H&H-196

Issue 196 • 15 August 2011

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Who will finish on a high in Germany?

Start Ramp Service Park Parc Ferme

IRC shapes up for Zlin action Underdog proves pace in Finland WRC ADAC Rallye Deutschland preview

“Corsican rally sensation Pierre Campana has enjoyed his first taste of the MINI John Cooper Works WRC car over two days of testing with the Drive-Pro Team.” - page nine

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Contents Issue 196 • 15 August 2011 04 START RAMP 04 Start Ramp - News Shorts

06 SERVICE PARK 06 07 08 09

South African Rally Championship - Points Update BRC releases 2012 Championship details Andis Neiksans on the NORF Campana and Taylor: Stars on the rise

10 PARC FERME 10 WRC ADAC Rallye Deutschland preview 12 ARC Rally Vuelta de la Manzana review 13 BRC Ulster Rally/Rally NI preview

EDITORIAL INFORMATION Editor Evan Rothman

Photojournalist Eva Kovkova

Contributors Liga Stirna, 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.

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Monument stage opens to WRGB 2011 spectators Words: Staff Writer The organisers of Wales Rally GB have announced that the concluding stage of the 13th and final round of the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar – the Monument Power Stage – will be open to spectators for the first time this year. The Monument stage will be used twice on Sunday 13 November 2011, and it is possible the second running of the stage will play host to the deciding thriller of the whole rally and possibly the entire Championship.

The Power Stage is a new concept in the WRC this season and awards bonus points to the fastest three drivers. To mark this landmark occasion – and after listening to fans’ requests following last year’s successful launch of Monument’s mixed-surface course – organisers have opened up this year’s 4.36km stage exclusively to World Rally Pass (WRP) holders to witness the action up close.

Andrew Coe, chief executive of Wales Rally GB’s organiser, International Motor Sports Limited, said: “After last year’s successful running of the Monument stage which saw Solberg and Loeb take stage victory in the two runs, we wanted to find a way to allow spectators’ access to this thrilling conclusion to the Championship. We’re delighted to be able to offer our loyal WRP holders entry to this exclusive stage – as well as the chance to appear on television in the live coverage – and are grateful to the area commanders and route co-ordinators that have helped us to make this happen.”

A World Rally Pass (WRP),

priced at £99, represents the best value for money for adults wanting to take in all four days of action (10 to 13 November 2011). The price includes a copy of the official Wales Rally GB programme (valued at £9), which can be collected throughout the event, as well as an exclusive 10 percent discount on all WRGB official merchandise and a promotional air freshener.

Fans at home will also be able to watch live coverage of the Power Stage on ESPN on Sunday 13 November 2011. Tickets for Wales Rally GB are available now from just £10 at H&H http://www.walesrallygb.com.

IRC shapes up for Zlin action Words: Staff Writer Czech hero Pavel Valousek will be among more than 100 drivers in action on Barum Czech Rally Zlin later this month, organisers of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) qualifier have confirmed.

Although the official list of entries will not be published until 15 August, event bosses have revealed that the reigning Czech rally champion will compete in a Peugeot 207 S2000 run by the Belgian Kronos Racing organisation, which claimed back to back victories in Zlin with Nicolas Vouilloz and Freddy Loix in 2007 and 2008 respectively. The bulging entry also features a number of the IRC’s big guns, including Peugeot drivers Bryan Bouffier, Thierry Neuville and Guy Wilks, plus the trio of factory SKODA Motorsport pilots Juho Hanninen, Jan Kopecky and Freddy Loix, who will be bidding to make it three wins in a row for the Czech manufacturer on the asphalt event, which takes place from 26-28 August. The full entry list will be published at 18h00 on Monday 15 August and will be available at www.rally-irc.com. All eight IRC manufacturers, Abarth, Honda, M-Sport

(Ford), Peugeot, PROTON, Ralliart (Mitsubishi), SKODA and Subaru, will be represented on the 41st running of the Czech rally, which counts as round seven of the 2011 IRC season.

