PRESS RELEASE: 22nd August 2010

Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship round five- International Rally NI 20/21 August 2010

Breen takes debut UK win for Fiesta S2000

Craig Breen and Gareth Roberts won International Rally NI, part of the Toddsleap.com Ulster Rally by a margin of nearly a minute and a half after two days of competition, not only his debut event win, but the first UK victory for the awesome Fiesta Super 2000.

Keith Cronin and Barry McNulty took second, strengthening their bid for back to back victories in the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, after a fierce fight with Gwyndaf Evans and Phil Pugh ended when the Welshman hit a wall and cooked the engine.

Cronin’s second place helps Pirelli TEG Sport move back into the lead of the prestigious Dulux Trade MSA Teams Rally Championship as his team-mates Adam Gould and Craig Drew finished the event in a creditable fourth place.

Sandwiched between Cronin and Gould, respectively current and past winners of the Pirelli Star Driver competition, were Alastair Fisher and Rory Kennedy. The local crew had a frustratingly lonely rally, the youngster unable to find the last ounce of commitment on the ultra fast sections, but sufficiently quick to take top Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge honours.

Taking the Pirelli Star Driver nomination on Rally NI was absolute newcomer to the championship. Having registered before the last round, Rally Isle of Man Irish duo Daniel McKenna and his co-driver Andrew Grennan set some excellent stage times, beating Fisher on several of the two days’ stages. Despite retiring on the penultimate stage, his performance was all the more impressive as the event was his first in a four wheel drive car, the Mitsubishi Evo 9 hired just for this event.

Still leading the championship and still surprised to be doing so was Jonny Greer. Who, ably guided by Dai Roberts, finished sixth registered driver despite a broken gear linkage on the final stage.

Certainly worthy of note, although not registered for the Dulux Trade BRC, was Frenchman Bryan Bouffier, who finished first two wheel drive and fifth overall on the stunning Citroën DS3 R3 rally car’s International debut. The car ran faultlessly and could be a force to be reckoned with in next year’s championship.

Leading championship two wheel drive runners were Elfyn Evans and Andrew Edwards who survived a notchy gearbox late on to take not only seventh place of the DTBRC crews, but secure maximum points in the Kick Energy Fiesta SportTrophy. The sixth straight win is more than enough to seal the series for the youngster who only needed a single point to take the title.

Also running in the Rally 2 class were top placed Citroën racing Trophy crew Mark Donnelly and Aiden Friel who kept their heads while many of the other one-make series runners lost theirs. They counted themselves lucky though to be at the Antrim finish having suffered a total electrical shutdown and subsequent misfire on the final stage.

The sole finisher in the Swift Sport Cup was Tom Clark with new co-driver Chris Brooks. They had a fraught weekend, using three gearboxes in their Suzuki and forced to use Super Rally to re-start on Saturday when the second replacement proved time-consuming to change.

The only registered finishers in the Rally 3 class were yet again brothers Steve and Tony Graham, who nursed their diesel Astra round on Saturday with a standard differential, their competition one uncharacteristically failing.

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: 17th August 2010

Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship support series - BRC Challenge

Ulster Challenge Rallies 20 & 21st August 2010

Pressure mounts on Wilkes

The pressure is mounting on Julian Wilkes and co-driver Will Rutherford to perform on this weekend’s Ulster Challenge Rally, after Callum Black and Chris Peart both put in excellent performances on the Isle of Man back in July.

The unique format of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship’s support series, the BRC Challenge, means that crews must select either the Isle of Man or Ulster double header events to score. So despite Black leading the series, he and the remainder who opted for the Manx rally, must sit out the Ulster or compete without the chance of points.

Peart’s debut of his S1600 Corsa has also buoyed the Yorkshireman’s title ambitions with two second place finishes out on the island, leaving him just three points adrift of championship leader Black who emerged with a win and a zero.

Since the title is decided from the best five of six scores and 2009 front runner Wilkes failed to finish on the Jim Clark, he cannot finish lower than second without ruining his title hopes, despite a perfect tally from the opening two events of the season.

“We sat around during the Isle of Man glued to the computer, waiting for the results to come in” said Wilkes. Adding, “If we have a non finish on the event we can kiss the title goodbye, all the top seven has had a zero score now.”

Wilkes will have a tough fight on his hands in the form of two Renault Clios driven by Simon Moore and Russ Thompson. However both will be looking for better luck in Ulster, after a succession of mechanical gremlin related retirements that have blighted the pair this season.

Louise Cook and Alex Laffey will be out once again on the tarmac, after using the Isle of Man as a non-scoring event to gain experience on the black stuff. The Fiesta crews had mixed fortunes as both

Cook and Laffey failed to finish day one, Laffey’s accident permanently ending his Island education, while Cook managed a fourth place finish on day two.

