RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLDR RALLYCROSSall WORLDyc RALLYCROSSros WORLDs RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLDWORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS#90 JUly WORLD 2011 RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSSBRC STARS WORLD AS IRISH RALLYCROSS PLOT AN INTERNATIONAL WORLD RETURN RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLDDifferent RALLYCROSS day, same story: ’s wobbly WORLD ERC return RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLDRALLYCROSS RALLYCROSSWORLD. WORLDCOM RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS Rallycross Briefing #90 JUly 2011 The present and the WORLD future go head-to-head

This issue is finished in the couple of days between the Marc Laboulle and have demonstrated the Norwegian and Swedish rounds of the European Rallycross potential of the transverse configuration. Engineers involved Championship. While the season is shaping up to be a great agree that the DS3 is a far superior base for the concept than one: four Supercar winners in four rounds and a handful of the C4. As Hansen gets race miles on the new car we will see How to get Rallycross World points between the top six in the series; Super1600 suddenly if these predictions are right. If they are, you are watching Rallycross World is produced monthly and distributed as a pdf document more open than we had expected and with a surprise new something that will change the face of the sport and bring You can subscribe directly or receive it as a subscription benefit at RallycrossWorld.com star waltzing on to the scene; Lars Øivind Enerberg seemingly about a whole new breed of Supercar. We also now offer a method for you to buy a printed copy or iPad version via MagCloud invincible in TouringCar – right now we also have an eye to the future. World wide print service and iPad magazine This week Kenneth Hansen Motorsport has put the first laps The MagCloud print-on-demand service now delivers on it’s new DS3 Supercar. A new model is always good. Having anywhere in the world. You can order a printed magazine to be Hansen back behind the wheel will add further spice to the delivered to your door simply by clicking the link on the left or Subscribe Get it free! Printed magazine iPad series. But it’s the technical aspect of the DS3 which is most from the back page. MagCloud also makes Rallycross World A direct subscription RallycrossWorld. MagCloud is a print You can download important, if the car is as good as Hansen says it is, and he available for iPad. Just look for the free MagCloud app in the to Rallycross World com is the essential on demand service Rallycross World to thinks it is going to be better than anything he has ever driven iPad App Store and then select Rallycross World from the cost €50 per year (12 Rallycross news that means you can your iPad through the before, this is the beginning of a new era. MagCloud magazine store. issues). website. As well order a printed copy free MagCloud app. Visit myriorama.com as enjoying all the of the magazine that This gives you the and follow the links feature of the site, will be delivered Mag Cloud magazine to Rallycross World to registered users can anywhere in the store, from where subscribe online. download their copy world. you can search for of the magazine for Rallycross World free within the app.

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Contents Click it! Copyright Advertisements in the pdf Rallycross World is published monthly by Myriorama 5 Top Story version of Rallycross Ltd. This publication may not be redistributed, copied or World are interactive – click reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the written 7 Diary Gallery on them to be taken to the consent of the copyright holder. advertiser’s website. Unless otherwise stated, all text and photographs are © copyright 13 Diary June Check the whole advert as Tim Whittington 2011. some have multiple links – and [email protected] 18 The Irish masterplan you wouldn’t want to miss anything, would you? Contributors: 24 Wobbly return in Norway There are also links from Eddi Laumanns, Hal Ridge, Henk de Winter, Johan Dingenen some editorial items and we will This issue published : July 1 30 Shoestring Stories always try to offer a live link Next issue published: August 1 wherever we quote a website www.myriorama.com 31 Northern lights address in editorial. [email protected] myriorama 2 | #90 – July 2011 ©RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 3 Top story Deadline looming FIA puts down time limit for engine proposals

SVERRE ISACHSEN Cosworth YB – 543bhp, 920Nm torque European Rallycross Champion 2009 & 2010 Norwegian Rallycross Champion 2010 Rallycross Norden winner 2010

