H&H-84

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09 Edition 84 June 20

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Cover

Rally of South Africa PREVIEW!

inside this week:

News

Skoda to contest Ypres!

Features

WRC Rally Greece full PREVIEW!

Welcome to HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS

04 11 12 15 16

The world’s latest rally news

Toyota crews to bring fight to rivals in 1000 Desert Race!

Gemmell and Fekken title fight continues this weekend!

Greece Lightning: Fords to repeat Italian success?

Block takes the STPR Rally win!

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

Welcome to Issue 84 of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, your FREE weekly source of rallying news.

With another action-packed issue before you, it is plain to see that the world of rallying is more thrilling and exciting than ever before. This week’s cover feature is the Rally of South Africa with the cover star being the high-flying Mark Cronje and co-driver Robert Paisley in their impressive Castrol Toyota Auris S2000. Their Castrol Toyota teammates, Johnny Gemmell and Peter Marsh are locked in a fierce with the BP Volkswagen Polo S2000 of Hergen Fekken and Pierre Arries, and in Ermelo this weekend their title fight hots up even more!

As reported in last week’s issue HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, the ABSA South African Off Road National Championship takes in the gruelling Toyota 1000 Desert Race this weekend. The Nissan crews have be dominant thus far in the season, but Toyota has steadily been fighting back. Will their “home” event bring the Toyota boys their first overall win of 2009?

Jari-Matti Latvala will be hoping that he can sustain his impressive speed this weekend in Greece. The Fords are renowned for their speed and reliability at this event, but the five-times WRC champion should never be underestimated... Loeb has stated in the media this week that he is in the fighting mood! Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen had better bring their A-game this weekend.

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

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

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Petter Solberg nabs sponsorship deal with Shell for 2009 and 2010!

as handful of clubmen who are there to have a punt for the silverware on offer.

Mark Higgins tops the entries, with TEG Sport boss Lynn Newby dusting off her co-drivers overalls for the event. The battle royal joined between Higgins and Greenerways number two seed, Irishmen Keith Cronin & Greg Shinnors in the British Rally Championship, may not be at stake here, but you can bet that they will still be checking their stage times at every opportunity, eager to seek an advantage.

David Bogie & Kevin Rae will also make the change back to gravel mid-way through their BRC campaign, currently between asphalt events. But the youngster is joining battle away from two regular series’, currently trailing Jock Armstrong by just three points in the Scottish Rally Championship after closing the gap with victory on the Jim Clark Reivers Rally.

With Armstrong at car four, he and Bogie will have their own battle to play out ahead of the next SRC rally at the end of June. But it will be interesting to match the top drivers from the BRC and SRC on this one-off event. There will be a battle of the co-drivers between TEG Sport team cars too, as Lynn’s husband and team engineer Stuart Newby will co-drive for Armstrong.

Petter Solberg has announced a sponsorship deal with oil giant Shell for the rest of the season and 2010 as well, reported www.rallybuzz.com.

The deal will commence from the WRC Rally Greece-Acropolis onwards, and should enable Solberg to contest the remaining WRC rounds this year.

The Shell sponsorship could, however, effectively rule Solberg out of a chance to drive for any of the current manufacturer teams in the near future. This would arise out of a likely conflict of interests between rival oil companies, with BP backing the Ford teams and Total sponsoring the Citroens.

There is still no announcement yet as to whether Solberg will change the Citroen Xsara WRC in the immediate future, though the backing of Shell could open up the possibility of obtaining a more competitive machine.

- CREDIT: WWW.RALLYBUZZ.COM

BRC Greenerways tyre test turns into tussle for top positions!

The vital Greenerways Rally project to assess the impact of a future gravel rally “Eco Tyre” is set to be as entertaining as enlightening. The Forestry Commission and MSA will be on hand to observe the damage inflicted by the equivalent of a whole rally using this tyre. But they will also be treated to a battle between some of the country’s top drivers, as well

The third scot in the line-up, Aberdonian Dave Weston Jnr, looks like taking the event seriously. The BRC newcomer is sticking with co-driver Aled Davies and no doubt hoping that the brief switch back to gravel will be a green light to post a podium place.

Like TEG Sport, the BRC’s Revolution Wheels Rally Team will field two cars. Geoff Jones, having had a taste of the BRC on the Jim Clark, will be co-driven by team boss Warren McKiernan. Neither is new to rallying, in fact Geoff has more experience than most, but Warren’s experience of making pace-notes may put him at a disadvantage to the second Revolution crew.

Rob Swann and Darren Garrod will put their experience from several years in the British Rally Championship to good use on the 5.37-mile stage. With just two passes to make an accurate set of ‘notes, accuracy will be the key, so the long term partnership should pay dividends.

Another crew used to each other and currently lying fourth in the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge, are Irishman Owen Murphy and Welsh co-driver Dai Roberts. The third Lancer in a field dominated by Subarus, Owen will hope that the reputed power advantage of the Evo will be sufficient to move him up the order on this sprint event.

Welsh co-drivers are obviously in vogue, since Chris Davies has secured a seat in the noisiest car in the field. Peter Stephenson’s last outing in Kielder was as part of the British Rally Championship where he finished a creditable 15th overall

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on the Pirelli International Rally in April.

Simon Bowen and Richard Robinson are true clubmen, convinced that their first gravel event will be one to remember.

The car was only built in readiness for February, but Bowen has already contested several local club events, recently moving further afield for the Jim Clark Reivers Rally.

Skoda confirms entry for upcoming Ypres rally in Belgium

Another Clubman Jim McNeil is joined by the second female co-driver on the event, Kim Baker. Having scored a ninth place overall on March’s Riponian Rally, Jim’s move up from a Nova last year has proved successful, the in-car partnership with Baker carried forwards for this unusual event.

