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MITSUBISHI RALLIART EVOLUTION CUP

The Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge supported by PIAA UK is back for its eight successive year in 2008

PRESS RELEASE: 25th August 2008

Cronin takes second Evo asphalt win of the season

- Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge – Round Six Report.
- Todds Leap Ulster International Rally – 22nd & 23rd August 2008.
- Keith Cronin proves uncatchable in Ulster.
- Championship leader David Bogie sidelined on opening stage.
- Evo Challenge title race goes down to the final round.

Keith Cronin and co-driver Greg Shinnors recorded a resounding victory by over four minutes from Nik Elsmore/Craig Drew in round six of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge, the Todds Leap Ulster Rally, which took place on 22nd & 23rd August. Contrasting fortunes saw series leaders David Bogie/Kevin Rae out of the running on the opening stage when their car ran wide and clipped a verge, the subsequent impact removing a wheel.

The Ulster Rally provided the Evolution Challenge with its second asphalt event of the season and the one round of the year where the many Irish crews that support the championship don’t have to board a ferry or aeroplane to get to the event.

Featuring six stages on Friday evening and a further ten on Saturday, totalling a competitive distance of 134 miles, the undulating tarmac roads around the host town of Armagh makes this one of the most demanding rallies of the year for both cars and crews.

Right from the word go, Cronin stamped his authority on proceedings and emerged from the opening stage 14.5 seconds ahead of Neil McCance/Sean Ferris, the anticipated pressure from Bogie dropping away after they lost a rear wheel, when the back of the car stepped out and clipped a verge. Unable to continue, the Scottish youngster took the decision to get his stricken Evo recovered and, with the event being run to International rules, was still able to record a finish by running under SuperRally regulations.

By the time cars reached the final service halt of the day in Armagh, Cronin had pulled out a lead by two minutes – a margin almost unheard of in Evo Challenge circles.

Second place was the territory of Daniel Barry/Martin Brady, who had defied their car’s tendency to understeer due to a suspected problem with the centre differential.

Nik Elsmore/Craig Drew were just eight seconds behind in third, not bad, considering they were unable to complete the pre-event recce, as Elsmore had contracted a bout of food poisoning the previous day.

McCance had now dropped back to fourth due to two punctures – both collected at exactly the same spot on the Parkanaur stage – one on the first run through and the other on the second.

David Meredith/Dai Roberts in fifth also reported problems early on, when a wire came off their car’s starter motor resulting in them having to be push-started in order to begin the very first stage.

However, there was no doubt that Elsmore had the biggest fright of the night, when he rounded a right-hander on SS6 and found barrier tape stretched across the road. Thinking he and Drew had taken the wrong route they turned around, but quickly realised that they were correct and the tape was the work of a thoughtless prankster. Unsurprisingly flustered, they were later caught by Cronin and consequently lost over a minute in the confusion.

However, the leader also had cause or concern, when his car’s rear diff started to make unusual noises. Sportingly, David Bogie’s team came to the rescue with a replacement unit, which was fitted at Friday’s final service halt before cars went into Parc Fermé.

As usual in Ulster, Saturday’s ten stages would provide a real test for the teams. However, for Cronin it was a case of carrying on from where he left off on Friday and continued to dominate the Evo Challenge field as the day went on.

Most of the Evo drivers found the going a little easier on the first of Saturday’s stages, Barry trying to come to terms with his car’s irregular handling, Elsmore getting his confidence back after his ordeal the night before and McCance just happy not to get another puncture.

However, for Meredith the second service halt of the day heralded retirement and dependence on SuperRally regulations to record a finish after something went wrong with his car’s turbo-charger.

At this point it started raining and all crews knew that the wet roads would bring a different dimension to the stages. However, Cronin proved to be completely unfazed and continued to set fastest Evo Challenge times.
In contrast, with the handling of his car still not right, Barry was ready to throw in the towel, especially as he had now been passed by both Elsmore and McCance on SS12, but the young Irishman gritted his teeth and continued.

With all Evo Challenge drivers respecting the slippery conditions, the final loop of three stages saw Cronin leading by over four minutes, with Elsmore extending his second place advantage over McCance to 23 seconds. He was now being caught by Barry who was now just 0.1 second behind! Seizing the opportunity, Barry pushed hard through the last few miles and emerged six seconds ahead of McCance and in third place when the cars finally crossed the line in Armagh.

But after setting the fastest Evo Challenge times on all of the event’s 16 stages, plus having recorded his second Mitsubishi Championship win of the season, it was Cronin’s day.

“I’m delighted. Other than what I think was a problem with the diff pump in the closing stages, it all went according to plan”, said Cronin. “I could have done with more performances like this earlier in the season, but it’s always good to take a win, whenever it happens.”

The consequence of this weekend’s result sees Bogie and Elsmore share the top spot in the driver’s standings, both tying on 44 points. This means that Bogie has to finish fifth or higher on the seventh and final round, the Bulldog Rally on 18th October, to secure the title. Elsmore however, has posted consistent finishes all season and therefore must drop a score from his worst round, which is six points.

With Richard Cathcart having withdrawn from the series, it means that McCance (38 points), Barry and Cronin (36 points) are all in with a mathematical chance of lifting the title. It’s going to be an exciting finale that’s for sure!

Announced earlier this month, the Evolution Challenge continues to offer its champion one of the best prizes in British Motorsport, the winner of the 2008 series being given an official works drive in this year’s Wales Rally GB in a brand new Group N Evolution X. The winning driver will also be considered for selection when details are announced about Mitsubishi’s 2009 works campaign.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK and Ralliart, with support from its associate sponsors: Pirelli tyres, Speedline Corse wheels, Sparco racewear, Performance Friction Brakes, Sunoco Race Fuels, ADR Motorsport, Walkinshaw Performance and PIAA lights, who sponsor the junior award for under 25 year old drivers.

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge - Round Six
Results
1 Keith Cronin (Cork)/Greg Shinnors (Limerick) 2:02:44.8
2 Nik Elsmore (Coleford)/Craig Drew (Bream) 2:07:10.8
3 Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Martion Brady (Navan) 2:07:30.5
4 Neil McCance (Comber)/Sean Ferris (Drumquin) 2:07:38.2
5 David Meredith (Dolgellau)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen) 2:59:08.7
6 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) 4:31:10.3

Championship positions after round six
Drivers
1 David Bogie 44
2 Nik Elsmore 44
3 Richard Cathcart 38
4 Neil McCance 38
5 Daniel Barry 36
6 Keith Cronin 36
7 Miles Johnston 19
8 Jonathan Sparks 16
9 David Meredith 11
10 Seb Ling 8
11 Jonny Greer 7
12 Daniel Sigurdarson 6
13 Tomas Naughton 5
14 Simon Harraway 4

Co-drivers
1 Martin Brady 46
2 Kevin Rae 45
3 Greg Shinnors 32
4 Craig Drew 30
5 Mark Bowens 28
6 Graham Hopewell 23
7 Paul Wakely 20
8 Chris Davies 16
9 Ian Bevan 14
10 Anthony O’Connail 12
11 David Roberts 12
12 Aled Rees 8
13 Jonny Hart 7
14 Isak Gudjonsson 6
15 Horace Saville 5

PRESS RELEASE: 18th August 2008

Evo Challenge prepares for Ulster asphalt

- Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge – Round Six Preview.
- Todds Leap Ulster International Rally – 22nd & 23rd August 2008.
- Mitsubishi Championship joins British Rally. Championship for Northern Ireland classic.
- Second asphalt rally of the season for Evo Challenge crews.
- All to play for with just two rounds remaining.

The Ulster Rally has featured as a round of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge for the past three years, the popular International event providing a perfect addition to the championship, as it occupies a vacant slot in the calendar and offers a second asphalt rally in the seven-round season. For the many Ireland-based crews that support the Mitsubishi championship, it also provides the one opportunity of the year for them to compete without having to cross the Irish Sea.

Following the Swansea Bay Rally, the championship tables show David Bogie occupying the top spot, just one point ahead of Richard Cathcart, who has since withdrawn from the Evolution Challenge following recent announcements in the press. A great shame all round, as this year’s championship was proving to be the most fiercely contested ever.

However, even with the absence of his former close rival it will not be an easy run for Bogie, as he will be looking for better fortunes than on his last asphalt outing on the Isle of Man, when an accident put him out of contention.

Nik Elsmore is next in the championship standings and could well be a contender for both a win in Ulster - and for the overall title - currently being just five points off the series lead.

