Des Moore Rallying/Ferodo Bonus scheme
Des Moore Rallying in conjunction with Ferodo Brakes are running a Bonus
Scheme on this year's National Rally Championsip.
It will be a CLASS based system, with a Prize fund of £5,500 stg.
To register, purchase Ferodo brake pads from DMR or any of our approved
stockists, fill in a registration form, and return it to DMR. To be entitled to the championship prizes, a minimum of
3 sets of pads must be purchased during the year, before the start of the last bonus scheme round.
The Ferodo pads purchased MUST be in packs labelled with 'Ferodo Bonus Scheme 2003' stickers. You must return the
packaging (or the section on which the promotional label is affixed) to DMR as proof of purchase. This is the ONLY
proof of purchase accepted. Non-promotional packs will not be accepted.
Regulations
1: The bonus scheme will have as its counting rallies, those rallies that are part of the National Irish Rally Championship for the VARD memorial trophy.
2: The points system for the bonus scheme will be class-based. Points will be awarded to registered competitors in
each class on the basis of 10/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1.
3: A competitors best 8 rounds will count.
4: In order to qualify for points, the competitors car must have Ferodo brake pads ONLY fitted, on all rounds.
5: By registering for the bonus scheme, the competitor agrees to allow his car to be inspected before, during, or
after an event, to ensure compliance with rule 4 above. These inspections will be carried out on a random selection of
cars at each event, and will be carried out by the promoters, and/or scrutineers of the event, and/or other specified
persons as appointed by the promoters.
6: Refusing to allow the above inspection to take place will result in the competitor being given a score of 0 points for that round, and the competitors car will again be inspected on the
next round contested.
7: Upon inspection, if the competitors car is found to be using brake pads
other than Ferodo pads, the competitor will be given a score of 0 points for that round, and the competitors car will
again be inspected on the next round contested.
8: There are 10 prizes, on the basis of £1000, £900, £800,£700...down to £100 for 10th place. The competitor with the
greatest points total at the end of the season will be deemed the winner,regardless of which class they are in. The
other prizes will be awarded similarly, again based on class points totals.
9: In the event of a points tie, the competitor with the best result on their final counting round will win. In the
event of this result being the same, the competitor who had the better result on their previous counting round will
win, and so on. If this fails to separate the competitors, then the decision will be based on stage times on the last,
2nd last counting round etc. If this still does not produce a winner, the decision will be made by drawing lots.
10: Championship decals, as provided by the promoter, must be displayed on
registered cars on every event which is contested. Failure to display the decals on an event will result in a score of 0 points for that round.
11: Unforeseen circumstances: If not more than 7 rallies in the championship are run, then the bonus scheme becomes
null and void. Prizes will not be awarded.
Entry forms and further details are avaialable from Des Moore Rallying
Kris Meeke - Monte Carlo Debut
Kris Meeke made a remarkable impression on his Monte Carlo Rally debut.
Of the twenty-three Junior World Championship contenders, Kris set an
impressive pace, with a fifth fastest time on SS1. A wrong tyre choice for
the ice and snow on the next stage, dropped the Team Palmer Opel crew over
one minute forty seconds to the leading S1600, Daniel Carlsson.
"On the third stage I ran slightly wide, no more than six inches, but
touched the snow at the edge of the road and the car slid up onto the snow
bank. There was no damage, but it wouldn't move and when spectators tried to
pull it free the car slipped further down the bank. It took another 15
minutes to get it back on the road." explained Kris
At almost thirty miles, SS5 was the equal longest stage of the rally. Kris
again set a top six time, although the overall result is now of little
relevance. SS6 was a repeat of the previous stage, but this time in the
dark. Kris picked up a puncture from a manhole cover kicked up by previous
competitor, which cost him eight minutes as they changed the wheel rather
than risk damaging the engine or transmission
"This rally is incredible. The concentration required in these conditions is
immense, as there is absolutely no margin for error. After our slight off
and a puncture on Friday, there was nothing we could really do, only try and
finish and gain as much experience of the rally as we could," said Kris.
Leg three, near Sospel, included two runs over the classic Col du Turini,
and Kris did not miss the opportunity to impress, setting two second fastest
times, just behind eventual JWRC winner and French Champion, Brice Tirbassi.
"To come to Monte Carlo for the first time with a new car, and very limited
testing, I was not expecting much. Team Palmer has done an exceptional job
with the car, and it has given me a lot of hope for the remainder of the
season. Ideally we would liked to have taken some points for our efforts,
but after our trouble on Friday, we were then relying on others dropping
out.
"Even so, with a couple of good stage times on the awesome Col du Turini, it
has lifted our spirits, and has given the team an idea of what the car, and
myself, are capable of."
