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09 Edition 83 June 20

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Cover

Donchev wins in Croatia Rally!

inside this week:

News

Kubica to rally in 2009?

Features

Rally of South Africa report

Welcome to HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS

04 09 10 11 12 13

The world’s latest rally news

Nissan trio still tops Production Car standings

Ford Fiesta to take on Pikes Peak in 2009!

Ford’s Fiesta R2 car revealed in detail!

Lemes beats Pons in second Spanish rally!

Donchev wins ERC Croatia Delta Rally!

DIARY JUNE EVENTS International Rallies: 05 - 06 June: RA Susquhannock Trail Rally 10 - 14 June: WRC Acropolis Rally Greece 18 - 20 June: IRC & ERC Ypres Westhoek Rally

South African Rallies: 12 - 13: NATIONAL: Rally of South Africa 19 - 21: Toyota 1000 Desert Race 27: CPMCC Rally

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Welcome to Issue 83 of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, your FREE weekly source of rallying news.

This week’s issue is brimming with the latest information and rally news! The cover feature for this week is the impressive display by Krum Donchev in this past weekend’s European Rally Championship round in Croatia. Beating off a number of highly-capable rivals, Donchev was the first to cross the finish line.

Is there any stopping the Nissan Off Road crew? After a strong 1-2 performance at the recent Nissan Sugarbelt 400 in KwaZuluNatal, Hannes Grobler will be fighting it out with his team-mate Duncan Vos in upcoming rounds. The Toyota teams, however, are not far off the pace. It is the Toyota Desert 1000 Race next weekend... A “home” victory?

Ford has been working hard behind the scenes to prepare for the next chapter of the World Rally Championship. In this issue we have detailed the Fiesta R2 rally machine. This is a step closer to an S2000 model, which should not be too far off in development now... The race is on between Ford and Citroen to bring a race-winning S2000 model to rallies soon!

As always, I hope you enjoy this week’s read!

Evan Rothman

Contact H&H: Subscriptions - subs.hhmag@gmail.com News - news.hhmag@gmail.com Features - features.hhmag@gmail.com Editorial Info - evan.hhmag@gmail.com Evan Rothman - evanrothman@gmail.com All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, 2007-9

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Stig Blomqvist to star in his Audi quattro at Rallyday 2009!

spectate. Whether it be a rally simulator, radio-controlled rally car races or a full-on white-knuckle ride in a selection of rally cars, there are many activities for people to participate in.

- CREDIT: www.rallybuzz.com

Hankook to enter IRC with Opel!

Tyre giant Hankook is stepping up its rally activities with plans to contest five rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC0 this year ahead of a full championship assault in 2010, reported ww.rallybuzz.com.

Hankook has joined forces with MSD to run the Opel Corsa OPC S2000 on five rounds of the IRC, starting with Belgium Ypres Rally in this month before tackling rounds in the Czech Republic, Spain, San Remo and Scotland.

Former World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist has confirmed his attendance at Rallyday 2009, which takes place on Saturday 19 September at Castle Combe Circuit, Wiltshire, United Kingom, reports www.rallybuzz.com.

Blomqvist won the World Rally Championship in 1984 behind the wheel of the iconic Audi quattro, and contributed to Audi winning their second Manufacturer’s title.

The quattro changed the face of rallying through the 1980s and Blomqvist will be driving the final evolution of the mighty vehicle - in the form of the quattro S1 E2 - through the Feature Rally Stage in front of an expected 10 000 rally fans.

The example to be demonstrated is an original ex-works car owned and run by Audi UK. The 500+ bhp flame-spitting machine was withdrawn from the World Rally Championship when the Group B category was banned in the late 1980s, so it will be a very rare opportunity for rally enthusiasts to see this spectacular car and driver combination in action again.

Followers of Group B will be pleased to hear that there will be a significant presence from Slowly Sideways at Rallyday this year, with owners driving and displaying their rare ex-works rally cars.

For newcomers to Rallyday, on-track action comes in the form of professional driving demonstrations, track sessions, rally car rides, circuit parades and the feature rally car stage.

Off track, there is a host of displays, where visitors can have a close look at some of the world’s most iconic rally cars, which have made rallying history through the years. The paddock is packed full of static displays, plus the main event stage where rallying celebrities are interviewed. There are also numerous trade exhibitors, ranging from major car manufacturers to individual specialists offering a diverse array of rally merchandise.

Rallyday Interactive is where visitors can go further than just

Driving the Opel Corsa will be French sensation 33-year-old Alex Bengue who has already tested the car with Hankook tyres. Bengue will also be supported this year by French oil company Yacco, which has been a long term supporter of Bengue in France and at WRC level.

