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DARREN GASS

PRESS RELEASE: 15th April 2008

Several Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship contenders have been undergoing testing prior to the start of the season next week, Darren Gass being one benefiting from some tuition too.

He made the trip toWales today (Tuesday) where his newly Pirelli liveried bright yellow Mitsubishi awaited, along with fellow Northern Irishman Kris Meek's. The plan for the day was to allow Darren to acclimatise himself to the Evo IX, and hopefully learn from the experienced Meeke in the unfamiliar machine.

After the first few runs both Darren and Kris were surprised how slippery it was on the forestry loop, Darren commenting, "It's a different beast to the Citroen and if you go off the clean line it takes much longer to come back after it has gone sideways." he added, "It is all new today; I had to learn the stage first, as Neil isn't here to call the 'notes. Then the car is so different, even from the WRC Subaru I drove once last year and to cap it all I'm using a HANS helmet for the first time too."

The youngster has not been idle since winning the Pirelli Star Driver final in December, taking fitness seriously in advance of the 2008 season, "I'm going to the Gym twice a week and playing football in between, I'm even being more careful about what I eat and drink." he said.

Although he has not driven competitively since the final, the full day in Wales will see him drive at least as many miles as the opening round in Carlisle next week. "It has been a good day and well worthwhile," concluded Darren, "The stages in Kielder should have more grip so it will take a couple of stages to get the feel of it, I'm really looking forward to it."

The Pirelli International Rally starts from Carlisle City centre on Friday 18th April at around 7pm with stages running into darkness. The bulk of the stages will take place on Saturday with the finish back in Carlisle at around 5pm.

PRESS RELEASE: 13th January 2008

Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship

Pirelli Star Driver car announced

Autosport International Show 10th - 13th January 2008

Darren Gass, winner of the inaugural Pirelli Star Driver competition unveiled his prize car, a top International spec Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 on the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship stand at the Autosport International Show last Thursday.

The inaugural Pirelli Star driver will be entered on all rounds of the 2008 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, in its striking Pirelli livery it will be maintained by ADR Motorsport as an independent team.

“Its been killing me over Christmas waiting to find out what the Pirelli deal would be”, said an excited Darren, “I am absolutely delighted to find that Pirelli are giving me a brilliant opportunity to progress my career, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 won last years British Rally Championship and it will be a great car in which to progress and learn. I can't wait to get started, I want to do myself and Pirelli’s proud.”

His prize of a fully funded drive in the 2008 BRC was awarded after he and five other finalists were selected, one from each of the six rounds of the 2007 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship. The 19 year-old from near Armagh in Northern Ireland came out on top after a final gruelling two day assessment based at M Sport back in mid December.

“We have deliberated long and hard about what direction to take when Darren won the prize. The plan was always to make it a logical step and we intend to assist Darren in other key areas in order he has every opportunity to progress through the sport.” said Martin Pallot from Pirelli UK.

All the competitors who register for the 2008 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, irrespective of which class they enter, will be eligible once again for Pirelli Star Driver selection.

Martin Pallot concluded, “We’re all eager to start the new season, I think it is a lot clearer now what Pirelli and the BRC Management team are both offering and trying to achieve with this scheme. If you are a driver who is serious about his/her career you have to be part of it. We are already enjoying working with Darren and we look forward to nominating more Pirelli Star Drivers from the BRC events, offering the 2008 winner a Pirelli prize drive in 2009.”

18th December 2007

GASS FINISHES ON A HIGH

2007 British Rally Championship

Markethill teenager Darren Gass and his Scots co-driver Neil Shanks have had a very good year by anybody’s standards.

Darren made the decision to swap from the Fiesta S1600 that they had campaigned in their first full season in 2006, to a Citroën C2 after the first round of 2007.

The move obviously suited them and although the season was not perfect, the result could not have been better. At the final gasp Darren and Neil sealed the Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship Rally 3 category, after an arduous Rally GB took its toll on all the competitors.

The result also secured the coveted MSA Junior class awarded to the best under 25 driver in the British Rally Championship. The achievement was even more special as Darren is the youngest registered driver to have contested the whole 2007 season.

As if these results were not enough, Darren was also nominated as one of the six Pirelli Star Driver finalists, each one judged and nominated from the rounds of the BRC. The youngster’s season was finally capped just last week when a panel of esteemed Motorsport professionals comprising Malcolm Wilson, Risto Laine, Autosport’s David Evans and Pirelli’s Mario Isola, voted unanimously to award him the inaugural Pirelli Star Driver award.

The prize is a fully funded drive in the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship in a professionally run car which will be announced soon.

“I can’t believe it,” enthused the normally quiet Darren, “It had already been a good season for us, but this is fantastic. I’m getting calls from all over to congratulate me but it’s been a team effort to get this far.

“I’d like to thank all our sponsors this year. It’s a bit of a list but here goes: Quarryfix Ltd, Cheevers Chemists, Dalzells of Markethill, Haffey Plant Hire, Killycarn Sand & Gravel, EMC Autopax, ID Graphics and Jonny and all the lads at Crozier Motorsport Engineering. Particular thanks go to Trevor Dalzell who made doing rally GB possible, without his help we couldn’t have finished the season.

“There is obviously one person who has helped me from the very start. My dad has always supported my rallying and I think this is a good way to repay him. Although I’m sure he’d prefer cash!

”I can’t forget Neil (Shanks) either, he was there on my first BRC rally in 2006 and he’ll be in the prize car with me in 2008. He has helped keep me calm when things have not gone so well and he’ll be celebrating with us at the BRC Bash in January.”

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