Northern Ireland will see the return of the Welsh teenager Osian Price as he continues to build up his rallying career on tarmac. Conor Flynn is also returning for the event but without his usual service crew. Instead Wilkes’ team has stepped in to offer support, showing the camaraderie amongst the competitors.

So once again the BRC Challenge competitors will have a two day event, with both days counting as full scores. But with no more than five crews completing each day on the previous event, these double header events have proved tough on cars and crew alike.

With the Championship so tight, it could all come down to who now holds their nerve, with just one round remaining after Ulster. Wilkes concluded, “The other guys now have their points scores from the Isle of Man. It’s their turn to sit it out and watch the results come in; the pressure is on.”

The Ulster Challenge Rally starts on Friday 20th August and continues with the two day competition on Saturday 21st August. This Rally gives the BRC Challenge crews a second sample of tarmac driving this season on Ireland’s tough Antrim roads.

Credit: Stu Coady
UK Journalism – University of Central Lancashire

BRC Challenge website: www.rallybrc.co.uk

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: 30 July 2010

Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship round five - International Rally NI 20/21 August 2010

Northern Irish lead BRC into home event

Ulsterman Jonny Greer leads the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship as the series moves to his home asphalt, International Rally NI, part of the Ulster Rally based in Antrim for the second year.

The young Carryduff driver has scored consistently in the top five, with his best result a second place on the Pirelli Rally. But since the championship title is decided on the best five scores from six, he will need to drop his worst, by Greer’s own admission leaving the real battle for the crown between the only two former champions in the fray.

1996 Champion Gwyndaf Evans has made it an excellent tussle at the top in his first full season in the championship for several years, even adapting to co-driver changes when Chris Patterson moved to the WRC with Petter Solberg. He is joined for the penultimate round by 2007 champion co-driver Phil Pugh, who replaces Gareth Roberts, due to be back with S2000 Fiesta driver Craig Breen.

Evans’ record on the Ulster Rally is a good one, having won the event outright twenty one years ago, repeating the feat in 1998 and taking BRC top spot twice in 2002 and 2006. It is fair to say that the Welshman enjoys the event as he has rarely missed both rally and BRC podium.

Reigning champion and Pirelli Star Driver Keith Cronin has a pair of perfect scores from the four events so far, which could so easily have been three but for a bitterly disappointing retirement in Cumbria, just metres from the finish line. However as a result of changes in co-drivers at the front of the field, his Northern Irish co-driver Barry McNulty leads the series in his first full season, a single point clear.

West Cork man Cronin’s 2009 Ulster Rally did not however go to plan. Although he was ahead of both Evans (who was not registered for points) and Mark Higgins, he crashed out of the event in his Mitsubishi, leaving the others to battle it out.

Whilst the top step of the podium has been shared equally between Cronin and Evans this year, the remaining positions have been occupied by an array of drivers.

Evans’ Welsh compatriot Jason Pritchard has improved steadily in his first full season in a four wheel drive car. He and new-for-2010 co-driver Robbie Durant have worked well together, climbing the finishers’ list as the season has progressed. Seventh, sixth and fifth places in the first half of the season were good, but the youngster obviously didn’t read the script, as he skipped a place on the Isle of Man, taking to the podium for the first time with an excellent third place.

Dave Weston Junior peaked early with an excellent runner up spot in Wales, but the Scot crashed heavily on round two and struggled with transmission problems and punctures on rounds three and four respectively. The youngster’s pace in undeniable and with the calm Ieuan Thomas settled alongside, it is only a matter of time before they take to the podium again.

Outgoing Pirelli Star Driver Adam Gould also peaked on the opening round, the youngster having purchased Higgins’ Subaru for a self-funded attempt at the full championship. He and new co-driver Craig Drew took third, but with limited budget each event has been a struggle and a costly crash whilst second on the Isle of Man could spell the end of his championship aspirations. He will definitely be out on the Antrim lanes though, TEG Sport sufficiently confident in the Bristolian’s abilities that they are doing all they can to help.

Craig Breen and Gareth Roberts’ stunning 2009 season, in which the County WaterfordIreland meant the car wasn’t ready for the Isle of Man, leaving them too far adrift to make a realistic title challenge. driver and his Welsh co-driver took three Fiesta championships, has not translated into success in 2010. Mechanical problems caused two retirements, leaving them well outside the top ten in the standings, galling as they led the Jim Clark Rally at the time. A late puncture dropped them to third on the Pirelli and a crash in

Trillick’s Alastair Fisher has had a difficult season too. With Rory Kennedy calling the notes, the pair has threatened to take a win all season, but those pesky gremlins have proved costly to the youngster’s chances on all but one occasion. Beaten by just Evans on the Jim Clark it looked promising for the Isle of Man and they led on the opening stage. But like so many others he was caught out on the shiny tar, rolling his car out of the event. Contrast this with the Irish championship in which he leads the series, proving that with a bit of that Irish (good) luck the names of Fisher and Kennedy could easily be at the top of the results table soon.