Hankook motorsports manager Mike Patterson said the opportunity to compete in such a high profile and forward thinking championship with such a great car/driver package would give the tyre brand huge exposure. “We have been looking at the IRC for some time and sampled the championship with Stuart Jones in Switzerland last year,’’ said Patterson. “Now is the perfect time to gain valuable experience on five rounds and plan a comprehensive campaign in 2010.’’

For MSD the opportunity to work with Hankook will give the Opel Corsa valuable development work. The Opel Corsa OPC S2000 was homologated by the FIA in March this year and won its debut rally in the N4 class on the Mayo Stages Rally in Ireland driven by Gareth MacHale. Recent development and testing of the Corsa has focused on working with the Hankook engineers to develop a new tarmac tyre which will be used by the team during the Ypres Rally.

David Whitehead, managing director of MSD said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for MSD to develop both the car and tyre package together with Hankook in the ultra competitive IRC. Alex is an excellent driver whose experience will be vital in achieving our goals and we’re all looking forward to the challenge we are about to face.’’

The Belgium Ypres Rally is based in Westhoek, and runs from Friday 19 June until Saturday 20 June with crews competing over 285km of twisty farming lanes in 16 high-speed tests.

- CREDIT: www.rallybuzz.com

THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF RALLYING

Featuring European rally championships, British rally championships, Rally America events, international rally results and videos, as well as S2000 and WRC news.

www.rallybuzz.com

Rally Finland suffers 40 percent budget cut for 2009; rally still on!

This year’s Rally Finland has suffered a 40 percent budget cut from 2008, due to the recent downturn in the global economy, according to www.autosport.com and www.rallybuzz.com.

Rally Finland event promoter, Jarmo Mahonen stated: “The economic recession is biting harder by the day in Finland. An obvious symptom of that is the fact that we have lost over 1 000 pre-booked VIP guests. Consequently, the event’s budget has now been slashed by over 40 percent for this summer. As an event organiser, we must be prepared for several lean years.”

Meanwhile, the FIA look set to include Finland in the 2010 WRC calendar after the event was to be initially dropped under the proposed rotational policy.

Marcus Gronholm, commenting at the time of the proposed rotational calendar idea, said: “If they don’t run this event, there will be riots in Jyvaskyla!”

- CREDIT: www.rallybuzz.com

Gigi Galli to return to rallying!

Gigi Galli has tested an Abarth Punto S2000 on gravel recently in Italy, and is looking at making a return to the sport next year, according to Motorsport News and www.rallybuzz.com.

Galli has only competed on the Bettaga Memorial Rallysprint last December since breaking his leg after an horrific accident in Germany 2008.

Speaking at WRC Rally Italy-Sardinia, Galli said: “I’m looking forward to things for next year to decide what direction to follow. I did a test in an Abarth on gravel and I hope I can find a way to get some more testing in order to prepare a programme for the Fiesta [Super 2000].”

Galli states that he is a fan of S2000, particularly if it attracted new manufacturers to the WRC: “You have to be more aggressive with the car, so it can be more sideways, which is good for all of us. It’s important that we have more people in the sport because it’s becoming a little boring now.”

Galli is planning to recce some events later this year, but only once the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council has confirmed the calendar for 2010 when it meets on 24 June.

- CREDIT: www.rallybuzz.com

Casier to enter Abarth for Ypres Bernd Casier is to contest his home IRC event for the factory Abarth team in place of Anton Alen, according to Belgian website www.autonews-magazine.com and www.rallybuzz. com.

Casier will partner Giandomenico Basso in the Abarth Grande Punto S2000 on the asphalt Ypres Rally. Alen has struggled recently for Abarth on recent events and he has yet to fully adapt to tarmac.

Commenting on the Abarth deal, Casier said: “This is great news for us obviously. We have had long negotiations with Proton and Volkswagen. The offers were very similar, but the proposed Abarth deal has finally prevailed and I can compete in a real factory car. The agreement for the time being is only for Ypres. I know there are many other tests on asphalt in the IRC in the future and I hope Abarth might suggest something after the Belgian IRC event.”

Casier was one of the stars of last year’s Ypres Rally, guiding an RGRS Volkswagen Polo S2000 to fourth overall after nearly destroying the car in an accident on the shakedown stage.

Casier’s name appears on the Ypres Rally provisional entry list in the Abarth.

- CREDIT: www.rallybuzz.com

Ford Motorsport headed by Quinn Ford of Europe is announcing that Gerard Quinn is appointed Senior Manager, Motorsport, replacing Mark Deans who has elected to retire from Ford at the end of this month.

In his new position, Quinn will work alongside Malcolm Wilson, BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Director and owner of M-Sport, Ford of Europe’s partner for its main motorsport activity, the FIA World Rally Championship. Quinn will be the focal point through which Ford will continue to support M-Sport and drive future success for the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, most obviously via close ties with the company’s global Product Development and engineering disciplines.

