H&H-186

s e k a r b Hand s n i p r i a H & of rallying ld r o w e h t o t in t h your insig

Issue 186 • 10 June 2011

http://wp.me/pkXc

Toyota aims for ‘home’ win in Gauteng Start Ramp Service Park Parc Ferme

Meeke and MINI to compete in Rally Estonia Monte Carlo Rally returns to the WRC in 2012 IRC Prime Yalta Rally review

“This year’s Wales Rally GB event is all about ensuring the sport is open and accessible to everyone” - Andrew Coe, chief executive of Wales Rally GB.

The world’s only free dedicated rally eMagazine - every Friday!

Contents Issue 186 • 10 June 2011 04 START RAMP 04 Start Ramp - News Shorts 05 Chev Spark set for British rally debut

06 SERVICE PARK 06 07 08 09

Monte Carlo returns to WRC calendar Castrol Team Toyota aims for victory at home All-new route for 2011 Wales Rally GB Team Total set for high-speed Gauteng rally

10 PARC FERME 10 12 14 15 16

IRC Prime Yalta Rally review RA STP Rally review SARC Toyota Dealer Gauteng Rally preview WCRRC Swartland Rally review LRC Rally Jekabpils-Madona 2011 review

Rally fans come in all shapes and sizes. This dog was spotted carrying flyers at the IRC Prime Yalta Rally this past weekend. Picture by IRC Series.

EDITORIAL INFORMATION Editor Evan Rothman

Photojournalist Eva Kovkova

Contributors Liga Stirna, Tor Andre Borresen, Patrick Vermaak, RallyBuzz, Motorpics, Newspress.

All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, 2007-11. This publication is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the editor. While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of information from sources and given to readers, the editor cannot accept responsibility for any inconvenience or damage that may arise therefrom.

CONTACT E-mail us evan.hhmag@gmail.com Call us +27 83 452 6892 Surf us http://wp.me/pkXc To receive your FREE weekly HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS eMagazine, or if you’d like to share this with a friend please send your e-mail address to evan.hhmag@gmail.com. HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS is not a SPAM e-mail: email addresses are added to the mailing list voluntarily.

FOLLOW US!

GET THAT “RACE” FEELING 24/7....

You can now order an OMP Racing office chair - delivery end May 2011

KĨĨŝĐŝĂů KDW ZĂĐŝŶŐ ĚŝƐƚƌŝďƵƚŽƌ ĨŽƌ ^ŽƵƚŚĞƌŶ ĨƌŝĐĂ ǁǁǁ͘ŽŵƉƌĂĐŝŶŐ͘ŝƚ Telephone +27 11 6708400 E-mail: info@ats-motorsport.co.za Website: www.ats-motorsport.co.za

Start Ramp

Team News Videos

Event News Breaking News

Nokia teams up with the WRC Words: Staff Writer

Kris Meeke and MINI to contest auto24 Rally Estonia Words: Staff Writer Picture: Eva Kovkova Organisers of the auto24 Rally Estonia are glad to announce that Kris Meeke and MINI WRC Team will start in the auto24 Rally Estonia witha a new WRC car - MINI John Cooper Works WRC. This is the first time when the new WRC car takes part in an official rally which isn’t WRC round. As the break between Rally Acropolis and

Neste Oil Rally Finland is more then a month, the auto24 Rally Estonia, is a good opportunity for MINI WRC Team for preparation. There are 160 kms of specialcstages to be driven in South-Estonia and these stages are very similar to the ones in Finland. auto24 Rally Estonia is held on SouthEstonian roads on 15-16th of July. It is the fourth round of Estonian Rally Championships, second round of Baltic Rally Champoinship, the only Estonian race that is in the FIA calender and candidate rally for FIA European Historic Sporting Rally Championship. H&H

R.I.P. Liu Chao Dong Words: www.rallysportmag.com.au Chinese media have reported that the 2010 Chinese Rally Champion, Liu Chao Dong, has died of alcohol poisoning at the age of just 26, reported http://www.rallysportmag.com.au.

Dong was the country’s best known rally driver, and contested the 2010 Rally of Great Britain in an M-Sport prepared Ford Focus RS World Rally car with Australian, Anthony McLoughlin, co-driving.

According to the Chinese website,www. sports.sina.com.cn, Dong suffered a cerebral edema caused by hypoxia alcoholism, and passed away in the

early hours of Wednesday morning.

Anthony McLoughlin was unavailable for comment when contacted by Australia’s RallySport Magazine.

H&H

Nokia, the world’s leading handset manufacturer, will team up with the world’s greatest motorsport adventure series, the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), as part of a new multi-year partnership announced today by WRC promoter North One Sport.

The agreement confirms Nokia as an International Partner of global rallying’s leading Championship.

Nokia’s technology and worldrenowned brand will be incorporated throughout the WRC. It will bring a new technological experience to the sport’s fans flocking to the stages and following the action on WRC.com by providing an exclusive mobile application, providing access to video footage, live standings and car telemetry data. The app will help fans keep up to date with the performance of their favourite teams, and track their position on Nokia maps, as well as bringing the latest news, stories, and up-to-date information on the WRC calendar.