Daniel Sigurðarson is currently joint sixth in the series, the multiple Icelandic Rally Champion and his sister Ásta Sigurðardóttir contesting their first full season in the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship. With his only tarmac experience that of crashing heavily on the Manx National Rally in 2007, the Jim Clark was a great confidence building event for the siblings. So having crashed out on the Isle of Man again in 2010 it is good to see the pair “back on the horse” contesting the season’s final asphalt rally.

The rally is based around the Junction One Outlet Shopping Centre on the edge of Antrim, with Rally HQ at the nearby Holiday Inn Express hotel and the service area in the complex’s car parks.

A ceremonial start at the historic and recently renovated Antrim Old Courthouse square will take place on Friday afternoon from 1pm, with fourteen stages between the crews and a champagne finish back in Antrim from 5pm on Saturday.

The fight for the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship may well end up being between Evans and Cronin, but as anyone involved in rallying will attest, “It isn’t over ‘til it’s over.” and the name at the top of the drivers tables has been Greer for three rounds now. Who knows, the title may well stay in Ireland this year, but this time north of the border.

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: 11th July 2010

Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship round Four - International Rally Isle of Man 9/10 July 2010

Cronin makes it two apiece on Rally Isle of Man

Pirelli TEG Sport crew Keith Cronin and Barry McNulty took a well deserved victory on Rally Isle of Man, the fourth round of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, making it two wins apiece for them and second placed Gwyndaf Evans with new co-driver Gareth Roberts.

Any chance of a close battle was ended on Friday after JR Motorsports’ Evans lost two minutes with an off, but Cronin drove a mature second day despite some atrocious weather in the middle of Saturday.

Third place went to Jason Pritchard and Robbie Durant, an excellent drive on the Welsh youngster’s first season in a four wheel drive car, to put him on the podium for the first time.

The weather undoubtedly played a major part in all the crews’ experience on the Manx roads every driver having tales of aquaplaning and near misses on roads that resembled rivers in places.

As the event started Alastair Fisher and Rory Kennedy set the initial pace on the first stage which started in foggy conditions straight out of the famous TT pitlane, but there was a gap of less than a second to JR Motorsports’ Evans after less than a mile of competition. Reigning champion Keith Cronin and Barry McNulty were back in eighth, albeit only three seconds adrift of the leaders.

As the drivers settled in Evans pulled clear, leaving Fisher third behind Cronin, but after the first service Cronin launched a fight back, closing to within five seconds of the Welshman after his Mitsubishi’s rear suspension lost alignment. The final stage before second service would prove time-consuming for Evans, caught out on a slippery section, the already wayward car spun and clouted a bank, further damaging the rear right hand wheel alignment.

His accident cost him nearly two minutes, handing the lead to Cronin, but further drama unfolded behind as Fisher crashed heavily, stopping the stage. The crew were unhurt but it meant everybody else was awarded Cronin’s time, leaving Evans seventh.

Cronin’s Pirelli TEG Sport team-mates Adam Gould/Robbie Durant were elevated to second despite a persistent misfire and they responded with a fastest time on stage seven. However their excellent run in last year’s event winning Impreza was cruelly cut short on the very next stage, when they hit a post and damaged the radiator. The crew managed to make the stage finish and attempted to fix the damage, but without spares had to admit defeat.

Jason Pritchard and Craig Drew were therefore elevated to a career best second in their first season in a four wheel drive car, having passed championship leader Jonny Greer/Gordon Noble who struggled with a broken front shock absorber.

Unfortunately for Pritchard fellow Welshman Evans was on a charge and he passed them on the first of the four stages run to the overnight halt, including two through the famous Castletown spectator test.

Greer hung onto fourth and best of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge runners. The young Northern Irishman still leads the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship but Evans has closed the gap to just four points before dropped scores.

Dulux Trade MSA British Teams Rally Championship

Cronin’s result coupled with retirements by both his and Evans’ team-mates only closes the gap in the Teams’ championship by two points, JR Motorsports sixteen points ahead of Pierlli TEG Sport. Dave Weston Jnr added points for Ramsport in sixth place after a brilliant drive back from plumb last on the second stage. He and Ieuan Thomas punctured, but set a string of second fastest times on Saturday, finishing a scant tenth of a second behind Nikara.