Finally British Rally Championship media man Simon Moss is joined by BRC regular Emma Morrison. The pair has contested a couple of events in the eBay Impreza, but Moss joins Bowen as a gravel first-timer, hoping his steadfast co-driver will impart some confidence.

The event format of a single repeated loop is designed to simulate an entire rally competing on the “Eco Tyre” and as such the drivers will have plenty of opportunities to hone their lines through the corners. But the true test will be whether the narrow pattern tyres make a difference to the wear and tear on the surface on what will be an interesting and hopefully entertaining event.

- CREDIT: WWW.RALLYBRC.CO.UK

Proton signs Briton Guy Wilks for IRC Ypres Rally debut!

Proton will make its debut in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge later this month when Guy Wilks contests the Belgium Ypres Rally in the Malaysian company’s Satria Neo Super 2000. This means that for the first time in the history of the series, all seven IRC-registered manufacturers will be represented on one event.

Although Wilks, from Great Britain, is a Belgium Ypres Rally novice, he has driven the Proton in competition before, leading the British championship Pirelli Rally in April, until he was forced out when a freak fire destroyed his car.

His inclusion on the Belgium Ypres Rally entry list brings the total number of Super 2000 cars contesting the asphalt event to 20: another record for the IRC. “I’ve made no secret of my desire to enter the IRC with Proton so it’s great it’s finally happening,” said the 28-year-old Wilks.

Wilks was a frontrunner in the FIA Junior World Rally Championship with the factory Suzuki team before making his debut in a Ford Focus World Rally Car on Rally Norway in February 2007. Since then he has claimed the British title twice and made his IRC debut in a Honda Civic Type-R on Rally Russia last season.

- CREDIT: WWW.IRCSERIES.COM

After a successful premiere at the IRC Monte Carlo Rally in January and a second-place finish at the IRC Sata Rally Acores in May, Skoda Motorsport has announced that it will appear at the next IRC event, the Belgium Ypres Rally (18 – 20 June), reported www.rallybuzz.com.

Finland’s Juho Hanninen and Czech driver Jan Kopecky will drive the factory Fabia S2000s, while Francois Duval will run a private Fabia entry through the Rene Georges team.

Commenting upon the factory team’s upcoming appearance at the Belgium Ypres Rally, the Head of Skoda Motorsport Michal Hrabanek said: “Initially, we were planning to appear again after the Sata Rally Acores in Russia, but we changed our mind because the rally in Belgium is one of the most important events in the IRC calendar, with many top-class drivers on the start line and an excellent setting. Last but not least, the event is going to be another premiere for the Fabia Super 2000, as this will be the vehicle’s first exclusively asphalt rally.”

More than 20 S2000 entries from seven different manufacturers are expected to take the start of the Belgium Ypres Rally: a record for the IRC! - CREDIT: WWW.RALLYBUZZ.COM

2010 Dakar Rally promises more desert, more off-road From Buenos Aires to Antofagasta and back: For its “title defence” project, Volkswagen anticipates a tougher Dakar Rally than ever before. The approximate track profile of the legendary off-road marathon which the organiser A.S.O. announced in advance will contain more desert and off-road parts – and thus more challenges for the drivers, co-drivers and technology. In January 2010, the roughly 8,500-kilometre route will cover a clearly longer, seven-stage distance through Chile, lead far up into the north of Bolivia and feature a significantly larger number of kilometres through the world’s most arid region, the Atacama desert.

After the historic victory this year – Volkswagen was the first

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manufacturer to win with a diesel-powered car – the Wolfsburg brand will contest the 2010 event with four Race Touareg vehicles and the newly formed pairings Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz Senra (E/E) and Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) as well as Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA), the duos that ran together before. “We welcome the clearly changed route of the next Dakar Rally that is even more demanding than the last one. The route will take our drivers and co-drivers through many new regions which are impressive even on paper. In addition, there will be difficult challenges such as the two-time crossing of the Andes which we remember from last year,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. “Again, the crucial factor will be to prevail against the rally itself first, and we’re taking on this challenge.”

Volkswagen driver Giniel de Villiers, who was the first African to decide the “Dakar” in his favour this year, welcomes the new route. “In 2010, we will experience the toughest stages of the rally on the third day – clearly earlier than last year.

The route promises excitement galore: two crossings of the Andes, the Atacama desert as well as the route south of it, have the potential for lots of surprises,” said the 37-year-old.

His co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz added, “In 2010, we’ll be in for an even more intense experience of everything that makes the Dakar Rally special. This requires high levels of driving and navigation skills but also makes exacting demands on the material.”

The 2010 Dakar Rally that will see its ceremonial start on New Year’s Day and finish in Buenos Aires on 16 January will again lead through Argentina and Chile, cross the Andes twice and – on a total of five legs – run through the towering dunes of the notorious Atacama desert. The loop covering about 8,500 kilometres (about 5,200 of which are special stages) will now run anti-clockwise through the Argentine rally mecca of Córdoba, across the “pinnacle stage” of the last “Dakar” between La Rioja and Fiambalá and across the Andes at extremely high altitudes. Copiapó in Chile will again be a stage finish, and the town of Antofagasta will be on the schedule for the first time. The 2010 “Dakar’s” northernmost point will be in Iqueque. From there the route will again lead through Antofagasta, where the rally’s only rest day is scheduled for 09 January, and Copiapó to La Serena and Chile’s capital Santiago de Chile. In Argentina, after the second crossing of the Andes, the destinations San Juan, San Rafael and Santa Rosa are on the agenda before the winners will be celebrated in Buenos Aires on 17 January.