Jerri DeVard, Nokia’s Chief Marketing Officer said: “We are excited to be partnering with North One Sport on the World Rally Championship. This is a great opportunity for Nokia to connect people around the world with their passion for rally sports and Nokia will make the WRC experience more accessible and enjoyable on their mobile phones.”

Nokia is a leader in comprehensive digital mapping, navigation and location-based services, and the agreement with the WRC will result in a range of programmes being developed to bring the sport closer to its fans and stakeholders.

Simon Long, North One Sport’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Nokia is one of the most respected, trusted and exciting brands in the world and we are looking forward to working with them on a variety of concepts to take our thrilling sport to its fans in innovative ways. The experience for the millions of people who attend WRC rallies annually is extremely important to us and we’re excited about the possibilities this new partnership creates.”

The WRC continues on 16 June with the WRC Rally Greece. H&H

THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF RALLYING

RallyBuzz.com features European rally championships, British rallying, RallyCar events, international rally results and videos, as well as S2000 and WRC news.

www.RallyBuzz.com

Issue 186 • 10 June 2011 • Page 05

Chevrolet Spark to make British rallying debut Words: Staff Writer Picture: Tony Welam/PSWRT Teenage rallying sensation Cameron Davies is about to make motorsport history by becoming the youngest ever works-supported rally driver, campaigning a Chevrolet-backed Spark in the Formula 1000 Junior Rally Championship.

The 16-year old, from Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, is the series’ reigning champion, and is widely tipped to become Britain’s next rallying great.

Cameron’s car, and Chevrolet’s involvement, were revealed at the British Touring Car Championship round at Oulton Park, Cheshire, the closest BTCC circuit to Cameron’s home. The car was rally-prepared and developed by rallying specialists XS Racing.

“I’m absolutely bowled over by the fact I’ve got manufacturer support,” said Cameron. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet. I just can’t wait to drive it properly.”

But Cameron will have to wait a short while before he can compete in anger not because of the car, but because he has to finish his GCSEs! The year 11 student at Ysgol Pantycelyn, Llandovery, had a Maths exam immediately after the car’s unveil…

The Spark’s first outing will be on 24 June at Caerwent, near Newport, once Cameron’s exams are out of the way. After his GCSEs, Cameron wants to do an Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence, focusing on developing his rally career.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting out the Championship in the Spark,” he added. “It makes a perfect Formula 1000 car, as it’s relatively powerful for its size and has the right kind of handling for rallying. I’d love to take a Championship title in it as this is my final year in juniors before moving up to something bigger.”

Cameron will be partnered by 22-year old co-driver Chris Williams from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, in

the series, which is aimed drivers aged between 14 and 16. The regulations stipulate that the car must be mechanically standard and of 1.0litre displacement, with only minor modifications allowed to the brakes, suspension and exhaust system.

In total, drivers can compete in nine out of 13 events across England and Wales, with the best seven finishes counting towards the championship.

Chevrolet UK Managing Director Mark Terry commented: “I’m delighted that Cameron will be driving the Formula 1000 Junior Spark. Chevrolet has a proud motorsport heritage, and is also a brand that consistently promotes and encourages talented youth, so it’s a natural fit. We’ll be following his progress closely, and wish him every success.”

Fans can track Cameron’s success via the Chevrolet UK Facebook site, while more information can be found at http://www.formula1000.co.uk H&H

Service Park

Interviews Features

Profiles Technical

Monte Carlo returns to the WRC calendar Words: http://www.wrc.com Picture: H&H Archive Rallye Monte Carlo, one of the sport’s most iconic events will return to the World Rally Championship next season.

Confirmation came at a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Barcelona earlier today when the 13event calendar was rubberstamped by motorsport’s world governing body.

Rallye Monte Carlo celebrated its 100th anniversary this year but hasn’t appeared on the world championship roster since 2008 when Sebastien Loeb secured his fifth victory on the demanding asphalt rally. The event is scheduled to conclude on the weekend of 21/22 January although the exact date and format have yet to be finalised.

The FIA has also published a list of event dates although the exact

scheduling for the rounds in Greece and Italy remains subject to confirmation.

Sweden moves from the opening round slot to round two in February with Mexico following one month later. Portugal’s round begins during the final week of March with Argentina taking place one month earlier than it did this year at the end of April.

New Zealand is back on the calendar after missing out on a slot in 2011, while the rounds in Finland and Germany will run one week later than in recent seasons.

Spain will take over from Great Britain as the host of the final round, the first time since 2005 that Britain’s world championship qualifier has not brought the curtain down on the season. Rally GB will now take place in mid-September with Rally de Espana taking place on the first weekend of November.

Abu Dhabi, a long-term partner of the WRC, had appeared on the

original list of rounds for 2012. However, the event organiser has been invited to submit a proposal to run an assessed ‘candidate’ rally instead for possible inclusion on the WRC calendar in the future.

The dates and venues for the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship are as follows: 22/01: Monte Carlo 12/02: Sweden 11/03: Mexico 01/04: Portugal 29/04: Argentina 27/05: Greece* (or 03/06) 24/06: New Zealand 05/08: Finland 26/08: Germany 16/09: Great Britain 07/10: France 04/11: Spain October: Italy* * Dates subject to confirmation H&H

Issue 186 • 10 June 2011 • Page 07

Castrol Team Toyota aims for victory at home Words: Staff Writer Picture: Motorpics Castrol Team Toyota’s Johnny Gemmell and Drew Sturrock (Toyota Auris) will be looking to score their first win in the 2011 South African Rally Championship this weekend after finishing second and third in the last two events.