The FIA Off Road Commission President Andy Lasure has This would result in a driver who has qualified fourth being laid down a deadline of August 5 for teams and competitors in reclassified tenth, or last on the B final grid. Those qualified DEREK TOHILL PAT DORAN JULIAN GODFREY Duratec 2.0 – 294bhp, 254Nm torque Cosworth YB – 543bhp, 810Nm torque Duratec 2.0 – 294bhp, 254Nm torque the European Rallycross Championship to make suggestions fifth to tenth would all move up one place. European Rallycross Champion, TouringCar British Rallycross Champion 2009 & 2010 British Rallycross Champion, Supernational or proposals on ways in which the number of engines used in “Most drivers agree we should do something so I have made ERC events can be limited. a proposal. We [the ORC] want to have ideas from the teams, The ORC first made the suggestion during the third round all suggestions will be considered,” said Lasure. of the ERC in France (Rallycross World #89, June 2011). In While his proposal outlines an idea, Lasure accepts that a June’s fourth round of the championship in Norway, Lasure final form of words suitable for regulatory use is a long way off, circulated a written copy of a proposal of his own and “It’s up to the technical people to write the rules and decide informed teams that they should make their own alternative how to control any regulation, how to identify engines. They +44 (0)1435 865999 suggestions before the next technical meeting on August 5. know about these things and there is experience from racing Lasure’s own proposal would allow the use of spare engines, and ,” he said. Cosworth YB – 543bhp, 920Nm torque but any team changing an engine during the course of an event A restriction in the use of engines, if introduced, would RACETUNERS.COM Winner, 2011 ERC round one, Great Britain would incur a penalty; Lasure’s proposal suggests a loss of six be applied to all three classes in the European Rallycross places in the positions after the third heat. Championship. RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 5 Diary gallery Higgins jumps in Rally driver David Higgins took part in his first Rallycross event in the third round of the Global championbship at Pikes Peak. The Rally Team USA driver gained a lucky second place in the event and will drive his Impreza again in next months in Los Angeles. Lars Gange/Subaru.com/rally RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 7 Diary gallery Pikes Peak jump bites Borowicz Robert Borowicz was the first victim of the jump at Pike Peak International Raceway in the third round of the Global Rallycross Championship where he spectacularly flipped his . Marcus Dodd later also crashed at the jump, putting his Hyundai Veloster out of the event. Greg Greg Drozd RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 9 Diary gallery The future, now The car that Kenneth Hansen has described as “the best we have ever built,” was given its first laps at Lidköping in Sweden where Hansen conducted the initial test and heaped praise on KHM engineers Kennet Nyberg and Richard Toftgren who have led the build. The car ran faultlessly in the test. KHM RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 11 Diary April & May Diary

June 1 June 5 not raced since September last year, plans to test the new car Finnskoga MK begins the public build up to the Swedish ERC Jerome Grosset-Janin (below) wins the fourth round of the before taking it to Höljes. round at Höljes in July with a press release that indicates the French Rallycross Championship at Chateauroux, giving the club will respond to its growing spectator attendance and the Chanoine Renault team its second victory of the year and fact that fans arrive earlier every year, by building the event, returning himself to the top of the championship points chart previously marketed as the ‘magic weekend’ into the ‘magic week’. This year the club has added football matches between drivers, a TV company and their local team on Thursday, as well as live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. June 4 Finnish competitor Mikko Hirvonen (right) is to drive in the ‘Sambacross’ event at Kauhajoki, the fourth round of the Finnish Rallycross Championship on July 16. The Ford driver is believed to have tested a Supercar, but is not yet certain whether he will race in the Supercar or Supernational category of the event. National National Rally Productions ahead of Samuel Peu who finished second here in his Peugeot 207. Former title holder Alexandre Theuil placed third in his Golf while M Technologies wheeled out its famous double title-winning Xsara for Georges Orre, father of the team’s June 10 chief engineer and a former rally driver. Orre senior surprised Subaru Rally Team America enters David Higgins for the everyone, himself included, by making it straight into the A third round of the Global Rallycross Championship at Pikes final where he placed fourth, ahead of round three winner Peak International Raceway where he will drive the Rallycross Philippe Tollemer and Christophe Wilt. In what turned out to Impreza used in the first two rounds by . In his first be a great weekend for the Chanoine squad, Fabien Chanoine Rallycross event, Higgins hopes that race experience gained in gained his first Super1600 victory with the team’s Dacia karting will help his performance. Sandero, leading home Laurent Chartrain and David Olivier. There was a new winner in Division Three where Christophe June 11 Saunois (below) brought his Toyota Corolla home ahead of In an extension to his Global Rallycross Championship class favourite Marc Morize. Yvonnick Jagu returned to the top programme with Racing’s Hyundai team, Marcus of Division Four while Jimmy Terpereau took his first win in Dodd will drive for the team in the Pikes Peak Hillclimb where the Logan Cup category. he will use the Veloster Rallycross car he has used in the GRC.