Volkswagen is preparing for the Dakar Rally by contesting two other rallies: At the end of June, the Wolfsburg automobile manufacturer will compete in the Rallye dos Sertões in Brazil (23 June–04 July), which covers a total of ten legs and serves as very good simulation of the rough gravel legs of the “Dakar” in the pampas, with three Volkswagen Race Tourag 2 vehicles. At the inaugural event of the Silk Way Rallye (05–13 September) Volkswagen will be among the contenders as well: The cross-country rally in the orient staged by “Dakar” organiser A.S.O. will lead through unknown territory in Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

- CREDIT: VOLKSWAGEN MOTORSPORT MEDIA.

Neuville handed IRC Ypres Rally drive

by BFGoodrich Thierry Neuville has been chosen to represent the BFGoodrich Drivers’ Team on the Belgium Ypres Rally. The Belgian event is the second round of the scheme this year, which gives promising local drivers the chance to compete in their home round of the IRC with a top level car.

Neuville, who will turn 21 in the week leading up to the asphalt event, was chosen by a 19-strong panel, which was made up of Belgian journalists and representatives of BFGoodrich, Kronos Racing and the Belgian governing body, the RACB. He will drive a Kronos-prepared Peugeot 207 Super 2000 after receiving eight votes to the six handed to Melissa De Backere.

Prior to the Belgium Ypres Rally on 18 - 20 June, Neuville will get the opportunity to familiarise himself with the Peugeot 207 during a specially arranged test session in Belgium on 10 June.

- CREDIT: WWW. IRCSERIES.COM

European Challenge aces to join IRC regulars for IRC Ypres Rally

Several leading lights from the FIA European Rally Championship will battle the Intercontinental Rally Challenge regulars for glory on the Belgium Ypres Rally later this month.

The ERC runs alongside the IRC on four events this year.

Current ERC leader Michal Solowow, from Poland, thirdplaced Corrado Fontana and fellow Italian Luca Betti, who is fourth overall in the ERC standings after three events, have all entered the asphalt rally in a fleet of Peugeot 207 Super 2000s. Italian Davide de Benedetto and Swiss Brian Lavio are two other ERC drivers competing in Belgium from June 18-20.

In addition to the Belgium Ypres Rally, the ERC and IRC run together in Madeira, the Czech Republic (Barum Rally Zlin) and Spain (Rally Principe de Asturias).

Giandomenico Basso, who drives for the factory Abarth team in the IRC, is also registered for the ERC. Although the former European champion is only contesting a limited programme of events, he won the season-opening Rally 1000 Miglia in Italy and could yet challenge for the title if he scores well during the summer.

- CREDIT: WWW.IRCSERIES.COM

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Swiss rally star to tackle IRC Switzerland will get its first regular representative in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge when Brian Lavio contests the Belgium Ypres Rally next month.

The 25-year-old has registered for the FIA European Rally Championship, which runs alongside the IRC on selected events. In addition to Ypres, Lavio’s programme will include Barum Rally Zlin in Czech Republic in August and Rally Principe de Asturias in Spain in September.

Lavio said: “We are very happy for this opportunity. For us it will be the first time we have competed in such an important championship. For sure our goal is not fight for the victory but increase our pace and gain more experience.”

Lavio will drive a Peugeot 207 Super 2000, run by the Italian Balbosca operation, alongside co-driver Luca Parodi. They began their campaign on the European championship Croatia Delta Rally, which started in Zagreb on Thursday evening (28 May).

Their final event of the season is the Rallye International du Valais in Switzerland from 29- 31 October. Although the event is not a round of the IRC it qualifies for IRC Supporter Event status.

- CREDIT: WWW.IRCSERIES.COM

David Higgins head back to China!

After a seven month break between Chinese Rally Championships, David Higgins has returned to the far east to prepare for the season opening Jiangning Rally.

It has been three months since David and his co-driver Ieuan Thomas competed together, on the Bulldog Historic Rally in a Ford Escort Mk1. A pre-event accident where a piece of metal pierced through David’s hand, and work commitments at the family rally school, ruled them out of the Pirelli Historic which they had been due to enter next.

“It will be great to get back into a rally car after so long and fantastic to finally get back out on the stages in China after the huge break between championships out there,” said David.

“As usual with China, we will have a hefty test of the Mitsubishi Lancer E9 before the rally when we get out there with the team, and we are with the WY rally team again this year so we all know each other and work together well.”

David and Ieuan remain a force to be reckoned with in the championship having won a record number of events over the last two seasons. But this month the Jiangning Rally will be a new test for everyone involved.

“The Jiangning Rally is a new event for all of us in the Chinese championship,” added David. “That’s always a good leveller across the field, we have no idea what it will be like apart from knowing there will be six stages and a super special on Friday, six stages on Saturday and four stages on Sunday. I like the challenges doing a totally new event in a championship bring with it and that’s important to the competitors to keep the championship refreshed and more interesting. One challenge that I’m not looking forward to though is the heat, it’s already

38 degrees out in that area of China and could get even hotter.

That could make things very difficult – especially for two guys who are more used to the weather we get on Rally GB in Wales.”

Although David has not been competing in a rally car recently, he has completed a few kart races, having always been a promoter of kart racing as a way to hone your skills for rallying between events, and an enthusiast kart competitor since his early childhood on the Isle of Man. The Jingnang Rally takes place from Friday 12th June until Sunday 14th June, based in Jiangsu.

Solberg to use Citroen Xsara on next two rallies, testing new car Petter Solberg has stated to autosport.com that he will use the Citroen Xsara WRC on the next two WRC events, but he will test a new car next week with a view to changing for Rally Finland, reported www.rallybuzz.com.

Solberg said to autosport.com: “It’s very good news to get the extra sponsor confirmed. We will continue to see what happens with the car. We have some new ideas for Greece, but I will also test something else after that rally.

“I can say I will be in the car [Citroen Xsara WRC] for the next two events and we’ll see after that. If the test with the other car goes well, then we’ll use it in Finland.”