Quinn will also be responsible for a small team of marketing professionals and product development engineers to develop further the company’s motorsport strategy in Europe. He will work closely with the Communications and Public Affairs team, as well as other key Ford of Europe staffs.

A self-confessed ‘petrol head’, 45-year-old Gerard Quinn joined Ford in 1988 at the company’s Dagenham plant in Britain, and progressed through a number of management positions before being appointed to his previous role of Dealer Operations Manager for Ford of Ireland in June 2008.

Quinn has gained experience on Ford’s motorsport activities in his previous roles and, before joining Ford, he was already very active in the organisational side of grass roots motorsport in his home town through the Cork Motor Club.

Between 2005 and 2008, he was directly responsible for the commercial and contractual aspects of Ford of Europe’s motorsport strategy, including the relationship with M-Sport.

He also had a significant involvement in Ford of Europe’s performance vehicle business, notably the development programme for the new Ford Focus RS. In his new role, Quinn will report directly to Ingvar Sviggum, Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service and to Ian Slater, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Ford of Europe.

“We’re very pleased to have Gerard Quinn leading our Motorsport programmes in Europe,” said Ingvar Sviggum, Ford of Europe’s Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service. “He

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has a wealth of experience inside Ford having worked his way along the ladder of opportunity to become a valued member of the management team. He knows Malcolm Wilson and the MSport team well, and his understanding of both the motorsport business and our corporate strategy is precisely what we need during this difficult economic period.”

Raikkonen crashes out of rally

Mark Deans (52), who has been Ford of Europe’s Motorsport Director since November 2007, has elected to retire from the company to pursue personal projects.

“Mark has been a great asset to the Ford Motorsport management team over the last 18 months,” said Sviggum.

“He has helped to keep our WRC activity running through the industry crisis, and delivered an impressive one-two victory with the team in the most recent rally in Sardinia. We’re grateful for Mark’s commitment and dedication to the company during his 29-year career with Ford, and we wish him and his family all the very best for the future.”

Gerard Quinn is looking forward to his first event as head of the team, but is no stranger to the WRC: “I’m excited at the prospect of joining the M-Sport team in Greece. I have a good relationship already with Malcolm Wilson, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing the drivers again. We’re relying on them to deliver more success there with the Focus RS WRC!” - CREDIT: FORD OF EUROPE MEDIA

Latvala eyes top three in 2009 Fresh from his victory on WRC Rally Italy-Sardinia, Jari-Matti Latvala has set himself the target of a top three placing in this year’s drivers’ World Championship, reported www.wrc.com.

The BP Ford Abu Dhabi team driver took the second win of his career at the weekend, and says that after an accident prone first half to the season he is ready to win more rallies in the second to get back on track.

At the halfway point of the season Latvala lies sixth in the drivers’ standings, 12 points adrift of the man in third, Citroen’s Dani Sordo.

“I said before the season that I wanted to finish in the top three at the end of the year. At some points since then I thought that would be impossible, but it’s not impossible anymore. The situation has turned around quite quickly.”

Latvala told www.wrc.com.

Latvala believes his next win could come as early as this months Acropolis Rally. “It would be great to win there,” he said. “Basically I believe Greece is a good rally for us. Last year we had a few technical issues, but otherwise it was okay.

Speed-wise we were very good. I believe we should be able to win in Greece as well.”

Just two rallies after Ford team boss Malcolm Wilson instructed him to forget about winning and concentrate on finishing, Latvala said the time was now right to let him compete without limits again. “Now my self confidence is back up I think Malcolm will let me and Mikko go fast. I think he’ll want us both to push and try and put Citroen under pressure again,” he said.

- CREDIT: www.wrc.com

Ferrari Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen’s asphalt rally debut came to an abrupt halt after he crashed out of the Rally della Marca on SS3 in his Abarth Grande Punto S2000 this past weekend, reported www.rallybuzz.com.

The car suffered rear suspension damage following an impact with a rock that caused the right rear wheel to eventually come off and forcing Raikkonen to retire from the event.

Raikkonen was lying in 17th position (8th in S2000 category) before the crash and set 14th fastest time (7th in S2000) on SS1. This was his third rally in the Tommi Makkinen Racing prepared Abarth Punto S2000.

The rally was won by Italian Paolo Porro, in a Ford Focus RS WRC 06, who led from start to finish on the nine-stage event.

- CREDIT: www.rallybuzz.com

Loeb receives “Legion d’honneur” Sebastien Loeb was last week awarded a knighthood, receiving the ‘Légion d’honneur’ at the Elysée Palace in Paris from Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of the French Republic.

The ‘Légion d’honneur’ is the highest award that can be given to any private individual in France, instituted after the French Revolution. It recognises outstanding achievement from French citizens in any branch of the country’s activity, leaving aside social or hereditary factors. The ‘Legion d’honneur’ award ceremony took place at the Elysée Palace in Paris, where Sébastien Loeb was given his knighthood.

