Handbrakes Issue 133 May 2010 Hairpins & your insight into the world of

Cover CASTROL TOYOTA TEAM AIMS FOR “HOME” VICTORY Events Events inside Events claims Mitsubishis win at this week: S-WRC win in NZ Oregon Trail Rally Contents / Issue 133 04 News Welcome to H&H! • Burton wins Plains Rally Welcome to issue 133 of HANDBRAKES & • Podium for David Higgins in China HAIRPINS, your FREE weekly insight into • Jourdain aims for WRC the world of rallying! Inside this week, HANDBRAKES 08 Features & HAIRPINS is pleased to bring you 09 Lights, Camera... Action! a fantastic competition presented by Veloce Publishing. You stand a chance Latvala tames Nurburgring 10 to win a great rally book and readers of 11 Sun, duts, rain and mud: All to HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS will enjoy a challenge the Champions! special discount of 25% off Veloce Books. More details are to be found on page 19. 12 Events As always, I hope you enjoy this 13 ARC: Coffs Coast Rally week’s exciting edition! 14 S-WRC: 16 RA: Oregon Trail Rally Yours in Rallying, 18 SANORRC: Sugarbelt 400 19 APRC: Rally Hokkaido Evan Rothman

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News the world’s latest rally news NEWS Plains Rally sees Andrew Burton take fi t in a gravel test when we arrived for the rally last week, but we only managed to fi t in 7km before the fuel tank split. Then home the winner’s trophy any time we got in the car after that was to check the fuel tank The Hankook MSA Welsh National Rally Championship was okay, not to set up for gravel, so we went into the event continued with the Plains Rally, supported by SJR Motorsport, blind as to how the car would react in comparison to the Evo9 and was won by a clearly delighted Andrew Burton in the we had last year.” crowd pleasing Peugeot Cosworth. During the opening superspecial stage the crew set Andrew Burton who admitted the car was in a a good time but the car ran wide, and the main stages on “thousand bits” on Wednesday stamped his authority on the Saturday got off to a good start, despite David feeling the car event on the nine mile opener Gartheiniog taking a twenty one set up was still too soft. second lead over the VK WRC Focus of Steve Perez. Burton “We were lying second overall when a damper broke went quickest on four of the seven stages extending his and the car went wide on the next bend, hitting a rock and winning margin to twenty fi ve seconds at the fi nish. pushing the body of the car onto the tyre,” explained David. On a day where conditions were near perfect David “We lost about one and a half minutes and dropped to fi fth. We Wright, in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, set fi ve top-three pushed back up to fourth overnight, then on the opening stage times to take deserved third overall and fi rst in class whilst on Sunday the rear diff broke on the car so we did the fi rst two Roger Chillman Jnr. took maximum championship points and stages in front wheel drive. fourth overall and fi rst GpN in the Impreza. Shaun Gardener “However, once we got sorted we did set the fastest pushed his Lancer Evolution V hard all day to take some useful time on the fi nal two stages, showing the car can do what it championship points and to fi nish three seconds ahead of Tom needs to if we have the right preparation for an event. If we Cave in the very well turned out Proton Satria Neo S2000, who had been able to test beforehand, we know we would have had took second GpN in the process. the best set up possible, and taken a much better result. Further down the top ten Alex Allingham fi nished “Us staying on in China to do more testing will give eighth overall in the N4 Impreza and taking third Welsh us a better chance on the next event - and hopefully the ash contender, having rebuilt the car since his roll on the Pirelli. cloud will be long gone by then too!” Championship leader Paul Davy took tenth overall and has now The Jiangning Rally was won by Mark Higgins, with built up a seventeen point lead in the overall standings. Jussi Valimaki second. In the Juniors Sara Williams put two non-fi nishes - Credit: www.rallybuzz.com behind her to take maximum points whilst Luke Francis after his big accident on the Bulldog was gaining in confi dence as suffers tough weekend in the day progressed. Sion Matthews (Nova) Anglesey maintains his consistent performance and now leads the Junior category. Oregon after crashing out Ken Block and the Monster World Rally Team had a promising Overall Classifi cation: weekend at The Oregon Trail Rally end abruptly when Bock’s 01) A. Burton/R. Kellard Fiesta slid off course, while running Fir Mountain Long II (SS8), Peugeot Cosworth - 42m 39s and rolled down an embankment. Block and his co-driver Alex 02) S. Perez/P. Spooner Gelsomino were uninjured, but their MWRT Fiesta sustained Ford Focus WRC - 43m 04s signifi cant damage and was unable to continue. 03) D. Wright/M. Wilkinson Block recovered from a rocky start of a fl at tire during Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX - 44m 11s Friday’s Northwest Passage (SS1) to take the overall lead early 04) R. Chillman Jnr/A. Sankey Saturday on the Fir Mountain Long stage. Block started the N4 - 44m 26s day 23 seconds behind the leader, but had rebounded to take a 05) S. Gardener/B. Innes nine second advantage after six stages. Clearly Block’s Monster Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V - 44m 38s World Rally Team Fiesta was class of the fi eld and appeared 06) T. Cave/S. O’Gorman headed for a podium result if not victory. Proton Satria Neo S2000 - 44m 41s Unfortunately, Block fell victim to a particularly nasty corner, which earlier in the day claimed Vermont Motorsports The next round of the Welsh Rally Championship will be the driver and fellow championship contender Dave Mirra. Severn Valley Stages Rally on 05 June in Builth Wells. For Block and his team there is little time to dwell on the - Credit: www.rallybuzz.com frustrations of a DNF in Oregon as they prepare to head to Portugal for the WRC event 28 - 30 May. Next up for the Monster World Rally Team’s Rally America program is the Podium for David Higgins despite Susquehannock Trail Rally 04 - 05 June. problems in China - Credit: www.rallybuzz.com David Higgins has decided to remain in China after the Jiangning Rally to take part in tests of his Mitsubishi Lancer Paul Nagle says Kris Meeke needs Evo X with the WY Rally