» RallyCar issues a brief statement saying that the third round of the Global Rallycross Championship at Pikes Peak will now not count towards the Rallycross National Championship, the Manu Naud/AFORManu next round of which is scheduled for Bark River on August 13. It is believed the decision follows GRC’s move to change the format of the Pikes Peak event. June 12 After an absence of two years, the British championship returned to Mondello Park in Ireland where defending champion Pat Doran became the third different winner in as June 9 many events. George Tracey had a good run in his Citroën Kenneth Hansen Motorsport confirms that its new Citroën Xsara and chased Doran home in second place with Julian DS3 Supercar will debut in the Swedish round of the European Godfrey coming through in third place with his Ford Fiesta Rallycross Championship at Höljes where team principal VI. Round one winner Andy Scott drove his Peugeot 306 in Hansen will drive. Workshop pictures show work on the new the event and set fastest time of the day – worth five bonus car progressing well at the team Götene base. Hansen, who has points in the BRC – but was out of luck in the final where he RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 13 Diary April & May

got pushed off the track. David Binks survived early trouble Rolf Volland while Andreas Steffen completed the podium. June 17 appeared to have crossed the line, but officials later decided he to take fourth place with Steve Hill also shrugging off early Hans Kirchhof topped the Supernational order in his Porsche Frenchman Julien Debin is to return to Rallycross in the had not and gave the places to Higgins and Verdier. Swedish transmission problems to finish fifth. Ash Simpson won the 91 GT3, Björn Barkhoff (Polo) winning Division Five and Super1600 Peugeot 206 run by the JSA team that also fields Porsche racer Mikael Eriksson topped the two-wheel drive Supernational category in his Lotus Exige, the young racer Thomas Leipold (Suzuki Ignis) winning Division Six. Davy Jeanney’s Citroën C4 Supercar. Debin has taken the car order in both Friday’s SuperRally and Saturday’s Rallycross holding off local racer Kieran Curran and Michael Boak who over from French championship regular Guillame Bergeon and events. battled managed to complete the day despite illness. In their » The Danish championship moved on to Nisseringen for will race the car for the first time in the Swedish ERC round at first appearance in Ireland the RX150 and Suzuki Swift classes its third round where ERC star Ulrik Linnemann won the Höljes. provided good action. Leo Forster passed Ollie O’Donovan to Super1600 class ahead of Jacab Schnoor (Peugeot 196) win the former while champion Dave Bellerby took his first and Rune Staudt (Citroën C2). Jakob Teil Hansen won the Swift win of the year. The Junior category also made the trip Super2000 final in his rear-drive Fiesta VII but was demoted to Ireland where Aidan Hills gained his second win. European to last place after being judged to have overtaken under champion Derek Tohill built a Hot Hatch Peugeot 106 GTi in the yellow flag, a decision that handed victory to Ramus order to take part in the event and gave the regulars in the class Nielsen (Honda Civic). Troels Daarbak (Volvo S40) won the the slip as he took a clear win over Eddie Peterson and class Supernational A final while Kasper Zylauv (Honda Civic) was points leader Michael Duke. first home in the Group N 1600cc category.

» The German championship pays a visit to the asphalt-only » The third round of the CEZ series took place at Mariapocs in Grundautalring where René Münnich wins the restarted A Hungary, the night race there also counting for the Austrian, final, the first attempt halted after title holder Willy Salzgeber Polish and Hungarian championships. Zoltan Harsanyi beat crashed his Focus. Münnich Motorsport fielded one of its Tamas Revesz, the two Hungarian’s ahead of Austrian Jurgen Super1600 Skoda Fabias for Marc Basseng, usually occupied Weiß while Krzysztof Skorupski won in Super1600, Josef driving one of the team’s GT1 Lambourghinis but who had a Strobl topped the TouringCar order and Roman Castoral won Supercar outing in the German ERC round in 2009. Basseng the Supernational category. showed well in the event, but was beaten to class victory by » Tanner Foust wins the SuperRally event in the first day of the Global Rallycross championship’s visit to Pikes Peak. Foust beats Marcus Grönholm in the final of the contest, fellow Ford runner Brian Deegan taking third in his first start of the year. June 18 Jimmy Holmkvist takes victory in the second round of the Swedish champiopnship at Strängnäs where he leads home (Skoda Fabia) and Daniel wall (Volvo S40). The TouringCar/2400 class is taken by BMW driver Daniel Gillberg while Martin Jonsson wins the Junior class.

