BTRDA PHIL PRICE MEMORIAL WOODPECKER RALLY
FUCHS LUBRICANTS BTRDA BRONZE STAR CHAMPIONSHIP
TO FINISH FIRST…!
Having scored four maximums and one 2nd place from the five events in the Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star (1400) Championship so far this year, one more decent result would clinch the title for Nigel & Kaz Jenkins – but would the Woodpecker Stages provide that opportunity? Well, in theory, ‘yes’ but, in practice, ‘no’!... Their hitherto extremely rapid Nova suffered engine failure on only the second stage of the day and that was that – at least as far as the Woodpecker was concerned. So, it’s on(wards) to the Trackrod and up(wards) from Lydney to Filey for the next opportunity to put the matter to bed…
Taking maximum advantage, in more ways than one, of the leaders’ woes were Dylan Fowler-Bishop/Dan Evans whose Class 1400C Micra showed the others the way home - just! Chris Bush’s Corsa was next, one place and 2s behind, to claim the bragging rights in Class 1400S on the day. Ashley Francis-Adams’ Micra (1400C) was 3rd, 8s ahead of the Nova (1400S) of Chris & James Greenall.
Lewis Hooper/Rhys Edwards’ Micra was 5th (3rd 1400S), moving the driver up to 2nd in the overall table at the expense of Luke Watts/Matt Rogers (MG ZR) who, by their standards, had something of a quiet day.
Joining the Jenkins on the list of retirements were Ed James/Charlie Mason whose Micra Kit Car had gone out with a broken wishbone on SS2 and Adrian & Matt Walk’s KA that stopped after the penultimate stage of the day.
Following the Woodpecker, Danny Shalev/Shannon Turnbull (Fiesta) have one hand on the MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally First Cup – one more result from the remaining two events should clinch it!...
MRF TYRES BTRDA GOLD STAR® CHAMPIONSHIP
MIND THE GAP – IT’S GETTING SMALLER!...
Although they didn’t have things all their own way, Arron Newby/Jamie Edwards put up a superb performance in their Fabia R5 on the Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Rally, the sixth round of the MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series, to take victory from arch-rivals – and Gold Star Championship leaders – Elliot Payne/Tom Woodburn (Fiesta Rally2) by a mere three seconds! However, this result has narrowed the gap between the two crews to four points with just the Trackrod and Cambrian Rallies to go – and, of course, dropped scores now come into play. Brace yourselves!...
On a very hot, humid and dusty day, 121 crews left Ludlow Racecourse for the long run-out to the opening stage, Cwmysgawen, and, in Gold Star terms, it was Newby/Edwards who took first blood from Payne/Woodburn by 3s – sound familiar?... Equal with the series leaders were Rob Wilson/Richard Crozier (Lancer EVO7) with Al Ginley/Craig Thorley (Fiesta Rally2) one second adrift and then Russ Thompson/Steve Link (Lancer EVO9) a similar margin in arrears.
The event consisted of two loops of four stages and, at service after the first, Newby/Edwards had eked out a lead of 12s over the defending Gold Star champion. Following an incident on SS5, all the leading contenders were issued with notional times but then, after requiring some serious ‘hydration’ at halfway, Payne got the bit between his teeth and set fastest/equal fastest times on each of the final three stages, but it wasn’t quite enough…
Wilson/Crozier came home in 3rd place, eclipsing Thompson/Link, who’d had a troubled day with anti-lag woes, by 6s to take the Class B13 win. However, now with five maximums and one second-place to their credit, Thompson/Link are this year’s B13 Champions – well done, chaps!
Ginley/Thorley were 5th and Ian Bainbridge/Will Atkins (VW Polo) finished the day in a highly creditable 6th place.
Although their past record on the Woodpecker is not the best, Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear were looking forward to the opportunity of consolidating – or even improving on – their 3rd place in the points. However, on leaving scrutineering, something went badly amiss under their Fiesta R5’s bonnet and the engine lunched itself. No amount of phone calls were able to secure a suitable solution and the pair were forced to sit out the event. A look at the tables tells us that, even if they were to win the final two rounds and Payne & Newby fail to score, they’d miss out on the title by a single point. Life just isn’t fair sometimes, is it?...