Fourth-placed Neil McCance is the most local of the Evo Challenge drivers for this event. However, over the years geography has proved to have no bearing on success and he will be driving to lay the spectre of his former Ulster Rally outings to rest – a real possibility if his performance on the Manx tarmac in May is anything to go by.

Former championship leader Daniel Barry had a great start to the season. However, his dramatic exit from round five, the Swansea Bay Rally, saw him toppled from the top spot and, since the accident at the end of July, his team have worked tirelessly to rebuilt his Evo IX. Barry now needs a strong finish in the final two rounds to get his title hopes back on track.

Victor on the Isle of Man – and therefore the only Evo Challenge driver to win on tarmac so far this year - is Keith Cronin and is therefore a favourite for the Mitsubishi podium this weekend. His confidence and pace have grown as the season has progressed and, if it wasn’t for the occasional blip of bad luck, he would certainly be higher in the championship than his current position of sixth.

Having dipped out of the Evo Challenge to pursue points in the British series, David Meredith returns to the Mitsubishi fold this weekend by virtue of the two championships combining for the Ulster Rally.

This weekend’s event is based in Armagh and gets underway on Friday evening with six stages before the overnight halt. A further 10 stages follow on Saturday, the combined total of which provide the overall International field of 80 cars - which includes six Evo Challenge runners - with 134 competitive miles.

Announced earlier this month, the Evolution Challenge continues to offer its champion one of the best prizes in British Motorsport, the winner of the 2008 series being given an official works drive in this year’s Wales Rally GB in a brand new Group N Evolution X. The winning driver will also be considered for selection when details are announced about Mitsubishi’s 2009 works campaign.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK and Ralliart, with support from its associate sponsors: Pirelli tyres, Speedline Corse wheels, Sparco racewear, Performance Friction Brakes, Sunoco Race Fuels, ADR Motorsport, Walkinshaw Performance and PIAA lights, who sponsor the junior award for under 25 year old drivers.

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge - Round Six
Entries in start number order
26 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) J
27 Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Mark Bowens (Cork) J
28 Neil McCance (Comber)/Sean Ferris (Drumquin)
29 Nik Elsmore (Coleford)/Paul Wakeley (Llanelli)
30 Keith Cronin (Cork)/Greg Shinnors (Limerick) J
36 David Meredith (Dolgellau)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen)
J = Junior driver

Championship positions after round five
Drivers
1 David Bogie 39
2 Richard Cathcart 38
3 Nik Elsmore 34
4 Neil McCance 31
5 Daniel Barry 28
6 Keith Cronin 24
7 Miles Johnston 19
8 Jonathan Sparks 16
9 Seb Ling 8
10 Jonny Greer 7
11 Daniel Sigurdarson 6
12 David Meredith 5
13 Tomas Naughton 5
14 Simon Harraway 4

Co-drivers
1 Kevin Rae 39
2 Martin Brady 38
3 Mark Bowens 28
4 Graham Hopewell 23
5 Paul Wakely 20
6 Greg Shinnors 20
7 Craig Drew 20
9 Chris Davies 16
10 Ian Bevan 14
11 Anthony O’Connail 12
12 Aled Rees 8
13 Jonny Hart 7
14 Isak Gudjonsson 6
15 David Roberts 5
16 Horace Saville 5

PRESS RE:EASE: 21st July 2008

Bogies does it again

Swansea Bay Rally – 19th July 2008

- David Bogie scores third Evo Challenge win and leads championship with two rounds to go.
- Second-placed Richard Cathcart takes the fight to the finish.
- Neil McCance shakes off his Swansea demons to claim third.
- South-Wales event shakes up the race for the Mitsubishi series title.

For the third time this season David Bogie and co-driver Kevin Rae sprayed the champagne, when they crossed the finish line of round five of the 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge, the Swansea Bay Rally – which took place on 19th July. They took the lead on stage four and had to battle right to the end, as second-placed Richard Cathcart/Martin Brady fought back in the closing stages.

The event started and finished from SA1, Swansea’s rapidly developing dock-side area and featured six-timed special stages in forests which are usually used by the Wales Rally GB. The three loops of two stages were separated by two service halts, providing the nine Evolution Challenge competitors - a figure that represented 25% of the National event’s entry - with a competitive distance of 64 miles.

With just one-point separating the top four drivers in the series standings, this event was acknowledged to be a potential turning point for championship positions and, leading up to the rally, there was eager anticipation that a battle royal was about to unfold.

Fastest out of the blocks was round-two winner Cathcart, who stopped the first-stage clock one-second ahead of Keith Cronin, who was in-turn one second ahead of Daniel Barry, who also was one second ahead of Bogie – the Evolution Challenge living up to it’s reputation of being the most closely-fought rally championship in the UK.

In stage two the damp conditions made grip levels unpredictable - not just on the stages, but also on Cathcart’s boots – his foot slipping off the brake pedal and causing him to overshoot the first corner. Also caught out by the conditions was Barry, who also had a time-delaying overshoot. But there were no such issues for Cronin, who shot into the Evo Challenge lead by setting the fastest time by 4.4 seconds.

At the first service halt the time sheets showed Cronin leading from Bogie in second, Cathcart third, Nik Elsmore fourth and Barry now fifth, just ahead of Neil McCance who was aiming to lay the spectre of his previous Swansea Bay non-finishes to rest.

Jonathan Sparks was perhaps the unluckiest of the Evo Challenge runners, when a turbo pipe came loose just a few 100 yards into the first stage, forcing him to stop and investigate. With the help of his co-driver’s bootlaces he was able to fix the problem and get back to the service halt, albeit with over ten minutes lost.

With a delay in proceedings due to a problem in stage three when the earlier Clubmans Rally ran through Rhondda Forest, there was an agonising wait of over an hour before the action recommenced. Barry went faster through SS3 than all other Evo runners by 1.1 seconds, but it all went wrong for the former championship leader in SS4 when he had to avoid an un-seen pile of logs on the inside of a corner, the consequent evasive action causing his Lancer to slam into a pile of logs on the outside of the bend. Thankfully, he and co-driver Mark Bowens were unhurt, but the same could be not be said for their car.

Stage four was also the end of the line for Cronin, who went wide exiting a hairpin, his Evo slipped into a ditch and, although there was no damage they were stuck fast and unable to extract the car from its muddy predicament. In contrast, Elsmore was lucky to get out of the stage when a faulty throttle sensor caused his car’s engine to cut out with just a few 100 yards to go. He was therefore fortunate enough to be able to rely on gravity, due to a long downhill section to the finish line.

At the second service halt results showed Bogie leading by 7.4 seconds ahead of Cathcart, who was reported that his car was handling strangely and was down on power due to a squashed intercooler pipe. McCance was now up to third, with Elsmore relieved to still be in the hunt and holding fourth place.

With his car restored to full mechanical health, Cathcart proceeded to claw back 4.1 seconds on Bogie in SS5, which meant that as they started the last stage, there was just 2.3 seconds between them.

After a flat-out charge on the sixth and final stage, Bogie posted a time 0.9 seconds faster than Cathcart and, in doing so, clinched his third Evo Challenge victory of the season by a margin of 3.2 seconds. McCance was delighted to make it back to Swansea and claim a place on the podium, while Elsmore was happy with fourth, considering the problems he had encountered earlier.

Fifth went to Miles Johnstone, who had kept out of trouble all day and hardly put a foot wrong, whilst sixth-placed Tom Naughton was over the moon, having enjoyed a trouble-free run with his re-built car. Having had to contend with a puncture on stage six following his first stage delay, Sparks was also pleased to get to the finish and claim seventh place in the process.

“With the championship so close, this was very important to have a good result on this event”, said Bogie. “I had to drive absolutely flat out on the last stage to make sure I stayed in the lead, so I’m delighted to take my third Evo Challenge victory of the season and to be leading the championship.”

Bogie now tops the Evolution Challenge tables by one point from Cathcart with two rounds left to go, the sixth and penultimate event taking place on 22nd & 23rd August, with a switch to asphalt stages and a trip to Northern Ireland for the Ulster International Rally.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK and Ralliart, with support from its associate sponsors: Pirelli tyres, Speedline Corse wheels, Sparco racewear, Performance Friction Brakes, Sunoco Race Fuels, ADR Motorsport, Walkinshaw Performance and PIAA lights, who sponsor the junior award for under 25 year old drivers.