The next round of the JWRC is in Turkey in five weeks time. With the risk of
war in the Middle East, a decision is to be taken soon on whether the event
will actually take place.
Skoda Monte Shakedown
The Skoda Motorsport World Rally Team is ready for the Rallye Monte Carlo and the World Rally Championship season 2003. The team started a new development programme in 2002 to make the Skoda Octavia WRC more nimble to drive and faster without compromising its reliability for which it has an excellent reputation. When Didier Auriol came on board the development process was once more accelerated and many subtle changes were made.
The team now feels confident and motivated. Chief engineer Dietmar Metrich today at the pre-rally shakedown: "We are happy; we are not making any new changes to the car today, that is unnecessary. The cars perform faultlessly and we just did some checks during the runs we made this morning. "Toni Gardemeister made several runs today and came back with thumbs up. Toni: "The Skoda Octavia WRC has changed quite a bit compared to last year and it feels good. It will make it possible for me to go faster this year. The car is fine; we have only tested different tyres today. As we know the Rallye Monte Carlo is always critical for tyre choice."
Didier Auriol, three times winner of the Rallye Monte Carlo, was happy too. He has pushed the development with his wealth of experience and today, at the ultimate test, he found what he wanted. Didier: "The co-operation with the team is excellent. We have worked a lot on the suspension and the balance to get a better tyre performance and to make the car easier to drive. It is still a big car but it feels good now. It is not easy to say what we will achieve here in Monte Carlo, the weather conditions can play a big role here, but we will know more after the first stages."
Skoda Motorsport Team manager Pavel Janeba expects a good season in 2003. Pavel, watching his hard working mechanics, said: "The competition will be fierce this year but we hope to be a strong contender and to score points on a more regular basis. The motivation of the team is high so we will do everything to make it work."
Citroens 03WRC Debut
Team Citroën-Total is poised to kick off its first full World Rally Championship season with a three-car entry on the Monte Carlo Rally. The trio of Xsara WRCs will be driven by Colin McRae/Derek Ringer (N°17), Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (N°18) and Carlos Sainz/Marc Marti (N°19).
After its progressive, two-year build-up to a full campaign as permitted by the regulations, the Versailles-based outfit has kept to the timeframe established at the time of its decision to compete in the WRC. 'We have been looking forward very much to competing in the complete championship," admits Citroën Sport Director Guy Fréquelin. "The team is very motivated and, on top of that, the entire company feels concerned by this project and is totally behind us. It's very warming to benefit from this sort of commitment!"
A relative newcomer to world class rallying, Citroën is looking to gain experience, and the arrival in its ranks of Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz stands to make a valuable contribution in this domain. Colin became the youngest driver to win the Drivers' World Championship when he took the crown in 1995 and has claimed a record 25 WRC wins in total. The statistics of Carlos' career are equally impressive: from 165 WRC starts, he has finished on the podium on 83 occasions, including 24 outright wins, plus two world titles in 1990 and 1992. The presence of these two stars alongside the promising young Sébastien Loeb, who scored a win in Germany in his very first season at WRC level, brings an undeniable touch of style to Team Citroën-Total's 2003 driver line-up.
The three Xsaras for the Monaco-based rally will feature a number of engine improvements that give a small power gain as well as enhanced acceleration performance from low engine speeds. As far as the chassis is concerned, the cars will be fitted with a new antirollbar system which features a hydraulic interconnection between the front and rear bars with a view to improving the load split between the wheels.
"Given the team we have, and given Sébastien's brilliant run on the 2002 Monte, nobody would believe us if we said we weren't hoping for a win. Like everyone, however, we know two successive Monte Carlos are rarely identical," says Guy Fréquelin. "Last year, we didn't put a foot wrong in the stages, and this year we will do our best to perform just as well…"
Telefónica Movistar, Michelin, Magneti-Marelli, OZ, AIS and Citroën Financement are the partners of Team Citroën-Total in the World Rally Championship.
Gordon Noble to partner Gary Jennings
Currently the only confirmed works Peugeot Sport entry in the BRC, Garry Jennings will team up with co-driver Gordon Noble for a maximum attack in this seasons British Rally Championship (BRC) at the helm of his official works supported Peugeot 206 S1600.
This will be Nobles third year as a co-driver with Coventry based Peugeot bringing with him a wealth of experience that should prove invaluable to the talented Fermanagh driver.
Jennings preparation for the season kicks of this weekend when he travels to Norway for a four day training course at the John Haugland winter rally school as part of The Fisher Foundation Award, where he will have the use of an ex-works Peugeot 106 Maxi Kit Car which has similarities to the current works car he will be using in the BRC.
Nesbitt wins NI Motorsport award
ARMAGH'S Andrew Nesbitt has been announced as winner of the Northern Ireland
Motorsport Award at Monday night's ANICC awards ceremony in Portadown.