» Having missed the entire 2010 season, Harald Sachweh signals his return to driving by entering the Norwegian ERC event. His new Astra Supercar not yet complete, Sachweh will contest the event in the ex-Jenssen/Lindefjell/Kuypers Focus that he has acquired primarily for its MSR transmission system.

» The Finnish championship holds its third round at Kittee where Atro Määttä takes his first victory of the year. The Focus driver was chased home by Ari Perkiömäki (Fiesta) who takes the series lead with second place. The Supernational category is won by Joni-Pekka Rajala’s Skoda Fabia.

» Marcus Grönholm wins the third round of the Global Rallycross Championship at Pikes Peak International Raceway, second and third places taken by David Higgins – in his first Rallycross start with Subaru Rally Team USA – and Stephan Verdier. The last two podium places were subject of some debate, Tanner Foust and Michael Jernberg crashing on the exit of the last corner, Foust goig off the edge of a raised section of the track next to the finish line. Initially Foust RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 15 Diary April & May ����������� June 19 » launches his X Games Rallycross bid with a series of very fast laps, moved ahead. There was also a different The French championship gains a new winner as Gaëtan tongue-in-cheek video that takes a broadside at . If winner in Super1600 where Ildar Rakhmatullin progressed Sérazin wins round five at Lavaré. The A final had a slightly you’re reading the pdf version of RallycrossWorld, click the pic from the B final to take victory in the A final, the Russian unusual look about it, Sérazin chased home by Jean-Baptiste to see the video. leading a rout on the class by the Finnish Set Promotion team, Dubourg (Citroën Xsara), Fabien Pailler and Marc Laboulle. second and 18-year-old Finn Jussi-Petteri Points leader Jerome Grosset-Janin had a tough day and failed Leppihalme climbing on to the podium in his first ERC start. to escape the B final, ending the event with eighth place, a Lars Øivind Enerberg (below) maintained his unbeaten run in similarly tough run for Samuel Peu leaving the pair with a TouringCar, fastest in all three heats and the clear winner . reduced points advantage over Philippe Tollemer, Alex Theuil and Sérazin. Laurent Chartrian scored his first Super1600 win June 27 of the year, David Olivier second in his Twingo. Marc Morize Swedish racer Peter Hedström completes a deal to rent a Skoda and David Vincent (below) won Divisions Three and Four Fabia Supercar from Belgian racer Jochen Coox. Hedstrom while the Logan Cup win was taken by Clement Dupont. will drive in his home ERC event at Höljes in a one-off outing that breaks the retirement he entered after selling his Fiesta VI Supercar to Camilla Antonsen at the end of 2009. The Coox car is ‘Helga 1’, the ex-Lars Larsson ERC title winning Fabia. ������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������� June 28 �������������������������������������������������������� Kenneth Hansen Motorsport takes its new Citroën DS3 ������������������������������������������������������ Supercar to Lidköping where team boss Hansen conducts ���������������������������������������������������� two days of testing with the eagerly awaited new car. “Imagine ������������������������������ a brand new car, a totally new concept from anything we June 26 have built before, and it works fantastically from the very ������������������������������������������������ The fourth round of the European Rallycross Championship first metre! That says a lot about the quality of the engineers ����������������������������������� produces the fourth different winner in the series, Mats Lysen and our whole team,” said Hansen after driving the new gaining his first Supercar victory in his home event. The A car at Lidköping, “Everyone has done a superb job, my final needed two starts after Tanner Foust crashed out in engineers Kennet Nyberg and Richard Toftgren have done a the first lap. Champion Sverre Isachsen led the restart from tremendously great job!” Following the test the new car was ����������������������������� ����������������� official dealer: pole but lost out in the last lap when he took the Joker Lap taken to Höljes for its first public outing at the press day ahead and Lysen, who been in the Joker in lap one and then put in a of the Swedish ERC round.

» The third round of the Dutch championship was run on the Eurocircuit at Valkenswaard where preparations for August’s European championship continue. Jos Kuypers won the event in his new Fiesta, the three-car Supercar entry presenting little challenge. Marcel Snoeijers topped the Super1600 field and Jos Sterkens gave his new Volvo a victory in the TouringCar class. Luc Maris returned to the top of the Supernational class, leading home Kristof Bex.