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Round Five
Swansea Bay Rally – 19th July 2008
Results
1 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) 1:01:44.8
2 Richard Cathcart (Enniskillen)/Martin Brady (Navan) 1:01:48.0
3 Neil McCance (Comber)/Graham Hopewell (Worcester) A 1:03:05.9
4 Nik Elsmore (Coleford)/Craig Drew (Bream) 1:04:31.6
5 Miles Johnston (York)/Ian Bevan (Holywell) 1:05:46.3
6 Thomas Naughton (Bury)/Horace Saville (Bury) 1:13:12.6
7 Jonathan Sparks (Glastonbury)/Chris Davies (Abergavenny) 1:21:42.0

Retirements
SS4 Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Mark Bowens (Cork) Accident
SS4 Keith Cronin (Cork)/Greg Shinnors (Limerick) Accident

PRESS RELEASE: 11th July 2008

Evos get set for Swansea showdown

- Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge – Round Five Preview
- Swansea Bay Rally – 19th July 2008
- Battle for Mitsubishi championship hots up.
- One point separates top four drivers.
- Nine Evo Challenge teams go head-to-head on classic Welsh stages.

With only one point separating the top four drivers in the championship standings: Daniel Barry, David Bogie, Richard Cathcart and Nik Elsmore, the fifth round of this year’s Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge, the Swansea Bay Rally on 19th July, is destined to produce an exciting battle for supremacy.

With cars in the Evolution Challenge strictly controlled to comply with Group N regulations, all are similar in performance and with so many drivers of eaqual pace registered for this year’s series, 2008 has so far produced the closest competition yet. In fact, with four rounds already run and three to go, only five points separates the top six!

First to lead the Mitsubishi charge are David Bogie/Kevin Rae, who are the only crew to have won two rounds so far this season. They are followed by winners of round two Richard Cathcart/Martin Brady, who have regularly shown that they have the speed to be at the front, be it on asphalt or gravel roads.

After scoring three podium finishes in the first three events, Daniel Barry/Mark Bowens will be looking to put the retirement on the final stage in round four behind them and get back to their front-running ways. Starting right behind them and also retiring from the last Evo Challenge round are Neil McCance/Graham Hopewell, who’s pace so far this season means that they are definitely in the frame for at least one victory before the year is out.

Nik Elsmore/Paul Wakely are next to start and, although in the top four of the championship, their consistent performance means that they are the only crew out of the leading quartet who are yet to drop a round – a significant factor – as the end of season competitors count the best six scores from the seven events.

Upping their game as the year progresses are round three winners Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors, who will be out to record their first Evo Challenge victory on gravel and close the gap - albeit just three points - between themselves and the championship leaders.

Miles Johnstone/Ian Bevan are next to line up and, if their stage times continue to improve, they could well finish close to the podium in Swansea. Jonathan Sparks/Chris Davies are another crew out to add to their points tally next weekend, whilst Tom Naughton/Horace Saville make a welcome return after missing two rounds whilst their car was being refurbished.

Notable absentees from the fifth round of the Evo Challenge are Daniel Sigurdarson, who will be staying in his native Iceland next weekend, Jonny Greer, who will be competing in the British Rally Championship on the Isle of Man and Simon Harraway, who’s season appears to have come to a premature end.

The Swansea Bay Rally also hosts round five of the Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship and sees a total entry of 36 cars, nine of which are Evolution Challenge competitors, a figure which represents 25% of the National field.

Starting an finishing from the rapidly developing area of SA1, the event features six timed special stages comprising 64 competitive miles in forests that are visited by the WRC teams during the Wales Rally GB: Margam, Rhondda, Resolven and Walters Arena.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK and Ralliart, with support from its associate sponsors: Pirelli tyres, Speedline Corse wheels, Sparco racewear, Performance Friction Brakes, Sunoco Race Fuels, ADR Motorsport, Walkinshaw Performance and PIAA lights, who sponsor the junior award for under 25 year old drivers.

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge - Round Five
Entries in start number order
7 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) J
8 Richard Cathcart (Enniskillen)/Martin Brady (Navan)
9 Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Mark Bowens (Cork) J
10 Nik Elsmore (Coleford)/Paul Wakeley (Llanelli)
11 Neil McCance (Comber)/Graham Hopewell (Worcester)
12 Keith Cronin (Cork)/Greg Shinnors (Limerick) J
20 Miles Johnston (York)/Ian Bevan (Holywell)
21 Jonathan Sparks (Glastonbury)/Chris Davies (Abergavenny)
22 Thomas Naughton (Bury)/Horace Saville (Bury)
J = Junior driver

Championship Positions after round four
Drivers
1 Daniel Barry 28
2 Richard Cathcart 28
3 David Bogie 27
4 Nik Elsmore 27
5 Keith Cronin 24
6 Neil McCance 23
7 Miles Johnston 13
8 Jonathan Sparks 12
9 Seb Ling 8
10 Jonny Greer 7

PRESS RELEASE: 2nd June 2008

Bogie bounces back to record second Evo Challenge victory of the season

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Round Four - Severn Valley National Rally – 31st May 2008

- David Bogie wins another fiercely fought Evo Challenge round.
- Richard Cathcart takes second place and ties on points for championship lead.
- Keith Cronin proves his pace on gravel and finishes third.
- Battle for Championship title hots-up.

David Bogie and co-driver Kevin Rae recorded their second Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge victory of the season on this weekend’s Severn Valley National Rally. They took the lead on stage three when former front-runners Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors lost time, relegating them to third, whilst Richard Cathcart/Martin Brady finished second.

The rally started and finished at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells and featured seven timed special stages in forests on and around the Brecon Beacons. Also a qualifying round of the Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship, the event’s 40-car entry featured 10 Evolution Challenge crews and, once again, it was a nail-biting battle for honours in the one-make series for production specification Mitsubishi Lancers.

Stage one, a 5.57-mile blast through the notorious Esgair Dafydd forest, set the scene for the rest of the day and showed just how fierce the competition is in this year’s Evolution Challenge, when five cars stopped the clock on exactly the same second: Richard Cathcart, David Bogie, Daniel Barry, Neil McCance and Jonny Greer. However, it was Cronin that set the Mitsubishi pace by crossing the line five seconds quicker than anyone else, posting a time that was good enough to see him second overall!

It was McCance that went fastest on SS2 - the 9.5-miles of Crychan West - ahead of Cronin, which meant that at the first service halt the time sheets showed Cronin in front by three seconds from McCance, both saying they were finding it difficult to judge the right pace. Cathcart followed a further three seconds later and admitted that he was not feeling on top of things, with Bogie the same margin behind having decided to build up his pace gradually after his disappointing results in rounds two and three.

Shaken, but fortunately unscathed, Barry, Greer and Jonathan Sparks all reported heart-stopping visits to ditches in SS2, whilst Daniel Sigurdarson was just pleased to be competing, having spent the last three weeks in the UK, rather than his native Iceland, in order to rebuild his car after a big accident on the RBSI Manx Rally.

The most frustrating start was reserved for Miles Johnston, a problem with his car’s rear differential, followed by a broken drive-shaft, causing him considerable time loss in the opening stages.

The third stage was to prove to be decisive: Not far from the start Cronin spun backwards into the scenery, squashing his car’s exhaust pipe, which resulted in a loss of power throughout the 18-mile run through Radnor Forest. However, things were worse for McCance, who dropped his car into a ditch half way through the stage, bringing his rally to an abrupt halt.

In contrast, SS3 could not have gone better for Bogie who posted a time 14 seconds faster than the rest of the Evo Challenge field and catapulted himself into the lead by 10 seconds, ahead of Cathcart, Barry and Cronin - who had now dropped to fourth.

Four stages and a further 33 miles remained following the second service halt of the day. Now on a charge, Cronin won the first, which moved him back up to second place ahead of Barry and Cathcart, the three of them separated by less than one second!

Cronin also went on to win the next two, so that when cars lined-up to start the seventh and final stage, there was just four seconds between him and Bogie. Cathcart followed eight seconds later, a slender 0.1 second ahead of Barry who was getting worried about his car’s engine temperature. It was shaping up to be a final stage show-down!

In full-attack mode, Bogie blasted through the 15 miles of Crychan Main only to find his car’s temperature starting to rise as he reached the end of the stage. For Cronin it was his last hope to take the lead, but it was not to be, as his engine lost power, most likely a result of the restricted exhaust flow earlier in the day.
Now struggling to keep his temperature gauge out of the red, Barry slid off the road and damaged his Lancer too badly to continue, the outcome of which saw Cathcart come through to claim second place ahead of Cronin.

The final stage also saw the demise of Greer, good luck continuing to evade him when his car’s throttle stuck open. Stopping to see if he could fix the problem, he finally managed to get the engine to rev at constant and more manageable 3000rpm, but by the time he got to the end of SS7, he found he had exceeded his maximum lateness.