Surrounded by his family, close friends and PSA Group senior management, the five-time World Rally Champion was warmly congratulated by Nicolas Sarkozy. “I am extremely honoured to have been recognised in this way by the President of the Republic,” said Loeb. “This award is given to an individual, but I would like to share it with each and every member of the Citroen team. Every time that we hear the French National Anthem played at the end of a rally, we all feel exactly the same pride at having showcased France to the best of all our abilities. I hope now that I can continue to worthily represent my country by claiming a sixth consecutive World Rally Championship title at the end of this year.”

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Solberg Grand Prix: Petter beaten by school kids in downhill race

Brad Morris and Doug Nagy in a Two-Wheel-Drive Mitsubishi Lancer won the Two-Wheel-Drive category, Dan Brosnan and Shane McCann, winners of Two-Wheel-Drive category at Rally New York USA, in a Nissan Sentra took second, and Andrew Frick and Ryan Scott in a Ford Focus placed third. Robert Maunz with Mark Sackett won the Two-Wheel-Drive Production Cup classification.

After Rally Tennessee, the Championship will continue with five gravel rounds – Idaho Rally International, Rally West Virginia, Gorman Ridge Rally (California), Prescott Rally (Arizona) and the final round – International Rally New York. Most rounds of the Championship allow for reconnaissance of the rally course and pacenoting.

- CREDIT: USRC Media

Latvala wins in historic rally with Ford Escort RS1800!

This past Saturday, World Rally Championship driver Petter Solberg participated in the “Solberg Grand Prix” and was beaten by a bunch of kids, reported www.rallybuzz.com.

Situated in Solbergelva, Norway, a group of 36 seventh grade students were competing against Solberg on a 190-metre downhill run, racing at the controls of rudimentary machines steered by a pair of ropes – and many of them proved to be faster than the 2003 WRC champion!

The race was the result of a school project that consisted of drawing up plans, building the car, and planning the event.

The variety of designs and colour patterns added to the festive mood of the occasion.

“What an incredible day!” declared a smiling Solberg. “I am so impressed about what the kids have done and the driving skills are outstanding. It’s not easy to steer a car with ropes, but they are really good at it and almost impossible to beat,” he good heartedly added.

- CREDIT: www.rallybuzz.com

USRC Rally Tennessee results!

Thomas Lawless, the 2005 United States Rally Champion, with Irish co-driver Brian Sharkey in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, won tarmac Rally Tennessee, the second round of the United States Rally Championship. Daniel O’Brien and Brendan McCabe in a Subaru Impreza STi took second and Martin Donnelly with Stephen Duffy in Mitsubishi Evo IX were third.

Enda McCormack with Bernard Farrell in another Mitsubishi Evo IX rounded up the Irish-American brigade.

David Alan with Ben Slocum in their handsome, black Subaru Impreza WRX won the Production All-Wheel-Drive Cup classification and placed fifth overall. Only 16 seconds behind was a new team of William Petrow and Jeremy Neyhart in Subaru Impreza WRX. Petrow, with a different co-driver, Vincent Nguyen, won the Production Cup classification at the previous round – Rally New York USA. Scott Wilburn and Aaron Crescenti, who were battling engine issues in their Subaru Impreza WRX throughout the rally, were third.

Jari-Matti Latvala has won the Lahti Historic Rally 2009, in his Mk2 Ford Escort RS1800, after setting fastest time on nine of the eleven stages run, reported www.rallybuzz.com.

Finnish driver Mika Turkki was second in an Opel Ascona 400 with Pekka Laaksonen third driving a Ford Escort RS2000 Mk1.

Norwegian veteran Valter Jensen finished in fourth place behind the wheel of a Porsche Carrera RS Lahti Historic Rally 2009 Results: 01) Jari-Matti Latvala - 1:00:52,3 02) Mika Turkki + 1:15,4 03) Pekka Laaksonen + 1:45,0 04) Valter Jensen + 1:59,9 05) Ilkka Rantala + 2:20,4 06) Markus-Mikko Salo + 2:38,2 07) Veli Kukkonen + 2:42,2 08) Jari Laaksonen + 3:33,1 09) Pentti Pekkala + 4:02,7 10) Mika Rahkonen + 4:26,5 - CREDIT: www.rallybuzz.com

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Rally America attracts new P-WRC and Action Sports Talent!

A packed field including top X Games competitors and championship hopefuls will take to the challenging forest roads of Pennsylvania next month for the storied Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (5- 6 June).

Series regulars including Travis Pastrana, Ken Block, and Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard will be back in action at the event, driving hard for the championship title.

But several notable newcomers will make their series debut, including Swedish World Rally competitors Patrik Sandell and Emil Axelsson, and Freestyle motocross champion Brian Deegan winner of 11 X Games medals.