» Slomczyn hosts the fourth round of the CEZ series, the event also counting towards the Polish and Hungarian championships. Austrian Alois Höller takes the event win in his Focus, second place collected by Pole Marcin Wicik while Super1600: 1.6L @ 240 bhp • TouringCar: 2.0L @ 292 bhp Lukasz Zoll places third driving a Subaru Impreza. Krzysztof Skorupski takes another Super1600 win in his VW Polo, Gyorgy Fodor collecting the TouringCar win and Tomas Hurt (Citroën C2) winning the Supernational class. June 22 Henning Solberg strikes a deal with M Technologies to drive www.zomermotorsport.com its Citroën C4 Supercar in the Norwegian ERC event at Lånke. [email protected] solberg will replace Marc Laboulle in the French team for the tel. 0031 (0)548 - 361385 event. a potential winner, from start to podium RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 17 Ireland takes first step to International return British series stars at Mondello New summer date part of the Irish masterplan

At the beginning of June the British Rallycross Championship returned to Ireland for the first time since early in 2009 when Mondello Park hosted the opening round of that year’s series. Mondello was missing in 2010 largely because of a spat concerning the RX150 category and whether it could or could not run in Ireland. That issue was ironed out late last year and the full roster of BRC classes made the trip across the Irish Sea, the RX150 field boasting 16-starters, equalling its biggest ever turnout and providing great racing all day. The event, however, was not about the RX150s, nor really even about the British championship. This was about summer time Rallycross returning to Mondello Park and the beginning of a long term plan to establish an International fixture in Ireland, one that might, in time, lead to a bid for the European championship to return. Getting the British championship back to Ireland is a step on this road, and the political statesmanship needed to calm choppy waters and reach agreement that the BRC and all of its classes could race, were useful lessons learned and skills gained, every bit as important as running a successful event in the task of establishing a complete event. The Rallycross Commitee at Motorsport Ireland has undergone some changes in the last year and now contains some new faces, younger blood but also watching eyes and the voices of experience. It’s probably wrong to single out any individual in the group, but the infuence of Derek Tohill is readily observed. Ireland’s first European champion, Tohill is a cheerleader for a major event in the Irish Rallycross calendar, and has pushed hard for the summer date. When raceday came around everything was in place, almost 100 starters filled the paddock (the split fairly equal between British and Irish drivers) but no-one had told the weathermen and as the assembled shivered and sheltered from the rain on a day that more like November, it was Tohill who summed things up perfectly: “Mondello would be perfect if they put a roof on it.” Perfection is a tough one, but compared to tracks in the European Rallycross Championship, Mondello already compares favourably. The FIA-licensed International race track has hosted British Touring Cars, Superbikes and FIA GT events. The paddock is asphalt and there are more than 20 garages in the pitlane, as well as hospitality suites above them. The race control tower also accommodates a medical centre, media room and commentary box. The paddock also includes a restaurant and bar. If the place is lacking in anything it is perhaps in the track itself, altered significantly since the ERC last ran there in 18 | #90 – July 2011 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 19 Ireland takes first step to International return

With facilities at least the equal of any ERC venue, Mondello Park’s greatest problem is its geographic location.

1995, it is not what you might call the most exciting nor best spectator venue. More significantly for those admittedly far off ERC aspirations, it does not have a Joker Lap. That, however, is one item that is already, if not in hand, then certainly in the mind of all those concerned in this push to get top class Rallycross back to Mondello. The Rallycross track is now formed by three gravel sections that bisect the race track to create a 1300 metre lap, these are referred to as Rallycross One, Two and Three. The first two are as they were when the ERC used to visit, the first corner and then on the exit of the ‘Hole in the Hedge’, as turn two is known because, years ago, it was formed simply by making a hole in the hedge between two sections of race track. Where Rallycross Two used to run out on to the racetrack behind the paddock and then send racers into the majestic, sweeping gravel bend than returned them to the start-finish straight, there is now a short skip across asphalt before the track turns hard left into Rallycross three that runs parallel to the racetrack, funnelling cars into the last corner of the racetrack and then out into the long run down the full length of the start-finish. Where Rallycross two cuts across the racetrack there is both space and an available section of asphalt to create what could be an effective and relatively easily constructed Joker Lap. “There are a couple of possibilities but the racetrack near Rallycross Two seems to be favourite at the moment,” said Robert Moody, one of those elder statesmen mentioned above, “It’s not going to happen tomorrow and I’m not sure that anyone has discussed the idea properly with Mondello Park yet, but the space is there and you can see how you could put a Joker Lap in there. The only thing that’s certain is that if we want to try for a European race in future, we will have to get a Joker Lap.” A successful event featuring the British championship – and make no mistake this was successful, despite the weather the spectator turnout was good and, after a sluggish start, County Kildare MC nailed the event and brought it to a close on time – is just the first step on what its architects admit is a five or six-year plan. 20 | #90 – July 2011 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 21 Ireland takes first step to International return

