Round-Up: BHRC heads to the Red Kite Stages this weekend
BHRC heads to the Red Kite Stages this weekend
The classic flowing stages of South Wales form the next destination for contenders in the FUCHS LUBRICANTS Motorsport UK British Historic Rally Championship for round four, the Red Kite Stages (Sunday 23 June).
The Amman and District Motor Club event comes hot on the heels of round three, the ATL Carlisle Stages, and the recent Kielder event rather turned the championship upside down as many crews hit problems or incidents. Next up are the forest stages of South Wales and the prospect of another change of championship leader as Carlisle winner Matthew Robinson will not contest the Red Kite due to plans to compete on the Midnight Sun Rally in Sweden in early July.
Historic cars spanning the 1960s and 1970s will tackle forest stages in the Rheola, Resolven and Margam forests during the fourth event of the seven-round calendar.
After three rounds of the BHRC, Robinson has a small lead over Irishmen Stanley Orr and Graham Henderson (Escort Mk1), while former championship leaders Joe Price and Chris Brooks are third. Price was forced out of the Carlisle Stages by engine trouble and his entry on the Red Kite is yet to be confirmed. Even if Price does not make it, Orr has plenty of rivals for the big BHRC scores, including countrymen Adrian Hetherington/Ronan O’Neill, Simon Webster/Jez Rogers (who came so close to winning in Carlisle), Ben Friend/Cliffy Simmons, Steve Bennett/Osian Owen, Alan Walker/Will Rogers and Rudi Lancaster/Guy Weaver. In what promises to be the most open BHRC rally for several seasons, any one of those crews could take victory and several more leading entries may yet be confirmed.
In class D3, for the Pinto-powered Escort Mk2s, Josh Browne and Jane Edgington will likely bounce back from an axle-related retirement in Carlisle to set a scorching pace as David Lloyd-Roberts and Dei Jones lead the chase.
In class C2, for the 1600cc Category 2 cars, the remarkable pace of Stuart and Linda Cariss is coming under increasing attack from Philip Atkinson and Louise Gilks in their Escort Mk1. They finished dead level on the Carlisle Stages and it took a tie-break to confirm Cariss as class winner. However, the return of young Isle of Man charger Rory McCann in Tim Tugwell’s Hillman Avenger could up the C2 pace even further.
The event comprises six special stages, with service based at Resolven in the Neath valley. The first car starts at 9am and is due back at the finish at around 2.45pm. All two-wheel drive cars will run first, in reverse seeded order, followed by a short gap and then the four-wheel drive cars, which will run in conventional order.
British Rallycross contenders head to Wales this weekend.
Bellerby sisters Paige (Lotus Exige) and Drew (BMW Mini) are in action this weekend at Pembrey circuit for rounds three and four of the British Rallycross Championship. Drew is looking forward to getting back in her Mini after the shattering disappointment of having to park up on the last lap of the Mini Final at Lydden Hill last time out when a suspension bolt broke. “These things happen in motorsport – you’ve just got to get over it and look forward to doing better next time,” was Drew’s take on the breakage as she helped to prepare her car for Pembrey, “but I like the new layout at the circuit, it seems to suit my style”
Sister Paige is also keenly anticipating the event in her Super National class Lotus Exige as she fights to keep her second place ahead of Lomax and McGarry. The weather outlook is fine and dry for the weekend – which is not necessarily good for Paige given her power deficit.
Brown tackles rounds three and four
Rochdale’s Steve Brown is also heading to Wales for his first sight of the Pembrey track in his maiden year as a rallycross driver in his Bellerby Motorsport BMW Mini.
Brown believes that this weekend will hold to the key to a turnaround in fortunes for his championship aspirations.
“I think the double-header this weekend will really benefit me as I’ve spent the season so far learning the circuits, basically whilst I`m racing,” he says.
“Having the opportunity to practice and race on Saturday and then again on Sunday means that I can have a very different approach to the second day and not have to spend time picking lines and spotting overtaking points. Although the circuit changes for the Sunday round, it should still be much easier as I will have bedded in the day before. I`m really looking forward to this one as I think it will be a great leveller”.
With at least nine other BMW MINI’s out on the track, Brown has had to get used to racing against others rather than just the clock in stage rallies. He thinks that perhaps he has been a little tame so far this season.
“I think I`m also going to have be a bit more assertive from now on too. I’ve been watching some of the footage back and the speed is there, but I’m too quick to avoid conflict on-track and that loses me time. I need to hold my ground more, and this, coupled with track knowledge, should mean there is a good weekend in store.”
Gav eyes World Finals after tough season
M&M Motorsport have finished a challenging National Hot Rods Championship campaign in sixth position.
