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| MITSUBISHI RALLIART
EVOLUTION CUP |
 |
The Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
supported by PIAA UK is back for its tenth successive year
in 2010
| 2010
Evolution Challenge Calendar |
| 27th March |
Rally North Wales |
| 23/24th April |
Pirelli Tour of Cumbria |
| 28/29th May |
Jim Clark Rally |
| 9/10th July |
Isle of Man Rally |
20/21st August
|
Rally Northern Ireland |
| 25th September |
Rally Yorkshire |
PRESS RELEASE: 22nd August 2010
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK - Round Five Report - Todds Leap.com
Rally NI – 20 & 21 August 2010.
• Alastair Fisher takes second Evo Challenge victory
of the season.
• Jonny Greer consolidates series lead with a strong
second place.
• Daniel Sigurdarson survives problems in the closing
stages to finish third.
For
the second time this season, Alastair Fisher and co-drier
Rory Kennedy scored maximum points in the Mitsubishi Ralliart
Evolution Challenge, when they won the fifth round of the
series, the Todds Leap.com Rally NI. Jonny Greer/Dai Roberts
finished second and, in doing so, strengthened their case
for the title with one round still to go.
Based in Antrim, the Todds Leap.com Rally
NI (or Ulster Rally as it was previously known) featured
six stages on Friday evening followed by a further eight
on Saturday, the combination of which provided competitors
with a total of 127 miles of timed special stages on closed
roads to the north and south of the town. The rally also
hosted the sixth round of the Irish Evolution Challenge
and the fifth round of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally
Championship.
Having retired after a crash at the previous
round on the Isle of Man, Fisher/Kennedy showed no signs
of hesitation and stamped their authority on proceedings
right from the start, setting the fastest Mitsubishi times
on the three opening stages before the first service halt.
This was a particularly impressive performance, as a front
suspension strut broke after a heavy landing in SS2 and
Fisher had to drive with a strangely handling car for the
remainder of the stage and then through SS3.
Greer/Roberts had an early scare when their
brakes appeared to be non-existent at the first corner,
but once the new set of pads had bedded-in, the problem
quickly disappeared. Times at the service halt showed Fisher/Kennedy
ahead by over 30 seconds from Greer/Roberts, with about
the same margin separating them from third-placed Daniel
Sigurdarson/Asta Sigurdardittir - the Icelandic siblings
admitting they were still cautious on asphalt, but now getting
quicker – although spin and a reversing manoeuvre
at a chicane in SS2 had not helped their progress.
The second loop of three stages, which was
a repeat of the first three, saw the gaps between the leading
trio increase by roughly the same amount, albeit Greer/Roberts
had been slowed by a potential problem with their car’s
centre differential during SS6.
Saturday saw another dry day dawn and, with
a further eight stages in store - all of them different
to those ran of Friday - the final result was far from decided.
However, with a one-minute advantage, Fisher/Kennedy were
in control and proceeded to claim the fastest Evolution
Challenge times on all but two of the stages – Greer/Roberts
achieving that accolade on SS10 and SS12.
Once again, Greer/Roberts had a worrying few
moments towards the end of the day, this time when the gear
linkage jammed and they had to complete the final part of
SS13 with the car stuck in first gear. However, they were
able to rectify the problem once on the road section and
then complete the 14th and final stage to take second place
and consolidate their series lead. They also continue to
lead the British Rally Championship with one round to go.
For Sigurdarson/Sigurdardottir SS13 also proved
to be jinxed, when a rear suspension arm snapped and consequently
caused their car to progress at some strange angles –
so much so, they spun and hit a bank with the front of the
car. Thankfully, the damage was only cosmetic and, after
nursing the Evo X through the last stage and back to the
finish, they were delighted to claim another podium result
and still keep their Evo Challenge title hopes alive.
Such was Fisher/Kennedy’s pace, as well
as claiming their second Mitsubishi series victory, they
also finished third overall in the British Rally Championship
event. Indeed, it was a credible achievement for all three
Mitsubishi teams to get to complete the event, as the demanding
nature of the stages claimed a number of other competitors
around them.
“I’m very pleased to take my second
Evolution Challenge win of the season, but of course, it
should really have been my fifth”, said Fisher. “Following
our retirement on the Isle of Man last time out, to win
the Challenge and to finish third overall is an excellent
result. With the car completely rebuilt after the accident
I have to thank the team, as it has run perfectly throughout
the event.”
The final round of the UK Evolution Challenge
takes place on 25 September in Yorkshire and, with one-and-a-half
times the usual allocation of points there is potential
30 points up for grabs. Added to this, Greer is still to
drop one score and therefore, he and Sigurdarson will battle
it out to see who becomes 2010 Evolution Challenge Champion.
The Evolution Challenge Ireland also shared
the Todds Leap.com Rally NI as a round of its championship,
as did the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship. The
Irish Mitsubishi series was won by Brendan Cumiskey/Conor
Foley, with the British Championship event won by Craig
Breen/Gareth Roberts in a Fiesta S2000.
The 2010 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK is supported by: Mitsubishi Motors UK, Pirelli tyres,
Sunoco fuels, JRM, Cyprus Automobile Association, Fairways
Mitsubishi, Speedline Corse wheels, Murray Motorsport, CL
brake pads, Sparco racewear and PIAA lights - who sponsor
the junior award for under 25-year old drivers.
For the first time this season the winner
of the Evolution Challenge in the UK, Ireland and Sweden,
will win the same prize: A supported drive in the FxPro
Rally Cyprus, the final round of the IRC (Intercontinental
Rally Challenge). Then, whichever of the three teams are
first home on this event will be crowned European Evolution
Challenge Champions. Added to this, the winning driver in
the UK will be a guaranteed nomination for the Pirelli Star
Driver shoot-out.
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge UK
- Round five results
1 Alastair Fisher (Trillick)/Rory Kennedy (Letterkenny)
1:44:00.4
2 Jonny Greer (Carryduff)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen) 1:47:37.0
3 Daniel Sigurdarson (Iceland)/Asta Sigurdardottir (Iceland)
1:57:22.4
Series standings after round five
Drivers
1 Jonny Greer 96
2 Daniel Sigurdarson 68
3 Alastair Fisher 40
4 Euan Thorburn 18
5= David Bogie 16
5= Owen Murphy 16
7 Peter Horsey 15
Co-drivers
1 Dai Roberts 76
2 Asta Sigurdardottir 68
3 Rory Kennedy 40
4 Paul Beaton 18
5= Kevin Rae 16
5= James O’Brien 16
PRESS RELEASE: 16th August 2010
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK - Round Five Preview- Todds Leap.com - Rally NI- 20/21
August 2010
• UK & Irish Evo Challenges
Combine for annual encounter.