Team, after being forced to contest the event without testing on gravel beforehand. hefty points haul in Sardinia David and his co-driver Ieuan Thomas took third Kris Meeke’s co-driver Paul Nagle says a hefty haul of points on place points for the team on the event, despite their testing Rally d’Italia-Sardegna next month is vital if they are to keep problems which began a month ago when David was unable their Intercontinental Rally Challenge title defence on track. to travel to China to take part in an essential testing in The Peugeot UK pair trail Škoda Motorsport’s Juho their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X due to the volcanic ash cloud Hänninen and by 17 points after a mixed start cancelling their fl ights. to the 2010 IRC season. “That was going to be the fi rst gravel test we’ve ever Although they won the second round in Brazil, non- done in the car,” said David. “When it didn’t work out, we scores in Monte Carlo and Argentina and a puncture while thought we could try to overcome the situation by trying to leading Rally Islas Canarias last month, have hit their hopes of NEWS a second crown. counter back in March. But despite his celebrity in his “Sardinia will probably be the biggest fi eld of the homeland, the 33-year-old insists the outing was far more year so far,” said Irishman Nagle. “We’ll be doing a gravel test than a simple publicity stunt. sometime in the next two weeks and we’ve simply got to get Instead it was a prelude to a six-event Production everything right ahead of Sardinia because we need a big, big Car campaign, which kicked-off on result. It’s vital.” Rally New Zealand earlier this month. Although his debut in the Whatever the outcome for Meeke and Nagle in -based class ended in retirement, Jourdain plans to be Sardinia, they can be assured of a huge following after in the WRC for the long term. Eurosport confi rmed it would show four stages of the gravel “If things go well the plan is for a three-year event live. The rally, based in Olbia, runs from 4-6 June and programme,” says Jourdain. “We’ve got six races in the joins the IRC for the fi rst time this year. [Production] championship and we’ll also try and do a few - Credit: www.ircseries.com races in the Spanish championship because I need to drive as much as possible to get experience.” S-WRC return all set for Kosciuszko Despite his circuit racing background, Jourdain was exposed to rallying from an early age. “My father and uncle for Portugal next weekend raced a lot but they also did some rallies in Mexico and I always wanted to give it a try,” he says. “I did the Baja 1000 S-WRC: Kosciuszko set for Super 2000 return in Portugal and came close to doing a couple of times but it Michal Kosciuszko will return to the Super 2000 World Rally didn’t quite work out due to things I was doing in racing.” Championship in Portugal later this month - less than eight Jourdain will drive a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX under weeks after he was temporarily blinded in a crash on the the Nextel Televisa Deportes World Rally Team banner this , reported www.wrc.com. season. The deal will result in the WRC being shown on However, the 25-year-old from Poland won’t be at the Mexican television. “It’s good exposure but it also creates the wheel of the Dynamic World Rally Team he interest [in rallying],” says Jourdain. “They are not sponsoring used in Mexico and Jordan earlier this season. me but they have helped me with contacts and publicity.” Instead, he will switch to a JM Racing-run Skoda Fabia Jourdain is under no illusions that the transition from circuit S2000 after the Fiesta was declared a write-off when it left racing to rallying will be a tough one as he found out when he the road on the Middle East event, plunged down a bank and crashed in New Zealand. landed on its roof. “I know from doing the Bajas in Mexico that you Dirk van der Sluys, whose Symtech Racing concern can’t underestimate how tough this kind of racing is,” says runs Kosciuszko’s Fiesta, said: “It was a close call between if Jourdain. “I’m realising how important pacenotes are going to the car was repairable or a total loss and it was decided that it be and how important getting the right technique is. I found was a total [loss].” in Mexico there was a lot of pressure and a lot of expectation Kosciuszko suffered a blow to the head in the crash but I am not looking at the results for now. I need to improve in Jordan that left him without sight for a short period of time. my driving and learn the rallies by fi nishing them because the However, he has since made a full recovery to the extent he more kilometres the better. Certainly I’m not going to learn has carried out a successful test in a Fabia. anything by crashing.” “I’m in good condition now - 100 per cent ready,” Jourdain admits he’s jumped in at the deep end said Kosciuszko. “I got the feeling back very quickly and I am and has plenty still to learn. He only managed a short confi dent in the car and not scared at all about the speed. I test before his fi rst rally in Mexico, which was plagued by did two rallies in a Skoda last year and quite a lot of testing. I mechanical problems. His next P-WRC event is the high-speed know the car can be very competitive and not a big difference in late July before the Tarmac-based Rallye with the Fiesta.” Deutschland in August. Kosciuszko is currently ninth in the SWRC title Although rallying will take precedent for the next standings, 53 points shy of runaway leader Xevi Pons. They will few seasons at least, Jourdain hasn’t entirely given up on his be among 10 drivers taking part in the SWRC class in Portugal, circuit racing ambitions. which include Jari Ketomaa, who scored his fi rst win of the “I’ve never done Le Mans [24 Hours] and that’s season in New Zealand earlier this month, and P-G Andersson, something I’d really like to try but it all depends on getting the who along with Ketomaa and Pons is the only other driver to sponsors and the right deal,” says Jourdain. “For now I’ll give have claimed a victory in the new-for-2010 category. rallying all my energy.” Local interest will be provided by - Credit: www.wrc.com (Fiesta S2000), who hails from the Portuguese island of Madeira, and guest driver Vitor Pascoal (). and have not nominated the gravel event as one of their seven scoring rounds so won’t be in action in their Fiesta and Fabia respectively. - Credit: www. wrc.com