But even after the last stage the drama continued, as reports came in that Bogie’s car was seen stopped at the side of the road with steam coming out of the engine. However, by topping up the radiator the young Scot was able to nurse his car back to Builth Wells to record his second Evolution Challenge victory of the season.

“What a rally!” said Bogie. “After winning the first round and then suffering disappointing results in rounds two and three, I’m chuffed to bits to finish in first place again. However, for a moment I didn’t think I was going to do it when the car overheated on the drive back to the finish. But we made it and today’s result has made all the difference to my championship hopes.”

Behind the leading trio, Elsmore was satisfied with fourth place, as was Sparks with fifth, whereas Johnston’s day got even more frustrating when he found he had to stop to change a puncture on the final stage.

Unfortunately, after all of his and his team’s hard work, Sigurdarson’s rally came to an end after stage five, when the cross-shaft in his car’s transmission fractured. Philosophically, the Icelandic Rally Champion said afterwards that he had achieved the result he was looking for by getting his car to the event and not putting any dents in it this time around!

The outcome of the Severn Valley National Rally sees the chase for the Evolution Challenge title hotting up, with the top four drivers separated by just one point, Barry and Cathcart on 28 and Bogie and Elsmore on 27. The battle resumes on 19th July, when competitors return to Wales for round five, the Swansea Bay Rally.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK and Ralliart, with support from its associate sponsors: Pirelli tyres, Speedline Corse wheels, Sparco racewear, Performance Friction Brakes, Sunoco Race Fuels, ADR Motorsport, Walkinshaw Performance and PIAA lights, who sponsor the junior award for under 25 year old drivers.

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Round Four
Severn Valley National Rally – 31st May 2008
Results
1 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) 1:07:14.9
2 Richard Cathcart (Enniskillen)/Martin Brady (Navan) 1:07:30.9
3 Keith Cronin (Cork)/Greg Shinnors (Limerick) 1:07:45.3
4 Nik Elsmore (Coleford)/Craig Drew (Bream) 1:08:10.3
5 Jonathan Sparks (Glastonbury)/Chris Davies (Abergavenny) 1:16:08.5
6 Miles Johnston (York)/Ian Bevan (Holywell) 1:16:55.4
Retirements
SS3 Neil McCance (Comber)/Graham Hopewell (Worcester) Accident
SS5 Daniel Siguardarson (Iceland)/Asta Sigurdardottir (Iceland) Transmission
SS7 Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Mark Bowens (Cork) Accident
SS7 Jonathan Greer (Carryduff)/Jonny Hart (Moneyrea) Throttle/OTL

Championship Positions after round four
Drivers
1 Daniel Barry 28
2 Richard Cathcart 28
3 David Bogie 27
4 Nik Elsmore 27
5 Keith Cronin 24
6 Neil McCance 23
7 Miles Johnston 13
8 Jonathan Sparks 12
9 Seb Ling 8
10 Jonny Greer 7
11 Daniel Sigurdarson 6
12 David Meredith 5
13 Simon Harraway 4

Co-drivers
1 Mark Bowens 28
2 Martin Brady 28
3 Kevin Rae 27
4 Paul Wakely 20
5 Greg Shinnors 20
6 Graham Hopewell 15
7 Anthony O’Connail 12
8 Chris Davies 12
9 Craig Drew 11
10 Aled Rees 8
11 Ian Bevan 7
12 Jonny Hart 7
13 Isak Gudjonsson 6

PRESS RELEASE: 25th May 2008

Evo Challenge heads to the valleys

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge – Round Four Preview Severn Valley National Rally 31st May 2008

- Evolution Challenge goes back into the forests three weeks after asphalt round.
- Sigurdarson races against time to rebuild car after Isle of Man accident.
- Barry eager to extend championship lead.
- Cathcart looking for points following Manx misfortunes.
- Three winners in three events sees championship wide open.

It’s back to gravel forests roads, just three weeks after the first of two asphalt rallies, for the fourth round of the 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge, when the championship for production specification Mitsubishi’s heads to mid-Wales for the Severn Valley National Rally.

The event also hosts round four of the Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship and sees a total entry of 44 cars, 11 of which are Evolution Challenge competitors, a figure which represents 25% of the National field.

Top Evolution Challenge seed is round-one winner David Bogie, who will certainly be looking for a return to his early season fortunes, having rolled his gravel spec Lancer on round two and his tarmac spec Lancer on round three. Even so, with others around him also suffering misfortune, his title hopes are far from over.

Next to take the green light is round-two winner Richard Cathcart and, if his pace so far this season is anything to go by, he will be a force to be reckoned with this weekend – especially as he is likely to be on a mission following his no-points finish on the Isle of Man, when a penultimate stage puncture saw him exceed his maximum lateness.

Championship leader Daniel Barry starts third and, after scoring three podium finishes in three events, will be out to defend his position. He will also be hoping for a less eventful rally than that of the Manx, when his car ended-up looking decidedly second-hand.

Fourth Mitsubishi seed is Nik Elsmore, who hopes to get some of his old pace back with the series returning to the forests of Wales. Behind him starts Northern Irish youngster Jonny Greer, who’s season finally got off the mark on the Isle of Man, when he finished a strong fourth and collected his first haul of points.

Greer is followed by fellow Ulsterman Neil McCance, who’s current form may well see him fronting the Evo Challenge charge at some point during the event.

Another who fell-foul of the Manx lanes is Daniel Sigurdarson, who almost destroyed his Lancer on what was his first ever tarmac surface rally. Such is the Icelandic Rally Champion’s commitment to the Evolution Challenge, he and his team have worked solidly for the past three weeks to get his car ready for this weekend’s event.

Next in line is another driver who is yet to show his full potential this year, Simon Harraway, who’s first full season in a Mitsubishi is seeing him contest the British Rally Championship as well as the Evolution Challenge.

In contrast, Keith Cronin has shown his potential, the young Irishman scoring his first Mitsubishi series victory on the Isle of Man, so this weekend, eyes will be upon him to see if he can repeat his winning performance on gravel.

Rounding off the Evo Challenge field are Miles Johnston, who is gathering pace as the season progresses and Jon Sparks, who recorded a very uncharacteristic non-finish in round three and therefore intends to get back to his more usual consistent form this weekend.

The Severn Valley National Rally is based in Builth Wells, starting and finishing at the Royal Welsh Showground. The event features eight stages during Saturday, totalling 65 competitive miles, in forests acknowledged to provide some of the best rallying in the UK.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK and Ralliart, with support from its associate sponsors: Pirelli tyres, Speedline Corse wheels, Sparco racewear, Performance Friction Brakes, Sunoco Race Fuels, ADR Motorsport, Walkinshaw Performance and PIAA lights, who sponsor the junior award for under 25 year old drivers.

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge - Round Four
Entries in start number order
9 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) J
10 Richard Cathcart (Enniskillen)/Martin Brady (Navan)
12 Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Mark Bowens (Cork) J
16 Nik Elsmore (Coleford)/Paul Wakeley (Llanelli)
18 Jonathan Greer (Carryduff)/Jonny Hart (Moneyrea) J
19 Neil McCance (Comber)/Graham Hopewell (Worcester)
20 Daniel Siguardarson (Iceland)/Asta Sigurdardottir (Iceland)
23 Simon Harraway (Weston-super-Mare)/Craig Drew (Bream)
26 Keith Cronin (Cork)/Greg Shinnors (Limerick) J
29 Miles Johnston (York)/Ian Bevan (Holywell)
35 Jonathan Sparks (Glastonbury)/Chris Davies (Abergavenny)

Championship Positions after round three
Drivers
1 Daniel Barry 28
2 Neil McCance 23
3 Nik Elsmore 20
4 Richard Cathcart 18
5 Keith Cronin 16
6 David Bogie 15
7 Seb Ling 8
8 Miles Johnston 8
9 Jonny Greer 7
10 Jonathan Sparks 6
11 Daniel Sigurdarson 6
12 David Meredith 5
13 Simon Harraway 4

Co-drivers
1 Mark Bowens 28
2 Paul Wakely 20
3 Martin Brady 18
4 Kevin Rae 15
5 Graham Hopewell 15
6 Anthony O’Connail 12
7 Greg Shinnors 12
8 Aled Rees 8
9 Jonny Hart 7
10 Chris Davies 6
11 Isak Gudjonsson 6
12 David Roberts 5
13 Craig Drew 5
14 Ian Bevan 3

PRESS RELEASE: 12th May 2008

Cronin claims Manx Mitsubishi victory

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge – Round Three Report

RBS International Man Rally – 9th & 10th May 2008

- Keith Cronin takes maiden Evolution Challenge win
- Richard Cathcart sets the pace before puncture on penultimate stage
- Neil McCance scores solid second place
- Daniel Barry overcomes incident-packed weekend to finish third and retain championship lead
- Championship sees three different winners from three events

Keith Cronin recorded his very first Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge victory on this weekend’s RBS International Manx Rally when, with co-driver Greg Shinnors, he took the lead after Richard Cathcart/Martin Brady suffered a puncture and then mechanical problems on the penultimate stage.