Ireland probably also needs an economic upturn, at home and in the wider world, for an ERC bid to be warmly welcomed. Like Finland and Portugal it finds itself on the geographic edges of the championship territory. As with Finland, most will need to take two ferry crossings to get there, a journey that consumes more time and money than most. These were factors in Ireland’s demise after ’95 and will be obstacles that need to be cleared before it returns. In more affluent times they are aspects that do not matter as much. The Irish need to get the BRC back next year, but also to pluck a date from the crowded calendar that allows them to bring in a few International drivers: “I don’t think we need to have the European champion here or anything like that, but if we can bring a few drivers from different national championships, Supercars and also in the other classes including Supernational, we’ll give the event another level,” said Tohill whose own support of the plan cannot be doubted. In the few weeks leading up to it he built a Hot Hatch Peugeot 106 GTi, and then went and won the class in it. Mondello Park was a popular halt on the ERC trail between 1987 and 1995 and could be so again if those involved make the most of what they have in the venue, it’s strong organising team and the general enthusiasm for all things motor sport in the Irish public. 22 | #90 – July 2011 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 23 Norway muddles through

When Finland’s return to the European Rallycross Championship fell in the shadow of another exemplary event at Höljes last year we were not alone in suggesting that, should Norway be successful in gaining a round of the 2011 championship, its organiser would do well to avoid such a calendar position; Finnskoga Motorklubb is such a smooth operator that anyone trying to immediately follow its event must do so knowing that it will be judged against the best in the business. NAF Motorsport got the weekend before Höljes for its ERC event, run on new territory for the championship on the Lånkebanen at Hell, near . That appeared good, and with a break of a few weeks since the third round of the series in France, everyone would arrive in Norway with a clear and open mind, willing to give the new boys on the stage an even break. And, let’s face it, the French had not set the bar particularly high... Expectations were high going to Norway; the venue’s first attempt to the gain an ERC round had been bounced back after work at the track had not been completed and when it finally received approval it was with flying colours, track inspector Klaus Stich claiming his job would be easy, “if everyone did it like this”. The racetrack itself, just that part on which the cars actually drive, was almost universally popular with the drivers, its undulating lap containing all manner of corners and offering a new challenge. The infield areas did not bear closer examination, generally untidy the place appeared little loved, various pieces of broken concrete structure laying around and even a pile of old windows stacked behind one of the marshal posts – themselves best described as temporary in nature. But, even some of the longest established tracks change imperceptibly over time so that it sometimes appears no-one has been there from one year to the next, so, again, the newcomers could be forgiven for focusing in the track itself this time round. The paddock was split, the two support races running from a separate area behind the first corner. This left plenty of space for the rest in the main asphalt surfaced paddock and had anyone thought about organising the way in which teams parked this could have offered an impressive sight. As it was, you’d be forgiven for thinking that one of the Norse gods had reached down from Asgard and scattered a handful of trucks and busses at random. This might seem like petty stuff, and a few years ago no-one would have thought or cared about such detail, but with every club now operating in the full knowledge that its race is not safe, that no-one is guaranteed an event next year, these are the little things that add up to making a good event. Likewise the facilities at the venue, a permanent building on the site was used as the media room, but it was barely big enough for the numbers accredited, had the TV crew shoehorned into it when the location first offered to them proved unsuitable (the kind of thing that could have been checked before hand) and, contrary Good enough? to the rules, was closed on Friday afternoon when it was taken over by the event secretarial staff and used for signing-on. Shaky start for Norway’s return This was NAF Motorsport’s first ERC event and, as with the 24 | #90 – July 2011 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 25 Norway muddles through