Pirelli Star Driver

The drive of the rally had to be that of Finnish brothers Jarkko and Petri Nikara who finished fifth overall, first two wheel drive crew and first in the competitive Rally 2 class. In their third ever asphalt rally the Renault Clio crew also bettered their team-mate, the impressive drive catching the eye of the Pirelli Star Driver competition judges who awarded him the coveted Pirelli “Yellow Jersey”. [AUDIO]

Fiesta SportTrophy

Taking his fifth straight win in the Fiesta SportTrophy was Gwyndaf’s son Elfyn Evans with Andrew Edwards alongside. They had a slightly frustrating event though, not wanting to push too hard in their first event in the R2 Fiesta. Unfortunately for the youngster he cannot claim the title just yet as he needs a single point to seal the 2010 FST. He is also going to have to watch his back for the Dulux Trade MSA British Junior Rally Championship title as Nikara is now just one point behind. [AUDIO]

Citroën Racing Trophy

Robbie Barrable and Damien Connolly took the Citroën Racing Trophy honours with a great drive in the hotly contested series. Mark Donnelly and Aidan Friel put up a strong fight early on, but an ailing intercom put paid to the battle, allowing Barrable to pull clear. [AUDIO]

Dulux Trade MSA British Ladies Rally Championship

Taking the Dulux Trade MSA British Ladies Rally Championship is another Citroën driver Molly Taylor, who did so alongside her mother Coral who joined the team from Australia for the first time. The award is one of just a handful presented at the headquarters of the Royal Automobile Club in London’s Pall Mall.

Diesel Rally Cup

Another crew sealing a category in the championship are brothers Steve and Tony Graham who win the Diesel Rally Cup for the second year, he victory despite hitting the wall in front of the TT grandstand on the very first stage. [AUDIO]

Crews now have a break of over a month before the next event, International Rally NI based in Antrim on 20/21st August. Both Cronin and Evans have unfinished business on the event and it is guaranteed to be a cracker.

Coverage from the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship’s fourth round will be on Sky Sports 4 at 18:00 on Monday 12th July

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: 30th May 2010

Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship round three

Jim Clark International Rally 28/29 May 2010

Evans breaks Jim Clark Rally duck in style

A delighted Gwyndaf Evans and Chris Patterson broke their Jim Clark International Rally duck in style this weekend, taking victory on the all asphalt third round of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship.

The fifty year old Welshman proved he still has the hunger for victory by bouncing back from a double puncture on Saturday evening, the 1996 British Rally Champion also surviving a high speed moment on Saturday afternoon. At the finish in Duns he offered his thanks to a strategically placed telegraph pole, which while damaging the rear of his JR Motorsports Mitsubishi Evo 10, helped keep both car and crew on the road at around 100 mph.

While Evans was the eventual victor, four different drivers led the event throughout its 130 miles of ultra fast asphalt. First blood went to Craig Breen and Gareth Roberts who had proved their ability in the Fiesta S2000 on the previous round in Cumbria, topping the time sheets in the fantastic Duns town centre spectator special stage.

Reigning BRC champ Keith Cronin had other ideas though, and along with Barry McNulty set about showing their pace in the Pirelli TEG Sport Impreza on the technical Abbey St Bathans stage. Breen responded, but Cronin held him off with a repeat of Abbey, although all his good work was undone in the darkness of the final test. Cronin clipped a bank, losing a spotlamp and puncturing his left front wheel, leaving Breen to hold an overnight lead of a whisker under thirteen seconds.

It was a lead he would not relinquish until the tenth stage when reports came in from the stages that he was stopped with a sick engine. This was confirmed as terminal and the youngster recorded his second none finish of the season, obviously very disappointed.

Another Irish youngster tipped for BRC victory inherited the lead from Breen, Alastair Fisher, ably guided by double British Rally Champion Rory Kennedy, was sadly unable to hold of the advances of a charging Evans. Fisher managed to keep the eventual winner within his grasp on stage eleven, less than half a second splitting the pair, but a misfire put paid to Fishers hopes and although disappointed, he equalled his best ever result, taking second from a distant Cronin in third.

A delighted Jonny Greer and Dai Roberts took fourth and with it extend their lead of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship by one point from Evans and Patterson, who have now had back-to-back perfect scores.

DULUX TRADE MSA BRITISH TEAMS RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

With Evans taking twenty Teams points, Icelandic brother and sister crew Daniel Sigurðarson/Ásta Sigurðardóttir’s broke their own tarmac duck with seventh place behind Jason Pritchard/Robbie Durant and Adam Gould/Dave Robson. It netted a healthy haul for JR Motorsports and has opened a gap of eighteen points to reigning champions Pirelli TEG Sport.