Sandell has won two Production World Rallies so far this year, and was the Junior World Rally Champion in 2006. He and Axelsson will partner with NCRALLY and North Coast Subaru to compete in the Open class for this contest.

Deegan made his name as a supercross/motocross star and founding member of the Metal Mulisha group of riders. He is well-known to X Games fans as an eleven time medalist and commentator. Deegan is the latest action sports star to try his hand at rally competition, joining the likes of Pastrana and Dave Mirra -- both series regulars.

Deegan will partner with Rockstar Energy Drinks co-driver Chrissie Beavis for a Super Production class effort. Beavis’s regular teammate, Tanner Foust, is sitting this contest out due to a conflict with a Formula Drift event.

In addition to battling for championship points, teams are vying for a shot at X Games gold in August. Four top points scorers after this event will earn an invitation and it’s possible that a win at STPR could translate to a starting spot at the Los Angeles contest.

Six drivers –Pastrana, Comrie-Picard, Block, Mirra, Foust and Matt Johnson – have already been invited to compete. The next four top scorers in the series are expected to receive an invitation. Two other so-called “at large” drivers have yet to be named.

The Susquehannock Trail event has been running since 1977, and has long been known as one of the most demanding events on the calendar. The 2009 running of the contest features a return to the popular two-day format, with a spectator-friendly daylight schedule and super special stages on each day.

Avid photographers will again have the opportunity to participate in Rally America’s popular photo contest where fans can submit their best shots for a chance to win great prizes.

Rally car racing is considered the extreme sport of automobile racing and is often described simply as “real cars, real roads, real fast.” This all-season motorsport sees drivers and their co-drivers take modified road cars to the limit as they achieve blistering speeds over courses that cover more than 100 miles of gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads.

The 2009 Rally America National Championship series consists of nine exciting events throughout the country in many different weather and road conditions.

- CREDIT: WWW.RALLY-AMERICA.COM

Loeb at Goodwood Festival of Speed!

Sebastien Loeb will make his Goodwood debut at this year’s Festival of Speed in his Citroen C4 WRC, reported www.rallybuzz.com The five-time World Rally champion will tackle the event’s famous 1.16-mile Goodwood Hill and purpose-built Forest Rally Stage during the three-day motorsport spectacle between 3 - 5 July.

The Frenchman’s C4 WRC will be on show in the World Rally Championship paddock, near the main Formula One paddock area at the festival.

As an extra treat for rally fans, a rare ex-works Group B Citroen BX 4TC rally car will also be in action on the rally stage, where Loeb, the most successful rally driver in history, will be joined by a host of rally legends from the past and present such as Walter Rohrl, Stig Blomqvist, Hannu Mikkola, Bjorn Waldegaard and Rauno Aaltonen.

- CREDIT: WWW.RALLYBUZZ.COM

Mikkelsen to drive Skoda Fabia WRC in WRC Rally Poland!

Last year, he was the youngest point scorer in a WRC round. So far this year, he has focused on the Norwegian Subaru Cup and Group N in the Norwegian Championship, but exciting young talent Andreas Mikkelsen (19) is back in a World Rally Car. When Rally Poland starts on 25 June, one of the world’s most talented young rally drivers and his co-driver, Ola Fløene, will be taking part in a Skoda Fabia WRC. The duo, who have achieved incredible results in their Subaru Impreza with, among other things, an overall victory in Rally Sørland Norway and the South Swedish Rally, are ready once again to take on the best rally drivers in the world.

“It’ll be great to be behind the wheel of a WRC car again. I really feel I’m ready now. The last six months of driving in group N have definitely made me a better driver,” said an enthusiastic Andreas Mikkelsen, who has not driven a WRC car since last autumn.

The car Mikkelsen and Fløene will be driving is a Skoda Fabia WRC, owned by Bernhard Kongsrud and last driven by Patrik Sandell from Sweden in Rally Hedemarken last year. Since then, the car has had a complete makeover, including, among other things, a new engine. The car is the newer of the two Skoda WRC cars that Kongsrud owns.

During Rally Poland, Mikkelsen will have a service team from Skoda Motorsport in the Czech Republic.

“We will be taking the Skoda for a two-day test drive in Norway next week, but I haven’t tried it yet. As far as the conditions we are expecting in Poland are concerned, I have heard that they will be very similar to those in Rally Finland, which means fast and good gravel roads. Even though I don’t know much about the car and the roads in Poland, my goal is of course to win points,” Mikkelsen said. That means he must be among the top eight. Considering that both Petter and Henning Solberg and also Mads Østberg are in the same league, Norwegian drivers could dominate the top places in Rally Poland.

There are good reasons and a long-term plan behind Mikkelsen and Fløene’s return to the international rally circus at this stage.