Wilson/Crozier are currently 2nd in B13 but cannot yet consider themselves as ‘safe’. Daniel Sigurdarson/Asta Sigurdardottir (Lancer EVO9) finished 10th and are within reach of runners-up spot – with all the usual caveats! – as are Ian Joel/Graeme Wood whose Escort Cosworth was absent from the Woodpecker starting line-up.
MRF TYRES BTRDA SILVER STAR® CHAMPIONSHIP
FRIEND REUNITED – WITH MAXIMUM POINTS!...
Ben Friend/Cliff Simmons started their MRF Tyres BTRDA Silver Star® Championship season off in fine style but an accident on the Border Counties not only meant nil points in Jedburgh but also a similar score from the Kielder Forest Rally as the car was still being returned to the shape that Ford originally planned! A promising run on the Nicky Grist set them up nicely for an outing on the Woodpecker and the subsequent return to the top step of the Silver Star podium. However, as with their four wheel drive colleagues, it was close!
Having absented themselves from the Nicky Grist, Robert Proudlock/Steven Brown were back in their Opel Adam and, obviously relishing the conditions, arrived at the finish 3s behind the leaders to take runners-up spot in Silver Star, with Tony Simpson/Stefan Arndt’s Fiesta 3rd. Next up were Ernie & Karen Graham in their MkI RS1600 which, with the early departure of Robert Gough/Paul Morris when their Escort suffered a double puncture on the opening stage of the day, sees them take over top spot in the Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Historic Cup®. Gough/Morris are demoted to 2nd and Steve Ward/Phil Sandham (Escort MkII) are 3rd.
Andy Davison/Tom Murphy (Sunbeam VXR) were half a minute behind the Grahams, a result which moves the driver up to 2nd in the Gold Star table although, following his absence from the Nicky Grist, Murphy is further down the Co-drivers’ section.
‘But what of Silver Star leaders Boyd Kershaw/Keegan Rees?’, we hear you ask. Their Escort’s steering broke on SS4 and refusing to do as the driver commanded saw it finish up down (a bank) and out (of the rally), fortunately without injury to either crew member. The plus side – if there is one – is that they maintain their lead in their respective categories but by reduced margins.
Robert Proudlock/Steven Brown lead the BTRDA Rallye R2 & BTRDA Rallye R2 Junior Cups, with nearest challenger in both categories, Liam Clark’s Fiesta going OTL soon after the start of the second loop of stages. Tony Simpson/Stefan Arndt are hanging in there but, with the best will in the world, don’t qualify for the Junior Cup!...
MRF TYRES MOTORSPORT TROPHY
TWO-HORSE RACE!...
The battle to win some tyres and entries for the 2024 BTRDA Rally Series continued on the Woodpecker, with Colin Minton (Fiesta R5) taking his fifth maximum score from six events to lead the table at this juncture. Although twenty drivers have scored points during the season, there is now only one who stands a chance of knocking Colin off his perch and that is Lewis Hooper whose Micra is less than one maximum score behind. However, with two events to go, it’s far too early to start making predictions as to who will benefit from this very handsome prize! Watch this space!...
MOTORSPORT UK ENGLISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP IN ASSOCIATION WITH SEACON UK
THE USUAL SUSPECTS!...
As is the case in the race for BTRDA Gold Star honours, Arron Newby’s victory on the Woodpecker Stages, the fourth round of the Motorsport UK English Rally Championship in association with Seacon UK, in his Fabia R5 has narrowed the gap between himself and leader Elliot Payne (Fiesta Rally2) and the two find themselves three points apart. Russ Thompson (Lancer EVO9) is one behind and, while these three have opened up a gap between themselves and the chasing pack, it should be remembered that there are still three rounds to go and a maximum of 25 points available on each!
Ernie Graham (Escort RS1600) took a maximum on the Woodpecker – his third in a row – and, were this level of performance to be maintained through to the conclusion of the season, anything could happen.
It’s worth reiterating that, in this class-based Championship, it’s not necessarily out-and-out power that pays dividends – rather each driver’s performance against others in similar vehicles.
So, next stop Filey for the Trackrod Forest Rally at the end of the month!
A full list of all the MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series points after the Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages Rally can be found in the Competitor section of www.btrdarally.com Likewise a list of Motorsport UK English Rally Championship points can be found in the Competitor section of www.englishrally.co.uk
Picture: 1st Gold Star Arron Newby/Jamie Edwards