After winning last year’s Evolution Challenge on the island, Neil McCance delivered another top-class performance to finish second, whilst Daniel Barry managed to cling onto his championship lead after surviving a host of incidents throughout the event to claim third place and his 100% podium position finish record this season.

The Isle of Man’s demanding tarmac roads lived up to their reputation of providing competitors with one of the toughest tests of the season, when 12 Evolution Challenge crews met up with teams contesting the Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship, the Richard Egger Insurance MSA Asphalt Rally Championship and others just entering the 120-mile rally on an individual basis, to provide a total entry of 124 cars.

The first of the rally’s five stages on Friday evening got underway with a run through the South West coast town of Port Erin, Nik Elsmore setting the fastest time just 0.3 seconds ahead of Cathcart, with Miles Johnston 0.2 seconds further back in third.

Albeit the highest Evo Challenge seed, McCance was the slowest Mitsubishi through the stage, having been caught out on cold tyres causing him to spin on the second corner. However, the Ulsterman redeemed himself on SS2, when he climbed back up to third place, behind Cronin and Cathcart - who were now the pace-setters.

After a further three stages, competitors arrived at the Douglas TT grandstand for the overnight halt, where the time sheets showed Cathcart in charge with a healthy 25 second advantage over Cronin, who was a further 25 seconds ahead of McCance.

Outside the Evo Challenge top three, others reported their Friday night out in the Manx lanes was not as successful: Although in fourth, round one winner David Bogie was struggling to find the right set-up for his brand new ‘tarmac-spec’ Evo, whilst just behind, championship leader Barry had suffered a broken rear shock absorber on SS2 and then rear differential problems on SS4. Elsmore’s had also dropped back, his early advantage eradicated following a spin on SS3 and a puncture on SS5.

Manx debutants included Simon Harraway, who lost time with a spin during the evening and David Meredith, whose run of bad luck continued when a driveshaft broke as he left the line on SS4. For Daniel Sigurdarson, the event was proving to be a real education, as this was the first time the Icelandic rally champion had ever competed on tarmac, and if it was not for clipping a road-side rock on the first stage, it would have been a perfect start to his asphalt debut.

Saturday featured a further nine stages, the first loop of three providing drivers with challenge, the rapidly drying overnight rain causing unpredictable levels of grip. Worst affected was SS7, a point proved first by Bogie, who spun, clipped a bank and removed his car’s rear spoiler. Next to fall foul of the slippery conditions was Barry, who demolished the rear of his car – luckily without sustaining any mechanical damage.

Harraway was another who succumbed to the perils of stage seven, spoiling a chance of a good result when he got stuck in a ditch, lost nearly six minutes and then had to continue with bent suspension.

However, for Sigurdarson his promising start suddenly turned into a dramatic finish on SS8, when his car stepped out of line on a fast and bumpy narrow section of road, impact with a tree sending his car into a series of spins and rolls between the solid Manx banks. With his Evo IX in ruins, both he and his co-driver Isak Gudjonsson were taken to the local hospital for a check-up, where thankfully both were discharged later that day with nothing worse than bruises and a suspected fracture in Sigurdarson’s hand.

At the first service halt of the day, the scoreboard showed Catchcart now leading by 38 seconds, with Cronin 31 ahead of McCance. Plagued by a season of bad luck so far, David Meredith had no choice but to retire at this point, when his car’s clutch stopped working due to a sheared hydraulic coupling.

With roads drying out and teams now getting to grips with suspension settings, speeds for Saturday’s second batch of three stages continued to rise. But the improved conditions didn’t seem to help Bogie, who clipped a bank on stage 10, which flipped his car onto its roof and, although continuing, the consequent delay caused him to exceed his maximum lateness.

Johnston reported a lucky escape on SS11, when contact with a kerb caused a wheel to remove itself from the car and disappear over the side of a cliff, a swift change in the stage allowing him to make it back to the second service halt.

With just three stages left to go, Cathcart’s lead in the Evolution Challenge looked unassailable, but when he unknowingly clipped something at the side of the road in SS13 and punctured the nearside front wheel, his chances of a dominant victory rapidly dropped away. Then, with further damage sustained to the front hub and surrounding components before the end of the stage, it was Cronin who arrived in Douglas ahead of the Evo Challenge field. After an agonising wait, it was revealed that Cathcart’s 11th hour problems had caused him to exceed his maximum lateness and was therefore un-classified in the results, a bitter blow to what was an outstanding display of driving.

His retirement elevated McCance to second, whilst Barry not only had to overcome his SS7 dramas, but also managed to climb back up to third – even after having to replace the bolts in his car’s propshaft between the stages – the fight to the finish enabling him to retain his championship lead.

His strategy for keeping out of trouble saw a solid drive from Jonny Greer reward him with fourth place and his first haul of Evo Challenge points this season. Having adopted a similar stance, Elsmore finished fifth and was pleased to complete the event unscathed, following his well-publicised accident in 2007.

For Jonathan Sparks there was a final sting in the tail, when a certain points finish was denied after transmission troubles brought his rally to a standstill on the very last stage.

At the finish a delighted Keith Cronin said: “It’s great to take my first Evolution Challenge win. This weekend was a case of learning the car on tarmac and building up the speed as the rally went on. We just kept plugging away and had almost accepted we were going to finish second, but in rallying, it’s not over until it’s over and, although I feel for Richard (Cathcart), this result has really made a difference to our championship hopes.”

Evo Challenge competitors now have just three weeks to prepare for round four, the Severn Valley National Rally on 31st May, when the championship switches back to a gravel surface and the forests of mid-Wales - and, with a different winner on each of the three rounds so far, the title chase is still wide open.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK and Ralliart, with support from its associate sponsors: Pirelli tyres, Speedline Corse wheels, Sparco racewear, Performance Friction Brakes, Sunoco Race Fuels, ADR Motorsport, Walkinshaw Performance and PIAA lights, who sponsor the junior award for under 25 year old drivers.

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge - Round Three Results
1 Keith Cronin (Cork)/Greg Shinnors (Limerick) 1:45:11.6
2 Neil McCance (Comber)/Graham Hopewell (Worcester) 1:45:58.9
3 Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Mark Bowens (Cork) 1:47:36.7
4 Jonathan Greer (Carryduff)/Jonny Hart (Moneyrea) 1:47:55.8
5 Nik Elsmore (Coleford)/Paul Wakeley (Llanelli) 1:49:05.7
6 Miles Johnston (York)/Louise Sutherland (Hawick) 1:56:05.3
7 Simon Harraway (Weston-super-Mare)/Craig Drew (Bream) 2:02:36.3

Retirements
SS8 Daniel Siguardarson (Iceland)/Isak Gudjonsson (Iceland) - Accident
SS9 David Meredith (Dolgellau)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen) - Clutch
SS10 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) – Accident/OTL
SS13 Richard Cathcart (Enniskillen)/Martin Brady (Navan) - Puncture/OTL
SS14 Jonathan Sparks (Glastonbury)/Chris Davies (Abergavenny) - Driveshaft

PRESS RELEASE: 7 April 2008

Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally 2008

Stage Snippets

A capacity entry of 150 cars started the Border Counties.

Rallying veterans Brian Bell and John Richardson signed up to the ANCRO championship on the event. The pair are going to see how their year goes as to how many rounds they compete on.

Car 45 driver Michael Curtis hurt his shoulder in January and had to put off doing the Riponian Stages in February and the first round of the championship, the Rallye Sunseeker. The Border Counties was his first event of the year but he confessed "my shoulder still hurts a little." He had a new co-driver and had never done the rally before.

Alan Cookson and Julian Wilkinson (car 37) displayed their new "cow" livery on their Subaru Impreza WRC. They also had a flower purchased for them by Val Thompson who has christened the car "'Ermintrude", they did the rally complete with the flower on the front!

Henry Richardson (car 80) is watching his figure. He refused chocolate when offered some, insisting "it would only be added weight for the car". It obviously affected his metabolism judging by the penalty sheet at the regroup. C'mon Mr Flintstone, what happened.

