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Crucial Manx Battle awaits Ancro crews
Entry List
Entry List Event Website Manx National Rally CRUCIAL MANX BATTLE AWAITS ANCRO CREWS
The battle for the 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship is set to continue when crews make their one and only trip away from the UK mainland and head over to the Isle of Man for the annual Manx Telecom Rally which takes place next weekend.
The all-tarmac, two-day event marks the halfway point in what is proving to be a dramatic season and the demanding fast and narrow lanes of the Isle of Man are expected to throw up a few more surprises along the way.
After three rounds, the points table is headed by the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evo Challenge drivers, Daniel Barry (Enniskerry) and Simon Hughes (Abergele), who are separated by just two points but all is not as it seems as with the scoring system of a competitor's best five results from eight rounds counting, the issue of dropped scores is likely to come into play soon.
That will mean that ANCRO's 'big three' are likely to come into contention after they all missed out on Rallye Sunseeker when defending champion Marcus Dodd (Poole) as well as other former champions Steve Perez (Chesterfield) and Paul Bird (Penrith) all failed to see the Bournemouth finish ramp.
Since then, Dodd has taken back to back victories on the Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally as well as the Pirelli Tour of Cumbria over the past couple of months in his Hyundai Accent WRC, with the Ford Focus WRC07 pairing of Perez and Bird trading the other podium placings to edge up the leaderboard, and all know how vital a win around The Island could be.
For Dodd, it would mean he would have won three rounds with Bird and Perez yet to take a victory, and with the latter two missing from the Severn Valley National Rally later in the month due to competing on Rally Barbados, it could mean that the four-times champion has title number five within sight. But if tarmac specialist Bird or Perez, who has recruited Swedish world championship co-driver Staffan Parmander in as co-driver for the event, manages the win, then it really will be game on going into the final three events.
Dodd and co driver Andrew Bargery (Hove) have taken maximum points in the past on the event and Bird, along with co driver Ian Windress (Northallerton), have also been on the podium too although Perez has never enjoyed the best of luck on the Manx, crashing out spectacularly in 2006 although he did manage a 4th place overall the following year.
Irishman Barry and co driver Martin Brady (Nevan) along with Welsh counterpart Hughes and his co driver Craig Parry (Oswestry) will no doubt resume battle in Group N and are expected to show well and add to their points tally and both Nik Elsmore (Coleford) and Owen Murphy (Kilcrea) cannot be ruled out as they are both currently in the top five of the overall standings, whereas Alan Cookson (Saltash) and co driver Julian Wilkinson (Wandsworth) will be out to maintain their bid for class honours in their Subaru and they'll be looking to add to their decent scores in the opening three rounds.
The Manx Telecom Rally gets underway at 19.00 on Friday 8th May with the traditional stage through the streets of Port Erin before a loop of stages in the fading daylight takes crews back to Douglas for the overnight halt. Saturday sees a full day of action around the Manx lanes starting at 08.45 before the finish at the TT Grandstand around 16.30. MSA Asphalt Rally Championship - MANX MAGIC!
The third round of the Richard Egger Insurance MSA Asphalt Rally Championship is the hugely popular Manx Telecom Rally which has been voted the ‘Best Event’ in the Series for the past three years. All the pretenders to the coveted crown will be heading for the Isle of Man to do battle over the closed public roads and, as ever, a fascinating tussle is in prospect….
Welshman MELVYN EVANS has already made his intentions perfectly clear by winning the first two rounds outright. Victory on the Tour of Epynt was followed up by a resounding win on the Circuit of Ireland National Rally over Easter weekend and, obviously, Melvyn also took maximum points scores on each occasion. Regular co-driver SEAN MULLALLY was unavailable for the trip over the Epynt Ranges but was back reading the notes in Ireland and has, consequently, opened his account in the best possible way. As the pair were also victorious on the Manx last year, they must start as one of the favourites for 2009.
2008 MSA Asphalt Rally Champions DAVID KYNASTON/ANDY RUSSELL are handily placed in their Audi A3 Quattro. The Devonian crew have posted good results on the opening rounds and, although ‘DK’ trails Evans in the Drivers’ category, Andy actually tops the Co-drivers’ points table.
Former MSA Gravel Rally Champions DAVID MANN/ALUN COOK (Subaru Impreza WRC) are contesting their second full season of asphalt events and they, too, have started the year well. They are also past Manx Rally winners, putting their names on the trophy in 2003 on their way to securing the Gravel Championship crown that same year. Their Impreza caught fire twelve months ago and so they have some unfinished business on the island!