The final meeting of the 2018/2019 season has been completed and the standings finalised.
The FUCHS-backed #95 charger has been strong all year and Gavin Murray has turned some good lap times but, as is the case with short oval racing, luck does play a part in the results.
Gavin said: “Fortune just hasn't been on our side, especially during the second half of the season where I found myself in a few accidents resulting in DNFs due to the damaged sustained.
“The team have always worked hard to get the car back on track during the meeting seeing me salvage what I can from the rest of the meeting.”
A race win has eluded the team this year unfortunately, but the competition is stronger than ever and even the slow cars are fast.
The team is now preparing the #95 machine for the National Hot Rod Championship Of The World on July 6 at their home track of Foxhall Stadium.
Gavin said: “Never have the team been more hungry to build on our best World Final finishing position of second place in 2012.”
Brookes has got the looks
Be Wiser Ducati sensation Josh Brookes remains in contention at the top of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship after a brilliant double victory at Brands Hatch.
It was a sublime weekend for King of Brands Brookes, who is now third in the overall standings.
Team-mate Scott Redding is one place better off in second after finishing race one in P22 due to the wrong tyre choice, before storming home in third in the second outing.
Peter Hickman of BMW Smiths Racing will be happy with his weekend’s work having bagged a P5 and a P7, while Glenn Irwin of Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki scored two 10thplace finishes.
It was a great weekend for Danny Buchan and FS-3 Racing with two fourth places and a strong position for the Showdown so far.
And it was a successful couple of Superstock 1000 races for Lee Jackson and FS-3 Racin, taking their first win of the season, while Ben Wilson of Gearlink Kawasaki led the Supersport race at one stage and eventually crossed the line in fourth.
Harry loses control
It wasn’t to be in round four of the Pirelli National Superstock 600 Championship for FUCHS Silkolene-backed Harry Rowlings.
Harry highsided on his first lap. He got off to a good start and kept pace with the leading group, only to get caught out by the tricky conditions.
Nevertheless, it will go down as a good weekend overall for the hotshot, who sealed his best qualifying position so far this year and improved a lot of the things he has been struggling with.
Life’s a Beach for Cal
Racing hotshot Calum Beach continued his great start to his BSB racing career with some great riding at round two of the HEL Performance Motostar British Championship at Brands Hatch.
Cal qualified well and in race one had a great battle with Kyal Tinker, just beating him to the line and grabbing 13th in class.
Race 2 was a different story, however. The bike cut out on the starting line so the team had to step in and push off the grid from the pit lane.
It was tough for Cal to catch the others from there, but he did manage his best lap time of the weekend – 1.42.34.
GP Originals hits Cadwell Park
It’s the third round of the GP Originals this weekend at Cadwell Park.
FUCHS Silkolene is proud to be one of the sponsors of the GP Originals 2019 Race Series – four events that capture the sights, sounds and smells of the 1970s and 80s.
With a cash prize fund of £6,975, riders will fight for funds down to fifth in both 250 and 350 classes. Competitors over 55 can also win cash down to third. At the season end the top three in 250, 350 and Masters will share £675 plus vouchers.
For tickets, visit https://cadwellpark.msv.com/CP-19-BMCRC2
CV Racing back in action
FUCHS Silkolene-backed CV Racing are gearing up for the fourth round of Thundersport GB, Supersport and Steelsport, at Mallory Park Circuit.
Carl Vickers gained valuable points last time out and it is still all to play for at the top of the championship.
More BTCC frustration for Morgan
There was more frustration for FUCHS-backed BTCC supremo Adam Morgan at Croft on Saturday.
The luckless Ciceley Motorsport driver failed to register a qualification time for the first time in his eight years in touring cars due to a string of red flags.
That put Morgan at the very back of the grid , though he did manage to climb to 16thin race one.
Despite coming under pressure from Stephen Jelley in race two, Morgan avoided any wobbles and held on to 11thin a drier second race and continued the progress in race three, finishing ninth.
Despite salvaging some points, Morgan admitted he had rarely felt so angry and frustrated about a race weekend.
Onwards and upwards.
Syril damaged Santa Pod Raceway
Drifting ace Kirsty Widdrington had a blast at Retro Drift Challenge at Santa Pod Raceway – despite damage to her beloved car, Syril.
Kirsty qualified and battled her way into the top eight.
However, unfortunately, some contact occurred and one of Syril’s wheels was hit and caused suspension damage. With no spare hub or arms, Kirsty was forced to retire.
Third for drifter Adam
Adam Simmons managed third spot in the third round of the British Drift Championship in Teesside.
Adam put in a stellar performance to take a podium finish.
“I can’t thank the slide crew enough for keeping the car on track,” he said.