The Lancastrian outfit had a difficult event since, coupled with Cronin’s puncture, local talent Euan Thorburn/Paul Beaton did not even make it to the start. Their similar Impreza developed an engine problem on Friday morning’s shakedown, which whilst ultimately repaired, it took hours to fully diagnose, leaving him as a reluctant spectator.

Ramsport’s single car entry of Dave Weston Jnr and Ieuan Thomas promised to be amongst the leading pack with some excellent stage times. But a failing gearbox cost them heaps of time and while the team replaced both gearbox and rear differential in double quick time, the crew was left in eight place and third in the Teams table.

DULUX TRADE MSA BRITISH JUNIOR RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

Elfyn Evans pulled another point clear of Jarkko Nikara at the head of the Junior Championship battle with a sensible third place in the category. But while Nikara’s fellow Fin Mikko Pajunen remained on his own in fifth, two Irishmen now tie for third on fifty points apiece. Robert Barrable had an excellent Jim Clark Rally, taking top two wheel driver honours and maximum Junior points to lock with his Northern Irish Citroën rival Mark Donnelly.

PIRELLI STAR DRIVER

While Craig Breen may have taken an early bath, he was given some good news as the rally finished; although on his way back to Ireland, he became only the second driver to receive the Pirelli Star Driver yellow jersey twice, having been nominated on the Pirelli Rally in 2009. The nomination adds his name to those of Pajunen and Evans junior for a chance to take part in the end of season shootout.

DULUX TRADE MSA BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSES & CUPS

Alastair Fisher took some consolation for missing out on overall victory by taking top spot in the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge, but it is still Greer who took second, extending his lead the series along with the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship.

Worthy of note in the Rally 4 class are two privateers both driving Subarus; Alan Cookson and Julian Wilkinson survived a monumental thump in their distinctive cow liveried car, (nicknamed Muriel) clouting a bank side-on, but still made it into the top ten for the second event in their debut season. Another 2010 BRC debutant Max Utting and co-driver Ken Bowman were inside the top ten in the Rally 4 class on their first Jim Clark Rally in their older specification car.

The 2010 Rally 3 class and the Fiesta SportTrophy must now be within Welsh crew Evans junior and co-driver Andrew Edwards’ grasp as they took maximum points in both on the Jim Clark Rally. Scots pairing John Boyd and Craig Wallace are their nearest rivals in the FST having had a solid and trouble-free rally, while leading Diesel Rally Cup brothers Steve and Tony Graham are second in the R3 class, relieved to have had upgraded front brakes for the tarmac.

Heading the Rally 2 class and Citroën Racing Trophy were Barrable and co-driver Damien Connolly from Donnelly and Niall Burns, both crews reporting trouble free runs in their identical C2R2 Max Citroëns. Positions in the points table follow places as the crews head across the water for the next round of the Irish Citroën series.

The BRC’s Rally 2 class is dominated by French cars and it is Finnish newcomer Nikara who leads in a Renault Twingo with brother and fellow BRC novice Petri Nikara alongside. They had an excellent second-ever asphalt rally, learning stage by stage, but were beaten to third on the event by fellow Fins Matti Rantanen/Mikko Lukka in a similar car.

The Swift Sport Cup has been dominated by Pirelli Star Driver nominee Pajunen and despite this being his first ever asphalt event, he and Janne Perälä took victory in the one-make series, needing just one more win to secure the 2010 title. Their learning curve was made steeper when they struggled with rear brakes on Saturday, but with typical Finnish modesty the youngster shrugged it off, reporting it as part of the experience.

The next event in the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship is International Rally Isle of Man which takes place on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th of July and is based at the island’s world famous TT grandstand.

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: 19 May 2010

BRC Challenge round three preview - Jim Clark Challenge Rally 28/29 May 2010

Battle for BRC asphalt supremacy begins

The third round of the Dulux Trade British Rally Championship’s support series, the BRC Challenge, heads north of the border to the long established Jim Clark Rally over the May bank holiday weekend.

Current championship leaders Julian Wilkes and Will Rutherford in their Vauxhall Nova will be out looking for a hat-trick of wins this season, the Somerset outfit holding a nine point advantage over Chris Peart and Jamie Forrest going into the Jim Clark, with Callum Black and Paul Wakely just one point behind them.

With two wins out of two for Wilkes on gravel this year and his favourite tarmac surface in prospect, the battle will be truly joined in Duns, but his likely combatants at the front will be last year’s event winners Richard Archer and Tom Ward.

Even without Archer, who returns with his awesome Vauxhall Corsa after missing the first two events, Wilkes hasn’t had it all his own way and has been pushed hard by several other drivers. One of these is Burton Pidsea’s Chris Peart who took fastest stage times away from Wilkes in Kielder. Rumour had it that Peart was set to use his tarmac special Corsa on the Jim Clark, hoping to claw Championship points away from Wilkes, but as the entries closed, his trusty Astra was still listed.