• Jonny Greer aims to get closer to title on home
ground.
• Alastair Fisher looking for second win of the season.
The
Todds Leap.com Rally NI (or Ulster Rally as it's generically
known) is the one event of the year where the UK Mitsubishi
Ralliart Evolution Challenge meets its Irish equivalent.
For teams contesting the UK series, which follows the Dulux
Trade MSA British Rally Championship, this is the fifth
of six rounds this season and, for those contesting the
Irish-based Mitsubishi series, it's the sixth of eight.
First of the Evolution Challenge competitors
to leave the start in Antrim will be Alastair Fisher and
co-driver Rory Kennedy. They are also seeded third overall
and, if they can maintain the pace they have shown on asphalt
in the two previous rounds and make it to the finish, they
not only stand a chance of recording their second Mitsubishi
win of the season, but also claim their first outright British
Championship victory.
However, their season of mixed fortunes has
meant they have only scored on one round so far, the Jim
Clark Rally and it's another Ulsterman Jonny Greer who has
secured the highest number of wins, taking the Evo Challenge
honours on three occasions so far. This has given Greer
a significant lead in the Mitsubishi series and he now lies
26 points ahead of his nearest rival, Daniel Sigurdarson.
Therefore, with 20 points for a win and one-and-a-half
times the points for the final round in Yorkshire - plus
Sigurdarson has already dropped one score (competitors counting
five of the season's six events) - Greer will still not
be able to wrap-up the title this weekend. Having missed
the previous round on the Isle of Man, which heralded Greer's
third Evo Challenge victory of the season, Dai Roberts returns
to the co-driver's seat for this event.
Sigurdarson will again be partnered by his
sister Asta Sigurdardottir. The pair of them make a welcome
return to the UK having contested the biggest rally of the
year in their native Iceland last weekend and, if it had
not been for a series of mechanical problems which forced
them into second place, they would have easily won the event.
The Rally NI gets underway from Antrim town
centre at 13.15 on Friday and features six stages on closed
public roads before the overnight halt. The event restarts
at 06.30 on Saturday morning and comprises a further eight
stages, with the finish at the busy Junction One Shopping
Centre scheduled at 15.35.
The leading trio of UK Mitsubishi competitors
will battle it out with four of thier Irish counterparts:
Neil McCance (formally a regular UK entry)/Jonny Hart, Brendan
Cumiskey/Conor Foley, Sam Moffett/James O'Reilly and Stanley
Ballantine/Donnacha O'Callaghan.
The 2010 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK is supported by: Mitsubishi Motors UK, Pirelli tyres,
Sunoco fuels, JRM, Cyprus Automobile Association, Fairways
Mitsubishi, Speedline Corse wheels, Murray Motorsport, CL
brake pads, Sparco racewear and PIAA lights - who sponsor
the junior award for under 25-year old drivers. The series
was supported on the Isle of Man by the Mylchreest Group.
For the first time this season the winner
of the Evolution Challenge in the UK, Ireland and Sweden,
will win the same prize: A supported drive in the FxPro
Rally Cyprus, the final round of the IRC (Intercontinental
Rally Challenge). Then, whichever of the three teams are
first home on this event will be crowned European Evolution
Challenge Champions. Added to this, the winning driver in
the UK will be a guaranteed nomination for the Pirelli Star
Driver shoot-out.
Series standings
Drivers
1 Jonny Greer 78
2 Daniel Sigurdarson 52
3 Alastair Fisher 20
4 Euan Thorburn 18
5= David Bogie 16
5= Owen Murphy 16
7 Peter Horsey 15
Co-drivers
1 Dai Roberts 58
2 Asta Sigurdardottir 52
3 Rory Kennedy 20
4 Paul Beaton 18
5= Kevin Rae 16
5= James O’Brien 16
PRESS RELEASE: 11th July 2010
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK- Round Four Report
• International Rally Isle of
Man - 9 & 10 July 2010.
• Jonny Greer takes third Evo Challenge victory of
the season.
• Euan Thorburn claims second on Mitsubishi series
debut.
• Alastair Fisher crashes out on first day.
Jonny
Greer recorded his third Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK victory of the season when, with stand-in co-driver Gordon
Noble, he won round four - the International Rally Isle
of Man. Round three winners Alastair Fisher and Rory Kennedy
initially led the Mitsubishi charge, but an accident on
day one brought their Rally to an abrupt end. Euan Thorburn/Paul
Beaton were second on what was their Evo Challenge debut.
The rally, which took place on the island’s
closed roads, also hosted the fourth round of the Dulux
Trade MSA British Rally Championship. Following the ceremonial
start overlooking Douglas Harbour on Thursday evening, which
attracted hoards of spectators, the action got underway
from the TT Grandstand the next morning.
Not only fastest of the Evolution Challenge
runners, Alastair Fisher/Rory Kennedy also set the quickest
overall time through the opening stage. They then stamped
their authority on proceedings over the next two stages
by continuing to be the fastest of the Mitsubishis and,
at the first service halt, were 32 seconds ahead of Greer/Noble
in second.
Having swapped from a Subaru Impreza to a
Mitsubishi Evo IX during the week leading up to the event,
the rally marked an Evolution Challenge debut for Euan Thorburn/Paul
Beaton. After a cautious start, whilst they got used to
their new car, they held third place by one second ahead
of Daniel Sigurdarson/Asta Sigurdardottir who were returning
to the island to put the misfortunes of their previous visit
to rest.
Following the first service halt, the next
loop of three stages saw weather conditions deteriorate,
with the mist and light rain adding a further challenge
for the crews. Fisher/Kennedy continued to extend their
lead in SS4 and SS5, but half-way through stage six the
car ran wide on the exit of right-hander as the surface
changed to shiny tar, the near-side rear wheel clipping
a bank and flipping their Mitsubishi over.
Both Fisher and Kennedy were unharmed, but
the same could not be said for their car and consequently
their rally was over. This handed the Evo Challenge lead
to Greer/Noble who were now third overall and therefore
focussing on their British Rally Championship position as
well as their Evo Challenge placing – especially as
Greer is currently leading the BRC.