Jourdain aims to break the mould with three-year WRC bid Mexico isn’t known as a hotbed of rallying talent but Michel Jourdain is one driver desperate to break the mould. A winner in Champ Car and a former NASCAR regular, Jourdain made his rally debut on Mexico’s world championship One of fi ve selected books from the popular “Rally Giants” series WIN! every two weeks.

This week’s prize is “RS Cosworth” written by Graham Robson. Question: What is the surname of former works Mini driver Rauno? Send your answers to [email protected]. The winner will be randomly chosen from correct entries received. PLUS save 25% on Veloce Publishing’s Books* when ordered directly from www.veloce.co.uk by quoting “HHrally25” at checkout.

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VELOCE PUBLISHING THE PUBLISHERS OF FINE AUTOMOTIVE BOOKS Features your insight into the world of rallying FEATURES

LIGHTS, CAMERAS... ACTION! This past weekend saw the Western Cape Regional Rally Championship entourage move into relatively unknown territory with the fi rst night rally held in 12 years in the region.

Story: Divan de Goede / DHRT tidy in the Swartland dark. Pictures: Frank Pey SS3 (a repeat of SS1) once again brought smiles to our team: we Arriving at the start venue, expecting the took 05s off our previous run of the worst possible scenarios, the weather stage. However, SS4 presented us proved to be rather pleasant as the with our fi rst true scare of the rally. Western Cape wind remained dormant We hit a blind dip with some force, the for the night’s stage. A new buzz and car bottomed with such a noise that it excitement was in the air at the service nearly broke our spirit. Upon entering park as we set up our service area the service park for a second time, we and prepared our car. Our car passed inspected the damage: the left rear scrutineering with damper had fl ying colours, and collapsed and coffee started fl owing “Night rallying forced the car into mugs as the week to sit awkwardly leading up to the rally will surely on its rear end. had been a sleepless make a regular Despite this, one. we decided to All this came appearance” continue the rally. to an abrupt end as Through SS5, we pulled on our helmets, and DHRT was with our somewhat limping but tough- ready to tackle our fi rst-ever night stage. as-nails Toyota Corolla S4, we pushed Starting SS1, we were immediately a bit harder. On the long straights, reminded as to the rough nature of however, we did fi nd that the car was this rally (which we experienced in last pulling violently to one side… This minor month’s rally held in the same area). inconvenience did not slow us: we Our Toyota Corolla was being chucked improved our stage time by a whopping about until the fi rst corner where things 08s. We cruised through SS6, the fi nal fi nally settled down. Up to this point, test of the event, to bring our tired car driver Divan could still remember the to the end of our fi rst night rally, and stage, but from that corner onwards he fi nished eleventh place overall. was totally reliant on co-driver Henry’s Judging from the size of the notes and what little vision the spotlights entry list and the number of spectators provided. SS1 was wet and muddy in lining the stages, night rallying will places, and the dips were hidden in surely make a regular appearance in this darkness where we would have easily area. It is an experience few can forget. spotted them during the day. DHRT would like to thank everyone one After our fi rst taste of night that was involved in making this night The DHRT in H&H: rallying and fi tting into the car, our team so special; this also includes the people Regular readers of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS will recall that the DHRT (pronounced as ‘dirt’) rally team was surprised to learn we set the third and businesses that help get us to the will feature in the pages of this eMagazine as they fastest time through SS1 in our Class events: 4Wheel Alignment; Speedy progress through their fi rst season of rallying. This S3 (which had seven entrants). The Vredenburg, Sean’s Audio and TATA rookie pairing, driver Divan de Goede and co-driver Henry Kohne, have shown great potential early in the following stage went off without any Truck & Marine Centre. season. hassles, as we tried to keep it neat and FEATURES LATVALA TAMES NURBURGRING Ford rally star Jari-Matti Latvala is keen for more circuit racing experience after driving a Focus RS in the Nurburgring 24-hour race this past weekend. The 25-year-old Finn raced the legendary Nordschleife track in Germany and posted class-leading lap times in his 24-hour race debut. Latvala is now preparing for the challenging Rallye de Portugal next weekend.