He could skip Rally Australia and Catalunya: “Australia is an expensive rally, but nothing is decided yet. Spain is the other possible one to miss, because it’s asphalt and you need more for an asphalt rally, but let’s see. Everything can still happen, but we’ll test the car next week and take it from there.

“The good thing is that we’re in Greece and we’re going to be out a lot more for the rest of the season - but I still want to be fighting at the front.”

- CREDIT: WWW.RALLYBUZZ.COM

WRC promoter wants Kimi Raikkonen in World Rally Championship World Rally Championship global promoter Simon Long said he would be “extremely interested” in talking to Kimi Raikkonen about the Finn’s future beyond F1, according to Autosport magazine.

Raikkonen competed on his first asphalt rally last weekend, but crashed out of the event with a broken TCA on SS3, after suffering centre differential problems with the Punto from the start of the rally.

Kimi states that he is interested in contesting more rallies this season, with another two outings pencilled in for the Tommi Makinen Racing prepared Abarth Grande Punto S2000.

ISC CEO Simon Long commented to Autosport: “Our sport is built on heroes and iconic figures - and they don’t come any bigger than Kimi Raikkonen. Just the mention of his name has

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got my pulse racing.

“I’d be more than willing to talk to his people to help out in any way we can. We’ve seen the attraction WRC holds for Valentino Rossi, and I’m sure it would be the same for Raikkonen.”

29-year-old Raikkonen is contracted to Ferrari until the end of 2010.

- CREDIT: Autosport and WWW.RALLYBUZZ.COM

Solberg to use Citroen Xsara on next two rallies, testing new car Petter Solberg has stated to autosport.com that he will use the Citroen Xsara WRC on the next two WRC events, but he will test a new car next week with a view to changing for Rally Finland, reported www.rallybuzz.com.

Solberg said to autosport.com: “It’s very good news to get the extra sponsor confirmed. We will continue to see what happens with the car. We have some new ideas for Greece, but I will also test something else after that rally.

“I can say I will be in the car [Citroen Xsara WRC] for the next two events and we’ll see after that. If the test with the other car goes well, then we’ll use it in Finland.”

He could skip Rally Australia and Catalunya: “Australia is an expensive rally, but nothing is decided yet. Spain is the other possible one to miss, because it’s asphalt and you need more for an asphalt rally, but let’s see. Everything can still happen, but we’ll test the car next week and take it from there.

“The good thing is that we’re in Greece and we’re going to be out a lot more for the rest of the season - but I still want to be fighting at the front.”

- CREDIT: WWW.RALLYBUZZ.COM

Wales Rally GB added to WRC calendar for 2010 - Press Release Wales Rally GB (WRGB), Britain’s iconic round of the World Rally Championship (WRC), has been confirmed as the final round of the new 2010 WRC calendar, to be ratified by the FIA later this month. The decision should lay to rest the concerns of the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG), which recently served notice of its intention to terminate its sponsorship contract because of uncertainty over the event’s status in 2010.

Event organisers now look forward to receiving confirmation from WAG that the existing contract will run as scheduled until 2011. Andrew Coe, chief executive of event organiser International Motor Sports, noted: “We’re delighted that we’re back on the 2010 calendar. This is heartening news for everyone in Wales and should save the Welsh taxpayer millions of pounds that would have been wasted in a lengthy and unnecessary legal battle.

He continued: “We have an agreement moving forward that sees the world’s spotlight very much on Wales. As from the outset of our agreement with WAG, we continue to deliver on our promises of a landmark event that brings significant investment into the country, estimated to be at least £10 million per annum from public funding of £2 million. By any measure this investment represents good value for money and supports many businesses and jobs in Wales.

“Wales is committed to delivering internationally-significant events to raise its profile on the international stage. We understand this and have worked consistently to make WRGB a world leader. The significance of the event is widely recognised by the Welsh public, the Welsh business community as well as the many local communities and charitable institutions who benefit annually from this event.

“We have a five year contract to deliver WRGB and we are

committed, passionately, to making it happen. Everything is now in place to see that successful partnership continue.”

Peter Hain, MP for Neath and former Secretary of State for Wales, noted: “Wales Rally GB is a landmark event, not only for the World Rally Championship but for Welsh sport. The event attracts tens of thousands of visitors from elsewhere in Britain and across the world, as well as global TV coverage, and brings over £10 million extra spending on hundreds of local businesses from hotels to restaurants to garages. It would be a terrible blow, not just to rally enthusiasts but to Wales as a whole, if it were lost due to withdrawal of Welsh Assembly Government funding.”

This year’s WRGB is scheduled to start in Cardiff on Thursday 22nd October and finish in the Welsh capital on Sunday 25th October. It is the 12th and final round of the 2009 WRC. - CREDIT: WWW.WALESRALLYGB.COM

S2000 Rally Wales ‘World GB Cup’ added being to WRC considered calendar for inclusion for 2010 in 2010 - Press WRCRelease An S2000 World Cup is being discussed for inclusion in the 2010 World Rally Championship, reports Autosport magazine.

The concept is designed to bring more manufacturers and private teams into the series. Ford team boss Malcolm Wilson is a pioneer of the project, which will be discussed at the next FIA WMSC meeting on June 24. The Cumbrian is ready to commit Fiesta S2000s to the new series.

Commenting in Autosport, Wilson said: “If it helps to bring more entries and cars, then it has to be good - I’m all for bringing more S2000 cars to the World Rally Championship and people will soon realise, through things like engine pairing, that the WRC is the cheapest way to take an S2000 rallying across the world.”

WRC global promoter Simon Long added: “The Super 2000 World Cup would afford the opportunity to teams, manufacturers and individuals, who are wondering whether or not to dip their toe in the water with WRC, to do just that over the course of 2010 before taking the step up in 2011.”