Service two followed, where Thorburn admitted
that, following an earlier problem with a soft brake pedal,
he was lacking a bit of confidence in his new surroundings.
He also had a problem starting the engine on arrival at
SS6, which meant he and Beaton were late into the control
and collected a 30-second penalty.
The same fate then befell Sigurdarson/Sigurdardottir
when leaving the service halt, due to a queue of cars blocking
access to the out control. However, the Icelander’s
Manx bad luck was about to get worse, when his car’s
turbo-charger lost its boost in SS8. Greer also had some
worrying moments in the same stage when a damper broke,
although he made it back to the third service halt of the
day without loosing too much time.
Sigurdarson/Sigurdardottir’s problem
was found to be a broken actuator, which was fixed at service
and the Evo X was back to full power for the final four
stages of the day. Or so it would have been if the former
Icelandic Champion hadn’t spun on a slippery section
of road in the final stage and, having crushed the exhaust
pipe, found he had self-induced traction control for the
eight miles that remained.
As cars returned to Douglas for the overnight
halt after completing Friday’s 13 stages, the time
sheets showed Greer/Noble comfortably ahead of Thorburn/Beaton
by nearly two minutes, who were in turn now over a minute
ahead of Sigurdarson/Sigurdardottir.
Sunday comprised eight stages and competitors
were greeted by the now traditional changeable Manx weather,
with rain on one side of the mountain and the roads relatively
dry on the other – a scenario which made tyre choice
important. With the margins between the three remaining
crews unlikely to see a change unless one of them had a
problem, the podium positions looked predictable –
but on the Isle of Man rallies are never over until they’re
over – especially when the crews were subjected to
driving in monsoon conditions halfway through the day.
Proving the point, Thorburn/Beaton bent their
car’s steering when they clipped a rock at the side
of the road in SS14 and then over-shot a junction on SS15.
However, for Sigurdarson/Sigurdardottir their problems increased,
when their car suddenly cut-out for no reason in the middle
of SS17. Unable to re-start, they had no choice but to retire
on the spot – an unfitting end to a determined drive
and a character building few days.
The dramas continued right up to the last
stage - a classic 13.27-mile finale that used Druidale,
Injebreck and the Baldwins, before a heading into Douglas
for the flying finish right outside the TT Grandstand. With
just a few miles left to go Thorburn/Beaton clouted a wall
and nearly ended their first Evo experience prematurely.
However, the damage was only cosmetic and, very relieved,
they made it to the finish.
In the mean time, Greer/Noble were playing
a tactical game and, although trying to improve on their
fourth position in the overall standings, they drove a controlled
final leg to ensure they scored their third Evolution Challenge
victory and scored enough points in the British Rally Championship
to ensure they maintained the lead.
“That was a difficult rally”,
said Greer at the finish. “As we couldn’t be
caught and it would be difficult to improve on our overall
position, I must admit that we took it steady towards the
end to make sure we made it to the finish. However, I was
delighted that the car went so well, as reliability is so
important in this event. I‘m therefore really pleased
to have extended my Evo Challenge lead with two events to
go and to still be leading the British Championship.”
The fifth round of the Evolution Challenge
and the British Rally Championship is the Antrim-based Northern
Ireland Rally, which takes place on 21 & 22 August.
The 2010 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK is supported by: Mitsubishi Motors UK, Pirelli tyres,
Sunoco fuels, JRM, Cyprus Automobile Association, Fairways
Mitsubishi, Speedline Corse wheels, Murray Motorsport, CL
brake pads, Sparco racewear and PIAA lights - who sponsor
the junior award for under 25-year old drivers. The series
was supported on the Isle of Man by the Mylchreest Group.
For the first time this season the winner
of the Evolution Challenge in the UK, Ireland and Sweden,
will win the same prize: A supported drive in the FxPro
Rally Cyprus, the final round of the IRC (Intercontinental
Rally Challenge). Then, whichever of the three teams are
first home on this event will be crowned European Evolution
Challenge Champions. Added to this, the winning driver in
the UK will be a guaranteed nomination for the Pirelli Star
Driver shoot-out.
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge UK
- Round 4 Results
1 Jonny Greer (Carryduff)/Gordon Noble (Omagh) 2:24:41.5
2 Euan Thorburn (Duns)/Paul Beaton (Inverness) 2:30:18.6
Retirements
SS6 Alastair Fisher (Trillick)/Rory Kennedy (Letterkenny)
Accident
SS17 Daniel Sigurdarson (Iceland)/Asta Sigurdardottir (Iceland)
Electrical
PRESS RELEASE: 6th July 2010
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK Round Four Preview - International Rally Isle of Man
9 & 10 July 2010
- Alastair Fisher looking for two
wins in a row.
- Jonny Greer aiming to hold on to Evo Challenge and British
Rally Championship lead.
- Daniel Sigurdarson returns to the Isle of Man to lay his
Manx spectre to rest.
This
weekend’s International Rally Isle of Man hosts round
four of the UK Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge -
as well as the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship.
It provides crews with what is likely to be their most demanding
event of the season, the Manx lanes renowned for putting
drivers, co-drivers and cars to the test.
With the commitment required to take part
in this annual asphalt visit to the island, it is perhaps
unsurprising that some of the Mitsubishi series regulars
are choosing to sit this one out and use the rally as their
one dropped score - competitors counting five of the six
rounds towards their final championship points total. Therefore,
the event will see the three leading Evolution Challenge
drivers battling it out for honours.
First to leave the start will be round-three
winners Alastair Fisher and co-driver Rory Kennedy. Being
the only crew to have a tarmac victory in the series this
year, they start as favourites and aim to further improve
their standings in both the Evo Challenge and British Championship
after DNFs in the first two rounds.
Second on the road will be current series
leaders Jonny Greer who, for this rally, has enlisted the
services of the highly-experienced Gordon Noble instead
of his regular co-driver Dai Roberts. Following two wins
and one second-place finish, Greer is in a commanding position
for this year’s Mitsubishi crown, his success so far
this season also seeing him at the top of the BRC points
table.
Third of the Evolution Challenge crews this
weekend is Icelandic brother and sister Daniel Sigurdarson
and Asta Sigurdardottir. After crashing heavily on his one
and only previous visit to the island in 2008, the former
Iceland Rally Champion aims to finish the rally and finally
lay the spectre of his Manx memories to rest.