Story: Staff Writer Championship season in Bulgaria, Germany, France and Spain. Rally Latvala, who claimed his third world Deutschland, in August, is based quite rally victory in New Zealand the previous close to the Nurburgring,” he added. weekend, guested in a Ford Focus RS Team manager Jan Derenbach in Germany, prepared by Team FH was encouraged by the team’s Koln Motorsport. The team, which was performance. “After the engine’s belt supported by Ford, comprised students drive was damaged by some debris from Cologne University of Applied picked up on the track, we had to Science who entered and prepared the change the engine during the night car. Our mechanics did an outstanding The team changed the car’s job, completing the task in just three- engine during the night after the belt and-a- half hours. But obviously this drive was damaged by track debris. forced break sent us a long way down The time loss ended their challenge for the overall standings. Before and after a class victory and that our Ford YouTube video link - 24 Hours of Nurburgring http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO0D1OuKiiM the team fi nished Focus RS ran 117th from the 197 “I was the fi rst like clockwork. starters. But the car’s Looking at our lap pace matched that car to take the times we could of the class leaders chequered fl ag” have fi nished at and Latvala, who the very front of was partnered by Anja Wassertheurer, our class.” Daniela Schmid and Stefan Schlesack, Ford’s Dirk Densing, the team’s completed 29 laps of the 20,8km circuit. chief engineer, praised the efforts of the “It was a great experience to students, who transformed the Focus RS race in front of 220,000 fans,” he said. from road to race car in just six weeks. “The atmosphere around the track was The team has already claimed two fantastic, the car worked extremely well class victories and a third place in three and the whole team did an outstanding rounds of the Nurburgring Endurance job. I drove at dusk on Saturday and Championship this season. at dawn on Sunday, but not during the “You have to remind yourself night. That’s why I cannot consider constantly that the team FH Koln YouTube Video link - Onboard: Latvala: Sweden myself a true 24-hour race driver yet. Motorsport powered by Ford consists of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtOEYZx8v7A There is still a task to be fulfi lled … students. I cannot rate highly enough “After four hours, before we the quality of these young people’s work, changed the engine, we were in 72nd which was truly professional. It became position and set the fastest lap in obvious once more that a 24-hour race our class so it was a shame we had a is a completely different ball game problem. I drove the fi nal leg and slowed compared to the regular season events,” on my last lap so that I reached the said Densing. fi nish just after 15h00 and didn’t have to drive an extra lap. I was the fi rst car to take the chequered fl ag – I thought maybe I had won the race!” joked Latvala. “I will drive four asphalt rallies in the second half of the World Rally FEATURES

SUN, DUST, RAIN AND MUD: ALL TO CHALLENGE THE CHAMPIONS Round Three of the Latvian Rally Championship, the BTA Rally Talsi 2010 held this past weekend, proved to be a real thriller when crews had to cope with all nature’s elements – sun, dust, heavy downpours and mud – and, not to mention, their rival crews.

Story: Liga Stirna Mikkelsen’s car, after only six stages his Pictures: Kriss Karnitis gearbox started suffering from problems. Mikkelsen struggled through six stages, Rally Talsi is one of oldest events in before retiring while in sixth place in Latvia, and was formerly held when Class N4. Mikkelsen is now turning his the country was under Soviet rule and attention to the IRC, he used this event this rally now has a 30-year history. to familiarise himself with the tyres Overall Classifi cation: This event carries its name from the before he heads to Sardinia next month. 01) I. Vasaraudzis/P. Spredzis small northwestern Latvian town, Talsi. The same technical problem Mitsubishi Lancer WRC - 50m 07,35s Last year this rally was organized by forced Lithuanian champion Ramunas 02) A. Neiksans/P. Dzirkals Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 01m 50,17s a new committee who introduced new Chapkauskas to retire; in the service 03) M. Neiksans/R. Jansons and fresh concepts park, he decided Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 02m 07,22s that was carried to preserve his 04) J. Feldmanis/Anrijs Jesse Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X + 02m 23,29s over to this year’s “Billed as the car’s gearbox and 05) R. Kisiels/G. Panavs running. Billed as retired from the Mitsubishi Lancer WRC + 02m 24,19s the Champions’ Champions’ event. 06) V. Svedas/Z. Sakalauskas Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 03m 19,76s Race, the organisers Race, Rally Talsi With a 07) J. Nyman/B. Holmstrand invited Class N4 strong lead this Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 03m 36,21s national champions is challenging” “Champions Race” 08) R. Lipeikis/I. Lipeikyte Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII + 03m 40,24s from neighbouring was Aivis Egle 09) J. Ducis/G. Kampe countries to compete with the best while Joakim Nyman was in place place. Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 03m 46,44s Latvian crews. This year the entry list The fi nal stage of the rally 10) R. Jeets/A. Toom Mitsubishi Lancer Evo + 03m 49,71s included Norwegian champion Andreas was 36,66km-long: a real test for the Mikkelsen, Swedish champion Joakin car, driver and co-driver. Before this YouTube video link: BTA Rally Talsi 2010 Nyman, Lithuanian champion Ramunas last stage, just 2,5ssec separated the http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDpi4xN_SpY Chapkauskas and, of course, Latvian fastest Class N4 cars: Aivis Egle and champion Aivis Egle. Interestingly, all Andis Neiksans were poised for a battle Class N4 competitors pilot the mighty royal to claim the Class N4 win. In an Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution models. all-or-nothing manner, Egle suffered The Springtime weather a puncture to lose more than nine in Latvia is unpredictable: SS1 saw minutes in this fi nal stage and gifted sun and dust; SS2 was blighted by a Andis Neiksans the class win. Egle was thunderstorm. On Day Two of the event, understandably disappointed. The overall the weather was pleasant and sunny, but winner of BTA Rally Talsi 2010 was Ivars the rally action was fi erce. Vasaraudzis in a Mitsubishi Lancer WRC. This rally’s stages are fast, but the gravel is soft and soon big stones and deep ruts form immediately after the fi rst few cars have passed through. Proving too arduous for Events the full event previews and reviews EVENTS

EVANS’ SWEEP TO VICTORY IN ARC ARC: COFFS COAST RALLY 14 - 16 May 2010 Simon and Sue Evans have won the Coffs Coast Rally, their fi rst Australian Rally Championship (ARC) event win for 2010, and have jumped to the top of the ARC points table. It was also the fi rst ARC outing for the Team Hyundai Rallye’s i30, and it brought home a number of awards.