Formerly known as the Northern Ireland Motorsport Personality of the Year
award, Nesbitt's name joins the list of other highly esteemed winners such as
Eddie Irvine and the late Bertie Fisher.
In recent years, the Armagh rally ace has propelled himself to the pinnacle
of Irish Rallying. After taking his first Tarmac Championship victory on the
1996 Donegal International Rally in a Toyota Celica GT4, a second victory
followed on the same event two years later. But the Armagh man really started
to shine in 2000 when four victories at the wheel of a Subaru Impreza WRC
ensured his first Irish Tarmac Championship title.
After a long layoff due to Foot and Mouth Disease in 2001, Nesbitt returned
to the stages for the first round of the Irish Tarmac Championship in 2002.
Picking up where he left off in 2000, he continued his winning ways and
victories on the Circuit of Ireland, Killarney, Jim Clark, Ulster and Cork
rallies ensured a second championship title.
Andrew Nesbitt dominated the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship in 2002. Few
could threaten the Tarmac Champion's stage times. In fact, he finished
runner-up on just one occasion and that was the Manx International Rally
where Manxman Mark Higgins took victory. It was an unlucky weekend for
Nesbitt as he lost two minutes due to a timing error - the crew were eating
burgers instead of checking in at a time control!
Other award finalists included Kris Meeke, Garry Jennings and Eugene
Donnelly, all of whom have made fantastic progress throughout 2002.
Nevertheless, with such domination of the Irish Tarmac Championship, there
could only be one Northern Ireland Motorsport Award winner - Andrew Nesbitt
Jonathan McDonald
Pirelli continue 2003 sponsorship in BRC
BRC Licensing Limited (BRCL), the organiser and promoter of the British Rally Championship (BRC), announced today (Monday) that it had reached an agreement with Pirelli Tyres Limited that confirms Pirelli as the title sponsor of the BRC for 2003.
"I am delighted to have Pirelli as the title sponsor again for 2003," said BRCL chairman Ian Coomber, "as it gives us a stable base upon which to build our plans for this year's Championship. Things are looking very positive right now, and there is a tangible momentum gathering as our new organisation gets down to its task of putting the BRC back into the top echelon of the sport."
"It's very good news that everything has now been finalised, and that we will be working with Pirelli for another year," added BRC manager Mark Taylor. "Crews can now register for the Championship confident of a highly well-organised, professional and competitive season ahead.
"Pirelli's support was a vital factor in rebuilding the BRC last year, and the relationships that have been forged during this challenging formative period will be a hugely important ingredient in continuing BRCL's plans for the further development of the Championship.
"With its high profile and experience in international motor sport, and the obvious relevance of its products, Pirelli is the ideal partner for Britain's premier rally series."
Wayne Nickless, marketing director of Pirelli Tyres Ltd added this statement: "We are pleased to announce our continued sponsorship of the Pirelli British Rally Championship. In 2003 we intend to build on the foundation blocks that were laid last year, and we look forward to continue working with BRCL, Mark Taylor and the event organisers to achieve this. Pirelli is committed to moving British rallying forward."
Pirelli has played an important role in the promotion of the BRC, with its product support, displays and, of course, the added attraction of the famous Pirelli girls. It is also the title sponsor of the second qualifying round of the British Rally Championship, the Gateshead-based Pirelli International Rally (25-27 April 2003).
With this agreement now in place, the final preparations for the 2003 Pirelli British Rally Championship can now proceed apace. The first activity on this year's calendar will be a pre-season shakedown (date and location to be announced shortly), followed by the first qualifying event, the Rally of Wales, which will start from Wrexham town centre on Saturday 22 March 2003.
Gallaghers perfect start
Motorsport Ireland, Billy Coleman Award Winner, Shaun Gallagher,
began his two-month trip to Norway with a prefect start on the
Mountain Rally Norway this weekend, when he finished 2nd in class and
21st overall in his new left drive Peugeot 206.
The event began Friday evening with four stages in the dark and Shaun
began cautiously, while he adjusted to the high drops and fast
stages. He was unhappy with the gravel suspension on the snow and ice
and so spent the next number of stages concentrating on car setup
finishing the first day 2nd in class.
By the beginning of leg 2 Shaun was now settled in the car. He had
adjusted perfectly to left-hand drive and was working well with new
co-driver, David Moynihan. Day 2 was a day of learning for the young
Donegal driver and he maintained his consistent pace throughout,
easily holding 2nd in class all day.
Shaun will spend the next number of weeks working in John Hauglands
Winter Rally School while preparing for his second event in two weeks
time.