A world title would be up for grabs with the series, and there is even the possibility that manufacturer teams could enter the Super 2000 World Cup and score points in the main WRC makes’ series.

- CREDIT: Autosport and WWW.RALLYBUZZ.COM

McHaleRally Wales to pass GB up added on Opel to WRC Corsa calendar S2000 IRC fordebut 2010at - Press Ypres Release Rally Gareth MacHale passed up the opportunity to give the MSD Opel Corsa OPC S2000 its IRC debut, in Belgium, as he will be contesting the clashing Donegal International Rally instead, according to Motorsport News.

Frenchman Alex Bengue will drive the Super 2000 machine on the Ypres Rally while MacHale will review his season’s plans after Donegal.

MacHale stated to Motorsport News: “We will decide what our plans our for the rest of the season after Donegal. If Eugene wins in Donegal it will be hard to beat him to the Tarmac title in which case we will look at possible IRC outings in Russia and Italy. The Barum Rally also clashes with the Ulster International so again the result in Donegal will decide what we do.”

MacHale currently lies fourth in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, driving his Ford Focus WRC, 18 points behind series leader Eugene Donnelly.

- CREDIT: Motorsport News and WWW.RALLYBUZZ.COM

S E R U T A FE o bring fight to rivals in 1000isDweseeerkteRnadc! e!

t h t s s w e e u r in c t a n t o o c y t o h T g : fi •11 le it ? t s n s e e k c k c e u F s d n n a a li a ll t e I t m a •12: Gem Lightning: Fords to repe •15: Greece akes the STPR Rally win!

•16: Block t

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.

Toyota crews to bring fight to rivals in 1000 Desert Race!

A tougher than ever Toyota 1000 Desert Race is the daunting prospect facing competitors on the 2009 Toyota 1000 Desert Race, round four of the Absa Off Road Championship, in Botswana from 19 - 21 June.

The event marks the halfway mark in this year’s national championship and, while competitors face a tough weekend, it is a challenge they will relish. The Toyota 1000 Desert Race is the only long distance event on the calendar, and is regarded by the off road fraternity as the Comrade Marathon of the Absa series.

“The route once again takes in the usual thick sand, rivers and riverbeds, thorn trees and passes through some remote areas of the Kalahari,” said Clerk of the Course Skean Drummond. The race is again being organised by the 4 Wheel Drive Club of South Africa with an army of helpers swinging into action.

“While the route goes into some remote areas it also takes in more popular locations like Mantswabisi, Hatsalatladi, Kumakwani, Medie and Metsemotlhabe,” said Drummond. “By way of contrast from sand and more sand there are also a number of rocky sections that will test crews to the limit.

“It is going to be tough, but that is what the Toyota 1000 Desert Race is all about.”

The event will again have its headquarters at the Game City complex in Gaborone.

Documentation will be held on Friday 19 June before the start of the 70km prologue to determine start positions for the race proper.

Drummond said the prologue was “an extremely tight, twisty and bumpy section of approximately 70km finishing near the village of Gabane.” A short section of back roads will take competitors back to Game City.

The race will start at 08:00 on Saturday 20 June with a great deal of pomp and ceremony at Game City with a grueling section taking crews in a north westerly direction to the Mascom DSP (designated service park). There is a compulsory 15 minutes de-control at the DSP and from there competitors will head to Malwewe.

From Malwewe there is some high speed driving before cars turn south and tackle a tight section towards the Mascom DSP. Cars will remain at the DSP overnight with the Sunday, June 21 start a short distance away from the overnight halt.

The first section of the route on the final day will see cars complete a loop that will circle back to the Mascom DSP for a compulsory 15 minute de-control.

The survivors will then set out on the final section which takes competitors back to Game City – and frontrunners will be mindful of the fact that the event is often won and lost in the last 100km.

“Competitors look forward to the challenge the Toyota 1000 Desert Race offers,” said Drummond. “While it is obviously going to be tough on men and machinery we have done our best to come up with a route that is varied and interesting.

“I think we have succeeded but the Toyota 1000 Desert Race is a unique event that over the years has taken on the mantle of the flagship race in the Absa championship.”

- TEXT: SUPPLIED. IMAGES: MOTORPICS.

Gemmel and Fekken title fight continues this weekend!

Johnny Gemmell and his Zimbabwean co-driver Peter Marsh lead the Sasol South African Rally Championship after three rounds with 69 points, but the factory Castrol Toyota pair are just four points ahead of their Volkswagen-mounted rivals, current SA champions Hergen Fekken and Pierre Arries.

These two drivers have dominated the top step of the podium so far with two wins for the Toyota Auris driver and one for the BP Volkswagen pair. The closeness of the rivalry is such that it is impossible to predict the outcome of the Ermelo-based rally, with mere seconds separating first and second places. Add the two title leader’s team mates into the championship equation and there will be a five-way battle royal across the thirteen Mpumulanga Highveld stages.

The S2000 Castrol Toyota and BP Ultimate Volkswagen teams continue to set the pace and raise the stakes every time they head into the country’s finest gravel stages and the war will continue on the 35th Rally of South Africa, the midway point of a spectacular and thrilling rally season.

Gemmell’s two wins, on the season opening Tour Natal Rally and recent Sasol Rally, was supplemented by a last stage shoot out on the Toyota Cape Rally, where Gemmell had to settle for second place; Fekken on the other hand, was twice

knocked off the top step but he kept a cool head in the Cape to take line honours.

Third in the title standings is the rejuvenated wily old fox, six times champion Jan Habig and his seven times co-driver’s champion Douglas Judd. Rumours continue unabated that this will be the VW pairing’s last season, and if so, Habig would like nothing more than to bow out with a few more wins to add to his impressive career tally of 36 wins. They are 3rd in the standings with 54 points.