This year’s rally features 143 miles
in total and, following the ceremonial start on the North
Quay in Douglas on Thursday evening, the competition gets
underway on Friday with 13 stages, followed by a further
eight on Saturday.
The 2010 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK is supported by: Mitsubishi Motors UK, Pirelli tyres,
Sunoco fuels, JRM, Cyprus Automobile Association, Fairways
Mitsubishi, Speedline Corse wheels, Murray Motorsport, CL
brake pads, Sparco racewear and PIAA lights - who sponsor
the junior award for under 25-year old drivers.
For the first time this season the winner
of the Evolution Challenge in the UK, Ireland and Sweden,
will win the same prize: A supported drive in the FxPro
Rally Cyprus, the final round of the IRC (Intercontinental
Rally Challenge). Then, whichever of the three teams are
first home on this event will be crowned European Evolution
Challenge Champions. Added to this, the winning driver in
the UK will be a guaranteed nomination for the Pirelli Star
Driver shoot-out.
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge UK
- Round 2 entries
4 Alastair Fisher (Trillick)/Rory Kennedy (Letterkenny)
6 Jonny Greer (Carryduff)/Gordon Noble (Omagh)
12 Daniel Sigurdarson (Iceland)/Asta Sigurdardottir (Iceland)
Series standings after round three
Drivers
1 Jonny Greer 58
2 Daniel Sigurdarson 52
3 Alastair Fisher 20
4= David Bogie 16
4= Owen Murphy 16
6 Peter Horsey 15
Co-drivers
1 Dai Roberts 58
2 Asta Sigurdardottir 52
3 Rory Kennedy 20
4= Kevin Rae 16
4= James O’Brien 16
PRESS RELEASE: 30th May 2010
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK - Round Three Report
- Jim Clark International Rally 28
– 29 May 2010
- Alastair Fisher scores convincing maiden victory and finishes
second overall.
- Jonny Greer’s second in Evo Challenge and fourth
overall sees him continue to lead Mitsubishi series and
British Championship.
- Daniel Sigurdarson records first ever asphalt event finish
to claim third.
A
stunning performance this weekend saw Alastair Fisher and
co-driver Rory Kennedy claim their first ever Mitsubishi
Ralliart Evolution Challenge victory on this weekend’s
Jim Clark International Rally, their pace good enough to
see them finish second overall and even lead the event outright
at one point. Jonny Greer/Dai Roberts were second and therefore
continue to lead the Mitsubishi series, whilst Daniel Sigurdarson
and Asta Sigurdardottir were third and delighted to finish
their first ever all-asphalt rally.
The event, which was also the third round
of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, celebrated
its 40th anniversary this year and began with a spectacular
start in Duns at 7.00pm on Friday. The first of the evening’s
six stages featured a spectacular run from the centre of
the town and through its closed streets, Fisher/Kennedy
fastest of the Evo Challenge crews – but only just
– with Greer/Roberts just 0.1 second behind.
Next were Owen Murphy/James O’Brien,
who were aiming for a trouble-free run after a non-finish
and then power issues in the first and second rounds. However,
luck was still not on their side, when their car’s
clutch started slipping almost right from the start.
Sigurdarson/Sigurdardottir were trying to
remain calm before the start, as this was only the second
all-asphalt rally for the Icelandic driver, his first being
a short-lived affair when he crashed on the Isle of Man
two years previously. Added to this, it was the first tarmac
event for his co-driver.
Their nerves were not helped when seconds
before they were due to leave the start line a wild Deer
ran down the street in front of them. Fortunately, the stray
animal didn't stay around long enough to cause a hazard,
but their momentary loss of concentration caused them to
spin at the very first corner.
All Mitsubishi crews made it through SS2 and
SS3, with Fisher/Kennedy pulling out a comfortable lead
of 41 seconds before the loop of the same three stages was
repeated. Following this, competitors entered the service
area and over-night halt at Kelso Racecourse, with the time
sheets showing that Fisher/Kennedy had extended their advantage
by another 30 seconds and now held third place overall.
Greer/Roberts were still in second, but disappointed
not to be closer to the leaders. Having been advised that
the weather was going to change they had opted for wet pattern
tyres, which had hampered their progress greatly in the
dry conditions.
Murphy/O’Brien had retained their position, although
they were not comfortable with the feel of their car through
the bumpy Berwickshire lanes, although the clutch was now
behaving itself. Following them, Sigurdarson/Sigurdardottir
were just relieved to get through the first part of the
event with no problems whatsoever.
Saturday provided a further eight stages,
each run twice, with a service halt after SS8 and SS10.
Fisher/Kennedy carried on from where they left off on the
previous day and proceeded to extend their Evo Challenge
lead. They even went onto first place overall after SS10,
when cars ahead of them collected punctures or had mechanical
problems.
Even though Greer/Roberts were now on the
right tyres and their pace was closer to that of the leaders,
they could realistically only consolidate their position.
But for Murphy/O’Brien SS8 was to be their last, when
a loud bang from their gearbox signalled they had a problem
and, although making it to the end of the stage, the car
would go no further.
With the final loop of four stages to go,
the podium positions in the Evolution Challenge looked unlikely
to change unless bad luck intervened. Having got to this
point in the last two rallies and then retired due to transmission
troubles, Fisher/Kennedy took a deep breath and aimed for
the cleanest run they could, staying out of trouble and
away from punctures – especially as light rain had
now started to fall.
Their strategy and the onset of an intermittent
misfire from stage 11 onwards was to allow eventual rally
winners Gwyndaf Evans and Chris Patterson through and into
first place overall. However, after an excellent drive 21-year
old Fisher went on to record his best result to date by
taking second place overall, finish runner-up in a round
of the British Rally Championship and secure his first ever
victory in the Evolution Challenge.
“I am extremely pleased with the way
things have gone this weekend and I must thank the team
for all they have done”, said Fisher at the finish.
“I was bit worried towards the end when the engine
started to misfire, but it’s great to get to the finish
of a British Championship event this year and to record
my first Evolution Challenge win. My season starts now!”
Greer/Roberts did what they needed to do and,
with a trouble-free run throughout the day collected second
place in the Evolution Challenge and fourth overall, which
was enough to ensure they maintain their lead in both the
Mitsubishi series and the British Rally Championship.
Sigurdarson/Sigurdardottir were both relieved
and delighted to finally lay the spectre of completing an
asphalt rally to rest and, in doing so, recorded a highly
respectable third in the Evolution Challenge and seventh
place overall.