Callum Black’s consistency over the two events so far could also prove vital as the MG ZR driver hopes to counter Chris Peart’s progression and scupper Wilkes’ title ambitions.

These four will be chased by a bevy of Ford Fiesta drivers and two quick Clios, also looking to be top dog on the black stuff. The nimble Fords have provided a close season so far in the UK Fiesta SportChallenge, with Jonathan Cunningham and Damien Smith taking turns at victory. But with John Pritchard nestled between them in the overall points tally, it looks to be a fierce battle that could put them in contention for the rally itself.

Renault Clio driver Simon Moore will be looking for much better luck this time round having broken a driveshaft on the start of the Pirelli Rally. Moore, having already had a class win on the Border Counties event earlier in the season, will be threat here if he can overcome his mechanical issues.

Another driver hoping for better luck in Scotland is the Welsh 17 year old Osian Price who failed to finish in Cumbria. The Fiesta youngster only passed his driving test a couple of days before the first round in Welshpool and this will be his first outing on asphalt, a real test of his driving skills.

Wilkes has form on the Scottish roads with a good point finish here last year alongside Brett Griffin in his RC2 class Peugeot 106 GTI. But with the top five separated by just 19 points and a possible 30 points on offer for a rally victory, the BRC Challenge is still wide open.

The Scottish round of the Championship is the first time this year that the drivers will encounter an asphalt surface on the tricky Scottish Borders stages. The event, named in honour of twice crowned Formula 1 World Champion Jim Clark, celebrates its 40th year in 2010 and while it has not always been an asphalt event, it is currently the only closed road event on mainland Britain.

So with a championship at stake and that sort of heritage, you can expect fast and frenetic action along the country roads that make up the Jim Clark Rally and round three of the BRC Challenge.

The event takes place over the Friday and Saturday of 28-29th May, with rally HQ and service area based at the nearby Kelso racecourse. The ceremonial start for the main International event is in Duns Market Square at 18:00 on Friday, the Jim Clark Challenge Rally starting the Duns stage behind the Internationals at around 20:20. The outcome of round three of the BRC Challenge will be revealed after 65 miles of competition at the finish in Duns at around 14:30 on Saturday.

2010 Jim Clark Chalenge Rally unofficial entry list

No Driver, Co-Driver, Make/Model, Class
181 Julian Wilkes, Will Rutherford, Vauxhall Nova, RC1
182 Richard Archer, Tom Ward, Vauxhall Corsa, RC4
183 Jonathan Cunningham, Richard Millener, Ford Fiesta, ST RC3
184 Brett Griffin, Sam Fordham, Peugeot 106, RC2
185 Rory Hal,l Lee Burgess, Ford Fiesta, ST RC3
186 Richard Parry-Jones, Sara Price, Ford Fiesta ST, RC3
187 Chris Peart, Jamie Forrest, Vauxhall Astra, RC3
188 Russ Thompson, Neil Bye, Renault Clio, RC3
189 Callum Black, Paul Wakely, MG ZR, RC1
190 Conor Flynn, Mark Mason, Peugeot 205, RC2
191 Jamie Brown, Craig Burgess, Ford Fiesta ST, RC3
192 Daniel O'Brien, Will Rogers, Ford Fiesta ST, RC3
193 Damien Smith, Frazer Hutchinson, Ford Fiesta ST, RC3
194 Simon Moore, Emma Morrison, Renault Clio, RC3
195 Andrew Chalmers, Ant Hellewell, Suzuki Swift Sport, RC1
196 Gary Wright, Glyn Thomas, MG ZR, RC1
197 John Pritchard, Chris Williams, Ford Fiesta, ST RC3
198 Alex Laffey, Peter Martin, Ford Fiesta, RC3
199 Louise Cook, tba, Ford Fiesta, RC4

BRC Challenge website: www.rallybrcchallenge.co.uk

 

PRESS RELEASE: 24th Aptil 2010

Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship Round 2

Pirelli International Rally 23/24 April 2010

Evans wins Pirelli Rally as Cronin stops on final stage

The sting in the tail of the Pirelli International Rally, the second round of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, promoted Gwyndaf Evans and Chris Patterson to the top step of the podium in their JRM-run Mitsubishi Evo X, Evans’ first win on the event since 1998 when he was victorious in a two wheel drive Ibiza.

The final stage of event proved disastrous for the reigning champions Keith Cronin and Barry McNulty who stopped 200 yards from the end of the finish boards, having led the event from the first stage on Friday. The Pirelli TEG Sport car ground to a halt as a result of damage to the wiring loom caused by a flailing puncture.