“There are mainly two reasons why we have chosen Rally Poland for Andreas’ return to the WRC. Firstly, this is a new event and everyone will start on an equal footing and be just as unfamiliar with the roads. The fact that this is a new event also means that it is important for Andreas to become acquainted with the conditions with a view to the future. The second reason is that we believe Andreas and Ola will stand a good chance with a Skoda Fabia WRC in this event.”

Mikkelsen’s Manager, Erik T. Veiby, said. The roads in Poland are relatively narrow, but fast and he regards Mikkelsen’s start in Poland as an important step on the road to an international career.

“It’s no secret that we have made long-term plans and Andreas will also be making other international appearances later this year.”

- CREDIT: WWW.RALLYBUZZ.COM

S E R U T A FE l tops Production Car standings

il ! t 9 s 0 io 0 r 2 t in n a k s a is e P N : s 9 •0 ike P n o e k a t o t a t s •10: Ford Fieiesta R2 car revealed in detailr!ally!

•11: Ford’s Fbeats Pons in second Spanish y!

•12: Lemes v wins ERC Croatia Delta Rall •13: Donche

Here HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS goes behind-the-scenes, into the pit garages, into the team offices, to bring you the most interesting and in-depth feature articles.

Nissan trio still tops Production Car standings Donaldson Nissan factory crews have a lock on the first three places in the Production Vehicle overall and premier SP Class standings in the Absa Off Road Championship.

The championship standings mirror the Donaldson Nissan domination of the season so far, with the squad scoring wins on all three events run to date. The winners of two of those events, Duncan Vos and Ralph Pitchford, top the overall and SP Class standings.

Vos and Pitchford, who overcame starting 55th on the road to finish third on the recent Nissan Sugarbelt 400, top the standings by 19 points from Norwegian Ivar Tollefsen and his British co-driver, Quin Evans, who finished fourth on this year’s Dakar Rally.

Tollefsen and Evan have been regulars in the Absa series for the last three seasons, and are knocking at the door of a maiden win. So far this season the pair have been models of consistency.

A win on the Nissan Sugarbelt in KwaZulu-Natal lifted veteran former champion Hannes Grobler and Juan Mohr into third place in both championships. It was their first win of the season with Mohr the reigning codrivers champion.

Fourth and fifth overall in the two championships go to Toyota crews. The consistent Chris Visser and Japie Badenhorst, in the RFS Toyota Hilux, are seven points behind Grobler/Mohr and have a 13 point cushion over Hein Lategan and Chris Birkin in the works Castrol Toyota Hilux.

The top positions in the SP Class standings are the same as in the overall points. The only difference is a slight reduction in the difference between the top five crews.

Nissan’s dominance so far is also reflected in the prestige

South African Manufacturers Award. At this stage Nissan have a 17 point lead over perennial rivals Toyota who are the reigning champions.

Three wins on the trot have given the father and son pair of Cliff and Louis Weichelt, in the N1 4x4 Toyota Hilux D4D, a tight hold on the Class D championship. They have a commanding 24 point lead over newcomers Heinie Strumpher and Hendrik van der Linde in the Micaren Exel Toyota Hilux.

Only two points, however, separates Strumpher/ van der Linde and third placed Dewald van Breda and Johan du Toit in the Northam Toyota Hilux D4D. Van Breda and du Toit campaigned in Class E in 2008 and were Rookies of the Year.

Two wins in three events has given Deon Venter and Ian Palmer, in the 4x4 Megaworld Toyota Hilux, a comfortable lead in Class E. A maiden national win for Pikkie Labuschagne and Rikus Erasmus, in another 4x4 Megaworld Toyota Hilux, on the Nissan Sugarbelt has lifted them into second place.

Third are reigning champion Jannie Visser and Joks le Roux in the RFS Toyota Hilux. They have picked up two third places so far this season, and trail Venter/Palmer by 30 points.

The next event on the calendar is the Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race in Gaborone from June 19 to 21. It is the only marathon event on the calendar and a highlight of the season.

- TEXT: SUPPLIED. IMAGES: MOTORPICS.

Ford Fiesta to take on Pikes Peak in 2009!

The new Ford Fiesta may not be hitting the streets of America officially until next year, but high-performance motorsport examples of the car will make their U.S. racing debut this summer when the Olsberg Motor Sport Evolution team from Sweden, managed by Andreas Eriksson, brings two new Fiesta Rallycross cars to compete in the annual Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado on 19 July.

“The new Fiesta is an engaging, fun to drive car that is off to a very successful start in Europe and Asia,” said Jim Farley, Group Vice President, Ford Global Marketing and Communications. “Thanks to Andreas Eriksson, we’re able to introduce the Fiesta to racing fans in the U.S. ahead of its launch in 2010.”

The Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb dates back to 1916, and is the second oldest motor sports event in America, taking its name from the famous mountain peak that towers above Colorado Springs in the Rocky Mountains and is often referred to as ‘The Race to the Clouds’.

Ford cars have been at Pike’s Peak since the very first race in 1916, when four Ford-powered cars competed. In 1922, Ford scored its first victory when Noel Bullock took his 179ci, OHV, 50 hp Ford Special, nicknamed “Tin Lizzy” by the other competitors, to a surprise victory in the time of 19:50.9.

The two Fiestas will be driven by Eriksson and rally legend Marcus Gronholm in the “Unlimited Class” at Pike’s Peak, in an attempt to be the first team to break the 10-minute mark over the 19,84km, 156-turn pavement and gravel course.

Andreas Eriksson, 35, is a four-time Swedish rally champion, with multiple Rallycross victories, and Marcus Gronholm, 41, is one of World Rallying’s greatest drivers, with two world championships and 30 WRC victories on his resume.

“We’re pleased to have a top independent team like Olsbergs MSE coming to the U.S. with their Fiesta Rallycross cars to take on the challenge of Pike’s Peak,” said Brian Wolfe, director, Ford North America Motorsports. “This will be a great chance for enthusiasts here to see in this unique setting what a lot of the rest of the world is already talking about – that the Fiesta is a great road car and a great race car.”

Ford Motor Company’s director of Global Motorsport Business Development, Jost Capito, said: “The Pike’s Peak event is another step forward for the new Ford Fiesta as a core vehicle in Ford’s future global motorsport aspirations. We’re looking forward to seeing Andreas and Marcus in action on this unique event.”

The Olsbergs MSE Fiesta Rallycross car is based on both the Fiesta hatchback model road cars. The all-wheel-drive Fiestas are powered by a 2,0-litre Duratec Ford engine capable of more than 800 horsepower. The Fiesta Rallycross car’s suspension system is the result of collaboration between Olsbergs Motor Sport Evolution, Ohlins and Ford of Europe’s Team RS engineers, who are responsible for Ford’s FIA World Rally Championship program.

“We worked night and day all winter to get the Fiesta ready on time for the European championships, and it was great to see it score a hardearned victory in Portugal at the start of May,” said Eriksson. “We are excited to be bringing the car to Pike’s Peak and to be able to see what it can do in such a unique competition. It’s a legendary event, and we’ve already been there to take a look at the challenge we will face. I’m convinced we’ll be a top contender to break the 10-minute mark and give the Fiesta a proper racing debut in the U.S.” - SUPPLIED. IMAGES: FORD OF EUROPE MEDIA

Ford’s Fiesta R2 car revealed in detail!

IMAGE: FORD OF EUROPE MEDIA

As featured in last week’s edition of H&H, here is Ford’s all-new Fiesta R2 rally car. This new machine is designed to replace the Fiesta ST rally car, and is aimed at competitors in the popular Fiesta SportTrophy series around the globe, as well as in domestic rally chamoionships, WRITES EVAN ROTHMAN. The Fiesta R2 has the following specificiations at the time of its launch (it is due for homologation on 1 July 2009): Donor vehicle: Ford Fiesta 1,6 Sport Engine: 1,6 Zetec 16V – 1 598cc – Ti-VCT

4 cylinders in line

DOHC; 16 valves

alloy cylinder head and block

variable cam timing.

Power: 163 PS @ 7,500 rpm

Torque: 182 Nm @ 5,700 rpm Transmission: Five speed Sadev sequential gearbox

limited slip differential

ECU developed by Pi Suspension: Reiger adjustable dampers

Eibach springs Brakes: Gravel (front): 285mm AP ventilated discs with four

piston competition calipers

Asphalt (front): 310mm AP ventilated discs with four

piston competition calipers

Rear: 280mm AP ventilated discs with single piston

calipers

Hydraulic handbrake Steering: Electric power-assisted steering.

Wheels: Gravel: OZ 6”x15” Gravel

Asphalt: OZ 6.5”x16” Asphalt Bodyshell: Welded T45 steel multipoint rollcage

optimised seat position and integrated dash bar Electronics: Bespoke instrument cluster by Visteon Dimensions: Length: 3 953mm

Width: 1 722mm

Height: 1 481mm

Wheelbase: 2 490mm

Weight: 1030kg

Lemes beats Pons in second Spanish rally!

IMAGES: WWW.RALLYBUZZ.COM

The second round of the Spanish Gravel Championship took place last Saturday near Guijuelo, Salamanca, a village that hosted this rally for the fourth time.