The fourth round of the British Mitsubishi
series is the second of three consecutive asphalt-based
events, when the series heads to the infamous land mass
in the Irish Sea for the International Rally Isle of Man,
which takes place on 9th & 10th July.
The 2010 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK is supported by: Mitsubishi Motors UK, Pirelli tyres,
Sunoco fuels, JRM, Cyprus Automobile Association, Fairways
Mitsubishi, Speedline Corse wheels, Murray Motorsport, CL
brake pads, Sparco racewear and PIAA lights - who sponsor
the junior award for under 25-year old drivers.
For the first time this season the winner
of the Evolution Challenge in the UK, Ireland and Sweden,
will win the same prize: A supported drive in the FxPro
Rally Cyprus, the final round of the IRC (Intercontinental
Rally Challenge). Then, whichever of the three teams are
first home on this event will be crowned European Evolution
Challenge Champions. Added to this, the winning driver in
the UK will be a guaranteed nomination for the Pirelli Star
Driver shoot-out.
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge UK
- Round 3 Results
1 Alastair Fisher (Trillick)/Rory Kennedy (Letterkenny)
1:55:04.6
2 Jonny Greer (Carryduff)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen) 1:57:17.7
3 Daniel Sigurdarson (Iceland)/Asta Sigurdardottir (Iceland)
2:00:57.0
Retirements
SS8 Owen Murphy (Cork)/James O’Brien (Cork) Gearbox
Series standings
Drivers
1 Jonny Greer 58
2 Daniel Sigurdarson 52
3 Alastair Fisher 20
4= David Bogie 16
4= Owen Murphy 16
6 Peter Horsey 15
Co-drivers
1 Dai Roberts 58
2 Asta Sigurdardottir 52
3 Rory Kennedy 20
4= Kevin Rae 16
PRESS RELEASE: 25th May 2010
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK- Round three Preview - Jim Clark International
Rally 28 – 30 May 2010
- First asphalt encounter of the season
for Mitsubishi series.
- Jonny Greer looking for third win in a row to increase
lead in Evolution Challenge and British Rally Championship.
- Alastair Fisher hoping to get season off the ground.
The
third round of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
takes place this weekend, when crews embark on the first
asphalt surface event of the season, the Jim Clark International
Rally, which also hosts the third round of the Dulux Trade
MSA British Rally Championship.
Starting in Duns, the birth-place of the legendary
racing driver from whom the event takes its name, the rally
is held entirely on closed public roads in Berwickshire.
Of the 33 entries that make up the overall field, just four
of the seven registered Evolution Challenge crews are making
the journey to the Scottish Borders, all occupying a position
in the top-ten seeds.
First of the crews to cross the starting ramp
is Alistair Fisher and co-driver Rory Kennedy, who held
the Evo Challenge lead for the first half of both round
one and two before transmission issues intervened. They
are therefore are due better fortunes and could well take
their maiden Mitsubishi series victory on this event.
So far, this year could not have gone better
for Jonny Greer and Dai Roberts, who have won both rounds
of the Evolution Challenge on the Bulldog and Pirelli Rallies.
They currently not only top the Evolution Challenge standings,
but also lead the British Rally Championship as well and
are hoping to maintain their early-season performance now
the surface switches to asphalt.
After scoring a third place last time out,
Owen Murphy and James O’Brien are looking to improve
on the result this time around, as their car was down on
power throughout the Pirelli Rally. Murphy will be calling
on his season of tarmac experience from 2008, when he contested
the Evolution Challenge in Ireland, where the series features
only closed-road events.
Daniel Sigurdarson and his sister Asta Sigurdardottir
will again be making the trip from Iceland to continue their
British Rally Championship campaign. Sigurdarson’s
main aim will be to get to the finish unscathed, as his
only previous asphalt outing was on the Isle of Man two
years ago, when an excellent run ended abruptly after a
high-speed argument with the Manx scenery.
Having won the Reivers Rally (a national-status
event which runs alongside the international rally) outright
last year, David Bogie and Kevin Rae have opted to enter
this event in order to score points towards the Scottish
Rally Championship. They will therefore not be eligible
to score Evolution Challenge points this time around.
The Jim Clark International Rally gets underway
at 7.00pm on Friday, the evening featuring three stages
run twice before crews head to the service area at Kelso
Racecourse for the overnight halt. The event re-starts from
the racecourse at 8.30 on Saturday morning and sees four
stages run twice before finishing in Kelso at 5.15 that
afternoon, after covering a total of 134 competitive miles.
The 2010 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK is supported by: Mitsubishi Motors UK, Pirelli tyres,
Sunoco fuels, JRM, Cyprus Automobile Association, Fairways
Mitsubishi, Speedline Corse wheels, Murray Motorsport, CL
brake pads, Sparco racewear and PIAA lights - who
sponsor the junior award for under 25-year old drivers.
For the first time this season the winner
of the Evolution Challenge in the UK, Ireland and Sweden,
will win the same prize: A supported drive in the FxPro
Rally Cyprus, the final round of the IRC (Intercontinental
Rally Challenge). Then, whichever of the three teams are
first home on this event will be crowned European Evolution
Challenge Champions. Added to this, the winning driver in
the UK will be a guaranteed nomination for the Pirelli Star
Driver shoot-out.
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge UK
- Round 3 entries
3 Alastair Fisher (Trillick)/Rory Kennedy (Letterkenny)
4 Jonny Greer (Carryduff)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen)
9 Owen Murphy (Cork)/James O’Brien (Cork)
10 Daniel Sigurdarson (Iceland)/Asta Sigurdardottir (Iceland)
Series standings
Drivers
1 Jonny Greer 40
2 Daniel Sigurdarson 36
3= David Bogie 16
3= Owen Murphy 16
5 Peter Horsey 15
Co-drivers
1 Dai Roberts 40
2 Asta Sigurdardottir 36
3= Kevin Rae 16
3= James O’Brien 16
PRESS RELEASE: 25th April 2010
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK - Round 2 Report
Pirelli International Rally 23rd &
24th April 2010.
- Jonny Greer makes it two out of
two.
- Second-placed Daniel Sigurdarson pleased he made the trip
from Iceland.
- Déjà vu for Alastair Fisher as transmission
troubles strike again.
Jonny
Greer and co-driver Dai Roberts recorded their second Mitsubishi
Ralliart Evolution Challenge win of the season on this weekend’s
Pirelli International Rally, round two of the official series
for Group N Lancers and the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally
Championship. With their performance also seeing them finish
in second place overall, they now lead both the Evolution
Challenge and the British Championship.