Meanwhile team-mates Leeroy Poulter and Elvene Coetzee will be aiming for their second victory of the year following their debut win in the Sasol Rally in April. This victory, in Poulter and Coetzee’s first season in the premier S2000 class, marked a century of national championship rally wins for Toyota since 1968. Gemmell and Sturrock were second.

The Toyota Dealer Gauteng Rally will start from Carnival Toyota near Carnival City at noon on Friday, June 10 and will finish at the RallyStar Motorsport Academy near Bapsfontein on Saturday afternoon. The newly upgraded dealership, which is one of Toyota’s flagship retailers, will host rally headquarters on Friday and will

be the venue for documentation and scrutineering In what is turning out to be one of the most tightly-contested championships for many years – nine different drivers (including both Gemmell and Poulter) have won special stages to date with eight stage winners on the Sasol Rally alone - Gemmell and Sturrock are well placed in the drivers’ and co-drivers’ championships as the competition reaches its halfway point.

Gemmell is currently second in the drivers’ title chase with 51 points, 18 behind Zimbabwean Conrad Rautenbach after finishing tenth, second and third in the three rounds held so far. Scotsman Sturrock leads the Co-Drivers’ standings with 54 points because Rautenbach’s French co-driver, Nicolas Klinger, is not competing with a South African licence and doesn’t qualify to score.

A wrong slot on the penultimate stage of the HMC Hencom Autobody Rally in Mpumalanga three weeks ago while lying second put paid to any chances Gemmell had of scoring Toyota’s 101st victory.

Poulter continues to impress in

only his second season of rallying. He was third at the end of the first day of the Mpumalanga event and was looking good for a podium finish until stranded with a flat battery on the second day.

He recorded the fastest time on Saturday’s stage six until it was cancelled and was on course for a win on the following stage and the lead of the event when he was forced to overshoot a hairpin turn after losing first gear.

“We were unfortunate last time out as both Johnny and Leeroy were in contention to win the event,” says team principal Glyn Hall. “A second successive Toyota 1-2 was on the cards.” As a former national rally champion, Hall is well qualified to judge his charges’ performances and is confident that more wins will come.

“For the Toyota Dealer Gauteng Rally this weekend we’ve made some small changes to the car and adjusted the set-up. We’ll be testing before Friday to ensure that we optimise the changes we’ve made. This is only our fourth event with the updated Auris rally car and we’re still in the process of unlocking its true potential.” H&H

Issue 186 • 10 June 2011 • Page 08

All-new, four-day route for 2011 Wales Rally GB Words: Staff Writer Picture: Eva Kovkova The official launch of Wales Rally GB 2011, which will run from 10 - 13 November 2011, took place at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells, Powys, on Saturday 4 June. International Motor Sports Limited, which organises Wales Rally GB, officially unveiled the event’s all-new, four-day route and outlined the ticketing strategy.

Announcements included confirmation that tickets for the 13th and final round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) will go on sale from 10 June 2011, with prices held at 2010 values. Stages for the event will include the legendary Great Orme Toll Road – last used on the Lombard RAC Rally in 1981; Clocaenog – last used on the Network Q RAC Rally in 1996; the classic forest stages of North and Mid Wales and the spectacular Epynt military ranges near Brecon.

The opening ceremony for Wales Rally GB will take place outside Conwy Castle on the evening of Thursday 10 November, after the first three stages have been run on Thursday afternoon. Parc Ferme on Thursday will be in Llandudno, moving to Cardiff later in the event. The Royal

Welsh Showground in Builth Wells is the venue for Shakedown on Wednesday 9 November, and also houses the main Service Area on Friday 11, Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 November. Cardiff will host the ceremonial finish on Sunday 13 November.

Commenting on the route, Cllr Wynne Jones, Powys Cabinet Member, said: “We are thrilled to support this year’s Rallyfest and host Wales Rally GB later in the year. The area lends itself so well to rallying. We have it all, forests, mountains and magnificent scenery. The Rally brings so many benefits to the area and Powys County Council is delighted to support this prestigious event.”

The inaugural Wales National Rally of 2010, which proved to be a resounding success and attracted 90 entries for the initial 45 places, will run again this year. It will start and finish at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells and run once over each of the special stages on Friday and Saturday.

There are categories for both modern and Historic rally cars.

Andrew Coe, chief executive of Wales Rally GB’s organiser, International Motor Sports Limited, said: “This year’s Wales Rally GB event is all about ensuring the sport is open and accessible to everyone. Not only does the route

now encompass a lot more of Wales, but people in the west of England can also reach many of the stages in less than two hours.

“We’re targeting a larger entry on this year’s event, across both the WRC and National B categories, which will provide spectators with an even greater opportunity to get up close with the drivers and their cars – all part of an affordable family day out. We’ve worked hard to keep prices low and we’re delighted to announce that, for the fourth year running, the ever popular ‘Kids for a quid’ offer will apply.”