Likewise Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson, the 2006 champions, would like to spray the winner’s champagne at least once this year and add to their 33 points and 7th place on the points table.

Not to be outdone, Mark Cronje and Robert Paisley, driving the second Castrol Toyota Auris have rediscovered their pace and confidence and after an excellent podium on the Sasol Rally, will be aiming higher up the order this time out. Cronje’s maiden win came last year and he has shown winning pace on most rallies since, but a series of mishaps has kept the former karting world champion away from the victor’s laurels. Cronje is 5th in the title race on 36 points.

The two Castrol Toyotas and three BP Ultimate Volkswagen Polos head up an impressive 11 car Super 2000 entry.

Japie van Niekerk and Robin Houghton will be in the running for a top six finish if they bring their New Africa Developments Toyota RunX back in one piece. One finish from three starts is not what the Pretoria property developer had in mind; by way of preparation for the Rally of South Africa, Van Niekerk took part in the recent Tzaneen regional rally and won all five

stages, so he should be well up to speed.

The most likely crew to challenge the ‘works’ teams for outright wins is the Total backed Toyota RunX of Jean-Pierre Damseaux and Andre Vermeulen. A win seems a long way off at the moment as the pair has failed to finish any of this season’s events, so that will be their first objective. After storming to his career first win on last year’s Swartland Rally, Damseaux has shown he has what it takes to follow in his father’s wheel-tracks.

A second Team Total Toyota RunX, that of the flamboyant Fernando Rueda and Cobus Vrey is not on the ultimate winning pace yet but is a safe bet for a healthy helping of points; a 4th on the opening round, 6th on the Sasol Rally and a non-finish on his home event in the Cape is the Spaniards score card to date.

Nicholas Ryan and Geoff Tyrer (S2000 Toyota RunX) gave a good demonstration of their abilities in both the Tour Natal and Sasol rallies but was held back from his true potential by steering problems in Mpumulanga so watch the Brakpan driver give his all in Ermelo.

Theuns Viljoen and Hennie Botes (S2000 Salom Group Volkswagen Polo) have taken a sensible approach to their season, their first in the top class.

They have put in three steady runs to accumulate experience and points – they are tied with Cronje – after finishing each rally inside the top 10.

The Rally Chicks, Lola and Megan Verlaque round out the S2000 entries with only their second outing in the Sasol national series as their main focus this year is the African Rally Championship. Lola is 7th in the ARC standings after three rounds held to date.

The top two wheel drive class A7 leaders are tied on 18 points apiece and this fight is set to be one of the highlights of the Rally of South Africa.

Stevan Wilken and Greg Gericke (Pannar Seeds/Triton Express Volkswagen Polo) have two wins to their names after taking class honours in the first two rounds but crashed out on the shakedown test before the start of the Sasol Rally; they start the Rally of SA as favourites to pick up where they left off.

Evan Hutchinson/Elvene Coetzee (Motorite Toyota RunX) have endured a persistent and seemingly incurable misfire deep in the RunX’s wiring loom but have managed to bring their silver and black car home 2nd in class on each occasion, giving them 18 points and very much still in the title chase. A maiden class win cannot be far off for the professional Hutchinson.

The old Toyota warhorse, the venerable Corolla still has a lot of fight left as demonstrated by Schalk Burger and Armand du Toit on the Sasol Rally, where the reigning 2008 Northern Regions Rally Champions dominated class A7 in their USN Spike Energy Drink Corolla. Burger has found a cure for his early season mechanical problems and will be a force to be reckoned with in Ermelo.

Last year’s Rally of South Africa pacesetter, Michael Otto and Tommy Du Toit have endured a miserable year in their Liqui Moly Toyota Corolla, failing to get anywhere near the end of a rally so far. Likewise, the current class A7 champions, Chris de Wit/Dean Redelinghuys (Team Total Toyota RunX) have failed to even start the first two rallies after the engine twice broke during testing; when the car finally made it over the starting ramp on the Sasol Rally, the gearbox gave in after a handful of stages.

Class A6 is becoming Mohammed Moosa and Grant Martin’s almost exclusive reserve with two wins and the early season class lead. The Team Total Toyota Auris is the class of the field and only mechanical problems or driver error will prevent a third consecutive win.

Class Champions Craig Trott and Robbie Coetzee (Team Total Toyota RunX) are second in the points race through sheer consistency with 16 points to their names, one ahead of Rodney Visagie and Carolyn Swan in a similar Team Total RunX. The two RunX teams are likely to provide a thrilling fight to be the best and given a little luck on their part, maybe a class win.

Class A5 continues to go from strength to strength in spite of having little or no glamour attached to it.

Gugu Zulu and Carl Peskin, the 2007 champions lead the title

chase after two wins but inexplicably, the normally bullet-proof BP Ultimate Volkswagen CitiGolfs both broke on the Sasol Rally, leaving Vusi Mabanga and Shaun Visser to take a very popular maiden class win in the little Team Total Toyota Yaris, a result that hoists them to second in the class title race, 1 point ahead of the current champions Andre Cleenwerck/Des de Fortier.

The second BP CitiGolf is tied in third place with young Morne van Rensburg/Dewald Hattingh (GC Diesel VW CitiGolf); the post matric driver is the only crew in the smallest modified class to finish all three rounds to date with 2nd in class his career best result.

Ashley Haigh Smith/Hilton Auffrey (React Toyota Yaris) continues to gain experience in their first full season of national rallying while Riyad Jaffer/ Henry Dearlove (Sasol Toyota Yaris) face an uphill battle and must finish the Rally of South Africa after rolling down a mountain last time out.

Piet Bakkes/Johan Aucamp (Sasol Komatipoort VW CitiGolf) and Benjamin Pinho/Raymond Heenop (Ford Ka) round out the entries.