Story: Evan Rothman and broke the steering which was In fact, the only problem the Pictures: Team Hyundai Rallye unfortunate.” team had over the weekend with fuel Ryan and Rebecca Smart was getting petrol for the generator In the battle for the overall honours, fi nished the event with third outright in when all the rest of the team cars were it was the Evans’ who claimed the top both Heat One and Heat Two. Rewarded running on diesel. The car has performed prize. The pairing also won Heat One, for their consistency, they joined so reliably throughout this rally that the but trailed Scott Pedder/Jon Mortimer the Evans’ on the podium - second team has only minimal work to do in (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) by 27,8s outright for the rally. It is the highest preparation for the next rally in South going into the fi nal stage (SS21) of Heat ARC fi nish for the brother and sister Australia. “We really only need to was Two and looked likely to combination who battled the dust off and do some minor servicing fi nish second to the pair “We were with a potentially rally before we leave for the next event” said for the third event this ending gearbox issue for Gillett. season. pushing the second half of the The next Australian Rally In a dramatic event. “We were very lucky Championship event takes place in the conclusion to this very hard that we’re second but we Mt Crawford region of South Australia arduous event, with for the win” drove to the fi nish and from 25 – 27 June. the Evans’ needing to conserved our car,” Ryan Overall Classifi cation: win the fi nal stage to Smart said. “We don’t like 01) Evans/Evans win the rally, Pedder/Mortimer rolled to take positions due to other people Subaru Impreza WRX – 01h 09m 09,3s 02) Quinn/Green only a few kilometres into the stage. “I misfortunes but that’s how the game Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 02m 08,1s am pretty relieved but feel a bit sorry goes I guess and we’ll take the points 03) Smart/Smart for Scotty. It’s not the way you want to because we need them,” he added. Toyota Corolla Sportivo + 04m 14,8s 04) Boaden/Cheers win but at the end of the day you have The fi rst diesel rallyt car to Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 05m 08,5s to fi nish the rally,” Evans said. “It was tackle the ARC this weekend proved 05) Fullerton/Reardon-Smith tough out there, very tough and we were highly successful. Piloted by Mick Gillet/ Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 09m 45,0s 06) Bailey/Earley fi ghting for that last stage win to see Harvey Smith, they drove to a consistent Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII + 12m 20,0s who took out the rally so I guess I came rally fi nish in the i30 Hyundai in the 07) Berne/Best out on top.” Showroom Class/Eco-Challenge/2 Wheel Subaru Impreza RS + 14m 39,7s 08) Gillet/Smith With Pedder/Mortimer unable Drive Class, as well as a top ten overall Hyundai i30 Diesel + 16m 22,7s to get their car out of the stage to fi nish. complete the rally they dropped out of “We’re so pleased with how the Drivers’ Standings: 01) S. Evans - 213 pts Heat Two contention and off the podium. car has performed over the weekend,” 02) S. Pedder - 196 pts The DNF result also means Pedder/ said Gillet. “It has proven itself to be 03) R. Smart - 157 pts Mortimer don’t record any points for the strong and reliable, and has brought us 04) S. Shepheard - 94 pts 05) N. Quinn - 87 pts Heat, dropping them out of fi rst place in home with this fantastic result for the 06) E. Evans - 81 pts the championship. team and Hyundai Motor Company.” 07) M. Pedder - 78 pts “We were pushing very hard to “To be able to drive a car at full 08) J. Dowell - 74 pts 09) M. Boaden - 72 pts try and win the stage and came over a throttle for most of the weekend, and 10) F. Fullerton - 66 pts little crest into a tight left hander and still only use such a small amount of fuel ran wide and up a bank,” said Pedder. shows the economy of these cars, even Manufacturers’ Standings: 01) Mitsubishi - 228 pts “That brought the nose in and we hit in standard road going form” stated co- 02) Subaru - 212 pts a big rock that tipped us onto our roof driver, and chief engineer, Harvey Smith. 03) Toyota - 176 pts EVENTS

KETOMAA LEADS FORD 1-2-3 VICTORY

IN NEW ZEALAND S2000 CUP YouTube video link: M. Prokop in New Zealand S-WRC: RALLY NEW ZEALAND http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J9-NdOmRT8 06 - 09 May was a successful outing for Malcolm Wilson’s M-Sport outfi t. Powered by Ford, M-Sport’s latest creations the Ford Fiesta S2000 powered to victory not only in the premiere WRC class, but swept to a one-two-three victory in the S2000 World Rally Championship category too.