PROTON Motorsports will resume its IRC campaign in Zlin too. The Malaysian squad skipped the last round of the series, Sata Rallye Acores, due to a clashing Asia Pacific championship event in New Zealand, which it won with Chris Atkinson and co-driver Stephane Prevot. For this all-asphalt rally, the MEM-run squad will enter a brace of Satria Neo Super 2000s for Swede PG Andersson and Italian Giandomenico Basso.

Andersson hasn’t contested a round of the IRC since June’s GEKO Ypres Rally. He has also never competed in Zlin before but took part on Finland’s round of the world championship last month, which he believes will help his chances on the IRC qualifier. “It’s always good to have time in a car because it helps you to stay sharp,” said the 31-year-old Swedish driver, who unlike team-mate Basso is still waiting to open his point-scoring account in the IRC this season.

Kronos Racing boss Marc van Dalen believes Guy Wilks is still in the fight for the Intercontinental Rally Challenge title and says he can so no reason why the Briton can’t secure a podium finish on the next round of the series in Czech Republic. Wilks, who is driving a Peugeot UK-backed 207 Super 2000 for the Kronos team, is sixth in the IRC standings following retirements in Corsica and Azores.

Van Dalen said: “Everything is still possible with many rallies left including Scotland and Cyprus where there a points and a half and double points available [respectively]. It is very important Guy is on the podium [in Zlin] but for sure he has the speed to do it and we know the car is on the right level. We are all behind him because we win as a team and we lose as a team. I know Guy is 100 per cent motivated to be successful and so are we.” H&H

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Service Park

Interviews Features

Profiles Technical

Revised and updated South African Rally Championship points and standings Words: Evan Rothman Picture: Evan Rothman With the findings of Motorsport South Africa’s Court of Enquiry hearing regarding the Toyota Dealer Gauteng Rally (round four) released today and its repercussions regarding that event’s results, here are the revised final results and championship standings: Round Four - Toyota Dealer Gauteng Rally - Final Overall Result: 01) M. Cronje/R. Houghton Ford Fiesta S2000 - -1h 36m 55.9s 02) C. Wilken/G. Godrich Ford Fiesta S2000 + 01m 10.3s 03) E. Kuun/G. Hudgson Volkswagen Polo S2000 +26.5s 04) H. Fekken/P. Arries Volkswagen Polo S2000 + 50.8s 05) H. Lategan/J. Van der Merwe Peugeot 207 S2000 + 45.8s 06) L. Poulter/E. Coetzee Toyota Auris S2000 + 29.2s 07) N. Ryan/A. Du Toit Volkswagen Polo S2000 + 01m 05.6s 08) V. Du Plessis/G. Snyman Peugeot 207 S2000 + 0.8s 09) J. Van Niekerk/S. Vacy-Lyle Volkswagen Polo S2000 + 8.9s 10) W. Dippenaar/D. Jacobs Toyota RunX S2000 + 03m 04.1s

Class S1600: 01) G. Botterill/S. Van Heerden Toyota RunX S1600 - 01h 54, 04.1s 02) T. Conradie/K. Naidoo Toyota Auris S1600 + 31.3s 03) C. Trott/R. Coetzee Toyota RunX S1600 + 02m 09.1s Class A7: 01) R. Reynecke/C. Ackerman Volkswagen Polo A7 - 02h 00m 13.2s Class S1400: 01) M. Verlaque/L. Du Plessis Volkswagen Polo S1400 - 02h 05m 48.3s 02) H. Lategan/P. Jordaan Volkswagen Polo S1400 - 02h 07m 19.6s

This has now, of course, changed the outlook of the Championship Standings.