Craig Breen and Gareth Roberts also dropped time in the final stage with a puncture on their Fiesta S2000, having taken a string of fastest stage times and closed to within 4.7 seconds of Evans. The Irishman dropped over two and a half minutes, but maintained a podium place, albeit third behind the astonished Jonny Greer and Dai Roberts

Greer’s event has been pretty uneventful apart from losing a tooth from fifth gear on Friday night, proving that a consistent and tidy approach pays dividends in the end. With the gearbox replaced the young Northern Irish driver’s approach not only gave him his best ever BRC result, but also puts him at the top of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship and as an added bonus also heads the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge UK.

MSA BRITISH TEAMS RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

An excellent fourth place by Daniel Sigurðarson and sister Ásta Sigurðardóttir means that JR Motorsports leapfrog both Pirelli TEG Sport and Ramsport to lead the Dulux Trade MSA British Teams’ Rally Championship

MSA BRITISH JUNIOR RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

Jarkko Nikara and Jarno Ottman convincingly won the R2 class in their flying Twingo, despite having clutch problems for most of the rally, in doing so scoring maximum Junior points ahead of Elfyn Evans. But the results also keeps the young Welshman in front of the chase for the MSA Junior award, one of only three British titles awarded at the MSA’s Pall Mall headquarters.

PIRELLI STAR DRIVER/SWIFT SPORT CUP

Mikko Pajunen and Mikko Lukka not only won the Swift Sport Cup and Rally 1 on the event, but their stunning pace in the diminutive Suzuki put them in eleventh place and in the spotlight for the prestigious Pirelli Star Driver yellow jersey.

They were both delighted and surprised to take the nomination for the end of season shootout for a chance at a fully funded drive in the 2011 Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship.

MITSUBISHI RALLIART EVOLUTION CHALLENGE

In a mirror of the overall Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, Jonny Greer and Dai Roberts lead the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge from the Icelandic brother and sister partnership. Third in the series and fifth overall on the rally were Owen Murphy and James O’Brien who had a terrible Friday night stuck in other drivers’ dust.

CITROËN RACING TROPHY

Mark Donnelly and Paddy Robinson’s run of wins was ended by two punctures in the Citroën Racing Trophy, leaving a scrap between Robert Barrable/Damien Connolly and Richard Sykes/Simon Taylor. Unfortunately Sykes crashed out, leaving Barrable to take his first victory in the series

FIESTA SPORT TROPHY

In a father and son victory-fest, Elfyn Evans added a win in the Fiesta SportTrophy to extend his lead in the series. He and co-driver Andrew Edwards were one of only two Fiestas to finish the event, Peter Taylor far enough behind to make Evans’ rally quite lonely.

 

PRESS RELEASE: 28th March 2010

Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship round 1

Bulldog International Rally North Wales

Cronin repeats Bulldog win

Keith Cronin and Barry McNulty took a fine win on the opening round of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, the Bulldog International Rally North Wales this weekend.

The reigning British Rally Champion has a 100% record of victory on the event having won in Wales last year and becomes the first of the Pirelli Star Driver winners to take outright event honours.

“We were a bit nervous coming into the event as there was a great deal expected of us,” said Cronin, “But we stuck to our plan and I’m obviously delighted to make such a good start to the championship season.”

Their victory in the Impreza coupled with a great fourth place from Pirelli TEG Sport team mates Euan Thorburn and Paul Beaton, means that the Lancashire based outfit also start the season in an excellent position to defend their British Teams Rally Championship title.

The expected charge from last year’s Fiesta Sport Trophy Champions Craig Breen and Gareth Roberts was put to an end after the youngster’s Fiesta S2000 stopped after two stages. Gwyndaf Evans and Chris Patterson also failed to make it back to the first service with transmission problems, leaving Alastair Fisher and Rory Kennedy to take over second spot.

But the County Tyrone driver’s excellent drive was also cut short near the end of the day when differential failure led to a blown clutch and retirement too.

After a perfect build up to the season, winning the Border Counties Rally, Dave Weston Junior and Ieuan Thomas held their nerve to eventually take the runners-up spot, their Ramsport Impreza running faultlessly throughout the 100 mile event.

Third place went to Adam Gould and Craig Drew in an ex-Higgins Impreza, but they nearly didn’t make it to the start after punching a strut through the top mount on the shakedown. Running with practically no spares, the outgoing Pirelli Star Driver

In the Mitsubishi Evolution Ralliart Challenge, Jonny Greer and Dai Roberts took top spot in their Evo 9, missing fourth place on the event by just over seventeen seconds. The pair had an up and down event, a puncture costing time in he second loop but finishing strongly with a string of top three times.

