Border Rally Sport – Colin McRae Forest Stages Preview

Garry Pearson will have been rallying for exactly one year when he starts the Colin McRae Forest Stages on Saturday. The teenager from Duns is hoping he can make as much progress in the next twelve months as he has so far in his fledgling rally career.

Pearson (18) heads to the Perth-based rally knowing he still has a mathematical chance of winning his section in the one-make Brick and Steel 205 Ecosse Challenge. Despite mechanical gremlins putting him out of contention on the Scottish and Speyside rounds of the series, the fact that competitors count only their six best scores from eight starts means the Peugeot 205 GTi driver isn’t out of the running yet.

Audi R15 TDI wins efficiency trophy in the U.S.

- Rain brings “Petit Le Mans” race to an early end
- Classification after less than five of the scheduled 10 hours
- Audi R15 TDI winner of the “Michelin GreenX Challenge”

Audi Sport Team Joest’s test entry in the 1000-mile “Petit Le Mans” race at Road Atlanta (U.S. state of Georgia) had an unexpected outcome: The American endurance classic had to be red flagged just before half-time due to torrential rainfall. Although Audi had led almost entirely, the two R15 TDI prototypes were only classified in third and fourth positions. Small consolation: The Diesel-powered racing car won the efficiency award “Michelin GreenX Challenge” – a trophy awarded to the most environmentally friendly car.

Cookson claims second on Trackrod

Saltash rally driver Alan Cookson just missed out on the top step of the podium on this weekend’s Pickering-based Trackrod Rally which comprised the final round of the 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship.

Along with Wandsworth co driver Julian Wilkinson, the pair headed the leaderboard after the first two stages despite a spin in the Robert Wiseman Dairies, Kick Energy, GillettsSpar.com, Riverside Property Services and Olverelectrical.com supported Subaru Impreza WRC, nicknamed ‘Daisy’, on the second stage.

Payne Grabs Last Stage Victory

Making a welcome return to the 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship for his local event, Charlie Payne (Ripon) and co-driver Craig Thorley (Pocklington) just managed to scrape victory on the final round of the series in this weekend’s Trackrod Rally.

It was Alan Cookson (Saltash) and Julian Wilkinson (Wandsworth) in their Friesian-liveried Subaru WRC who topped the leaderboard after the first stage, stopping the clocks exactly sixteen seconds ahead of the Mitsubishi Lancer WRC of Payne and Thorley. A spin in stage two saw Cookson and Wilkinson drop fifteen seconds when they had trouble with gear selection allowing Payne to claim a stage victory.