Based at Carlisle Racecourse, at which the
start, finish and service area were located, the competitive
element of the rally took place entirely within Kielder
Forest. Starting on Friday evening, the route saw three
stages ran in the dark with a further nine during the course
of Saturday, the total of which provided 100 miles of dry
and dusty gravel roads.
For two teams, the dramas began even before
the rally started, East African crew Peter Horsey and Moses
Matovu unable to get to the event due to last week’s
closure of European airspace. A similar fate almost befell
Icelandic crew Daniel Sigurdarson and his sister and co-driver
Asta Sigurdardottir, who managed to jump onto a plane as
soon as the airspace opened.
Once again, the fastest Evolution Challenge
crew in the early stages were Alastair Fisher/Rory Kennedy.
Even with their intercom playing up in SS1, a rear puncture
in SS2 and hearing a strange noise coming from the front
of their car in SS3, they pulled out a lead of 26-seconds
in the Evo Challenge by the time cars returned to Carlisle
for the overnight halt.
And, as if night stages in Kielder Forest
were not enough to deal with, competitors reported that
they were having to slow down on the straight because of
dust from previous cars that was hanging in the windless
air. In second place and having been affected by the poor
visibility, Sigurdarson/Sigurdardottir we heard to say they
were concerned that they had brought the volcanic ash clouds
with them!
Third place were Greer/Roberts, who lost fifth
gear six miles before the end of SS3 and were worried that
things would get worse. However, they were able to make
it back to the service park where the gearbox was changing
in readiness for the following day.
Owen Murphy/James O’Brien were pleased
to be in fourth place, but frustrated that their car’s
engine was down on power, a mapping issue causing them to
lose time. Their situation was compounded by an unusually
low seeding that meant they were catching the cars ahead
of them and having to slow down because of the dust.
However, things were even worse for David
Bogie/Kevin Rae. With their car back to 100% following its
loss of power on round one, all was going well until they
hit a rock on stage two, which pushed the sump guard into
the radiator. A few miles later the 2008 Evolution Challenge
Champion saw steam coming from the front of his car and,
realising what had happened, nursed it to the end of the
stage. But with the head gasket now blown, the Scot’s
rally was over.
During the first loop of stages on Saturday
morning, Fisher/Kennedy extended their lead. But on SS7,
history from round one repeated itself when a problem with
the car’s transmission brought their rally to an abrupt
halt. Another frustrating end to an excellent drive.
Slowed when they caught other competitors
who were having problems, Sigurdarson/Sigurdardottir were
being reeled in by Greer/Roberts, who’s car now had
its full complement of gears and, when Fisher/Kennedy retired,
it was Greer/Roberts that emerged from stage seven in the
lead.
As cars entered the final service halt of
the day, Murphy/O’Brien reported that their engine
had started to lose even more power, added to which, it
was making some strange noises. Not ones to give up easily
they decided to continue and, as it turned out, they were
very pleased they did, making it back to Carlisle to claim
a well-deserved third in the Evolution Challenge and a fifth
place overall.
With the leaders now over half-a-minute ahead
of the Icelandic siblings before the final trio of stages,
it was only a problem that would see the positions change.
But a faultless drive over the final loop meant that Greer/Roberts
were to cross the line one-minute 15 seconds ahead of Sigurdarson/Sigurdadottir,
their strategy of keeping out of trouble paying off.
And, as others around them fell foul of punctures
or problems, they also finished in an impressive second
place overall, a result which means they not only top the
Evolution Challenge standings, but the British Rally Championship
as well.
“This is a great result for us”,
said Greer. “For a moment I was worried if we would
make it on Friday evening when we the gearbox problem, but
other than that the car ran perfectly. With the surface
really punishing the tyres and others having problems in
the closing stages, all we had to do was keep away from
punctures and maintain a good pace, so things couldn't have
worked out better for us.”
The third round of both the Evolution Challenge
and the British Championship sees the surface change to
asphalt, when the crews tackle the lanes of Berwickshire
and the Jim Clark Rally, which takes place on 29th &
30th May.
The 2010 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK is supported by: Mitsubishi Motors UK, Pirelli tyres,
Sunoco fuels, JRM, Cyprus Automobile Association, Fairways
Mitsubishi, Speedline Corse wheels, Murray Motorsport, CL
brake pads, Sparco racewear and PIAA lights - who sponsor
the junior award for under 25-year old drivers.
For the first time this season the winner
of the Evolution Challenge in the UK, Ireland and Sweden,
will win the same prize: A supported drive in the FxPro
Rally Cyprus, the final round of the IRC (Intercontinental
Rally Challenge). Then, whichever of the three teams are
first home on this event will be crowned European Evolution
Challenge Champions. Added to this, the winning driver in
the UK will be a guaranteed nomination for the Pirelli Star
Driver shoot-out.
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge UK
- Round 2 results
1 Jonny Greer (Carryduff)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen) 1:30:31.2
2 Daniel Sigurdarson (Iceland)/Asta Sigurdardottir (Iceland)
1:31:46.1
3 Owen Murphy (Cork)/James O’Brien (Cork) 1:33:33.4
Retirements
SS2 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) Radiator
SS7 Alastair Fisher (Trillick)/Rory Kennedy (Letterkenny)
Transmission
Series standings
Drivers
1 Jonny Greer 40
2 Daniel Sigurdarson 36
3= David Bogie 16
3= Owen Murphy 16
5 Peter Horsey 15
Co-drivers
1 Dai Roberts 40
2 Asta Sigurdardottir 36
3= Kevin Rae 16
3= James O’Brien 16
PRESS RELEASE: 29th March 2010
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK Round 1 Report
- Bulldog International Rally of North
Wales - 27th March 2010.
- Jonny Greer records maiden Evolution Challenge victory.
- Alastair Fisher sets early pace until transmission troubles
intervene.
- Daniel Sigurdarson claims last-minute second place.
This
weekend’s Bulldog International Rally of North Wales
saw Jonny Greer and co-drier Dai Roberts record their first
ever Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge victory, when
they won round one of the 2010 British series by a convincing
margin ahead of Icelandic crew Daniel Sigurdarson and Asta
Sigurdardottir.
The tenth consecutive season for the Evolution
Challenge in the UK shared its opening round with that of
the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, the strong
Class N4 (production category) entry seeing six Mitsubishi
crews registered for the series.