JOHN STONE/LEE CARTER return in their Legend Motorsport MG Metro 6R4 and could do with a good result to move their season forward. Clutch failure eliminated them from the first round and they were absent from the line-up in Ireland.
The two-wheel drive contenders are as strong as ever in 2009 and run-away winners last year, SIMON MAUGER/BRIAN CAMMACK (Ford Escort RS), have plenty of company in their quest for top honours. The Escort of GRAHAM HOLLIS and Manx-domiciled co-driver ASHLEY TRIMBLE suffered front suspension failure on Epynt and was forced to retire and now needs a good result to put its season back on track. These two MSA Asphalt Championship regulars will be joined by the similar car of current class leaders PETE HUGHES/CHRIS EVANS. So, plenty of sparks will be flying there!…
TOMMI GRAHAM/MIKE BAILEY, who finished 3rd overall in the 2007 MSA Asphalt Championship, have returned this year in their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9 but the chance of a good start to the season was ruined when the car’s front diff. gave out on the opening batch of stages on the Tour of Epynt. From a start number of 77 two years ago, they finished 33rd and, barring problems, can be confident of a considerable improvement on that this time.
Young Scots crew ROSS HUNTER/EILDON HALL are making a name for themselves in their first full MSA Asphalt Championship season. The two won the Scottish Peugeot 205 Championship last year and have moved up to a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO4 for 2009. Finishing 13th overall on their first visit to the Epynt Ranges earned them the ‘John Horton Motorsport Management Star Performance’ salver, but any hope of smooth progress through the Irish lanes was soon dispelled. A succession of driveshaft failures initially turned the car into front-wheel drive only but then further damage forced the crew to replace the rear diff. and, by doing so, convert it to rear-wheel drive. Consequently Ross spent much of the two-day event trying to alter his driving style to suit whatever drive-train formation the car happened to be in at the time! This will be their first visit to the Isle of Man, but their confidence should put them in good stead for the rally.
Another crew from north of the border, DAVID HARDIE/JOHN McCULLOCH, will be out in their Subaru Impreza, while Douglas resident DAVE CORRIS will be joining the Championship for the first time in his Ford Fiesta Cosworth WRC. He managed to roll his car on his ‘home’ event a couple of years ago, but at least did not have far to go to get it home!
Championship ‘Rear-Wheel Drive’ category contenders include the Vauxhall Astra of GEOFF GLOVER/CHARLIE TURNER and, amongst those propelled through the front wheels, the Ford Puma S1600 of ROGER DONNAN/KIM BAKER was really setting the Irish lanes alight, finishing a fabulous 4th overall on the Circuit. ROD BENNETT/HENRY RICHARDSON weren’t far behind in their Fiat Punto S1600 and, having finished 4th in class on the 2008 Manx in the car, have the experience and speed to improve this time.
MG ZRs feature prominently in the small-engine classes, with MARTIN NEWSON/ PETER MORRIS & ROLAND JONES/ KATE GAMEZ battling in Class A5 and NEIL DODD/VAL THOMPSON joining them in their Group N example. Over the years, the Manx Telecom Rally has built up a reputation as an enjoyable, but very tough, event and one which competitors return to time and time again. The vagaries of the British climate can play a part in the eventual outcome but, with precious few exceptions, it is experience that counts – and there’s only one way to get that!… Rally Set for Success with Manx Telecom Sponsorship
Manx Telecom is to sponsor the Manx National Rally in a three-year deal which secures the Rally’s future, and which is expected to boost the event’s prominence as a major fixture in the Manx sporting calendar.
“We are delighted”, said Voirrey Corkill, Manx Telecom, marketing communications manager, “to be supporting such a prestigious event and look forward to working with Manx Auto Sport Limited, the drivers, co-drivers, crews, marshals, organisers, and all those associated with Rally. Together, I know that we can build on the Rally’s heritage of sporting excellence, and make this year’s event the most successful yet.”
The Rally, which has been in existence for over 30 years, will take place 8th and 9th May, when over 100 cars are expected to take part in a demanding test of skill and endurance for the cars, their drivers, and support crews.
“This is fantastic news for all involved”, said Rally spokesman, John Skinner. “In a difficult economic climate, it’s a massive vote of confidence to have Manx Telecom’s support for an event which brings so many people and so much publicity to the Island, and which plays a key role in making the Island the road race capital of the world.” Event Website Manx National Rally |