Claire Walsh
Dickie Curran wins New Year Stages
DICKIE CURRAN won today's New Year Stages rally based at Kirkistown race circuit in his new Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII. Fellow Bangor man Jaye Jordan with co-driver Graeme Stewart took second position after a good run in their Escort Cosworth. The pair set fastest time on the opening stage but tough competition followed throughout the remaining five stages. Fintan McGrady finished third in his Escort Cosworth while Michael Curran finished fourth ahead of the similar Lancer of Craig Bennett.
Top Ten:
1 Dickie Curran / Bryan Haddock Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII 28mins 27secs
2 Jaye Jordan / Graeme Stewart Ford Escort Cosworth 28mins 39secs
3 Fintan McGrady / Tim Hopkins Ford Escort Cosworth 28mins 44secs
4 Michael Curran / Liam Curran Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI 29mins 10secs
5 Craig Bennett / Rodger Bennett Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI 29mins 41secs
6 Stephen Nevin / Walter Nevin Ford Escort MkII 29mins 58secs
7 Martin Doherty / Crawford Henderson Subaru Impreza 29mins 59secs
8 John McKillop / Colin Leetch Toyota Starlet 30mins 18secs
9 Mervyn Williamson / Sean Kerr Ford Escort 30mins 25secs
10 Marshall Kennedy / Caroline Kennedy Peugeot 306 30mins 27secs
Jonathan McDonald
Monte Carlo Preview
The 2003 FIA World Rally Championship begins next week with the start
of one of the most famous events in the WRC calendar, Rallye Monte
Carlo. Competitors will cross the ceremonial start ramp in Place du
Casino on Thursday 23 January, before moving to the French Alps for
three days of action. This prestigious event promises everything from
glitz and glamour to extreme drama and high-octane rallying.
Run on the treacherous and twisty roads of the French Alps, this
historic event, now in its 71st year, is renowned as one of the most
demanding in the calendar. Comprising 415.02 competitive kilometres,
contested over three legs and 14 stages, drivers will have to contend
with hazards such as packed ice, tight turns and terrifying drops. Leg
one, which makes up almost 50 per cent of the event's entire
competitive distance, will be run around the French town of Gap, while
Legs two and three are based on stages close to the Monte Carlo
Principality.
Renowned for its unpredictable weather conditions, driver skill and
correct tyre choices are critical factors on this classic asphalt
event which can see competitors encounter everything from dry tarmac
to black ice, snow blizzards to bright sunshine - sometimes all in the
same stage. Rapid climate changes in the Alps make predicting the
correct level of grip very difficult and teams will be seeking to
gather as much information as possible from their gravel and weather
crews to help them determine the best tyre to use before each group of
stages.
Following Thursday's ceremonial start in Monaco, the event will begin
in earnest on Friday 24 January when crews will travel more than 200km
north west of Monte Carlo to Tallard for the event's first six stages.
The entrants will run twice through three stages, including the
longest of the event, the 47.27km Plan de Vitrolles test, before
returning to Monte Carlo. Days two and three will see crews contest a
further four stages on each day, all run to the north of Monaco. The
winning car is expected to cross the finish ramp on Sunday 26 January
at 1500hrs.
Mayo Stages Pre-Launch
Round 1 - 2003 Dunlop National Rally Championship
Round 2 - 2003 Quinn Group Border Championship
The first National Rally of 2003 will be held in Mayo on Sunday 9th March
next. Organised and promoted by Mayo & District Motorsport Club, the
Downhill Hotel Mayo Stages Rally is Round One of the Dunlop National Rally
Championship and also the Opening Round of the Quinn Group Border Series.
Mayo & District Motorsport Club are holding a Press Night in the Downhill
Hotel, Ballina on Friday the 24th of January at 9:00 p.m.
Details of the forthcoming Downhill Hotel Mayo Stages Rally will be
available on the night.
Gallaghers pre-season trip
With the beginning of the 2003 rally season fast approaching, the
Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Award Winner, Shaun Gallagher, is
about to set off on an eight-week pre season trip.
Shaun will spend the next two months in Norway where he will compete
in numerous snow and ice events. When he is not competing Shaun will
be spending his time at the famous John Haugland Winter Rally School.
With up to five rallies planned he will certainly be kept busy. "I am
really looking forward to the trip" commented the 22-year old "it
will be a huge learning experience for me and I will have the
opportunity to drive every day and practice what I am learning when I
am at the rally school".
Shaun will be learning about car control and will also be adjusting
to left hand drive in a newly acquired LHD Peugeot 206. Not only will
he have to adjust to a new car in new conditions but Shaun will also
have a new co-driver, David Moynihan from Cork.
This trip away will be the perfect start to the new season and Shaun
will return home in March looking forward to the year ahead.