Story: Evan Rothman northern home of Auckland for this year, it allowed the organisers to reintroduce YouTube video link: S-WRC Day 2 - New Zealand Pictures: Rally and M-Sport http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fobbbszYWcA more of the fast, fl owing and rhythmical After a fi erce battle last weekend, it was stages from 2005’s edition. These roads Jari Ketomaa and Mika Sterberg who are regarded as some of the best rally topped the leaderboard at the end of the roads in the world, and the drivers all three-day long attacked them rally. Ketomaa “The drivers with abandon and surprised all to relished in the beat relished in the cambered corners. (Ford Fiesta It also enabled the S2000) to the cambered corners event’s organisers fi nish, as Pons to attack them.” to throw in remote has claimed service areas, as three victories thus far in the S2000 well as four new stages. The central Championship this season. service park was based at the Queen’s With the rally returning to its Wharf in Auckland’s lovely harbour. EVENTS

For the New Zealand round, Day Three’s rally action seven S-WRC entrants made the long consisted of four stages over the trek to the start. Day One saw eight fast somewhat slightly wet roads as a result stages on the gravel roads of Whangarei of overnight rain. The mighty Whanga and Kaipara. (Ford Fiesta Coast Stage (SS19 and repeated as S2000) and Ketomaa struggled from grip SS21) proved as challenging as in on the opening loop of stages, but it was previous years. Tuohino who suffered the most: on SS5 Having carried out progressive he rolled his car out of the rally. set-up changes to his Skoda, after being The Skoda Fabia S2000 of unable to carry out any pre-rally testing, Patrik Sandell and Emil Axelsson suffered Sandell managed to set the fast stage poor luck too on the opening day: they time for the fi nal stage of Day Three. Overall Classifi cation: 01) J. Ketomaa/M. Sterberg hit a large bird on SS2, shattering their With Ketomaa to far in the Ford Fiesta S2000 - 04h 14m 29,1s windscreen and robbing the pairing of front to catch, Prokop attacked for 02) X. Pons/A. Haro confi dence throughout the remainder of Pons for second place. At the end of Ford Fiesta S2000 + 54,1s 03) M. Prokop/J. Tomanek the New Zealand rally. SS20, Prokop was 16,4s behind Pons, Ford Fiesta S2000 + 01m 14,0s In SS3 Ketomaa’s crank sensor and was closing in fast. Janne Tuohino, 04) P. Sandell/E. Axelsson failed, and he also reported engine whose rally weekend was fast becoming Skoda Fabia S2000 + 01m 39,4s 05) N. Al-Attiyah/G. Bernachinni problems in SS4. Luckily, his mechanics a nightmare, saw his rally come to a Skoda Fabia S2000 + 02m 14,8s were able to remedy the problems in the fi nal stop in the last stage: after 6km of service after SS4. This, however, didn’t SS21, his car’s engine started to tighten Drivers’ Standings: 01) X. Pons - 68 pts slow him down: at the end of Day One after running on three cylinders. It was 02) M. Prokop - 48 pts he led the S-WRC runners by 22.5s. an end to a frustrating weekend for the =03) P-G. Andersson - 40 pts Pons fi nished the day in second place, Finn. =03) E. Brynildsen - 40 pts 05) P. Sandell - 34 pts followed by Martin Prokop (Ford Fiesta At the end of SS21, the fi nal 06) J. Ketomaa - 33 pts S2000). stage of the Rally New Zealand, Ketomaa 07) N. Al-Attiyah - 22 pts Day Two’s rally action took place fi nished fi rst with a lead of 54,1s over 08) J. Tuohino - 18 pts 09) M. Kosciuszko - 15 pts in and around Franklin and Northern Pons and Prokop. Prokop was unable to 10) A. Llovera - 10 pts Waikato, with a Super Special Stage set catch Pons, as Pons was able to set a in Hampton Downs Motor Race Circuit. quick time through the fi nal stage. Teams’ Standings: 01) Nupel Global Racing - 68 pts Under SupeRally regulations, Patrik Sandell and Emil Axelsson 02) Czech Ford Team - 51 pts Tuohino returned on to the New Zealand (Skoda Fabia S2000) fi nished fourth 03) Skoda - Rene Georges Rally - 42 pts roads. Ketomaa dominated proceedings, overall, over a minute ahead of Nasser 04) Red Bull Rally - 39 pts 05) FCACA - 35 pts however, that Pons and Prokop were Al-Attiyah/Giovanni Bernachinni’s Skoda =06) Janpa - 25 pts unable to respond to and reel in. By the Fabia S2000. =06) Barwa World Rally Team - 25 pts end of Day Two, Ketomaa extended his 08) Dynamic World Rally Team - 15 pts 09) Team Ford/Quinta do Lorde - 10 pts lead to over a minute… EVENTS

MITSUBISHIS CLAIM PODIUM LOCK-OUT RA: OREGON TRAIL RALLY 14 - 16 May 2010 The fourth round of the Rally America series saw a 1-2-3 sweep of the winners’ podium for Mitsubishi this weekend in Oregon. In the Oregon Trail Rally, competitors faced a challenging event in true Rally America fashion.