Despite the weather forecast predicting rain, the sun shone all day long, which made the stages very dusty. Yeray Lemes took the victory in the first stage of the rally over Xevi Pons, but the Catalonian won the second stage to take the rally lead by 6,7sec. Behind them, Oscar Fuertes was third, just in front of Dani Sola, whose Citoren C2 Proto had problems in the first stage. Fifth was rallye-raid driver Nani Roma who returned to the Spanish Gravel Championship, while Championship leader Brice Tirabassi lost one minute on SS1 and then suffered more when he was slapped with a three-minute time penalty.

On SS3 Pons posted the fastest stage time, and repeated this feat on the following stage to eke out a 20sec advantage. meanwhile, Lemes and Fuertes fought for second place: Lemes lost ten seconds on SS3, but regained that advantage in SS4.

In the battle for fourth position Sola set the second quickest stage time for SS3, but Roma was able to close down the gap to 0,8sec after SS4. Tirabassi had given up on winning the event, and settled into testing mode.

Stages five and six saw Pons’ lead increast to 28,7sec, while

Lemes pulled a gap from Fuertes. Roma attacked Fuertes and moved into third place overall. Sola and Tirabassi both retired from the event after SS6, and Willy Villanueva then moved into fifth place.

Over the remaining four stages, Pons settled into bringing his car home safely in first place. Lemes, however, had other plans, and attacked on SS7, SS8 and SS9.

Unbelievably, Pons suffered a mechanical problem on the final stage of the event. This problem cost him two-minutes and his rally lead as he slipped down the rally order to take fourth place overall.

Lemes won the rally, and also took the lead in the fight for the Spanich Gravel Rally Championship.Roma finished second overall, Fuertes third and Villanueva fifth (and winner of Group N). In the 2WD category, Alberto Monarri came home first, followed by Gorka Antxustegi.

FINAL Rallye de Guijuelo CLASSIFICATION: 01) Y. Lemes/S. Vega (Mitsubishi Lancer) - 46m56,0s 02) N. Roma/J. Muntada (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 48,3s 03. O. Fuertes/H. Casarrubios (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 48,4s 04) X. Pons/A. Haro (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 02min10,4s 05) W. Villanueva/B. Aguado (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 03min10s 06) B. Guerra/D. (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 03min46,0s 07) E. Fores/X. Aluju (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 04min29,8s 08) V. Senra/D. Vazquez (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 05m07,0s 09) C. Maruez/A. Goni (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 05min12,9s 10) C. Aldecoa/A. Sarasua (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 05min25,1s

- IMAGES: WWW.RALLYBUZZ.COM

Donchev wins ERC Croatia Delta Rally!

This nail-biting event saw four crews battling for the overall victory, but it was Bulgarian driver Krum Donchev that was crowned the winner of the third round of the European Rally Championship, the Croatia Delta Rally 2009, WRITES EVAN ROTHMAN. Michal Solowow and co-driver Maciej Baran plaed second overall, just 4,5sec behind Donchev and 36,6sec ahead of Luca Betti/Giovanni Bernacchini in third place.

Corrado Fontana was also in the running for overall victory, but a dismal performance on Day Three of the event meant he had to settle for fourth position.

An asphalt rally the Croatia Delta Rally 2009 was a test of not only driver skill, but also of correct tyre choice. An incorrect tyre compound cost vital seconds each stage. With a total of 15 Special Stages over 265,4 competitive kilometres (and a total distance of 742,4km), the leading four drivers sweated hard to eke out tenths of seconds on each stage. Donchev, Solowow, Betti and Fontana each posted impressive fastest stage times, but it was the consistency of Donchev that lead to his success in Croatia this past weekend.

The 2WD class offered the same high levels of competition, with Andrea Torlasco (Renault Clio R3) and Antonin Tlustak (Citroen C2 S1600) even chasing after the more powerful S2000 and Group N cars. Torlasco took the coveted win by 46,5sec from Tlustak after the fifteen high-speed asphalt stages were completed. This class has grown in size since 2008, with many S2000 and Group N competitors foregoing the more expensive cars in order to compete in a full championship in S1600 machines.

FINAL ERC Croatia Delta Rally CLASSIFICATION: 01) K. Donchev/P. Jordanow (Peugeot 207 S2000) - 02h 44min 27,8s 02) M. Sołowow/M. Baran (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 4,5s 03) L. Betti/G. Bernacchini (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 41,1s 04) C. Fontana/C. Cassina (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 02min 22,3s 05) D. Di Benedetto/N. Arena (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 06min 18,7s 06) V. Porcisteanu/D. Dobre (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) + 08min 03s 07) B. Lavio/L. Parodi (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 09min 22,5s 08) J. Szilgayi/B. Dienes (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) + 09min 39,0s 09) A. Torlasco/P. Capolongo (Renault Clio R3) + 10min 27,6s 10) A. Tlustak/J. Skaloud (Citroen C2 S1600) + 11min 14,1s

IMAGES: WWW.RALLYBUZZ.COM

The one in the middle wins races

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