Harry Flatters Rally

A mixed day made the first two loops of stages a tyre lottery over the Epynt military ranges on this years Harry Flatters rally. Damien Cole & Craig Drew (Focus WRC) were fastest out of the blocks and were fastest on the first six stages to lead by 14.5 seconds from a hard charging Peter Lloyd & Graham Handley (Impreza WRC S14). On stage 7, the final stage of loop 3, Lloyd set the fastest time shaving almost 3 seconds off Cole’s lead meaning it was game on for the final two stages. Meanwhile back in 3rd were John Indri & Dave Engwell (Darrian T90 GTR) just holding at bay Eian Pritchard & Martin Jones who were getting used to their newly acquired Impreza WRC S11.

Rallycross Mallory Park

We sampled the world of rallycross for the first time, visiting our local circuit Mallory Park for round 5 of the British Championship. Championship leader Andy Grant (Focus) was looking to take his first overall win of the series but he came up against an in-form Pat Doran (Fiesta), looking to make it back-to-back British Championships. In the Superfinal Doran carried through his form from the whole day and took a dominant win by over two seconds from Andy Scott (306), with Grant 3rd but still leading the championship. There was no Mad Mark Watson (Xsara) though as he was denied the chance to race in the Superfinal after being adjudged to have pushed Grant unfairly in the A-Final.

Neath Valley Stages

Glorious skies and warm afternoon sunshine bathed the Neath Valley Stages for its 4th running. Split into two events, Modern and Historic, the rally provided the only chance in 2010 to sample Rally GB stages like Resolven and Rheola. In the modern field Jamie Anderson & Jon Scott (Evo VIII) took the lead from the start and with the demise of Tom Cave (Impreza) and Sara Williams (Impreza) on stage 2 their nearest rivals were Dylan Davies & Dale Furniss (Escort MkI). Davies had a storming run through the penultimate stage to lead only for Anderson to snatch back the lead and victory on the final stage. Completing the podium were Neville Jones & Ian Capewell (Impreza) just pipping Julian Jones and Paul Wakely (Impreza) on the final stage.

Citroën DS3 R3 prepares for another starring role

After a remarkable debut in Northern Ireland, where the Citroën DS3 R3 won Group R and clinched a superb fifth place overall on the Ulster Rally, the new car is on another mission. This time, the crew of Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle will be attempting to conquer France on the 62nd Rallye du Mont Blanc next weekend, round five of the French Championship.

With all eyes on Citroën’s new baby, the Irish champions will set off on a journey through 14 mountain special stages, totalling 206 competitive kilometres. The Rallye du Mont Blanc is characterised by a breathtaking series of climbs and descents, in the heart of skiing territory near Morzine, which takes in spectacular countryside featuring lakes, forests and majestic peaks.

Golden Opportunity

“Gears & Tears” is a BBC One series featuring Formula 1 stock car racing and the feuding between the legendary Smith and Wainman teams. Episode 4 on Monday 22 August perfectly captured the magic that is the World Championship finale.

On Saturday 4 September at MCM Stadium Coventry, the story continues, as the sport’s two top drivers sit side-by-side at the front of the 2010 World Final grid, each determined to lift high the solid silver World Cup. On this occasion, winning means more to the drivers than the prize money.

Unlucky 13 For Anderson in Cumbria

County Durham rally driver Chris Anderson was yet again denied a good result when an accident robbed him of a promising finish at yesterday’s Stobart Rail Pendragon Stages Rally based in Penrith.

Pearson hoping to build on turn in fortune

Garry Pearson is hoping to build on recent success when he heads to Galloway for this weekend’s Hankook Merrick Stages. The 18 year-old rally driver from Duns is going for honours in both the Brick and Steel 205 Ecosse Challenge and the Hankook Scottish Rally Championship, and is in with a great chance in both series as the Scottish rally season reaches its business end.

Mechanical issues blighted Pearson and co-driver Tom Hynd in the middle part of the year, but the pair firmly banished the reliability gremlins with a convincing drive on August’s Speyside Stages.

Hankook Merrick Stages

The Brick and Steel Ecosse Challenge heads to Galloway this coming weekend for the Hankook Merrick Stages, the sixth round in the one-make rally championships. The Merrick takes place in the famous forests of Glentrool on Saturday 4 September, with the title races in both the Civic Ecosse Challenge and the 205 Ecosse Challenge still wide open.

Things are really hotting up in the Civic Challenge. Duncan Campbell became the fourth different winner in five rounds when he took the honours on the Speyside Stages at the start of August, however Glasgow two-wheel drive expert Grant Inglis still leads the way as the series heads to south-west Scotland.

Bitter sweet podium for Mitchell

24 year old Kenyan rally driver Quentin Mitchell and his Welsh co-driver Chris Davies drove a very impressive rally on their international debut to take a podium position in their Subaru Impreza N16 rally car.

First stage key to Merrick Success

The 100 crews competing in Saturday’s Hankook Merrick Stages Rally will need to be “in the groove”  from the start as they tackle a daunting opening test of nearly 19 miles.

The monster Glentrool stage will be key to deciding the outcome of the seventh and penultimate round of the Hankook MSA Scottish Rally Championship.

Mitchell on top in Zimbabwe

Young Kenyan rally talent Quentin Mitchell has impressed mightily on his first full day of the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally as the 24 year old ends the opening leg as the top junior rally driver despite limited knowledge of the stages and with virtually no testing in his brand new Subaru Impreza N2010.

2010 Whitby & District Motor Club Rally Time Trial – Sunday 5th September 2010

Entries are still available for the 2010 Whitby & District Motor Club Rally Time Trial.

The event ran successfully for the first time in September 2009 won by former British Championship front-runner Ryan Champion in a Mitsubishi Evo. However, for 2010 the event will run an all two-wheel drive format whilst still retaining the great value £85 entry.

The event will include a minimum of 4 timed runs over the 2.5-mile mixed surface stage and it takes place on Sunday September 5th 2010.

Rally Yorkshire is blue print for future of top level forest rallying

The format of Rally Yorkshire, with international, national and regional championships all coming together under a single umbrella event is a blue print for the future of top level forest rallying in Britain, says event clerk of the course Rod Parkin.

Parkin, who has more than 40 years experience in the organisation of the sport, believes that major forest events will need to attract a wide range of championships if they are to survive.