Story: Staff Writer rally due to mechanical issues. L’Estage Monster World Rally Team’s Ken Block Pictures: Rally America claimed every stage win on the third and and Alex Gelsomino (Ford Fiesta) fi nal day of competition and now leads suffered the same fate on the second The NOS Energy Mitsubishi Lancer Bacon in the National Championship pass of the Fir Mountain stage (SS8), Evolution IX team of Andrew Comrie- standings by eight points. damaging their 2010 Ford Fiesta and Picard and Jeremy Wimpey took a This event was the fi rst time retiring from the event. decisive win on the 2010 Oregon Trail in Rally America history to have an This year’s Oregon Trail Rally Rally this weekend. Comrie-Picard held all-Mitsubishi national podium, and was a grueling event that witnessed a a comfortable lead over the Mitsubishi was particularly heavy rate of crew of Bill Bacon/Peter Watt (Mitsubishi rewarding for the “First time: attrition. Of the Lancer Evolution IX) at the start of the winners who are 61 starters, 24 fi nal day and managed to increase his all privateers. The all-Mitsubishi crews had DNF’d advantage by the fi nal stage. Bacon factory-backed by the end of Day focused more on maintaining his position teams of both podium in USA” Two and only 47 by staying ahead of the overall Rally Subaru and Ford were put out of the teams were able to start on the fi nal day. America Championship points leader contest early on the second day of the Teams challenged Oregon’s unforgiving Antoine L’Estage than trying to catch rally after crashing their cars. gravel logging and farm roads in the Comrie-Picard. Subaru Rally Team USA’s Dave areas surrounding The Dalles and Dufur, L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Mirra and Martin Headland (Subaru battling hot, dusty conditions against the Richard drove their Rockstar Energy Impreza WRX STi) rolled their car near backdrop of the scenic Columbia River Mitsubishi Evolution X to third place after the start of the Fir Mountain Long I stage Gorge and towering Mt. Hood. dropping to 17th early on Day Two of the (SS6) and were not able to continue. The trip out West was favorable EVENTS

for Pat Moro and co-driver Ole Hunter to a newly-built Scion xD supported by Northwest team of Dave and Richard (Subaru Impreza WRX), who took the 0-60 Magazine and Sparco, but fi nished Hintz fi nished third on the podium. Super Production Class win. Moro’s second in 2WD with an unproven, The next round of the podium fi nish at the along underpowered car. Normally, Duplessis Rally America Championship is the with his Oregon Trail Rally win have pilots a 1990 Volkswagen Golf GTi and Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally launched him to second place in the consistently beats other rally cars with (STPR) in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania on Super Production Class Championship. twice as much horsepower. 4 – 5 June. STPR is the last chance for Moro has overtaken his teammate Tim Dodge SRT-4 driver John Conley teams to win valuable points towards Rooney (Subaru Impreza WRX), who and co-driver Keith Rudolph held onto receiving a Summer 16 retired early on Day Two of the rally, in third in class and maintains his 2WD invitation to compete in the venerable the SP title chase with only two events second place overall position. Rally Car Racing event. left on the calendar. Moro is now within In the opening round of the striking distance of SP leaders Travis and 2010 MaxAttack! 2WD Series, Cody Terry Hanson (Subaru Impreza WRX), Crane battled Dillon Van Way throughout Overall Classifi cation: who fi nished Oregon second in class to the weekend, but ran into mechanical 01) A. Comrie-Picard/J. Wimpey Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX – 01h 35m 19,8s maintain the SP Championship lead. troubles late on day two. Crane had to 02) W. Bacon/P. Watt Able Planet Rally Team driver and 2009 rebuild his Honda CRX’s transmission Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX + 44,5s Super Production winner, Jimmy Keeney, overnight, forcing him to drive more 03) A. L’Estage/N. Richard Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X + 02m 05,0s completed the podium with co-driver conservatively on the fi nal day of the 04) P. Moro/O. Holter Jason Grahn in their Subaru Impreza rally. Van Way overtook Crane for the Subaru Impreza WRX + 06m 13,2s WRX for their fi rst top three fi nish of the MaxAttack! win and Duplessis fi nished 05) T. Hanson/T. Hanson Subaru Impreza WRX + 06m 32,5s year. third. Gaylord Van Brocklin and Brian 06) C. Decker/A. M. Craig Ramana Lagemann returned Gottllieb also claimed MaxAttack! Subaru Impreza WRX + 08m 53,2s to the West Coast hoping to repeat his cash prizes, fi nishing fourth and fi fth 07) J. Keeney/J. Grahn Subaru Impreza WRX + 09m 53,4s Olympus Rally Super Production win and respectively. The MaxAttack! Series now 08) W. Hoeck/P. O’Hanlon was certainly on pace to do so, but a moves East to the New England Forest Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX + 10m 13,6s 17min 30sec time penalty for speeding Rally in Sunday River, Maine on July 16- 09) M. Mager/J. Blattner Subaru Impreza WRX + 12m 12,2s through a transit effectively knocked him 17 before the fi nal MaxAttack! shootout 10) D. Conley/C. Herlache out of contention. at the Lake Superior Performance Rally Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon + 14m 42,6s The 2-Wheel-Drive Class saw in Houghton, Michigan. a new winner with reigning 2009 2WD The Trails End Regional Rally Driver Standings: 01) A. L’Estage - 51 pts Champion, Dillon Van Way/Benjamin saw another Mitsubishi Lancer EVO in 02) T. Pastrana - 45 pts Slocum (Ford Focus), securing his fi rst the top spot with Wolfgang Hoeck and 03) W. Bacon - 40 pts overall class victory for the year. Van Piers O’Hanlon beating Wagons Ho! 04) D. Mirra - 34 pts 05) K. Block - 24 pts Way fi nished 01min 15,3sec ahead of Regional Rally winners Mark Mager 06) T. Hanson - 21 pts 2WD points leaders Chris Duplessis/ and Jake Blattner by 1:32.5 minutes. 07) T. Rooney - 14 pts Ron Zaras (Scion xD). Duplessis was Wolfgang also won the Shunpiker Stages =08) A. Comrie-Picard - 13 pts =08) C. Decker - 13 pts behind his usual pace while adapting Regional Rally on Saturday. Pacifi c 10) J. Burker - 12 pts EVENTS

CASTROL TEAM TOYOTA ON “HOME” TURF FOR SUGARBELT 400 SANORRC: SUGARBELT 400 21 - 22 May 2010 The Castrol Team Toyota Off Road team will be looking to succeed on ‘home’ turf in the Atlas Copco Sugarbelt 400 that takes place on the 21st and 22nd of May.