Mitsubishi front runner David Bogie had a mammoth roll on SS2 when he left the road at high speed. He was eventually extracted by spectators and lost over seven minutes but at least got to the end in 24th place to claim important points in the Evo Challenge.

Andy Burton suffered a 30 second 'cone or line penalty' and David Bogie was docked over a minute for similar transgressions. No cutting corners boys!

Championship leaders Marcus Dodd and Andrew Bargery retired for a second successive year when their Hyundai clouted a bank on SS1 and damaged the exhaust meaning they couldn't continue.

Daniel Sigurdarson/Isak Guojonsson (32) - The Icelandic driver confessed that "We love British rallying. I've been the Iceland national champion twice and we need something new to aim for." They hope to do most of the ANCRO championship.

They Said What.

"On the second stage we were very lucky. There was a long tight left hand corner and by the grace of god and skill of the driver we didn't hit the logs." Richard Cathcart was praying nonetheless.

"Shit happens but we're still here." The blasphemous David Bogie. Hope his mum doesn't hear about this one.

"We're relaxed and enjoying it." What do you expect of someone of Brian Bell's age. Of course he has to take it easy!

"We had a monster sixth gear moment in SS4. How we didn't hit the bridge I don't know." Jon Ingram has time to admire the scenery

"The sticking throttle made life interesting." Stephen 'Hollywood' Petch plays down the Hyundai's problems

"We made love to some of the cones." but we didn't see Harry Dodd's name on the teacher's report did we.?

Bumper hanging off, Mitsubishi WRC driver Charlie Payne's co driver Craig Thorley suggested."We've been off and lost two minutes in SS5. He ran out of talent." At three grand each, he'll soon be running out of budget

"We're getting there slowly; I'm still half asleep." Dave Meredith finds the whole she-bang a little tiresome. Nothing to do with the fact he'd been up night and day lambing in the run up!

"That last stage was craaaaaap." Nik Elsmore tells it how it is.

As crews lined up to start stage five, Pope's Hill in the heart of Kielder Forest, in keeping with the tradition of the region the weather changed and un-seasonal snow started falling. But that didn't stop Cathcart, who again went quickest, but was becoming concerned when his car's clutch started slipping intermittently.

With the wintry conditions worsening for SS6 the forestry roads were becoming even more treacherous and many of the Mitsubishi crews opted for a cautious approach, including Cathcart - which allowed Barry to set a fastest stage time. The stage also saw McCance overhaul Elsmore to take third place, albeit by just 1.3 second.

Bogie was bouncing back from his earlier excursion and now setting respectable times, even though his efforts were unlikely to help his Evo Challenge position having lost so much ground and then finding he had no brakes towards the end of SS6.

Following the third service halt, the seventh and final stage provided the longest test of the event, the 15-mile run through Harwood Forest a re-run of stages three and four combined. By this time, Cathcart was unstoppable and topped the time sheets again to secure his very first Evo Challenge victory.

"I am really happy to have won a round of the Evolution Challenge for the first time", said Cathcart at the finish. "Having set a string of fastest times on round one but suffered a few mechanical problems, it's good to be able to convert an almost trouble-free run into a win, as I needed this result to put my title hopes on track."

Barry kept his head and drove a calculated final stage to collect second-place and now top the Evo Challenge standings. After feeling he could have driven quicker in places, McCance was delighted to claim third, whilst in contrast, Elsmore was disappointed to be denied a podium position in the closing stages of the rally.

Sigurdarson had showed his potential by driving back up to fifth position, ahead of David Meredith, who was getting quicker as his confidence in his car and the conditions grew. Jon Sparks collected a sound seventh place, whilst a philosophical Bogie ended his day in eighth.

However, the award for the most unlucky crew of the day was reserved for Miles Johnston and Ian Bevan, when their intercom failed in the final stage just before the corner which claimed Greer - and they too became a casualty of Kielder.

The third round of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge sees the surface change to asphalt, when crews head to the Isle of Man for the RBSI Manx Rally on 9th & 10th May.

PRESS RELEASE: 5th April 2008

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Round Two

Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally – 5th April 2008

- Richard Cathcart scores convincing victory
- Daniel Barry claims second place and takes championship lead
- David Bogie and Daniel Sigurdarson lose top spots after visiting the same ditch

Richard Cathcart and co-driver Martin Brady scored their first Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge victory this weekend, following an impressive performance in round two of the one-make series for Group N (production specification) Mitsubishi Lancers, the Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally. Their performance also netted them an impressive third place in the rally’s overall positions.

After David Bogie and Daniel Sigurdarson both visited the same ditch in stage two, Cathcart took the lead and succeeded in establishing a final margin of 41 seconds ahead of Daniel Barry, who finished in the runners-up spot for the second time this season and now leads the Evolution Challenge standings.

Based from the Borders town of Jedburgh, the rally featured 60 competitive miles in the infamous Kielder Forest, the event comprising seven stages, with a service interval after every two.

Right from the word go, Kielder lived up to its reputation, especially in the slippery conditions, with Sebastian Ling the first to suffer when he went off the road and into retirement less than a mile into the first stage. Next to go was Keith Cronin, when towards the end of the stage he dropped a wheel into a ditch and, before he knew it, the rest of the car followed.

Initially heading the Mitsubishi field was round one winner David Bogie, albeit just 0.6 second ahead of Icelandic Rally Champion Daniel Sigurdarson in second. Barry was just four seconds behind in third, with Cathcart hot on his heels just 0.5 second later.

However, things were to change in SS2 when Bogie and Sigurdarson were both caught out by the same deceptive brow, followed by a square right: Bogie left the road, went into the ditch on the outside of the bend and rolled, whilst Sigurdarson got away with just plunging into the ditch. With the help of spectators both extracted their cars, Bogie taking a stage maximum and losing eight minutes and Sigurdarson getting going again following a two-minute delay.

At the first service halt on the Otterburn Military ranges, the time sheets showed Cathcart 2.2 seconds ahead of Barry, who was in-turn 12.7 seconds ahead of Jonny Greer, who was gathering pace despite a stone puncturing a brake pipe at the end of stage two. Nik Elsmore was just 0.2 behind, followed by McCance - both drivers reporting punctures during the first two stages.

Cathcart was now in ‘the zone’ and extended his lead to 26 seconds in the next pair of stages, Barry slowed by spins on SS3 and SS4 as he battled for the lead. Elsmore was frustrated to have collected another puncture on stage four, whilst Jonathan Sparks had a worrying moment when he lost his brakes on the approach to a chicane and scattered the cones, luckily without any damage or loss of time. But for Greer it was a different story and his excellent run came to an end when he slid wide on a right-hander, beaching his Mitsubishi half-in and half-out of yet another Northumberland ditch.

As crews lined-up to start stage five, Pope’s Hill in the heart of Kielder Forest, in keeping with the tradition of the region the weather changed and un-seasonal snow started falling. But that didn’t stop Cathcart, who again went quickest, but was becoming concerned when his car’s clutch started slipping intermittently.

With the wintry conditions worsening for SS6 the forestry roads were becoming even more treacherous and many of the Mitsubishi crews opted for a cautious approach, including Cathcart - which allowed Barry to set a fastest stage time. The stage also saw McCance overhaul Elsmore to take third place, albeit by just 1.3 second.

Bogie was bouncing back from his earlier excursion and now setting respectable times, even though his efforts were unlikely to help his Evo Challenge position having lost so much ground and then finding he had no brakes towards the end of SS6.

Following the third service halt, the seventh and final stage provided the longest test of the event, the 15-mile run through Harwood Forest a re-run of stages three and four combined, By this time, Cathcart was un stoppable and topped the time sheets again to secure his very first Evo Challenge victory.

“I am really happy to have won a round of the Evolution Challenge for the first time”, said Cathcart at the finish. “Having set a string of fastest times on round one but suffered a few mechanical problems, it’s good to be able to convert an almost trouble-free run into a win, as I needed this result to put my title hopes on track.”

Barry kept his head and drove a calculated final stage to collect second-place and now top the Evo Challenge standings. After feeling he could have driven quicker in places, McCance was delighted to claim third, whilst in contrast, Elsmore was disappointed to be denied a podium position in the closing stages of the rally.

Sigurdarson had showed his potential by driving back up- to fifth position, ahead of David Meredith, who was getting quicker as his confidence in his car and the conditions grew. Jon Sparks collected a sound seventh place, whilst a philosophical Bogie ended his day in eighth.

