Cotswold Stages

Storm Aiden played its part as the Cotswold Stages saw a (brief) return to rallying, in England, ahead of a 2nd covid-19 related lockdown. The one constant all day was the wind but in the morning it was a deluge, lunchtime it was glare off the standing water and in the afternoon largely dry tarmac as the low Autumn sun drops in the sky. With the top two retiring early Rob Dennis & Andrew Boswell (Fabia Proto) took victory by over a minute. Andy Corner & Ade Camp were a superb 2nd overall, 1st 2WD crew in their 205 GTi. The podium was completed by Jim Munden & Dale Lovegrove (Impreza) by just 1s as they moved ahead of Dan Corner & Richard Evans (205 GTi) on the final stage.

Ken Block to meet fans before SOL Rally Barbados

American motor sport star Ken Block is in the island and looking forward to this weekend’s (October 31/November 1) Sol Rally Barbados 2020, an event he says he has “wanted to do for years”. And before he gets down to the serious business of competition, he will participate in a socially-distanced Meet & Greet and Autograph Session with fans at Automotive Art, Welches, tomorrow evening (Friday).

Block and long-term co-driver Alex Gelsomino were originally entered in the Hoonigan Racing Division’s reimagined 1990s Ford Escort Cosworth – ‘CossieV2’ – as part of the second Cossie World Tour but date changes around the world caused by the coronavirus pandemic changed their plans. They will now campaign a brand-new EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta Rally2 among the record entry of seven in the island’s fast-growing FIA R5 class, with support from Ford Performance and Monster Energy.

Skeete and Mayhew win Flow King of the Hill

Dane Skeete and Tyler Mayhew started their 2020 motor sport campaign in fine style yesterday (Sunday) with victory in Flow King of the Hill, beating Jamaica’s Jeff Panton by just four-hundredths of a second, the smallest winning margin in the 13-year history of the event. Having led after the first of four timed runs, Britain’s Rob Swann finished third, while Barry Mayers claimed two-wheel-drive honours, sixth overall.

In glorious sunshine, thousands of fans headed to the south-east corner of the island to line the 3.3-kilometre route from Golden Grove to Stewart’s Hill, with Covid protocols much in evidence as the crowd followed the advice of the Barbados Rally Club (BRC) to Stay Safe, Stay Sanitized, Stay Distanced, Stay Masked, Stay Alert & Spectate Safely. To the accompaniment of ZR van-style horns, Roger Mayers and co-driver Sean Corbin warmed up the crowd in Car Zero ahead of the 42 competitors, who ran in reverse order of seeding, from Clubman up to WRC.

Luck deserts Team Parker Racing at 24 Hours of Spa

Team Parker Racing suffered more bad luck in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, as a Team Parker software glitch and gearbox failure cost it a legitimate shot at a podium at this year’s 24 Hours of Spa.

The classic race, usually held in the heat of July, moved to a late October date due to the rescheduled 2020 calendar, meaning the team not only had to contend with cool ambient temperatures and increased inclement weather, but also a race held under more hours of darkness than daylight.

Baggsy – Goodwood Speedweek – The Best Event of 2020

Steve ‘Baggsy’ Biagioni and the SB Motorsport team had the chance to showcase drifting at the highest level.

Goodwood Motor Circuit set the stage last weekend for their 2020 stopgap event from the Festival of Speed, named Goodwood Speedweek. Baggsy coming back to Goodwood for his 5th consecutive year, he was ready to bring the smoke show for the fans.

Speedweek brings the greatest elements of the Festival of Speed and Revival, combined into one unmissable online event. Broadcast over all 3 days live on YouTube and ITV/ITV4 television channels, reaching millions at home.

Brown heads back to the stages with popular Nissan Kit Car

After a successful racing debut at Donington Park last month, Rochdale driver Steve Brown will finally return to the rally stages, piloting his iconic Nissan Micra Kit Car at the Cotswolds Stages Rally in Gloucestershire (31st October).

The South West event will mark the 12-month anniversary since Brown has competed in a stage rally, and the South West based event will be the pre-cursor to the opening round of the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship at Oulton Park the week after which he has also entered.

Roger Mayers is car zero for SOL Rally Barbados

Former Rally Barbados winner Roger Mayers is eagerly looking forward to his new role as Zero Car driver for Sunday’s (October 25) Flow King of the Hill and Sol Rally Barbados 2020 the following weekend. Contacted by the Barbados Rally Club (BRC) last week to see if he was available, Mayers says: “The morning after I’d agreed to do it, I woke up with a big grin on my face. This is going to be fun!”

With regular co-driver Sean Corbin on the notes, he will drive one of GuavaTech’s stable of BimmaCup cars in Frosteez, Hankook and Rubis livery. Mayers is currently without a useable rally car after he stripped down some major components of his giant-killing WR Starlet and sent them to the UK as moulds for replacements to be built, expecting the coronavirus to result in a much longer stoppage.

Team Parker Racing set for Autumn Spa Challenge

Team Parker Racing is set to resume action in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup as it tackles the daunting 24 Hours of Spa over this forthcoming late autumnal weekend of (October 22-25).

Despite bad luck at the opening two rounds of the season, with brake failure at Imola and unnecessary damage from a rival behind the Safety Car at the Nürburgring, Bentley Motorsport Academy members Frank Bird from Penrith and teammates Nicolai Kjærgaard, and Euan McKay remain upbeat about their chances at the marquee event after the official two-day test at the circuit in September.

Kristoffersson claims dramatic Catalunya win

* Johan Kristoffersson claims victory at Logitech G FIA World RX of Catalunya
* Timmy Hansen and Anton Marklund take round eight podiums
* Andreas Bakkerud and Mattias Ekstrom star but miss out on top results

Sweden’s Johan Kristoffersson claimed a dramatic victory at the Logitech G FIA World RX of Catalunya, round eight of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy (18 October).

Osian Pryce takes silver on fast and faultless Volkswagen rally debut at Goodwood Speed Week

Osian Pryce made a successful return to rallying after a coronavirus restriction-enforced eight-month layoff by finishing runner-up on the Goodwood SpeedWeek Super Special Stages.