Conrad Rautenbach is in charge of the Drivers’ Championship and Craig Trott leads the Junior Championship with a healthy 13-point cushion with three rounds remaining. Here are the updated Standings and Points after Round Five: Drivers’ Standings: 01) C. Rautenbach - 85 pts 02) M. Cronje - 79 pts 03) E. Kuun - 78 pts 04) J. Gemmell - 72 pts 05) H. Fekken - 70 pts 06) C. Wilken - 67 pts 07) N. Ryan - 66 pts

08) J. Habig - 55 pts 09) J. Williams - 54 pts 10) G. De Villiers - 46 pts Class S1600 Standings: 01) C. Trott - 42 pts 02) C. Snyders - 39 pts 03) G. Botterill - 38 pts 04) A. Haigh-Smith - 29 pts 05) T. Conradie - 22 pts 06) H. Himmel - 14 pts 07) C. Weston - 11 pts 08) C. De Wit - 6 pts 09) R. Himmel - 5 pts 10) G. Zulu - 4 pts Class S1400 Standings: 01) M. Verlaque - 8 pts 02) H. Lategan - 7 pts 03) I. Young - 0 pts Junior Championship Standings: 01) C. Trott - 97 pts 02) G. Botterill - 84 pts 03) C. Snyders - 84 pts 04) A. Haigh-Smith - 59 pts 05) M. Verlaque - 47 pts 06) C. Weston - 46 pts 07) H. Lategan - 45 pts 08) T. Conradie - 42 pts 09) H. Himmel - 33 pts H&H 10) P. Franken - 31 pts

Issue 196 • 15 August 2011 • Page 07

BRC releases 2012 Championship details Words: Staff Writer Picture: Jakob Ebrey Photography Following the news that the 2012 MSA British Rally Championship will be for two-wheel drive cars, Britain’s premier rally series will continue to encourage youngsters with the announcement of the MSA British Junior Rally Championship title.

With the current average age of drivers in the BRC at 24 years, this title, one of just three British rally titles gifted by the MSA, will be for drivers under the age of 22 at the start of the season. The title will also be restricted to drivers with

cars that fall into the FIA R1 Class, but will include homologated 1600cc Group N cars such as the Suzuki Swift.

Competitors from the new Twingo R1 Trophy and those using M-Sport’s Fiesta MS1 are likely to make up the bulk of the entries for the Junior title, which is intended to incentivise youngsters to make the step up from national rallying at an early age.

Championship Manager Mark Taylor said: “With our average age dropping, we wanted to provide a relevant focal point for youngsters.

By focusing the British junior title on R1, it gives these competitors a chance to develop their rally craft at

international level, learn how to carry out reconnaissance and make their own pace notes at an attainable entry level.

The R1 class is a great way for young drivers to start, the cars are easy to run, it’s a fixed formula and a cost effective starting point. I am confident that in the next few years this section will provide a hotbed of young talent and future champions.”

The Renault Twingo R1, Ford Fiesta R1 and Suzuki Swift will be represented at the BRC competitors’ Open Day on 09 September at H&H Curborough Sprint circuit.

Issue 196 • 15 August 2011 • Page 08

Andis Neikšāns: I’ve never pushed so hard Words: Liga Stirna Picture: LMT Rally Team Do you know who was fastest driver of conventional Gp N4 (also known as Group 3) cars in Neste Oil Rally Finland, best of the rest was? He didn’t get world fame for his sensational win nor media attention, except at his home in Latvia. Andis Neikšāns finished 18th overall in the WRC Neste Oil Rally Finland, and was first in Group 3 to also beat Production World Rally Championship (PWRC) winner Hayden Paddon by 19sec. This was first win of any kind in WRC for Latvia!

“I’ve never pushed so hard in any rally,” say Andis, who participated in PWRC two years ago and took eighth place overall. “But, if this was our first outing in Finland it would be unlikely that we could set such quick stages times. After three visits in the NORF, we knew character of the roads.”

“Yes, we took big risks; there were many moments when we could retire instead of taking a win,” confesses his co-driver Pēteris Dzirkals. “On the liaison section on the last day we spoke

with Andis. We can drive slower and take a safe third place, but we decided that this would be acceptable if we were fifth at that moment, not group leaders... So we pushed to the very end.”