The production car battle has been comprehensively dominated by one team so far this season – the Sasol/Konica Minolta Subaru Impreza N14 of reigning champions Charl Wilken and Greg Godrich with a full house of victories to their name, including a stunning 2nd place overall on the Tour Natal Rally back in March. Wilken and Godrich, besides leading class N4 and the production car championship are also 4th on the overall rally championship standings.

The Sasol Impreza crew has 50 points on the production car championship table, exactly double that of their nearest rivals, Visser du Plessis/Gerhard Snyman in an identical Pirtek Subaru Impreza N14. Du Plessis has been bothered by electrical and mechanical problems on each round so far. Given a change in fortune, he should be able to close the performance gap to Wilken.

Tjaart Coetzee and former rally winner turned coach Etienne Lourens will be out in their SAC Trucks Subaru Impreza N12B; the car is a former class winner in Hein Lategan’s hands so is a known quantity, while the driver is still in his first season of

national competition, where they scored a maiden podium on the Sasol Rally.

Class N3 for production based front wheel drive cars has been a Dave Compton/Pierre Jordaan benefit so far. Like Wilken, Compton has taken the Sasol Toyota RunX to three untroubled class wins with little competition. The former circuit racer has kept himself busy troubling the class A6 machinery to stay focused, and a top 15 result is a very real possibility.

Riaan and Hester Erasmus,

running the former championship winning ex-Visagie machine, have yet to score a point but should offer Compton some measure of competition, while Tony Barbosa/Kenny Hill (Ford Fiesta ST) could score another second in class as they did on the Sasol Rally.

The Rally of South Africa features a challenge rally on day 2, open to any competitor who drops out on day one, as well as non-homologated cars that run in the regional rally championship. The organisers hope to attract a dozen entries for the challenge, which traverses the day two route.

The action gets underway at noon on Friday from Ermelo Toyota, 130 Kerk Street, Ermelo and takes crews to the Warburton area for three stages. The well-known Ringkink and Busby stages run without service before teams take on the daunting 60km long Jessievale stage.

Saturday sees the teams leave Ermelo Toyota at 07h30, heading to the Panbult area for three stages before the day’s first service. Teams will have to find the balance between speed and risk. After the first service, there are two further stages, including a brand new stage, before the next service opportunity, whereafter the survivors will again tackle the day’s opening three stages, again without any service.

The Rally of South Africa ends with a grand finale on the outskirts of Ermelo with two runs over the well known gravel SuperSpecial stage. The SuperSpecial offers panoramic views of the 2.99 km long stage, where cars compete side-by-side.

The rally finished at approximately 16h00.

- TEXT SUPPLIED BY SASOL. IMAGES: MOTORPICS.

Greece Lightning: Fords to repeat Italian success?

Following the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team’s impressive one-two performance in last month in Sardinia, drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen will be looking for a repeat performance in this weekend’s WRC Rally GreeceAcropolis. This the seventh round of the 12-event calendar is considered the toughest challenge for the WRC cars. Latvala and Hirvonen, however, are fully-aware of the difficulties that face crews over the gravel tracks and are expecting a full-on Citroen Total World Rally Team attack spearheaded

by Sebastien Loeb, WRITES EVAN ROTHMAN. Greece is unlike any other event on the WRC calendar. The Special Stages west of Athens have a fearsome reputation: the rocky mountain roads, punishing heat and dangerously large rocks lining the tracks will catch any unwary drivers: here a mistake will result in retirement. A blend of strength, reliability, speed and consistency will lead to a strong performance for brave crews.

After three years in Athens, the rally moves 80km west to Loutraki for its new home and the new-look route sees the return of some classic Acropolis stages. Friday’s action heads north around the Gulf of Corinth to tackle well-known stages near Livadia and Itea, which hosts a brief 15-minute service break in early afternoon. Saturday’s route takes competitors into the Peloponnese region, a traditional Acropolis venue during the 1980s, for all-new stages. Sunday’s final leg, the shortest of the rally, heads north and east of Loutraki and includes two passes over the demanding 33,00km Aghii Theodori. The rally finishes in Loutraki after 17 stages covering 371,02km in a route of 1208,18km. Only one test remains unchanged from 2008.

“Conditions are likely to be very similar to Sardinia, but rougher,” he said. “There are so many new stages this year that it’s almost like tackling a new rally. I seem to do well on new rallies, so I hope the same is true here. Acropolis is so tough that it’s probably the only event in the season where a driver must think seriously about protecting the car. It’s still flat out all the way, but I must be careful where I brake and give some thought to looking after the tyres.

“I feel the heat most before stage starts, both when I’m changing tyres and also sitting in the car with my seat belts and helmet on, waiting for three or four minutes to start a stage. There is no air getting into the car. On the stages themselves air comes into the car, and I’m so concentrated on driving and listening to Jarmo reading the pace notes that it doesn’t feel so bad,” added Hirvonen.

“Sometimes you really mustn’t hesitate to lift over the rougher parts to make sure you don’t damage anything or puncture. Our C4 WRC and our Pirelli Scorpion tyres are very strong, but you’re talking here about very extreme conditions, especially when the weather is hot,” said Sebastien Loeb. Having won five rounds from six so far this season, Loeb will be looking to take his total score of WRC successes to 53: “Our 17-point lead in the championship should incite us to try to control our advantage, but I will be out to win. As we saw in Sardinia, nothing can ever be taken for granted and we can’t afford to ease up in any way. I’m expecting it to be a difficult event, especially since our rivals have a habit of going well in Greece.”