A World Rally Pass (WRP), priced at £99, still represents the best value for money for adults wanting to take in all four days of action. Friday, Saturday and Sunday adult day passes are priced individually at £30 while children can get a day pass for just £1.

Access to the Service Park is included in both the WRP and day passes, or priced separately on the day at £10 (children go free), while adult tickets to the Great Orme stage will cost just £20. As in 2010, most adult tickets will include a copy of the official Wales Rally GB programme (valued at £9), which can be collected throughout the event. H&H

Issue 186 • 10 June 2011 • Page 09

Team Total set for high-speed Gauteng rally action Words: Staff Writer Picture: Motorpics Rallying is a sport popular for its unpredictable character. Leader boards have changed dramatically within one kilometre of competition in previous events thus far this season, and the sport’s proven that rallies are not won on the first day but can most certainly be lost.

Reaching the midpoint of the 2011 South African Rally Championship, this the fourth round of the series takes in the Toyota Dealer Gauteng Rally this weekend in the Brakpan and Bapsfontein areas. Twelve stages await Team Total’s four-car squad on 10 and 11 June.

Day One’s five stages will be new to all competitors and the demanding six stages around Brakpan and Bapsfontein on Day Two, topped with the crowdpleasing super special stage at the RallyStar Motorsport Academy, this rally is sure to be as exciting as the season’s three previous rallies.

Team Total’s two premier Class S2000 crews of Jean-Pierre Damseaux/ Carolyn Swan and Mohammed Moosa/ Grant Martin will be looking to capitalise

on their recent pace after a series of hard luck results. Damseaux and Swan will be targeting a podium result at the event, and with their ever-increasing confidence in their Toyota RunX S2000 they will indeed be a threat to their factory-supported rivals. Moosa/Martin will be pushing their similar rally car to its limits in their bid to score as many points as possible for Team Total and to claim that elusive podium result.

The Class S1600 veterans Craig Trott and Robbie Coetzee (Toyota RunX S1600) are one of two crews proudly flying the Team Total colours in this hotly contested Class. The all-female crew of Stefanie Hugo and Angela Shields (Toyota RunX S1600) are looking to make their mark in this Class after suffering a string of mechanical woes that have blighted their overall performance thus far this season.

Expectations of this event from the Team Total drivers are of a high-speed event that will demand commitment, aggression and bravery, three characteristics that Team Total has in abundance. The event’s 12 stages will offer unique challenges to its competitors, with Damseaux,

Moosa, Trott and Hugo looking forward to tackling the gravel roads to record success for Team Total.

Carnival City hosts not only the ceremonial start at noon on Friday 10 June but also the first stage in its grounds. This is then followed on by three more gravel stages in the Brakpan area, with the Service Park and Rally Headquarters stationed at the Carnival Toyota dealership in Brakpan. Rally enthusiasts are invited to see these rally cars up close, to watch how the technicians prepare the cars for the next speed tests and meet their favourite Team Total crews. Rounding out Day One’s action is a tight tar stage at night in Brakpan, and it is sure to be a crowd favourite.

The rally action kicks off with Day Two at 08h00 on Saturday morning with a loop of three stages to be repeated after a lunchtime service before competitors tackle one last super special stage at the RallyStar complex outside Bapsfontein. This spectator-friendly venue also sees the podium ceremony H&H take place on Saturday evening.

Parc Ferme

Event Reports Results

Hanninen sets a new record on Yalta Rally Words: Evan Rothman Pictures: IRC Series The Finnish have achieved success in every form of motorsport there is. The list of champions in rallying alone is a long one, and joining this list last year as Intercontinental Rally Challenge series Champion was Juho Hanninen. The talented driver, who has taken participated in the Production World Rally Championship and has limited campaign in the S2000 World Rally Cup this year, is for the second year now dominating proceedings in the IRC. In fact, this Skoda Fabia S2000 factory pilot has just become the most successful driver in the history of the IRC when he claimed the victory in this past weekend’s IRC Prime Yalta Rally in the Ukraine.

Hanninen has surpassed Belgian “Fast” Freddy Loix to record a record seven IRC wins, and the Finn is now also once more on the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings. Together with is teammate Jan Kopecky, Skoda has also edged out Peugeot to claim the lead

in the Manufacturers’ Championship standings.

This recent round of the IRC once again outlined its value as an international rally series: close rally action, large spectator support and bigname drivers all vying for the top spot of the podium. Also, local drivers earned the support of their fans when they outperformed their more favoured rivals.

None so more than Volodymyr Pechenyk (Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) who won the IRC Production Cup. Showing true grit and determination all weekend was Andreas Mikkelsen (Skoda Fabia S2000), winner of the Colin McRae IRC Flat-Out Trophy for his daring and bravery behind the steering wheel. This young Nowegian star, driving for the Skoda UK team in 2011, was fighting his way back up the leader board on Day Three when he slid off the road into a tree while trying to reel in Jan Kopecky to claim the final podium position.