After the rally the Latvian crew thanked not only their fans and supporters, but also the organizers of the local events and their rivals. “One of our biggest advantages in Finland was fact that in the Baltics we have very fast rally roads and this rally is one of the fastest events in WRC,” said Andis.

“The Latvian Rally Championship has a remarkable level and good rivals to compete against, and this together with our previous experience of NORF made this result possible.”

The Latvian also said that almost on half of the stages in Finland, slower or damaged cars affected their speed. “In the beginning of rally, in six out of nine stages we had an “interrupted” result as we caught slower cars that started before us or we had to overtake someone who went off or returned after an off,” explains Andis. “We calculated that this stole approximately half a minute from us, but this rally is a marathon and you can’t foresee it.”

Most interesting was the fight Andis had with PWRC leader Hayden Paddon who won in his Class on this event. “It was very interesting to watch our split times – on faster sections we were better. In the middle of the longer stages, we were almost 10sec faster, but at the end, which was slower and more technical he regained the time and at the finish difference was just few seconds. It was very exciting,” remembers Andis.

Now for the Latvian team of Andis Neikšāns and Pēteris Dzirkals, their focus turns to the last two rounds of the 2011 Latvian Rally Championship where they are fighting for another title.

But, at the end of the season these Latvians will enter for another WRC rally.

No one expects them to be as fast on slippery Welsh roads on WRC Wales Rally GB as they were in Finland, but they will do their best. If you will be there, cheer on these young lads from Latvia who don’t hesitate dreaming about bigger success in the WRC! H&H

Issue 196 • 15 August 2011 • Page 09

Campana and Taylor: Stars on the rise Words: Evan Rothman Picture: Greg Rosion There are two youngsters in the world of rallying fast gaining international acclaim for their talents behind the steering wheel of rally cars. Handbrakes & Hairpins takes a closer look into the challengers Pierre Campana and Molly Taylor for this weekend’s WRC ADAC Rallye Deutschland.

26-year-old Corsican rally sensation Pierre Campana is ready for the biggest challenge and opportunity of his career so far as he takes part in the WRC ADAC Rallye Deutschland with the Drive-Pro team in a MINI John Cooper Works WRC car.

It is worth noting that Campana has been selected by the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile (FFSA) as head of their Rally Team France for 2011. Campana follows in the footsteps of Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier in holding this prestigious FFSA honour.

Rallye Deutschland will be entirely new territory for Campana in machinery with which he has acquired just a few weeks of experience. It will also be the Corsican’s debut with the rally spec Michelin tyres, which will only add to the learning curve he faces in Germany this week, alongside his longtime co-driver Sabrina de Castelli.

Campana enjoyed his first run in the MINI John Cooper Works WRC at the Pôle Mécanique facility in Alès-Cévennes in the south of France with the Drive-Pro team and support

from Prodrive staff, who run the works MINI programme. Completing around 135km over two days with one full day of testing and a promotional day of taxi rides, Campana acquired a valuable appreciation for his new home before heading to the UK where he triumphed in last weekend’s Richard Burns Memorial Rally, winning six out of the eight stages. The event allowed Campana to acclimatise himself to his new car ahead of this week’s rally, while getting his new partnership with DrivePro off to a winning start.

“Rallye Deutschland is a very important step in my career and an opportunity that I am ready to grasp with both hands,” said Campana. “I am really looking forward to my first ever competition in a WRC car and with all the pressure and challenges that it brings. I must thank the Drive-Pro team for their faith in me and also for the support of the FFSA, without which I would not be competing this week. I have had some time in the MINI John Cooper Works WRC car at a short test in Alès the other week and also in last weekend’s Richard Burns Memorial Rally, which was a very enjoyable experience.

It was great to get my partnership with Drive-Pro off to a winning start and to win my first competitive rally in a MINI. However, it is clear that Rallye Deutschland will be a learning curve for me, so I have to set realistic expectations, which are really to get through each stage cleanly and to the best of my and the car’s ability. I cannot wait to get started and to build upon

what we have started to put together as a team with my co-driver Sabrina, the Drive-Pro team, together with the valuable support from Prodrive.”