Elfyn Evans and Andrew Edwards set some stunning times in their Fiesta ST to not only win the Fiesta SportTrophy section of the event and the Rally 3 class, but take the all-important Pirelli Star Driver yellow jersey on home turf.

Taking victory in the Citroën Racing Trophy and outright Rally 2 honours were Mark Donnelly and Paddy Robinson after a great day for the pair in their new steed.

Also taking a class win, that of Rally 1, as well as a deserved and crushing victory in the Swift Sport Cup, were Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship newcomers Mikko Pajunen and Janne Perala. The Finnish duo not only finished their first Rally North Wales, but posted some excellent times and ended the day 17th overall in the little Swift.

Action from the top runners on Bulldog Rally North Wales can be seen on Sky Sports this Monday night, but before that on Sunday is a chance to see the season preview programme again.

Full TV listings are available in the media section on the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship website at www.rallybrc.co.uk

 

PRESS RELEASE: 26 February 2010

British Rally Championship announces Dulux Trade as title sponsor

The British Rally Championship is proud to announce the industry-leading manufacturer of paints and high performance coatings, Dulux Trade, as its title sponsor for the 2010 season.

The British Isles’ only international rally series will be called the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship from today (26/02/2010), and its association with such an esteemed brand reinforces the championship’s status as one of the most respected in the world.

British Rally Championship Managing Director, Mark Taylor, said: “We are extremely proud to have been chosen by this established, professional brand and look forward to working with Dulux Trade in its association with the MSA British Rally Championship. The Championship brings a great deal of excitement and entertainment to its supporters, and the sponsorship provides a fun and dynamic platform for Dulux Trade to provide incentives and competitions for its existing and potential customers, as well as its staff. Using the Championship to build on the emotional side of the brand will help promote its pioneering products and services to a new, wider audience base.”

Commenting on the sponsorship deal, Dulux Trade Communications Manager, James Green, said: “Dulux Trade is renowned as a high performance brand among the world’s finest decorating professionals, and we have recently been looking for an innovative way to bring the Dulux Trade brand name and associated messaging to an even broader audience. The British Rally Championship fits the bill perfectly, as like Dulux Trade, the championship revolves around performance under pressure, and has a long history of success.”

The official launch of the 2010 Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship will be on the 9th of March at the Dulux Trade headquarters in Slough, ahead of the first round at the end of the month. The sponsorship deal will run for two years and the British Rally Championship reserves an option to continue beyond that period.

2010 Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship calendar:

27 March – International Bulldog Rally North Wales – Welshpool, North Wales
23/24 April - Pirelli International Rally - Carlisle, Cumbria
28/29 May - Jim Clark International Rally - Duns, Scottish Borders
8/9 July - International Rally Isle of Man - Douglas, Isle of Man
20/21 August - International Rally NI - Antrim, Northern Ireland
24/25 September - International Rally Yorkshire – Scarborough

 

PRESS RELEASE: 21st January 2010

BRC Challenge attracts early registrations

Several registrations have already been received for the British Rally Championship’s 2010 support series, the BRC Challenge, all of which are new drivers to the series. But any competitor wishing to register at the lower rate of £95+VAT must do so before the 1st February.

The BRC Challenge is open to two wheel drive cars up to two litres in four separate classes, also encompassing two one make series, the Fiesta SportChallenge and the C2R2 Cup.

Competitors contesting the new Clio Challenge will need to register for the BRCC to contest the events, although the Clio series will be organised and promoted by the same outfit that currently runs the successful 205 Challenge.

The 2010 season is the sixth year for the National B status support series and continues to provide an excellent training ground either for competitors aspiring to the main British Rally Championship, or those who want excellent value rallying on the best events in the British Isles.

For more information, regulations and registration forms visit www.rallybrcchallenge.co.uk

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: 11th Jan 2010

2010 British Rally Championship entries now open

Registrations for the MSA British Rally Championship are now officially open.

The regulations for the 2010 season have been online for a while now, but competitors and teams can now fill in their forms electronically then post or email them direct to championship office.

Download the regulations and entry forms at www.rallybrc.co.uk by following the “competitor sign up” link from the home page.

Similarly the regulations and entry form for the British Rally Championship’s support series, the BRC Challenge, are also available to download from the “Competitors >>Info” page at www.rallybrcchallenge.co.uk

2010 MSA British Rally Championship Calendar

27 Mar - International Rally North Wales, Welshpool
23/24 Apr - Pirelli International Rally, Carlisle
28/29 May - Jim Clark International Rally, Kelso
9t10 Jul - Isle of Man International Rally, Douglas
20/21 Aug - International Rally NI, Antrim
24/25 Sep - International Rally Yorkshire, North Yorkshire
30th Oct - BRC Bash, tba