Press Release Wyedean Forrest Press Release
PAYNE HOPES TO GAIN!...
The winners of the 2012 Team GMF Wyedean Forest Rally, Charlie Payne/Craig Thorley (Ford Focus WRC), are returning to the scene of their triumph on 9th February as they attempt to become the first crew since Andy Burton/Rob Morgan (2003/4) to take back-to-back wins on the Chepstow Racecourse-based event. As the traditional opening round of the REIS – Get Connected BTRDA Rally Series, the entry list for the Wyedean Forest Rally contains some ‘major players’ at this level of the sport and, consequently, whoever arrives back in Chepstow to be crowned 2013 victors will have had their work cut out in the process! Behind Yorkshiremen Payne/Thorley are another former Wyedean winning crew, Hugh Hunter/ Andy Marchbank, and making it a Focus 1-2-3, Euan Thorburn/Paul Beaton are journeying down from Scotland to pit their skills against the BTRDA Series regulars. Whilst this may bring them on to ‘foreign’ territory, their speed should not be underestimated – their CV includes victory on last year’s Jim Clark National Rally and that is a fast and furious event, if ever there was one! David Wright/Michael Wilkinson and Matt Edwards/Will Rogers break the Ford dominance in their respective Mitsubishi Lancers, while the Top Six is rounded off by Irishmen Connor McCloskey/Francis Regan in their ex Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza WRC. 27-year old Connor is making his first foray over here but already has a string of victories to his name at home. The ‘Historic’ category cars, which run between the 1400s and the ‘Open’ field on the Wyedean, are led by Graham Waite/Gill Cotton in the former’s Volvo Amazon. The Porsche 911 of Rikki Proffitt/Phill Harrison and another Amazon for Ken Davies/Alan Jones precede a trio of Ford Escorts in the capable hands of Peter Smith/Patrick Walsh, Gareth James/ Steffan Evans and Richard Hill/Pat Cooper. The Lancia Stratos of Steve Perez/Paul Spooner –
Gary Simpson. Charlie Payne & Craig Thorley to go for the double. http://www.wyedeanrally.com/
another past Wyedean winning crew in their Focus WRC! – is next in a mouth-watering array of 25 classic cars taking the start. It would be true to say that Julian Wilkes/Will Rutherford-Child have ‘form’ on the Wyedean – they’d won the 1400 category three times on the trot before their giant-killing drive to 3rd overall on last year’s event. The west country pair are obviously ‘at one’ with the stages in the Forest of Dean but, notwithstanding, Cheltenham’s Darren Pinchin (Proton Satria) and his co-driver Kaz Watts, who lives in the Forest of Dean, will be out to put an end to the Nova’s recent domination. So will Dave Bennett/Alistair McNeil (Vauxhall Corsa), Nigel Jenkins/Kevin Watkins (Vauxhall Nova), Ash Slights/Matt Whattam (Toyota Yaris) and any other of the 42 cars entered in this section! Rally First, where Ash Slights first made his name, is led by the MG ZR of Joe Evett/Calvin Houldsworth from the Peugeot 106 of Julien Fouques/Kristopher Pirie who have entered the newly-instigated 1600cc class. Editor’s Notes Team GMF Wyedean Forest Rally: The Team GMF Wyedean Forest Rally Press Office will be situated at Piercefield Park, Chepstow Racecourse. For more information on Team GMF Wyedean Forest Rally please contact: Press officer Andrew Haill 0121 313 1416 andrew.haill@btconnect.com For more information on Rally Prep please contact: Neil Yates Rally Prep Ltd 07907 234787 website www.rallyprep.co.uk Rally Prep Ltd Rally Prep specialise in the build and preparation of rally, race and high performance vehicles for road and track use. Their services range from full bare shell builds to basic servicing and parts supply. They also are able to supply a range of products which they have developed specifically for rally and race cars, alongside top quality equipment from some of the worlds most respected motorsport parts specialists. For more media information or imagery on Rally Prep please contact: Steve Lysandrou Silverback Media Solutions Ltd 07796 236081 01327220003 rallyprep@silverbackmedia.co.uk