However, the award for the most unlucky crew of the day was reserved for Miles Johnston and Ian Bevan, when their intercom failed in the final stage just before the corner which claimed Greer - and they too became a casualty of Kielder.

The third round of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge sees the surface change to asphalt, when crews head to the Isle of Man for the RBSI Manx Rally on 9th & 10th May.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK and Ralliart, with support from its associate sponsors: Pirelli tyres, Speedline Corse wheels, Sparco racewear, Performance Friction Brakes, Sunoco Race Fuels, ADR Motorsport, Walkinshaw Performance and PIAA lights, who sponsor the junior award for under 25-year old drivers.

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge - Round Two results
1st Richard Cathcart (Enniskillen)/Martin Brady (Navan) 1:00:30.4
2nd Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Mark Bowens (Cork) 1:01:11.5
3rd Neil McCance (Comber)/Anthony O’Connaill (Ballymakeera) 1:01:58.6
4th Nik Elsmore (Coleford)/Paul Wakeley (Llanelli) 1:02:13.5
5th Daniel Siguardarson (Iceland)/Isak Gudjonsson (Iceland) 1:03:48.1
6th David Meredith (Dolgellau)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen) 1:06:56.8
7th Jonathan Sparks (Glastonbury)/Chris Davies (Abergavenny) 1:08:31.8
8th David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) 1:10:20.6

Retirements
SS1 Sebastian Ling (Llandysul)/Aled Rees (Crymych) Accident
SS1 Keith Cronin (Cork)/Greg Shinnors (Limerick) Accident
SS4 Jonathan Greer (Carryduff)/Jonny Hart (Moneyrea) Accident
SS7 Miles Johnston (York)/Ian Bevan (Holywell) Accident

Championship Positions

Drivers
1 Daniel Barry 20
2 Richard Cathcart 18
3 David Bogie 15
4 Nik Elsmore 14
5 Neil McCance 13
6 Seb Ling 8
7 Jonathan Sparks 6
8 Daniel Sigurdarson 6
9 David Meredith 5
10 Keith Cronin 4
11 Miles Johnston 3

Co-drivers
1 Mark Bowens 20
2 Martin Brady 18
3 Kevin Rae 15
4 Paul Wakely 14
5 Anthony O’Connail 12
6 Aled Rees 8
7 Chris Davies 6
8 Isak Gudjonsson 6
9 Graham Hopewell 5
10 David Roberts 5
11 Ian Bevan 3

PRESS RELEASE: 28th March 2008

Mitsubishi teams prepare for battle on the Borders

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Round Two, Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally – 5th April 2008

- Promise of fierce competition following round one performances
- 14 Evo crews entered for Kielder Forest challenge
- Bogie aims for second win

Round two of the 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge, the Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally on 5th April, has all the hallmarks of being a fiercely fought affair.

With all 14 of the registered Evo Challenge crews taking part, the rally will see a re-match following the closely contested round one, when the top six cars crossed the finish line with less than 30 seconds between them! And, if its anything like last year’s Border Counties Rally, when the top three Evo Challenge runners were separated by less than a second, then this weekend is likely to see an epic battle emerge.

Winner of the opening round and the driver most local to this event David Bogie is the top Evo Challenge seed on this occasion, his recent form standing him in good stead for another top performance. He is followed by Irishman Daniel Barry, who is getting quicker each time out and is another driver determined to prove his pace this season.

Third in line is Richard Cathcart from Northern Ireland, who had an impressive run in round one, winning more stages than any other driver – some of which he drove with only three brakes!

Next up is last year’s runner-up, Welshman Sebastian Ling, who is hoping to feel more comfortable on the longer and more flowing stages of Kielder than he did in the more compact Forests of Hampshire and Dorset a few weeks ago.

Other potential podium finishers are Nik Elsmore from Gloucestershire and Ulsterman Neil McCance, both former winners of Evo Challenge rounds in the past.

Also in the frame are Icelandic Rally Champion Daniel Sigurdarson, Billy Coleman Award winner Keith Cronin – who has recruited ex-works Mitsubishi co-driver Greg Shinnors for the remainder of the season – 2007 Fiesta ST Champion Jonny Greer, series rookie Simon Harraway and Evo Cup Champion Miles Johnston.

Evo Challenge regular Jon Sparks is next to take the start, ahead of Tom Naughton and David Meredith, who are running further down the field than normal due to a high number of overall entries.

As well as the second round of the Evolution Challenge, the Border Counties Rally also hosts the second round of the Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship and the County Saab MSA Scottish Rally Championship. The combination of these three major championships sees the event boast an entry of 140 cars, 39 of which will be competing in the National A category, the Evolution Challenge representing 36% of this higher-status field.

The rally starts from Jedburgh at 8.30 on Saturday morning and features seven timed special stages in Kielder Forest and, following 60 miles of competition, cars return to Jedburgh at 5.45 pm for the finish.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK and Ralliart, with support from its associate sponsors: Pirelli tyres, Speedline Corse wheels, Sparco racewear, Performance Friction Brakes, Sunoco Race Fuels, ADR Motorsport, Walkinshaw Performance and PIAA lights, who sponsor the junior award for under 25 year old drivers.

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge entries (in number order)
11 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) (J)
12 Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Mark Bowens (Cork) (J)
14 Richard Cathcart (Enniskillen)/Martin Brady (Navan)
15 Sebastian Ling (Llandysul)/Aled Rees (Crymych)
16 Nik Elsmore (Coleford)/Paul Wakeley (Llanelli)
17 Neil McCance (Comber)/Sean Ferris (Drumquin)
32 Daniel Siguardarson (Iceland)/Isak Gudjonsson (Iceland)
33 Keith Cronin (Bantry)/Greg Shinnors (Limerick) (J)
34 Jonathan Greer (Carryduff)/Jonny Hart (Moneyrea) (J)
41 Simon Harraway (Weston-super-Mare)/Craig Drew (Bream)
43 Miles Johnston (York)/Ian Bevan (Holywell)
44 Jonathan Sparks (Glastonbury)/Chris Davies (Abergavenny)
70 Thomas Naughton (Bury)/Horace Saville (Bury)
71 David Meredith (Dolgellau)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen)

(J) = Junior driver

PRESS RELEASE: 25th February 2008

Bogie scores maiden Mitsubishi victory

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Round OneRallye Sunseeker –22nd &23rd February 2008

- First round victory for David Bogie

- Daniel Barry takes second as Seb Ling snatches third on penultimate stage

- Epic battle sees less than 30 seconds covering first six Mitsubishis

- Seven drivers set fastest stage times

Following a faultless performance David Bogie and co-driver Kevin Rae won the opening round of the 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge on this weekend’s Bournemouth-based Rallye Sunseeker, recording their first ever victory in the highly competitive one-make rally championship for Group N (production specification) Lancer Evolutions.

Behind them, a battle raged for second place - no less than 9 of the 14 Evolution Challenge crews swapping times throughout the event - with Daniel Barry/Mark Bowens the eventual runners-up, just nine seconds behind the winners and only five seconds ahead of third-placed Seb Ling/Aled Rees.

In fact, such is the level of performance in this year’s Evolution Challenge, seven different drivers set fastest times out of the event’s 13 special stages and less than 30 seconds separated the first six cars after 62 miles of competition.

The event began on Friday evening with two runs of its now traditional 1.6-mile tarmac stage, which runs through Bournemouth’s botanical gardens and along the sea front towards Boscombe, in front of 1000s of spectators, Nik Elsmore caught the whole 90-car field napping on the opening stage by not only taking the fastest Evo Challenge time, but stopped the clock two seconds ahead of everyone else!

However, his overall lead was short-lived when he collected a puncture on the second run through the stage, dropping him to second in the Mitsubishi standings. Bogie posted an almost as impressive third overall time on the second run to lead the Evolution Challenge field before the overnight halt, with Elsmore just 0.5 second behind in second and Icelandic Rally Champion Daniel Sigurdarsson in third.

Not enjoying his first night on the prom was Evo Challenge newcomer Richard Cathcart, who’s car stalled on the start-line of the very first stage when he tried to use its launch control. Although getting going again, he had dropped 30 seconds to the Mitsubishi front-runners, giving him a tough task for the following day.

Saturday saw the road surface switch to gravel and a further 11 stages in the Ringwood and Wareham Forests. Determined to make up for lost time, Cathcart won the first two tests, but his charge was temporarily curtailed when a stone split a rear brake pipe, causing him a heart-stopping moment when he found he had no brakes! This left Bogie to record the fastest time through SS5 and Sigurdarsson to do likewise in SS6 - the popular spectator stage through the grounds of Somerley Park.