Competing in a fully-funded drive in the FIA WRC Academy, 23-yearold Molly Taylor is also knuckling down to work on her first all-asphalt WRC event of 2011.

“There’s a bit of a mixture of anticipation and excitement heading into Germany,” Molly says. “It’s the first tarmac event for the Academy so I think the dynamics of the Championship will change for sure and it will be interesting to see what happens. For me, the aim is to focus on my job and drive my own rally. Coming from Australia, most of my rallying has been done on gravel, so I am still learning tarmac but we have done some really good testing and I feel a lot more confident on the surface.

Now the challenge is transferring the pace I achieved on the test onto the rally stages. I want to use every stage in Germany to get one more step forward.

It will be good experience for me and to be developing in such a strong field will be a great opportunity.”

The WRC Academy will be contested on two of the three days of the WRC ADAC Rallye Deutschland.

Campana and Taylor are expected to impress with their skills in Germany.

Handbrakes & Hairpins will closely follow both stars’ on this event, and invite you to join us on Twitter at http://twitter. com/Evan_Rothman and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HandHmag for this weekend’s thrilling rally. H&H

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All-asphalt to be another all-Loeb affair?

Words: Evan Rothman Pictures: Citroën Racing, Ford WRC The Loeb Show has been on the World Rally Championship calendar since 2002. Each successive edition has seen the French pairing of seven-times World Champions Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena uncork the champagne on the top step of the podium to leave their rivals scratching their heads.

The ADAC Rallye Deutschland, this the ninth round of the 2011 WRC season, sees 20 WRC Cars take to SS1 on this event based around Trier in the Mosel wine region of Germany. With its roots having been planted in 1982 this event has seen many iterations over the decades, but this current format has proven the most popular and successful for fans and competitors alike. Over the three days of action, crews will be faced with three different types of sealed surfaces to make tyre choice vitally important. Also, a factor to calculate for WRC crews: should they chase after

Loeb in the front or do they settle for second and aim to cement that position for themselves against the other 19 WRC Cars?

Although the route has been trimmed by 50km, most of that coming from the famous Panzerplatte speed test in the Baumholder military testing grounds, the roads and stages remain familiar to drivers and co-drivers. The total event distance is 1,245.96km and 19 stages lie in wait.

Rallye Deutschland is the first of three asphalt rallies in succession and the WRC Academy crews and Super 2000 World Rally Championship competitors will join the WRC Cars for this heady challenge.

They need to place all their confidence into their cars and tyres as they skittle along the bumpy and narrows roads in the Mosel vineyards on Day One where there are fast sections are broken up by hairpins on an undulating route. The public roads of the Saarland region for Day Two are more flowing and need to be attacked

with a certain rhythm to achieve fastest stage times, but certain degree of wariness needs to be meted out should the weather change to leave the roads damp or wet in patches. What attracts the most media attention and grabs the imagination are the tests in the Baumholder military proving grounds on the afternoon of Day Two. Used by USA soldiers to test their army tanks, these highly abrasive, bumpy, dirty and dusty roads are lined with large stone kerbs called hinkelsteins. The slightest mistake here will result in a DNF... Day Three’s action returns to the Mosel win valleys, climaxing with the Power Stage that ends at the popular Circus Maximus.

It would be most foolish to not predict Loeb as the event’s winner.

Together with Elena, the impressive Citroën DS3 WRC and the entire Citroën Racing empire behind them, it makes for a formidable combination that is unbeatable here. Loeb’s biggest rival will be teammate Sebastien Ogier, who has spent time in single-seater racing cars at a racing school in preparation

Issue 196 • 15 August 2011 • Page 11

for this event. The threat from the Ford Fiesta RS WRCs is also not one to underestimate, and Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen (both of Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team) will be pushing their machines to their very limits to reel in Loeb and Citroën. The Fords have shown promise on asphalt in testing, but they’ve not had their pace compared to that of their French rivals. It is unlikely that Hirvonen or Latvala will win here, but they could be surprise podium finishers…

Reigning Junior World Rally Champion Aaron Burkart is contesting this event in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC. With a number of asphalt events under his belt in a Fiesta S2000 recently, he will be a dark horse on his home event. He will, however, need to outgun his teammates for this weekend, Matthew Wilson, Henning Solberg and Mads Ostberg at the M-Sport Stobart Ford Rally Team.