Advertorial by Toyota of South Africa road racing when he held a reasonably Toyota Dealer 400 some weeks back and Pictures: Motorpics comfortable lead through the event until its performance in this event last year. just 40 kilometres from the end,” says “As ever the team has applied The event, considered one of the Castrol Team Toyota team principal, itself to the process of constant tougher and more popular events Glyn Hall. “The Sugarbelt 400 combines improvement of the Hilux to optimise in the eight event ABSA Off Road a unique mix of terrain with the route its potential. We are really competitive Championship, takes traversing tracks in terms of speed – we saw that in place in the Eston through cane Lydenburg – and our aim for the area of KwaZulu- “This is the fi elds, open Sugarbelt 400 is to use that to our Natal, an area used terrain that the grassland and a advantage in a good clean run and extensively by forest section, hopefully a visit to the top step of the Toyota engineers Hilux has shown with a fair bit podium for Toyota and our partners during the of variation in Castrol, Imperial, and the Innovation development of itself to be well elevation in this Group.” the Hilux prior to suited for.” hilly area of The Sugarbelt 400 is based its introduction in KwaZulu-Natal at the Beaumont Eston Farmers Club, South Africa. KwaZulu-Natal is of course thrown in for good measure. just off the R603, and this area will also Toyota’s home province as well with the “This is the kind of terrain serve as the designated service point. company’s manufacturing facility less that the Hilux has shown itself to be This is a spectator friendly event with a than an hour’s drive away from Eston. well suited for. Both Duncan Vos and number of spectator points accessible “It was on this event last year Anthony Taylor are enthusiastic about without the need to venture off main tar that Anthony Taylor gave notice of their chances of success on this event roads. the real potential of the Hilux in off- given the performance of the Hilux in the EVENTS IN THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN APRC: RALLY HOKKAIDO 21 - 23 May 2010 One of the most popular rallies in Asia takes places this weekend. With over 50 000-strong crowds cheering on their favourite teams at the ceremonial start alone, Rally Hokkaido is a highlight on the FIA’s Asia-Pacifi c Rally Championship (APRC) calendar.

Story: Evan Rothman Atkinson. McRae, co-driven by Bill Picture: PROTON Media Hayes, led in Malaysia for much of the event, but his brand-new Proton Satria This the second round of the seven Neo S2000 suffered a minor engine fault event series is hosted in the cities of to force them out of the event. Makubetsu and Obihiro, in Japan’s , with his World Tokachi region. Known for its extreme Rally Championship experience and weather conditions (an annual expertise, is partnered with co-driver temperature range of 60 decrees Stephane Prevot, fi nished fourth overall Celsius), and rain is in last month’s expected to fall. The “The roads are Malaysian rally’s stages will be rally after an run in the north- fast but narrow” extremely west of Makubetsu, positive start to YouTube video: 2010 APRC Season Preview except the thrilling draw card Spectator the event. Expect fi reworks from these http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7p5-dzCZiQ Super Special stage in Obihiro next to two factory-backed crews this weekend. the Kita Aikoku-based service park. Alister McRae said: “I have The competitors will contest never competed in Japan before, so I’ve 18 stages over 220,97km of timed rally only got a rough idea of what to expect. action over 946,49km-long event route. I’ve watched some footage from Rally Seven of the stages are different, with Japan and a lot of the in-car, so this the stages repeated throughout the gives you a good fl avour of the stages to event’s three days of competition. The come. They look quite fast in places, but lush vegetation is one of the features really narrow as well. They don’t seem of this event: the stages wind through to fl ow too much. I would say the key the scenic vistas. The roads are fast to this event is going to be getting an but narrow and in order to reach the accurate set of notes from the recce.” fi nal fi nish the pacenotes will need to be Chris Atkinson said: “I’ve got accurate as the grass and bushes can fond memories of Japan; it’s the place often be hiding some deep ditches and where I scored my fi rst podium, taking slippery tree roots. third place on my fi rst visit there in the Rally Hokkaido will produce Impreza WRC in 2005. The stages are YouTube video: With Proton in 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbXdmUdokqQ intense rallying, as this event also good. They’re fast and smooth in places, forms Round Three of the Japanese but they are quite technical. There’s Rally Championship. In the APRC, it is a lot of the road running under the Katsihiko Taguchi leading the points trees which can make it hard to see the standings. This local driver has been precise line you want to take through the victorious twice on this event in the last corner. You do need very accurate pace fi ve years. Fellow countryman Hiroshi notes on this event.” Yanagisawa will, however, be looking to Rally Hokkaido will be a test top the timesheets here this weekend. for the drivers, and with many fast local APRC and Australian rally ace Cody crews adding spice to the event’s entry Crocker has won this event three times list, this will be an event to savour. in the past fi ve years. Follow the rally on: http:// Threatening in their fi rst handbrakeshairpins.wordpress.com for outing in Malaysia for the fi rst round up-to-the-minute stage times and news of the APRC were the Rally fl ashes. Team crews of Alister McRae and Chris

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