major accident in Kielder. Splitting the pair of Ford Escort Mk2s in the starting line-up will be the very rapid Opel Ascona of Phil Collins/tba.
A gaggle of quick Escorts packs out the rest of the top 10, with Darren Moon/Chris Parsons, Conor Corkill/Rob Fagg, Ryan Barrett/Barry Ferris and Terry Brown/Martin Jones all determined to bag a podium finish. Among them will be the Vauxhall Chevette of Rob Smith/Shaun O'Gorman, while more quick Escorts follow in the hands of Gareth Lloyd/Ryland James, Simon Tysoe/Cliff Simmons, Phil and Mick Squires, Tim Pearcey/Craig Drew and Roger Kilty/Lynette Banks.
Heading the class D3 pack, and sure to be up among the D5 Escorts, will be the Pinto-powered Mk2 of Richard Lane/Frank Richer, with their rivals including historic debutant James Belton and Paul Wakely in the Escort Mk2 previously rallied by Will Onions.
Rejoining the BHRC after a break, and with a fresh class D3 Escort Mk2, will be Mark Clifford and Elgan Davies, while class D2 is the province of the Talbot Sunbeam of Pat Anderson/Andy Greenland.
The Severn Valley Historic Rally is organised by Midland Manor Motor Club Ltd. For more details about the event, please visit the website at: www.severnvalleynational.co.uk
Added: 1st June 2010 [permalink]
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