And there is always the Petter “Hollywood” Solberg factor. This Citroën privateer has been building on his speed in recent events and will be aiming to land on the podium here.

His determination alone will drive him there. Could he upset the factory

establishment? He will be aiming to get one over Ogier and the Fords, but Loeb will remain untouchable such is his sheer speed on this surface.

For the sub-series the S-WRC, the Ford Fiesta S2000s will be going up against the Skoda Fabia S2000s in a head-to-head contest where both manufacturers are equally matched. To predict a winner here would, unlike the WRC, be difficult. Any of seven drivers could walk away with the honours here, and I predict a scrap of epic proportions between Juho Hanninen (Skoda Fabia S2000), Martin Prokop (Ford Fiesta S2000), Ott Tanak (Ford Fiesta S2000) and Hermann Gassner Jr to be the centre of attention here.

The FIA WRC Academy stars will see John MacCrone taking up the challenge against the sub-series’ regulars Craig Breen, Molly Taylor, Brendan Reeves et al. Topping the championship so far is Egon Kaur, winner of all three events thus far.

For rally enthusiasts, this event marks an important stage of the World Rally Championship. Should Loeb win the next three rallies, and it is very likely that he will, the Frenchman will wrap up

the Championship once more. However, during this week Loeb will announce his future plans. Will he remain at Citroën, move to Volkswagen or quit rallying entirely to take on circuit racing? We’ll have to wait and see... Roll on Rallye Deutschland! H&H

Issue 196 • 15 August 2011 • Page 12

Villagra shone in the south as his rivals faded away Words: Staff Writer Picture: Argentine Rally Championship In the new era that began with the new Maxi Rally cars in Argentina, Federico Villagra remains as unbeatable as always. After he won whatever he aimed for at the wheel of a Mitsubishi - with different evolutions - the eight-time Argentine Rally Champion is now enjoying a new affair with the Ford Fiesta MR (S2000).

Villagra claimed his fourth consecutive victory this past weekend after obtaining another stunning win in the Rally Vuelta de la Manzana, the most traditional round of the calendar, an event he has already won on six occasions.

Once again, the VRS driver was clever enough to come up with a fast yet cautious pace that enabled him to safely make his way through one of

the toughest rounds of the year. On the other hand, his main contenders got into trouble while trying to give chase to “Coyote”, and more than one failed to complete the event.

Juan Marchetto (Ford) and Claudio Menzi (Fiat), two of Villagra’s main contenders in the title race dropped out of the event when they were settled into podium positions, whereas Diego Domínguez (Kia) and Juan Gil De Marchi (Chevrolet) could barely last in such a demanding challenge. Only Raúl Martínez (Volkswagen) and Marcos Ligato (Chevrolet) were able to complete the rally. They, however, had to sacrifice too much time and thus finished way down thr leader board.

Furthermore, Gabriel Pozzo (Volkswagen) dismissed the round - as it is stated in the current regulations - and Villagra took the opportunity to open an important gap in the standings.