This driving commitment and determination was not only reserved for Mikkelsen. Hanninen, regardless of his record-breaking feat, was also the star

of the weekend. He lead for most of the event, fighting off the challenge of the IRC’s last round winner Thierry Neuville (Peugeot 207 S2000) and then having to contend with the Peugeot 207 S2000 of Monte Carlo Rally 2011 winner Bryan Bouffier on Day Three. His lead over Bouffier wasn’t much: only 8.2sec at the start of the final day’s action. Bouffier persevered with his relentless assault on the leader, and managed to shrink the lead to 5.1sec by the mid-morning service halt.

Hanninen was not to be sidelined: in the following speed test he opened up a margin to extend his lead back to nearly 20sec, a lead that despite Bouffier setting the fastest time in the final stage was unable to close.

The winner finished 11.7sec ahead of Bouffier, and Hanninen’s charge in 2011 will have to factor in this fast Frenchman as a threat in the remaining events of the year.

“It’s been a good weekend with no punctures and no mistakes,” said Hanninen. “The car was working thanks to the team, really there were no dramas. I was trying to stay on the

Issue 186 • 10 June 2011 • Page 11

Tarmac and avoid the punctures. I might not have always given maximum on the stages because of this but I knew it would be a long rally. I used my brains this weekend.”

Skoda’s favourite son, Czech Jan Kopecky, was unable to find the perfect rhythm or setup for his car all weekend, and struggled to fight more points in the Ukraine. As a tarmac specialist, it was thought this driver would rival Neuville, Wilks, Loix and Bouffier this weekend, but his performance was still strong enough to secure third overall. This was made all the easier after Guy Wilks (Peugeot 207 S2000) suffered two unfortunate punctures on Day Two, dropping him from second to fifth overall where he stayed for the remainder of the event.

Mikkelsen nabbed fourth overall, his highest such finish in this year’s series, and was not in fear of losing his position to Wilks who was simply too far off to attack. Had Mikkelsen not had a spin on the third last stage, when he was 12.9sec adrift of third-placed Kopecky, he might have posed a threat to the factory Skoda driver.

But Wilks’ luck on this event was most certainly not evident: on

the final stage of the rally he suffered another puncture, one to his right-frint tyre caused when he hit a concrete block holding the flying finish sign in place.

The Briton needs to post a solid podium result soon to still be in the title fight, even though the series is only a quarter through its 2011 calendar.

Corsica winner Neuville once again treated his fans to his all-ornothing driving style, and he had a highspeed off and a puncture on Day One, and thus had to play catch-up the entire weekend. He did put in some blistering stage times on the way to the finish, and this will surely stand him in good stead for his next outing on his home event, the IRC Geko Ypres Rally on 23 – 25 June.

Other notable crews suffered poor luck in the Ukraine too. Skoda privateer Toni Gardemeister overcame a down-on-power engine to finish seventh for his TGS Worldwide team. The Finn had dropped a few seconds with an overshoot and stall on SS11. Karl Kruuda took a creditable eighth place on his first appearance in the IRC in a fourwheel-drive car. The 18-year-old from Estonia suffered a puncture on Day Two’s opening stage and reported his

pacenotes needed to be revised to allow him to go faster on future events. Patrik Sandell managed to avoid any of the punctures that played havoc on Day One to recover to ninth overall in his Skoda H&H Sweden-backed entry.

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION 01) J. Hanninen/M. Markkula Skoda Fabia S2000 - 02h 27m 06.6s 02) B. Bouffier/X. Panseri Peugeot 207 S2000 +11.7s 03) J. Kopecký/P. Starý Skoda Fabia S2000 +38.7s 04) A. Mikkelsen/O. Fløene Skoda Fabia S2000 +57.3s 05) G. Wilks/P. Pugh Peugeot 207 S2000 + 04m 00.4s 06) T. Neuville/N. Gilsoul Peugeot 207 S2000 + 05 m01.5s 07) T. Gardemeister/T. Suominen Skoda Fabia S2000 + 07m 59.3s 08) K. Kruuda/M. Järveoja Skoda Fabia S2000 + 10m 01.3s 09) P. Sandell/S. Parmander Skoda Fabia S2000 + 18m 08.9s 10) J. Puskadi/B. Godor Honda Civic Type R + 29m 58.0s

IRC Production Cup: V. Pechenyk/A. Yankovskiy (Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X) IRC 2WD Cup: J-M. Raoux/L. Magat (Renault Clio R3)

Issue 186 • 10 June 2011 • Page 12

Higgins wins dramatic STPR by 1.3sec Words: Staff Writer Picture: Lars Gange/subaru.com/rally Subaru Rally Team USA’s David Higgins and co-driver Craig Drew win the 2011 Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (STPR) by a narrow margin of 1.3secs over rivals Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard. Higgins had a 37sec deficit halfway through Day Two after losing intercom at the start of SS8 and puncturing a tyre on SS9, but came back to lead the rally by 2.5sec going into the final stage. This is the third time Higgins has taken the outright STPR win in his career, having won the event back in 2002

and 2003.

The Rockstar Mitsubishi crew of Antoine L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard finished in a close second place after controlling the rally lead up until the second to last stage. The privateer driver set a blistering pace from the start despite being down on power and went on to win six of the event’s fourteen stages, including both passes of the Super Special at the Tioga Fairgrounds.

The Susquehannock Trail Rally is Round Five of the six-round Rally America Championship and is based in Wellsboro, PA. STPR features some of the fastest, roughest gravel stages in the Series with technical sections and ‘gotcha’s’ scattered throughout.