Dani Sordo finished fifth in Greece last year after being eliminated from the fight for top spot by a number of punctures. This time round, the Spaniard hopes to be able to profit from his experience to target a better result: “It will an interesting event because there are so many new stages. The Acropolis is a rally I enjoy and I believe I can play a front-running role. We were down on luck last year, but we were competitive, so we will try to be consistent and look after our car as best we can. My objective is the same as ever, and that is to score as many points as possible to help Citroën increase its lead in the Manufacturers’ standings. If that permits me to recover second place in the Drivers’ championship from Mikko Hirvonen, then so much the better!”

These 17 Special Stages could prove definitive for the remainder of the WRC season.

An event that suit’s the Fords better than it does the Citroens, WRC Rally GreeceAcropolis has all the makings of a nail-biting event. Roll on Greece!

Block takes the STPR Rally win!

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block set the fastest times on the opening stages of the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally and never looked back, taking his second win of the season at this notoriously tough event this past weekend.

Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino have had their share of bad luck this season, with three DNFs in their previous four starts and Block said he was happy for the win – especially at an event that hasn’t been kind to him in the past. “STPR has been a struggle for me. I’m happy,” said Block. “I’ve rolled here, I broke last year, the year before that I crashed in shakedown and then made it a stage and a half.”But he wasn’t ready to say he’d managed to shake off the season’s bad-luck streak: “I’m not going to say it’s over until I finish at least three or four more events.”

Block’s Subaru teammates Travis Pastrana and co-driver Christian Edstrom took second place. The duo lost a minute to suspension damage on Day One, but managed to claw back into second place and hold it there to the finish.

Pastrana admitted the course was fast enough to be scary at times, but he was able to keep a cool head and extend his championship lead. “The goal was win if you can, but podium for sure,” said Pastrana. “It was a good event.”

Third place went to Bill Bacon and co-driver Peter Watt, their first U.S. podium result together. “We tried to push right from the getgo,” said Bacon. “Until now, our best finish in the States was fourth, so we’re happy.” Bacon is running a limited season this year but with a pair of top-five finishes early on, he has secured enough points to be awarded an X Games invitation. If he is able to attend, this will be his first time in the high-profile

Los Angeles contest.

In addition to battling for championship points, many teams are vying for a shot at X Games gold in August. Four top points scorers in the Rally America series will earn an invitation after this event.

Polish driver Andi Mancin and co-driver Ryszard Ciupka – who are also expected to receive an X Games invitation - finished fourth this weekend. The event started poorly for the duo, who took a rock to a brake line on Day One and were forced to run a stage without brakes, then lost even more time to an ailing clutch on Day Two. Piotr Wiktorczyk and Grzegorz Dorman took the Super Production class win, finishing in fifth place overall. Wiktorczyk is also expected to make the trip to X Games this summer.

STPR is typically tough and often becomes a battle of attrition as teams fall victim to the challenging course and tough roads. The 2009 event was no different.

Antoine L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard – who took the win here in 2008 – reported trouble with their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X throughout the contest. After losing time on Day 1 to a blown turbo hose, the team continued to battle a variety of mechanical issues well into Day Two. Their transmission failed before the final stage but they pulled into the final service of the day on a tow-rope hooked to Andrew Comrie-Picard’s NOS Energy Mitsubishi and were able to finish in the top ten. For their part, Comrie-Picard and guest co-driver Marshall Clarke found themselves out of the running for the podium right at the start after receiving a penalty for fueling procedures and then suffering a soft rollover on the fourth stage. They were able to continue after the roll and the team’s finish was enough to boost Comrie-Picard into second-place in the championship.

The rally ended early for BMX superstar Dave Mirra and co-driver Derek Ringer. The Subaru Rally Team USA’s Super

Production class team took damage to their car after they struck a rock on Day Two and were unable to continue.

competition, joining the likes of Pastrana and Mirra - both series regulars.

The Swedish World Rally Team of Patrik Sandell and Emil Axelsson were out of the contest after only one stage with reported engine failure. It was tough luck for Sandell, who had been expected to challenge for the win at this contest. The driver has won two Production World Rallies so far this year, and was the Junior World Rally Champion in 2006.

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.

Rally newcomer Brian Deegan and his co-driver Chrissie Beavis also had a tough event. The team’s crew repaired a broken driveshaft after a rough Day One stage, then the duo went off-road on Day Two and did further damage before they lost their brakes on the second-to-last stage. But the team managed to cross the finish line and Deegan says he expects to receive a so-called “at-large” invitation to the X Games Rally competition. “It was different than I thought but I like it,” said Deegan of his debut rally driving experience. “I thought trophy truck drivers were really talented but I think rally driving is where you really learn to drive – better than anyone else.”

The next round of the Rally America championship moves east to the forests of New England for the New England Forest Rally 17 - 18 July.

Deegan made his name as a supercross and motocross star, and founding member of the Metal Mulisha group of riders.

Deegan is the latest action sports star to try his hand at rally

FINAL Rally America Susquehannock Trail Rally CLASSIFICATION: 01) K. Block/A. Gelsomino (Subaru Impreza) - 01h 57min 33,4s 02) T. Pastrana/C. Edstrom (Subaru Impreza) + 01min 12s 03) W. Bacon/P. Watt (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 01min 46,9s 04) A. Mancin/R. Ciupka (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 04min 14,1s 05) P. Wiktorczyk/G. Dorman (Subaru Impreza) + 07min 03,9s 06) P. Moro/J. Wimpey (Subaru Impreza) + 07min 29,8s 07) T. Hanson/T. Hanson (Subaru Impreza) + 09min 14,9 08) A. L’Estage/N. Richard (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 09min 41,3s 09) J. Keeney/M. Keeney (Subaru Impreza) + 11min 52,7s 10) A. Gruszka/L. Wronski (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 12min 36,6s

TEXT SUPPLIED BY RALLY AMERICA MEDIA. IMAGES: SUBARU RALLY TEAM USA.

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