Based in Welshpool, the rally kicked off with
two stages in mid-Wales and the forests of Myherin and Sweet
Lamb. Stamping their authority on the Evo Challenge proceedings
right from the start were Alastair Fisher/Rory Kennedy,
who pulled out a healthy margin of 20 seconds ahead of Greer/Roberts
by the time cars returned for the first service halt.
Uncharacteristically a minute behind in third
was returning 2008 Evo Challenge Champion David Bogie with
co-driver Kevin Rae, who reported he was driving hard and
surprised not to be on the pace, although a lack of engine
power was suspected to be the cause.
Most unlucky crew of the day were Irish pairing
Owen Murphy/James O’Brien, who retired just a few
miles into in the first stage when a problem with their
car’s gear selector mechanism meant that they found
themselves stuck in fifth. Although they tried to get the
stage the clutch eventually burnt out and, with no drive,
they were forced to stop - a frustrating conclusion for
the whole team, having worked hard over the winter to get
the car prepared before the start of the season.
The next two stages were a re-run of the first
two and Fisher/Kennedy were flying. Having adapted their
pace notes for the second pass they not only set the fastest
Evo Challenge times – but the fastest times overall
- on both SS3 and SS4. Their Mitsubishi series’ lead
was made even greater when Greer/Roberts picked up a rear
puncture in SS3, the deflated tyre damaging a wheel sensor
- which in turn affected the actuation of the active differential
system for the remainder of the stage and the one that followed.
Now gathering pace were Icelandic brother
and sister Sigurdarson/Sigurdardottir and they were now
closing the gap on Bogie/Rae who were still struggling to
see why their committed driving was not being rewarded with
better times.
Making their debut in the UK were East African
crew Peter Horsey and Moses Matovu and, at the second service
halt admitted they were taking no risks and were getting
to know their brand new Evo X and the British forests, which
provided totally different terrain from that of their more
local rallies.
There then followed a further four classic
Welsh stages before the finish: Big Ray, Dyfi Main, Pantperthog
and Gartheniog. Heading off to start the first of these
Fisher/Kennedy found they had a 1 minute 40 second lead,
with their performance good enough to also see them hold
second place overall.
After yet another good run through SS5, Fisher
suddenly noticed something was wrong in the road section
before SS6. It turned out to be the car’s rear differential,
which meant that the 19-year old drove the whole 8.5-mile
stage in front-wheel-drive only. Although getting to the
finish the car would not pull away from the stop line, which
brought his and Kennedy’s event to an undeserving
conclusion.
This left Greer/Roberts in charge of the Mitsubishi
field and, without putting a foot wrong through the final
two stages they returned to Welshpool to score their very
first Evolution Challenge victory.
“Besides the puncture everything has
gone really well today”, said Greer. “We found
we couldn’t match Alastair’s pace this morning,
but our plan was to make sure we got to the finish. I’m
therefore pleased we achieved that and, in doing so, score
our first win in the Evo Challenge, which makes this a really
good start to the year.”
For Bogie/Rae, their event was getting even
more surreal. After driving hard all day and unable to post
front-running times due to an undetected loss of power,
they then found they had collected a seven-minute penalty
for changing a wheel at an arrival control. This addition
of time meant they dropped to third behind Sigurdarson/Sigurdardottir,
who were more than satisfied with their day’s rallying
– even after clipping a rock in the penultimate stage
and bending their Evo X’s steering.
Horsey/Matovu were also pleased with their
event and returned to the finish without a mark on their
new car, having enjoyed their first experience of rallying
in the UK – even though temperatures were around 30
degrees centigrade less than they were used to. Their efforts
were rewarded with the Sunoco Spirit Award.
The second round of the Mitsubishi series
takes place on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th April, when
crews head to the Carlisle-based Pirelli Rally and the demanding
stages of Kielder Forest.
The 2010 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK is supported by: Mitsubishi Motors UK, Pirelli tyres,
Sunoco fuels, JRM, Cyprus Automobile Association, Fairways
Mitsubishi, Speedline Corse wheels, Murray Motorsport, CL
brake pads, Sparco racewear and PIAA lights - who sponsor
the junior award for under 25-year old drivers.
For the first time this season the winner
of the Evolution Challenge in the UK, Ireland and Sweden,
will win the same prize: A supported drive in the FxPro
Rally Cyprus, the final round of the IRC (Intercontinental
Rally Challenge). Then, whichever of the three teams are
first home on this event will be crowned European Evolution
Challenge Champions. Added to this, the winning driver in
the UK will be a guaranteed nomination for the Pirelli Star
Driver shoot-out.
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge UK
- Round 1 results
1 Jonny Greer (Carryduff)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen) 1:43:04.5
2 Daniel Sigurdarson (Iceland)/Asta Sigurdardottir (Iceland)
1:46:00.4
3 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) 1:52:29.2
4 Peter Horsey (Mombasa)/Moses Matovu (Kampala) 1:54:31.1
Retirements
SS1 Owen Murphy (Cork)/James O’Brien (Cork) Clutch
SS6 Alastair Fisher (Trillick)/Rory Kennedy (Letterkenny)
Transmission
Series standings
Drivers
1 Jonny Greer 20
2 Daniel Sigurdarson 18
3 David Bogie 16
4 Peter Horsey 15
Co-drivers
1 Dai Roberts 20
2 Asta Sigurdardottir 18
3 Kevin Rae 16
PRESS RELEASE: 22nd March 2010
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK
Round 1 Preview
- Bulldog International Rally of North
Wales - 27th March 2010
- Evolution Challenge starts tenth consecutive season in
the UK.
- Series joins MSA British Rally Championship.
- Quality international entry destined to see series continue
its reputation for close competition.
The Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK kicks off its tenth consecutive season this weekend,
when the high-profile one-make series for Group N (production
Class) Lancer Evolutions heads to the Bulldog International
Rally of North Wales for the first round of this year’s
series.
For 2010 the Evo Challenge joins the Dulux
Trade MSA British Rally Championship, the calendar including
three gravel and three asphalt rallies - all of them top-quality
international events. The move to the UK’s premier
series sees the Mitsubishi series attract some of the quickest
R4 Class teams in the country and therefore, it is predicted
that it will continue to provide ultra-close competition
- as it has done for the past nine seasons.