Severe dust caused visibility issues until about SS8, when heavy rains in the area challenged teams with slippery roads. The changing weather conditions contributed to an already heavy rate of attrition, putting several of the top crews and many regional competitors out of the event or out of contention.

The podium was rounded out

by Ramana Lagemann and co-driver Chrissie Beavis, who once again placed third overall and first in the Super Production (SP) class. Lagemann nearly retired from the rally early on Day Two after running out of fuel on SS7 only 4.8km from the finish. Lagemann’s Subaru sputtered to a stop on the following transit, but rival SP class

Issue 186 • 10 June 2011 • Page 13

driver Travis Hanson displayed excellent sportsmanship by towing him back to Service. Travis Hanson and co-driver Terry Hanson placed fourth overall and second in Class, clinching the 2011 Super Production title at STPR. The remainder of the Super Production field fell victim to attrition, leaving Lagemann and Hanson as the only crews in the Class to finish the event.

In Two-Wheel-Drive (2WD) competition, Chris Greenhouse piloted his 1995 Plymouth Neon to his first-ever National Class victory. Greenhouse and co-driver Billy Mann finished sixth overall with a 38sec lead over the second fastest team in their Class and were the quickest 2WD crew on both passes of the Super Special. Brian Gottlieb and co-driver Pat Darrow placed second in Class in their 1989 Honda Civic with

a comfortable cushion of over 01min on Dillon Van Way. Van Way and codriver Jake Blattner placed third in 2WD despite losing time on SS7 after rolling their 2011 Ford Fiesta.

2010 Two-Wheel-Drive champion Chris Duplessis is the first in North America to build and field a Ford Fiesta R2, which made its U.S. debut at STPR. Duplessis and co-driver Catherine Woods’ rally came to a disappointing end after breaking a control arm tie rod near the finish of SS12. Duplessis was sitting sixth overall and was well over 08min ahead of his 2WD rivals when he retired.

The 2011 Rally America National Championship comes down to the wire at the sixth and final round, the New England Forest Rally based in Newry, Maine on 15 - 16 July. H&H

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION 01) D. Higgins/C. Drew Subaru Impreza WRX STI - 01h 50m 22.3s 02) A. L’Estage/N. Richard Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X + 01.3s 03) R. Lagemann/C. Beavis Subaru Impreza WRX STi + 07m 49.9s 04) T. Hanson/T. Hanson Subaru Impreza WRX STi + 11m 20.1s 05) D. Mirra/M. Clarke Subaru Impreza WRX STI + 23m 01.3s 06) C. Greenhouse/B. Mann Plymouth Neon + 29m 12.1s 07) B. Gottlieb/P. Darrow Honda Civic + 29m 50.1s 08) D. Van Way/J. Blattner Ford Fiesta + 30m 52.6s 09) W. Knox/O. Holter Mazda Speed 3 + 31m 30.7s

Issue 186 • 10 June 2011 • Page 14

Plenty of surprises lie in wait in Gauteng Words: Staff Writer Picture: Evan Rothman This weekend’s Toyota Gauteng Dealer Rally marks the halfway point of the 2011 South African Rally Championship, which is turning out to be one of the most closely contested in many years.

Nine different driver/co-driver combinations in three different makes of cars have won special stages in the three events held to date and rallywinning gaps are down to mere seconds, with stage times now recorded to tenths of a second.

However, consistency and points-scoring finishes are what really count and not just stage wins.

Not surprisingly the events are being dominated by the premier Super 2000 class and its four-wheel drive twolitre cars and rally fans can look forward to seeing no less than 19 of these stateof-the-art gravel racers in action on 14 special stages covering some 170 km.

Privateers Conrad Rautenbach and Nicolas Klinger (Green Fuel Ford Fiesta) are the current form crew with two overall wins and seven stage wins to their credit and lead the factory pairing of Johnny Gemmell and Drew Sturrock (Castrol Toyota Auris) by 18 points in the championship. While Gemmell and his Scottish co-driver have scored five stage wins to date, they have yet to win a round.

Former champions Hergen Fekken and Pierre Arries have relied on sheer consistency in their factory BP Volkswagen Polo Vivo to be third in the points, with just two stage wins so far.

Charl Wilken and Greg Godrich have been both consistent and fast in their privately entered Basil Read/bizhub

Ford Fiesta and have six stage wins to their credit and a best result of second on the recent HMC Hencom Autobody Rally after leading for most of the way.

They are fourth in the championship.

Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton (Sasol Ford Fiesta) have the most stage wins to date – 10 – and are looking for a maiden victory together. A non-finish in the opening round has not helped and they are 12th on the log.

Former champion Jan Habig and Robert Paisley, competing together for the first time in a factory BP VW Polo, have five stage wins under their belts, but a high-speed crash on the Sasol Rally hurt their title aspirations – as well as broke Paisley’s collarbone. They are eighth in the championship.

Other stage winners include Jon Williams/Cobus Vrey in a Sasol Ford Fiesta (three), who are seventh in the championship, and reigning champions Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson (one), having a relatively subdued season so far in a factory BP VW Polo. They are sixth in the championship.