Claire Walsh
Motorsport: Rally faces uphill battle
THE first stage rally of 2003, the 500 Club's New Year Stages, scheduled to
take place at Kirkistown next Saturday, is under threat - due to a shortage
of entries.
"This is not the sort of problem we were expecting," said a 500 Club
official. "In recent years stage rallying has proved immensely popular, to
the extent that most events have been over-subscribed, but it seems that a
whole batch of regulations, sent out to regular competitors in late
November, have failed to reach their destinations, and a lot of competitors
simply didn't realise the event was on.
"This only became apparent within the past few days when the expected 'last
minute rush' for places didn't materialise, and a few phone calls yielded
the information that people we know we sent regs to, simply never received
them.
"At the moment, with a week to go, the numbers have not yet reached the
minimum required to run the event.
"We will have to make a final decision on Monday, so if there's anybody out
there who wants to go rallying next weekend, we'd love to hear from them
before then."
The event, run by the 500 Club with a lot of help from the UAC and in
particular Circuit of Ireland clerk of the course Neil Malcolm, has proved
popular in the past with six special stages laid out within the boundaries
of Kirkistown circuit providing 23 non-damaging miles of competition
LATEST UPDATE 14/01
THE NEW YEAR STAGES is set to take place on Saturday 18 January
despite earlier concerns that not enough entries had been received for the
event. The problem arose when it became apparent that regulations which were
posted to competitors in late November didn't arrive at their intended
destinations and many competitors didn't know the event was due to take
place. This resulted in a severe lack of entries received by the 500 Club in
the lead up to the event but Club Chairman, Donal O'Neill, has just
confirmed with Ral.ly Portal that the 2003 New Year Stages will definitely
take place. The New Year Stages is the first stage rally of the year and is
an event which usually proves to be very popular amongst competitors. With
six special stages and 23 miles of competition within the confines of
Kirkistown Race Circuit, it provides an excellent way of shaking off the
winter cobwebs. The event also provides an excellent opportunity for
Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship competitors to familiarise
themselves with the circuit as the first round of the N.I. Championship, the
Eurocables Stages, is based at Kirkistown. The 500 Club are continuing to
accept entries and competitors who are interested in taking part should
contact the club on 028 4277 1325.
Gareth Mc Kay
Quality Hotels West Cork Rally
The 2003 Quality Hotels West Cork Rally takes place over the St Patrick Weekend. Cork Motor Club would like to advise interested competitors for the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally 2003 that event regulations will soon be available. All last years competitors will receive the regulations automatically from the Club.
New entrants should include a stamped addressed envelope when applying for the Regulations to the following address:
Norma O'Donovan
Cork Motor Club
P.O. Box 201
Eglantine Street
Cork
Please note that ALL requests for Regulations and Entries MUST be sent to this address only.
Hand delivered requests for regulations (or returned entries) will NOT be processed
The entry fee for the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally is €490 (EUR 490) and not €900 (EUR 900) as some people seem to think.
We are confident that this will be the best value rally this year.
The Club are delighted to announce that the main sponsor for this year's event is the Quality Hotel and Leisure Centre, Clonakilty. The Hotel and Leisure Centre has been the home of the event for the last number of years and has proved to be a popular centre for organisers and competitors alike. Cork Motor Club would like to thank David Henry, General Manager, for his support of the event. The West Cork Rally will now be known as the QUALITY HOTELS WEST CORK RALLY. The Rally will take place in the environs of Clonakilty town on St. Patrick's weekend March 15th and 16th and will again present the competing crews with a challenging event. The format of the event will be 4 stages run twice on each day with a centralised service.
Pacenote making will be allowed on specified days and at specific times. Illegal pace note making will not be tolerated and competitors will be advised of the penalties if found pace note making outside the prescribed times. Following the extraordinary success of last years Rally it was no surprise that it was voted the best round of the GET CONNECTED! TARMAC Rally Championship and COC of the event, Brian O'Connell, has recently returned from the Championships prizegiving in the UK with some new glassware for the Cork Motor Club.
Brian O'Connell will be Clerk of the Course for the QUALITY HOTELS WEST CORK RALLY 2003 and he and his team are well advanced in the organisation of this year's event and they will be looking forward to another successful event in 2003.
The event will again be the first round of the 023 Tiles Southern 4 Championship and the first and second rounds of the GET CONNECTED! TARMAC Rally Championship. Cork Motor Club wishes our sponsors, supporters, competitors and press officials an exciting and safe Rally
Conor Nash
JENNINGS IMPRESSED WITH 206 AT MIRA
Garry Jennings had his first test session in the works Peugeot 206 S1600 car yesterday at the Mira test centre and came away well impressed with his new mount for this season.