Villagra still has drop one rally

from his overall score (it will be the eighth round that he will do this), and that’s the opportunity his rivals are waiting for so as to know where exactly they are with regard to “Coyote.” H&H

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION 01) F. Villagra/D. Curletto Ford - 01h 33m 03.2s 02) R. Martínez/F. Mussano Volkswagen + 01m 14.0s 03) M. Ligato/R. García Chevrolet + 01m 37.2s 04) O. Ibargüen/D. Rubio Mitsubishi + 02m 15.5s 05) G. Padilla/R. Kember Ford + 02m 47.7s 06) F. Bassi/R. Rinaudo Mitsubishi + 02m 48.1s 07) A. Cancio/S. García Peugeot + 03m 01.8s 08) A. Elvira/O. Tagle Mitsubishi + 03m 26.1s 09) N. Díaz/G. Piazzano Mitsubishi + 04m 15.2s 10) O. Kovacevich/J. Kovacevich Mitsubishi + 06m 30.6s

Issue 196 • 15 August 2011 • Page 13

Countdown to BRC Ulster encounter Words: Staff Writer Pictures: Jakob Ebrey Photography After a 12-week summer break, the clock is now counting down for the fifth round of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship: the Todds Leap Ulster Rally. The international element of the event, which is now called Rally NI, takes place on Friday and Saturday 19 and 20 August and represents the second of the British Championship’s three asphalt rallies this season.

The annual visit to Northern Ireland by Britain’s premier series is well and truly etched into the calendar. It holds lots of memories – both good and not so good - for lots of crews and, over the years, has often become a turning point for the fortunes of many.

So far this season, the man most fortunate is current Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship leader David Bogie who, together with co-driver and fellow Scot Kevin Rae, has taken his Mitsubishi Lancer to three wins out of the four rounds so far and finished second on the other. And, whilst two of these victories were on gravel, the third was on tarmac, which goes to prove that the canny 24-year old from Dumfries in Scotland is a force to be reckoned with whatever the surface.

Currently second in the championship and just 12 points behind is Elfyn Evans. After winning the Pirelli Star Driver Award at the end of 2010, the young Welshman is this year campaigning the bright red Pirelli-

liveried Subaru Impreza. He has already shown that he is a worthy winner of this coveted prize by scoring two fourths, a third and his very first outright BRC victory on his home event, the Bulldog Rally of North Wales.

However, there is no doubt that the leading pair will come under intense pressure this weekend from those who regard the Ulster Rally as their home event. One such driver is Jonny Greer, who currently lies third and, with only four points separating him from Evans, he’ll be ready to pounce given half the chance.

Indeed, Greer is well and truly on course for his first win: two fourths, a third and then a second on the Jim Clark Rally – the Championship’s first asphalt event of the season – means that he is now up to speed in his Škoda Fabia S2000. He and co-driver Dai Roberts have only one step to go to make it to the top of the podium and that opportunity may well present itself in Ulster.

And, whilst Scotland, Wales and Ireland are represented by the leading trio of drivers, English honour is upheld by fourth-placed Adam Gould. A fourth and two third places so far this season means that he is 15 points behind Greer but unfortunately, the Subaru driver and his co-driver Seb Marshall are not able to compete this time round whilst they re-assess their budget for the remainder of the season.

Another English Subaru driver follows in fifth: Tom Clark, who is honing his skills at an alarming rate, bearing in

mind he only turned 18 in May. However, he won his Class in Ulster last year, so he and co-driver Alistair Wylie are no strangers to this event.

Next in the overall standings – just one point behind Clark - is another competitor from Northern Ireland.

Driving a factory-supported Citroën DS3, Marty McCormack and co-driver David Moynihan are not only sixth in the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship standings overall, but also lead the fiercely contested Formula 2 category for two-wheel drive R1, R2 and R3 cars.

They make no secret of the fact that, while they are eager to win the F2 title, they are out to record a podium finish on home asphalt. And, if previous form is anything to go by, they may well spring a surprise on their four-wheeldrive rivals.

The Todds Leap Rally NI features a total competitive distance of 211km, with the rally HQ and service park located at Junction One International Outlet Shopping Centre on the northern side of Antrim. The first car leaves the start at Barbican Gate in the town centre at 13h35 on Friday afternoon and, after the initial leg of six stages, returns for the overnight halt at 22h50. Leg Two on Saturday gets underway at 06h40 and sees a further eight stages before crews cross the H&H finish line at 17h50.