S2000 debutant Leeroy Poulter and co-driver Elvéne Coetzee have grabbed the attention of their more experienced rivals and rally fans alike with a stunning maiden victory in the Sasol Rally in their factory Castrol Toyota Auris and a stage win. A nonfinish in the opening round and technical problems on the recent HMC Hencom Autobody Rally, where they only finished 16th, see them outside the top 10 in the points’ standings.

Three top-10 crews currently without a stage win so far. Team Total’s Jean-Pierre Damseaux and Carolyn Swan are currently fifth in the championship after three consistent performances.

Privateers Nicolas Ryan and Geoff Tyrer

(VW Polo) are ninth after finishing all three events held so far, while Giniel de Villiers and Ralph Pitchford (BP VW Polo) are 10th in their first season together and Dakar Rally winner De Villiers’ first season in rallying.

Whichever way you look at it, the battle for supremacy on the gravel roads of Gauteng this weekend will be worth watching. The Toyota Gauteng Dealer Rally has attracted a big entry of 33 entries in four classes (S2000, A7, S1600 and S1400) as well as more than 20 competitors in the Northern Regions Championship.

The brother and sister combination of Christoff and Celeste Snyders (Sabertek VW Polo) head the Super 1600 challenge and are aiming for a hat-trick of wins after their success in the last two events. Former champion Craig Trott and co-driver Robbie Coetzee (Team Total Toyota RunX) and Ashley Haigh Smith and Hilton Auffray (React Ford Fiesta) are their chief rivals.

Henk Lategan and Pierre Jordaan (Q8 Oils VW Polo) are the front runners in the S1400 class and will be looking out for the likes of the all-woman crew of Megan Verlaque and Lirene du Plessis in a factory BP VW Polo Vivo and Ian Young and Henry Dearlove (Associated Alterations Toyota Yaris).

The Toyota Gauteng Dealer Rally, which will consist of 13 special stages and an event-ending super special, starts from Carnival Toyota close to the Carnival City Casino complex at noon on Friday and finishes at the RallyStar Motorsport Academy near Bapsfontein on Saturday afternoon. H&H

Issue 186 • 10 June 2011 • Page 15

Swartland Rally crowns new victors Words: Staff Writer Picture: Subaru Rally Team USA Sebastiaan Klaassen/Kesevan Naidoo took their first overall regional rally victory in fine style when they won every stage of the CPMCC Swartland Rally this past weekend. The Monster Energy Drink S5 Subaru Impreza WRX crew totally dominated the event, winning by exactly 02min. With less than two seasons experience, the popular Hollander was deservedly pleased with this result.

Heavy rains early in the week soaked the roads in the Nuwedam area, but Saturday dawned in almost perfect weather conditions and this lasted until the midday service before the roads were once again drenched. The loose surface challenged drivetrains as every kiloWatt and Newton Metre of torque and maximum traction proved vital for success on the day.

Klaassen/Naidoo eased away from the well-driven REACT Marketing S3 CPMCC Toyota Corolla RXi 1600 of Ashley Haigh-Smith/Hilton Auffray.

Haigh-Smith, driving at his best, simply did not stand a chance in these conditions but proved spectacular to the spectators with a determined effort and in doing so was second fastest on all but one stage.

Paul-Hendrik Franken/Uwe Pey proved that their fine result on the recent Tata Ceres rally was no fluke when they again finished third overall in their Hex Valley Water S3 WBMK Toyota Corolla RXi 1600. This combination completed the entire event on dry tyres and at times found the Toyota a real challenge on the no-grip surface.

The star performance of the event came from newcomers Benjamin Johnson and Christoff Löttering, in their S1 CPMCC Volkswagen Golf 1.4i.

Keeping their noses, clean the popular duo remained consistent whilst their opposition encountered problems and

fourth overall was a highly respectable performance. Another fine result came from Stephen White/Daniël Blaser in the “yellow submarine” REACT Marketing S2 CPMCC Mitsubishi Lancer GT1600.

Sixth overall after a testing day saw Piet Bakkes/Patrick Vermaak turn in good stage times despite their car breaking a right CV 2km from the end of SS2. With no service available, they then completed SS3 with one-wheel drive. No spare CV saw the team cobble a replacement from various spares, and with 18min lateness adding more misery to their day they set off with nothing to lose on the second loop of stages.

Piet showed that he can certainly pedal an A5-specification Volkswagen Golf Golf by setting the third fastest time on stages 4 and 5 and then on SS6 they were granted clearance from Cape Town International Air Traffic Control to launch the accidentGuru S1 HMC Volkswagen Golf 1.4i into orbit at the final yump of the rally. Gravity saved the day and they landed safely to negotiate the final 90 right corner to finish the event just 06sec shy of fifth spot.

Team acccidentGuru was also represented by Paul van Wyk/Tiaan Rabe (S1 CPMCC Volkswagen Golf 1.4i), and after SS1 they were running first and second in Class. With rallying being rallying, their troubles started with a right-rear shock ripping out of their car’s body on SS1 and then developed a misfire that saw their lead diminish rapidly on SS4. Sadly, they then broke the inner right CV on their car during the final stage and, although they could soldier on to the end, their potential Class win became third in Class and seventh overall.