With conditions slightly above freezing point he spent four hours hurling the car around circuit 1 and 2 at a pace he described to me afterwards as safe or so, my opinion being, if I never sit in the car with him again it will be too soon, however with only one or two moments which Garry claimed were only to keep everyones blood from freezing everyone from Peugeot Sport were well impressed with how quickly Garry adapted to the car.
Thanks to all from Peugeot Sport who braved the elements on the day and also to Justin Dale who was on hand to offer any help he could despite the fact he is still nursing broken ribs.
Hopefully all the ongoing speculation on who the co-driver is going to be will be released very soon.
Ivan Fisher Jennings Brothers Motorsport.
KILLARNEY RALLY JOINS DUTCH CHAMPIONSHIP AND WEST EURO CUP
The Killarney & District Motor Club is pleased to announce that the 2003
International Rally of the Lakes will be included in the calendars of two
major championships based in continental Europe.
The event, which is
scheduled to take place on May 3-4, will be a counting round of both the
International Netherlands Rally Championship and the West Euro Cup series,
and as such, it is expected to attract in the region of fifteen to twenty
crews from across Northern Europe.
The visitors will take on the leading
Toshiba Computers Irish Tarmac Championship contenders over the famous
Killarney stages.
There will be five rounds in the 2003 West Euro Cup. The other events will
take place in Norway, France, the Isle of Man and The Netherlands. With
the exception of the Norwegian round (which is a snow rally), all the
events are held on tarmac roads.
For the Netherlands Championship, the Irish foray will be one of three
outside its national borders during 2003, with visits to Germany and
Belgium also scheduled. The reigning Netherlands Champion is Mark
Breijer, who won the 2002 title in a Subaru Impreza WRC99.
Regulations and entry forms for the 2003 Rally of the Lakes will be
available towards the end of January, from:
Noreen Marshall,
Secretary, International Rally of the Lakes,
14, Muckross Grove,
Killarney,
Co. Kerry,
Rep. of Ireland.
Tel. 00 353 (0)64 32026; Fax. 00 353 (0)64 35963; E-mail
marelec@eircom.net
The 2003 International Rally of the Lakes will also count towards the 023
Tiles Southern Four Rally Championship, the Ford Ireland Focus Rally
Championship and the Toshiba Computers Historic Tarmac Championship.
The full WEC, International Netherlands Rally Championship calendars are as follows
2003 West Euro Cup
Feb. 20-23 Rally Finnskog Norway (N)
May 3-4 International Rally of the Lakes (IRL)
Jul 5-6 Rallye Charlemagne (F)
Jul 31-Aug 2 Manx International Rally (GBM)
Sep 26-27 Golden Tulip Rally (NL)
2003 International Netherlands Rally Championship
Mar 21-22 Zuiderzee Rally (NL)
May 3-4 International Rally of the Lakes (IRL)
May 23-25 ELE Rally (NL)
Jul 12-13 BHV Expo Groep Rally (NL)
Aug 22-23 Eifel Rally (D)
Sep 26-27 Golden Tulip Rally (NL)
Nov 14-16 Rallye du Condroz (B)
Brian Duggan Press Officer
Birr Motor Club Restricted Single Stage Rally
The 2003 Mr O'S Niteclub Templemore Single Stage Rally in association with CSPORT & Liam Buckly Car Sales Moneygall takes place on Sunday February 9th.
HQ: Templemore Arms Hotel.
Regs will be posted on the 8th of January and are available by phoning Dalla McEvoy on 0502 33312
The Rally Launch will take place on Saturday the 1st February at 8pm in the Templemore Arms Hotel, Templemore, Co. Tipperary. With refreshments being kindly provided by the management and staff of the Templemore Arms with a disco afterwards.
Pesticcio First on Door, First on Points
The Red Kite Stages - 5th January, 2003
The second round of the inaugural Peugeot 206 Winter Cup was completed in the most glorious sunshine imaginable for a frosty January day. With the temperature not rising above freezing for most of the day, the condition of the road was changeable from icy under the trees to dry and fast on the open sections.
So icy was Stage 1 in places, that youngster Stuart Jones with Andrew Morgan alongside were comparing loops with Torvill and Dean, after four spins dropping some 48 seconds to stage winner Olly Marshall. Only one second behind that was Midlander Richard Sykes, with Leon Pesticcio claiming third place a further 7 seconds behind that having given the ice too much respect.
Stage 2 was Sykes though, as he upped the pace and declared after Stage 3 that Epynt stages were absolutely brilliant, Im having a great time! Marshall wasnt so happy after Stage 3, having knocked the back wheel and damaged the suspension after sliding into a log pile. Championship leader coming to this event Philip Morrow wasnt happy either, having been too quick into a bend and spent some 40 seconds in the ditch on Stage 3. The repairs at service however sent the crew over lateness and therefore into retirement and the brothers contested the Trophy Rally at the end of the field as a small consolation. They were leading this, but slid off at the exact same corner later in the day!