At the first service halt, the Evo Challenge leader board showed Bogie eight seconds ahead of Elsmore, with Neil McCance a further eight seconds behind in third. The top trio were followed by Ling, Simon Harraway, Daniel Barry and Sigurdarsson, all separated by just three seconds! A little further back was the young Irishman and another series newcomer Keith Cronin, who admitted to be over-driving his new Evo IX, a trait which was causing him to overshoot junctions and lose time,

First to leave the Mitsubishi pack in the initial loop of Saturday’s stages was Tom Naughton, when his car’s transmission brought him to a stand-sill at the end of SS3. Initially being slowed by a blown turbo pipe, a similar fate befell David Meredith, when his inaugural Evo Challenge outing came to a halt at the start of SS5.

Also suffering transmission troubles was another series debutant, Jonny Greer and, although his gearbox was changed in service, the job over-ran the allotted time, forcing him to retire from the event before the next stage.

Now running with only three operational brakes, Cathcart defied his handicap by setting fastest times on stages seven and eight. Barry, who now had the bit between his teeth, took the honours on SS9, but not to be outdone, Cathcart did it again on SS10.

Although a relatively short run of just under three miles over Bere Heath, stage 10 saw two of the Evo Challenge front-runners leave the fray: Sigurdarsson succumbed to a slipping clutch and had no choice but to retire, whilst Harraway exited in more spectacular style, when a wheel caught an inconspicuous hole on the inside of a fast right hander, launching his car off the road and into a watery marsh on the outside of the bend. A disappointing end to his first ever Evo Challenge event.

Although not entirely comfortable driving on the soft gravel stages, Ling recorded the fastest time in SS11, the second run through Somerley, following which the times at second service showed Bogie now 18 seconds ahead of Barry and Elsmore a further five seconds behind in third - after revealing he had made a brief excursion into a ditch on stage nine,

After borrowing a rear brake caliper from Greer’s side-lined car, Cathcart was back to a full compliment of stopping power following the service halt and he proceeded to set fastest times on final two stages of the day. His efforts were enough to see him finish fifth in the Evo Challenge standings and win the Sunoco Spirit and Walkinshaw Performance best Rookie awards,

Bogie, on the other hand, took a cautious approach to the final pair of stages, judging his pace to perfection to get back to the finish in Bournemouth town centre to record his maiden Evolution Challenge victory, claim an overall position of sixth, win Group N and scoop the PIAA Junior Award for under 25-year old drivers.

“I’m delighted to have won my very first Evo Challenge round”, said Bogie at the finish. “This has been a tough rally because of the quality of the competition, so I went flat out where I could and, having pulled-out a lead, I just backed off when I wasn’t too sure about the conditions. This result is a great way to start my Evo Challenge campaign!”

Barry was more than pleased to finish second, whilst a final push by Ling saw him overhaul Elsmore by just 1.4 seconds. With Cathcart fifth, it was McCance who claimed sixth place in his brand new Evo IX, although admitting that a loss of pace mid-way through the afternoon had spoilt his possibility of a podium finish.

Having proved that when it all went well he was on the pace of the leading group, Cronin was relieved to get to the finish in seventh after a character-building day. Miles Johnston had spent the rally acclimatising to his newly acquired Evo VIII to finish eighth, with Jonathan Sparks embarking on his third year in the Mitsubishi series and finishing ninth - both drivers satisfied with their day’s work.

Evolution Challenge teams now prepare for round two, the Border Counties Rally, which takes place in the infamous Kielder Forest on 5th April.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK and Ralliart, with support from its associate sponsors: Pirelli tyres, PIAA lights, Speedline Corse wheels, Sparco racewear, Performance Friction Brakes, Sunoco Race Fuels, ADR Motorsport and Walkinshaw Performance.

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge – Round 1 Results
1 David Bogie (Dumfries)/Kevin Rae (Hawick) 1:01:21.3
2 Daniel Barry (Enniskerry)/Mark Bowens (Cork) 1:01:30.3
3 Sebastian Ling (Llandysul)/Aled Rees (Crymych) 1:01:35.3
4 Nik Elsmore (Coleford)/Paul Wakeley (Llanelli) 1:01:36.7
5 Richard Cathcart (Enniskillen)/Martin Brady (Navan) 1:01:43.7
6 Neil McCance (Coomber)/Graham Hopewell (Worcester) 1:01:49.9
7 Keith Cronin (Bantry)/Anthony O’Conaill (Ballymakeera) 1:03:54.0
8 Miles Johnston (York)/Ian Bevan (Holywell) 1:04:16.6
9 Jonathan Sparks (Glastonbury)/Chris Davies (Abergavenny) 1:08:23.1

Retirements
SS3 Thomas Naughton (Bury)/Horace Saville (Bury) Transmission
SS5 David Meredith (Dolgellau)/Dai Roberts (Carmarthen) Transmission
SS7 Jonathan Greer (Carryduff)/Jonny Hart (Moneyrea) Transmission
SS10 Simon Harraway (Weston-super-Mare)/Craig Drew (Bream) Off road
SS10 Daniel Siguardarson (Iceland)/Isak Gudjonsson (Iceland) Clutch

Championship Positions
Drivers
1 David Bogie 12
2 Daniel Barry 10
3 Seb Ling 8
4 Nik Elsmore 7
5 Richard Cathcart 6
6 Neil McCance 5
7 Keith Cronin 4
8 Miles Johnston 3
9 Jonathan Sparks 2

Co-drivers
1 Kevin Rae 12
2 Mark Bowens 10
3 Aled Rees 8
4 Paul Wakely 7
5 Martin Brady 6
6 Graham Hopewell 5
7 Anthony O’Connaill 4
8 Ian Bevan 3
9 Chris Davies 2

PRESS RELEASE: 17th February 2008

ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR EIGHTH YEAR OF EVOLUTION CHALLENGE

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Round One

Rallye Sunseeker – 22nd & 23rd February 2008

- Evolution Challenge gets set for eighth consecutive season

- Impressive driver line-up for opening round

- 15 crews registered so far

The eighth consecutive season of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge gets underway next weekend with its now traditional season-opener, the Bournemouth-based Rallye Sunseeker, which takes place on 22nd & 23rd February.

So far, 15 crews have signed-up for the popular one-make series for Group N Lancer Evolutions and, with a driver line-up comprising top names from the UK, Ireland and overseas, there’s no doubt that the Evolution Challenge will continue to live up to its reputation of being a highly-competitive and fiercely-fought championship.

Top Mitsubishi seed is last year’s Evo Challenge runner-up Seb Ling, who is out for nothing less than victory this time round. He is followed by the talented young Scot David Bogie, who also impressed in 2007.

Others returning to the series are last year’s third-placed Nik Elsmore, reigning Icelandic Rally Champion Daniel Sigurdarson, last year’s Evolution Cup winner Miles Johnston, Evo Challenge winner on the Isle of Man Neil McCance, plus two Evo drivers who get quicker each time out, Tom Naughton and Jonathan Sparks.

As in previous years, the Evolution Challenge has attracted a crop of up-and-coming Irish drivers - and this year is no exception: Daniel Barry, who finished in fifth place last year rejoins for a full assault, as does series regular Connor McCloskey who also makes a welcome return.

There’s some fresh faces too, including Billy Coleman award winner Keith Cronin, 2007 Fiesta ST Champion Jonny Greer and the extremely rapid Richard Cathcart, all three young Irishmen set to make a name for themselves in the Mitsubishi series.

Also new to the Evo Challenge are Welshman David Meredith and the hotly-tipped Simon Harraway, both of them drivers to watch this season.

PIAA are once again supporting the award for junior drivers, five falling into the category for under 25-year olds this season.

“We are delighted with the quality of the Evolution Challenge entries this year”, said Championship Coordinator Simon Slade. “Once again, it is going to be difficult to predict a winner, so this season is going to see another closely-fought championship – which is just the way we like it!”

With an overall entry of 90 cars, the Evolution Challenge represents 16% of the Rallye Sunseeker field and it is anticipated that more registrations will be received before the start of the event.

The Rallye Sunseeker gets underway from Bournemouth town centre on Friday evening, with two spectacular stages through the botanical gardens and along the esplanade. The road surface switches to gravel for Saturday’s 11 stages, all of which take place in Ringwood and Wareham forests and, following a total of 62 competitive miles, the event returns to Bournemouth for the finish at 6.00pm.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK and Ralliart, with support from its associate sponsors: Pirelli tyres, PIAA lights, Speedline Corse wheels, Sparco racewear, Perfo