Divan de Goede/Henry Köhne drove yet another consistent event to record ninth overall in their truly privateer S3 CPMCC Toyota Corolla RXi 1600, followed by the 2010 Junior Western Province Rally Champions André George/George du Toit in tenth in their Flying Fridge-sponsored S3 CPMCC

Watch: Sebastien Ogier’s roll on the WRC Rally Argentina

Toyota Conquest RSi 1600.

Johan and Carina Bester once again proved to be fantastic hosts as owners of Nuwedam, and not even the fact that was Johan’s 45th birthday prevented him from allowing the event to go ahead. A special thanks to In a Pickle Accounting and Bookkeeping Services, Tata Helderberg, M&H Motors, GB Satellite Installations and Prosigns for their support. H&H

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION 01) S. Klaasen/K. Naidoo Subaru Impreza S5 - 53m 35s 02) A. Haigh-Smith/H. Auffray Toyota Corolla RXi S3 - 02m 00s 03) P. Franken/U. Pey Toyota Corolla RSi S3 + 07m 40s 04) B. Johnson/C. Lottering Volkswagen CitiGolf 1.4i S1 + 08m 54s 05) S. White/D. Blaser Mitsubishi Lancer 1.6 S2 + 09m 05s 06) L. Bakkes/P. Vermaak Volkswagen CitiGolf 1.4i S1 + 09m 11s 07) P. Van Wyk/T. Rabe Volkswagen CitiGolf 1.4i S1 + 09m 23s 08) J. Hoskins/B. Hoskins Volkswagen CitiGolf 1.4i S1 + 10m 06s 09) D. De Goede/H. Kohne Toyota Corolla RXi S3 + 10m 12s 10) A. George/G. Du Toit Toyota Conquest 1.6 S3 + 10m 52s

Highlights from the BRC Jim Clark Rally

Highlights from the WRC Rally Argentina

Issue 186 • 10 June 2011 • Page 16

Its all about care and stones Words: Liga Stirna Picture: Timo Anis With Rally Jēkabpils-Madona 2011, the Latvian Rally Championship has reached its midpoint, and from now on every second and every point could result in a the prize of gold.

Or, silver or even bronze, if you decide to use the tactics of all-ornothing. For the Rally JēkabpilsMadona 2011, this approach didn’t work and the winner’s trophy was taken by the crew that drove fast yet carefully.

For Estonians Georg Gross/ Raigo Molder (MM-Motorsport) this was their third win in a row in the Latvian Championship, and they are on course to claim the Latvian Champions’ title, for sure. The MM-Motorsport team, which is run by former WRC star Markko Martin, are multiple Estonian Champions, but this season they could add Latvian gold to their prize collection.

Their main rivals were expected to be another WRC team, that of Raimonds Kisiels/Arnis Ronis (Skandi Auto Rally Team), but unfortunately due to health reasons they didn’t start the Day Two and the Estonians Cross and Molder had just to take themselves and their car safely to the finish ramp and this is what they did. The second

placed crew, Lithuanians Deividas Jocius/ Gediminas Žliubas, in Overall Standings and in Class A Plus was beaten by more than 02min.

As usual, the fiercest fight was in Gp N4 and this was played out all over the stones, old and grey boulders in the corners. In the very first stage of Day Two, the leading group of drivers were caught by these boulders sitting inside corners and the potential winners turned into losers. So Jānis Vorobjovs fell from second place in N4 to 42nd in the Overall Standings, Aivis Egle – from fourth in N4 to 46th in overall. If Jānis Vorobjovs after begot his failure to set top times in N4, Aivis Egle got another puncture and lost all hopes for any good positions or points. In the meantime, Andis Neikšāns, as a N4 leader, could afford to drive careful and avoid any failures to take win in this rally.

“This win didn’t come easy to us,” admits Andis Neikšāns. “After the first day, our advantage was just 0,76sec which means that we had to go flat out.

When our main rival got a puncture in SS4, the tension eased and we could afford to drive easier. In SS6, we got a puncture too and we lost some time but our advantage was big enough and this misfortune didn’t affect outcome of this rally.”

The first win of the season

in 2WD Class (and their first finish of the season, as well) was celebrated by one of the most attractive crews in the Latvian Rally Championship, Ivo Ķilpis/ Artis Ceriņš (Toyota Corolla).

The next Latvian Rally Championship round, the Rally Latgale 2011 (02 -03 July) is newest event on the calendar, just its second year running, but for that reason it could bring surprises and unexpected results as stages are new and unknown to everyone. And they are fast and complicated! H&H

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION 01) G. Gross/Ra. Mõlder Ford Focus WRC - 01h 00m 16.38s 02) D. Jocius/G. Žliubas Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 02m 00.20s 03) A. Neikšāns/P. Dzirkals Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X + 02m 34.62s 04) M. Neikšāns/R. Bērziņš Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X + 03m 26.80s 05) J. Dūcis/G. Kampe Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 03m 56.19s 06) A. Mersianov/D. Chumak Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 04m 43.20s 07) V. Zvaigzne/A. Fjodorovs Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 05m 16.36s 08) R. Murakas/K. Adler Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 05m 22.62s 09) J. Vorobjovs/G. Zicāns Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X + 05m 35.90s 10) A. Gorelov/I. Skuridin Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X + 06m 16.12s