Jones however, was not fazed by his spins on Stage 1, and put fastest time on the board for Stage 3 the only other runner to dent the Pesticcio/Sykes domination at the front of the field. Martin Evans was too cautious but still setting some consistent times, while Irishman Shane McCarthy had a spin on Stage 3, but was enjoying himself as the smooth stages were akin to his more familiar asphalt surface. Tim Cowper had recovered from his pre-event testing dramas when he replaced the engine overnight following an excursion into the Sweet Lamb ford, but was giving his mechanics more work after he missed a gear into a corner and bent the front left wishbone.
Sebastian Ling, front runner in Galloway, was not in the front running after finding his car was down on power and no brakes, but this was repaired at service. Rodney Wilton, from Ireland, newcomer to the series, unfortunately put the back end of his car into a ditch after carrying too much speed into a corner, but he was getting to grips with the car later. The only other newcomer, Bajan Ian Warren, was coping better than I thought I would and started to relax.
Stage 4 saw the start of the Pesticcio comeback, as he took the next four stages on the trot. He had said he was trying to be smooth and quick while realising that he was still changing gear too much, but he moved to close the gap to 2 seconds of Sykes. Sykes had a puncture on Stage 6 which dropped him a few valuable seconds.
However, he stormed back on Stage 8 to take seven seconds off Pesticcio and hence have a nine second cushion going into the last stage. Olly Marshall was content to leave the two to their own battle, and take a comfortable third. Stuart Jones though, had Martin Evans in his sights, and was determined to move from fifth to fourth.
And so to the final stage, the 6.55 miles of Halfway. Richard Sykes slid off on a corner into a log pile and thought it was all over, but spectators pushed him back on, and he dropped a precious 15 seconds to Pesticcio. This was enough to clinch the victory for the Welshman, a scant 6 seconds ahead, but well deserved. He was carrying Number 1 on the door as he won the event last time out, so to win the 206 Winter Cup was most appropriate.
Jones put in his charge as promised, and the margin of 7 seconds was enough to take him into fourth place despite being covered in mud following an excursion at an icy hairpin. Evans reckoned he was lucky to survive a huge moment on the last stage and just avoided landing on their side. McCarthy took 6th place ahead of Ling, despite going into the same slippy corner and losing time extricating their car. Ling had replaced the exhaust in an effort to improve their power situation.
Ian Warren was delighted to pick up the Best Improvement Award from Motorsport News and finish one ahead of Devonian Jon Tucker, who had felt slow all day, but put that down to slippy stages. Tim Cowper was relieved to have finished today, following his testing problems. Tim Hookway, the mechanic for Jon Tucker, was awarded with the Snap On Toolbox for helping the other crew replace the engine. Rodney Wilton rounded off the Peugeot runners in 11th place, having dropped so much time earlier.
But the champagne and the laurels went to Leon Pesticcio with fellow Welshman Howard Davies alongside, and the battle will continue in Bournemouth on the 22nd February, as both he and Sykes have 50 points in the 206 Winter Cup championship.
Monte Carlo Rally
Taking place on January 22nd to 26th the rally starts in Gap, the Tallard airfield being used for the service throughout that day. Almost 50% of the competitive distance is on the first leg. Subsequent legs start and finish in Monaco
The days of the enthusiastic amateur entrants ended in 2001 as entries are restricted to 60 cars from 2002, the majority being "factory" cars, Junior Championship entrants and Group N competitors.
Top Entries:
1 Marcus Gronholm/Timo Rautiaien Peugeot 206 WRC
2 Richard Burns / Robert Reid Peugeot 206 WRC
3 Gilles Panizzi / Herve Panizzi Peugeot 206 WRC
4 Markko Martin / Michael Park Ford Focus RS WRC
5 Francois Duval / Jean-Marc Fortin Ford Focus RS WRC
6 Mikko Hirvonen / Jarmo Lehtinen Ford Focus RS WRC
7 Petter Solberg / Philip Mills Subaru Impreza WRC
8 Tommi Makinen / Kaj Lindstrom Subaru Impreza WRC
9 Armin Schwarz / Manfred Hiemer Hyundai Accent WRC
11 Freddy Loix / Sven Smeets Hyundai Accent WRC
14 Didier Auriol / Denis Giraudet Skoda Octavia WRC
15 Toni Gardemeister / Paavo Lukander Skoda Octavia WRC
17 Colin McRae / Derek Ringer Citroen Xsara WRC
18 Sebastien Loeb / Daniel Elena Citroen Xsara WRC
19 Carlos Sainz/ Marc Marti Citroen Xsara WRC
20 Cedric Robert / Gerald Bedon Peugeot 206 WRC
23 Eamonn Boland / Francis Regan Subaru WRC
74 Kris Meeke / Glen Patterson Opel Corsa S1600
Ford backs youth for 2003
Ford team boss Malcolm Wilson believes his young chargers can win rallies this season in preparation for shot at the title in 2004.