First of the registered Mitsubishi crews to
head into the forests of North Wales are Jonny Greer and
co-driver Dai Roberts, both previous front-running Evo Challenge
competitors. They are followed by 2008 Champions David Bogie/Kevin
Rae, who are looking to use their experience of last year’s
BRC prize drive - which was part-supported by the Evo Challenge
– to their advantage.
Making a welcome debut to the series are Alastair
Fisher/Rory Kennedy and a crew that are certainly in with
a shot at this year’s title. Behind them are the first
of three crews from outside the Britain and Ireland, Peter
Horsey/Moses Matovu from Kenya, who are sampling their first
taste of rallying the UK.
Returning to the Mitsubishi series, this time
in an ex-works Evo IX, are Irishmen Owen Murphy and James
O’Brien, who will be hoping that their new car will
bring more luck than they have had in the past and put them
in with a real chance of challenging for the title.
There then follows two crews from Iceland:
Daniel Sigurdason, with his sister Astor Sigurdardottir
co-driving, the former Icelandic Rally Champion and regular
UK rally visitor back to contest his third season in the
Mitsubishi series. Conversely, this is the first time that
fellow countrymen Joannes Gunnarson will have competed in
the UK, although his co-driver Isak Gujonsson is familiar
with the territory having partnered Sigurdarson on many
occasions.
The Bulldog International Rally of North Wales
starts and finishes at the new livestock centre in Welshpool,
the venue also hosting the service area for the event. Cars
leave the start at 7.00 am on Saturday and head to the forests
of Myherin and Sweet Lamb twice in the morning, with runs
through Big Ray, Dyfi Main, Pantperthog and Gartheiniog
in the afternoon, before the finish back in Welshpool at
4.30pm.
For the first time this season the winner
of the Evolution Challenge in each of the three countries
where it takes place, UK, Ireland and Sweden, will win the
same prize: A supported drive in, as it has just been announced,
the FxPro Rally Cyprus, the final round of the IRC (Intercontinental
Rally Challenge).
Then, whichever of the three teams are first
home on this event will be crowned European Evolution Challenge
Champions. Added to this, the winning driver in the UK will
be a guaranteed nomination for the Pirelli Star Driver shoot-out.
The 2010 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK is supported by: Mitsubishi Motors UK, Pirelli tyres,
Sunoco fuels, JRM, Cyprus Automobile Association, Fairways
Mitsubishi, Speedline Corse wheels, Murray Motorsport, CL
brake pads, Sparco racewear and PIAA lights - who sponsor
the junior award for under 25-year old drivers.
Evolution Challenge entries (not necessarily
in starting order)
3 Jonny Greer (Carryduff)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen)
4 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick)
7 Alastair Fisher (Trillick)/Rory Kennedy (Letterkenny)
15 Peter Horsey (Mombasa)/Moses Matovu (Kampala)
35 Owen Murphy (Cork)/James O’Brien (Cork)
36 Joannes Gunnarson (Iceland)/Isak Gujonsson (Iceland)
38 Daniel Sigurdarson (Iceland)/Asta Sigurdardottir (Iceland)
PRESS RELEASE: 19th March 2010
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
announces details of first prize
Having announced earlier this year that the
winning driver in each of the three countries where the
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge takes place: United
Kingdom, Ireland and Sweden, will win a supported drive
in an international rally, series organisers are delighted
to confirm that the nominated event will be the 2010 FxPro
Cyprus Rally.
The prize will provide all three winners with
a free entry, plus tyres and fuel, together with at least
€1000 towards expenses. Logistical support has also
been offered from the local importer for the brand, Fairways
Mitsubishi.
“The Cyprus Automobile Association and
Fairways Mitsubishi were really intrigued with our plans
for this year’s prize and are very excited about getting
our three winners over there”, said series coordinator
Simon Slade. “Added to this, two of our key partners
in the Evolution Challenge - Pirelli and Sunoco - have also
pledged their support by supplying product, all of which
goes towards making this a truly valuable package.”
Slade also hopes that between now and the
event itself, which takes place on 4-6 November, further
benefits can be added for the three fortunate crews, such
as discounted accommodation, flights and ferries.
The event, which is the final round of this
year’s IRC (Intercontinental Rally Challenge), will
see all three winners go head-to-head and battle to become
European Evolution Challenge Champion, the first time that
this title has ever been bestowed since the series began
in 2001.
The 2010 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK runs in association with the Dulux Trade MSA British
Rally Championship and is supported by: Pirelli tyres, Sunoco
fuels, JRM, Cyprus Automobile Association, Fairways Mitsubishi
Speedline Corse wheels, Murray Motorsport, CL brake pads,
PIAA lights, Sparco racewear and Mitsubishi
Motors UK.
PRESS RELEASE: 6th November 2009
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
UK
Evo Challenge Champions receive top prize
2009
Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Champions Daniel
Barry and his co-driver Martin Brady, were presented with
their prize for winning the one-make rally series for Group
N (production class) Lancer Evolutions, at the end-of-season
prizegiving ceremony in Daventry on Saturday night.
Handing over the keys of the brand new Mitsubishi
Lancer Evolution X RS was Challenge Coordinator Simon Slade,
who said:
“Daniel and Martin have really shone
in this year’s championship and won five out of the
eight events. However, although the points show a convincing
victory, they did not have it all their own way as the competition
was fierce all season.”
On receiving the keys to his brand new Lancer
the 24-year old driver from Ireland’s County Wicklow
said:
“This is a fantastic prize and tops-off
what has been a great season. I have to thank Martin and
my team who did a tremendous job throughout the year and
must also thanks Mitsubishi UK for supporting a championship
that continues to offer the best prizes in the sport.”
Other Evolution Challenge winners to be presented
with their awards were:
2nd Driver/Co-driver - Nik Elsmore/Craig Drew
3rd Driver/Co-driver - Simon Hughes/Craig Parry
4th Driver/Co-driver - Alan Carmichael/Ivor Lamont
PIAA Junior Award - Owen
Murphy
Speedline Grand Attack Award - Nik Elsmore
RPM Promotions Media Award - Nik Elsmore
Sunoco Spirit Award - Nik Elsmore
Carbone Lorraine Brakes Award - Owen Murphy
Best prepared car – Team Award - Barry Motorsport
The 2009 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge
was supported by Mitsubishi Motors UK, Ralliart, Pirelli
tyres, Sunoco fuels, JR Motorsports, Speedline Corse wheels,
Carbone Lorraine brakes, Walkinshaw Performance, Sparco
racewear and PIAA lights.
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