Ford is opting for youth over experience in 2003, with Markko Martin (aged 27, pictured) and Francois Duval (22) carrying the team's hopes following the departure of Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz to Citroen. And Wilson is backing his drivers to get onto the top step of the podium soon.
"We can win titles in 2004, that's what we are building for," he said. "This year I think both Markko and Francois can win rallies, but titles might be difficult."
Wilson's latest signings – Finnish youngsters Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala (competing in the British Rally Championship in 2003) – have long-term contracts with the team and Martin and Duval are contracted until 2005. According to the team chief, this leaves Ford in an ideal situation when the new Focus World Rally car arrives in 2005.
"In 2005 we will have four of the best drivers around and they will all be under 30; what a great position to be in," he added.
Junior World Rally Championship for Meeke
Colin McRae protégé Kris Meeke, is set to tackle the 2003 Junior World Rally Championship with Opel's S1600 Corsa.
Kris is confident after extensive negotiations, that his management company have secured a very competitive package. "The car is still in its infancy, and has already shown its true potential during 2002, by leading Rally Deutschland and running second on Rally Great Britain. There is also an extensive testing and development package included in the programme, so we should benefit from a good amount of seat time."
Team Palmer from England will run the operation, with the support and ongoing development from Opel in Germany. Another change for the Monte Carlo Rally is a switch of co-drivers. "Chris Patterson has tested with Colin before, and with his wealth of experience has been drafted in to help. My regular co-driver, Glenn Patterson (from Dungannon) will travel to Monte Carlo to learn the event, so I think it's in everyone's benefit in the long term.
The objective is simple for the young Ulsterman. "Hopefully this is part of a two year programme. We have never had the benefit of bringing our own pace notes to an event before, and this year will be no exception. For that reason, we will have to concentrate on finishing each and every round, and learn as much as possible about the car and the rallies."
MAJOR BOOST FOR GALLAGHER
Fresh from winning the 2002 Billy Coleman Award Shaun Gallagher
received two major boosts in the space of just two weeks. Firstly he
was given the chance to test a Ford Puma Super 1600. This was a steep
learning curve for Shaun, as it was the first time he had ever driven
left-hand drive or used a sequential gearbox. Just a week later the
22-year old enjoyed a day testing a Davy Greer Motorsport Corolla WRC
in Nutts Corner.
Commenting recently Shaun said: "We have just finished a fantastic
season finishing second in the Peugeot 206 Super Cup and it was all
topped off by winning the Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Award.
Thankfully, this good fortune continued and I was given some
excellent opportunities recently. I was over the moon when I got the
chance to test the Ford Puma and it was a great privilege to drive a
Ford works rally car. Then I got to drive the Corolla WRC and it was
unlike anything I have ever driven before. Davy Greer was a great
help to me as he explained all about the settings of a World Rally
Car. Hopefully next season will start off as this one finished"
CARLOW CAR CLUB RALLYSPRINT
Top Ten Results:
1 Martin O'Connell (Escort Cosworth) 11m 00.43s,
2 Adrian McElvaney (Impreza WRC) 11m 17.17s,
3 Kevin Barrett (Impreza WRC) 11m 18.38s,
4 Tommy Graham (Impreza WRC) 11m 36.67s,
5 Dominic Loughran (Lancer Evo) 11m 49.41s,
6 Garry Jennings (Peugeot 106 Kit Car) 11m 49.45s,
7 David James (Escort BDX) 11m 51.12s,
8 Mark Courtney (Lancer Evo 7) 11m 59.96s,
9 Jack Deegan (Peugeot 205) 12m 01.12s,
10 Fergal Allen (BMW M3) 12m 02.86s.
Class winners:
Tommy Graham, David Donegan (Fiesta) 12m 36.93s, Garry Jennings, David James,
Vincent Deery (Nova) 12m 08.59s, Michael Shaw (Lancer Evo) 12m 21.55s, Fergal Allen,
Eric Fleming (Uno) 13m 30.06s, Denise Ryan-Marini (Nova) 13m 02.79s.
2003 Plans:
Main stories from Mondelo include Tim McNulty to appear in a Subaru WRC having sold his ex-Fisher Impreza to John Mc Carthy
Tommy Graham plans to contest the Southern Four Championship while Kevin Barrett is entering the Bournemouth rally and also planning to enter the Mayo stages.
Eugene Donnelly is selling his Toyota and hopes to put a deal together to run a Subaru WRC from Stanley Harper