track and facilities, small oversights can be forgiven, less so fundamental shortcomings such as the mistakes in calculation of the results after the third qualifying heats that resulted in the finals for all three classes being recalculated while the first of the races was on the grid and a delay of 35-minutes in the schedule. It was at this point that the plot appeared to become lost and it took two hours to complete the last nine races of the event, a general lack of urgency accompanied by shortcomings from officials and a poorly thought out venue: after the earliest finals cars were sent to the paddock, then to parc ferme. Or to parc ferme, then the paddock and then back to parc ferme, the latter having been placed on top of the hill overlooking the track together with the support race paddock while technical officials remained in the main event paddock... And when things got tense after an incident and a black flag in the Supercar B final, the Clerk of the Course left his post and drove here and there with so that those concerned could fetch video evidence with which to argue their case, a further lengthy delay being created while the Super1600 A finalists were assembled on the grid: if that kind of running around was really necessary at that stage of the event, it would have seemed reasonable for it to have been done by a deputy or assistant clerk. There were, of course, positives in the event and it would be unfair not to emphasise that the track itself offered some for both competitors and spectators. Situated a few minutes drive from Trondheim’s Værnes airport and its attendant hotels, the track also offered something of unique opportunity in terms of easy access and the organiser ran a shuttle service carrying officials, media and competitors between hotels and track across the weekend. Commercially the event was well supported, locally based Kristoffersen Bil – closely connected with Rallycross in Norway – provided goody bags for the winner of every race, a small thing that was universally appreciated. Support from regional government authorities meant that the event was a sound financial footing and it was well promoted within the region. A good choice of date may have kept Norway from falling in Sweden’s shadow, but poor attention to detail and what appeared to be weak leadership among those actually running the event on the Sunday has left it struggling to escape the gloomy pall cast by France. All things considered this was not a great return for Norway, in fact you’d be hard pushed to find significant improvement over the previous events at Momarken, save that the track is much more interesting. With just four of this year’s ten events run it is far too early to start judging who will make the grade when the 2012 season is formed but having rolled it dice, Norway’s hand is plain for all to see and its fortune now rests in many ways with the relative performance of those yet to run. If all three [Finland, Germany and Hungary] of those eligible to rejoin the championship next year complete the applications correctly, then three of this year’s events will face the chop. The similarities between Norway in 2011 and Finland in 2010 are striking and now, as then, perhaps the best summation is ‘nice track, shame about the race’. 26 | #90 – July 2011 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 27 Solberg to build Fiesta for regular Rallycross outings

Making what is his only scheduled appearance in Rallycross this year, during the Norwegian round of the European Rallycross Championship, Henning Solberg reaffirmed his enthusiasm for the sport as well as his desire and intention to Solberg plans more Rallycross compete more regularly. “I would like to do two or three Rallycross events a year but I have no definite plan to drive again this year yet. We have just WRC star building a new car for Rallycross finished building a Rallycross car for Ken Block, a Fiesta with a shell from M Sport and he will use that in X Games. Now we will start another for me and I will use it at the end of this year or next year, we will see how it goes and when there is time to do an event. Between rallies I need to spend time with my wife and daughter and their horses and my son Oscar (14) is leading the Norwegian CrossKart championship this year, so there is not much spare time,” said Solberg who started his career in Rallycross. “I do these events to keep the tradition of alive! I like to drive in Rallycross but it’s not the first priority for me, I just like to race and I see a lot of friends and have fun, nothing more. Driving these cars does not really help me when it comes to rallies, the driving styles are completely different but it’s good to do this two or three times a year. The tyres are very special on these cars and it’s a strange way drive the car. You have to be very clean and not to push the car too much; if you push you lose time so you have to keep the car very nice and tight, no big slides like you have in rallies. You need to slide the rally car to keep the up specially with the 1600 engine we have now. It’s nice to drive Rallycross cars because they have more power, although the Citroën I have here does not have the best power.” Solberg has driven in ERC events over the last couple of years using an OMSE-built Fiesta, run by the Swedish team and then, in last year’s only outing at Höljes, by his own team. With that car sold to Frank Valle last winter, and his self built replacement not yet started, Solberg searched out a rental deal in order to take part in his home ERC round and eventually found a berth with M Technologies where Marc Laboulle gave up his seat for the weekend. The Norwegian admitted that he found the French team’s decision to run engines less powerful than most rivals and focus on the dynamics of the car unusual. “It’s a strange strategy, I prefer more power! But it seems to work quite well, I was very fast in the first heat [in the Norwegian ERC round] and would have been fastest but Svein Roger Andersen’s car stopped on the track, and I lost 1.5s in the last lap, I was leading until that,” he said. Still able to compete at a good level in the WRC, Solberg does have an eye on a post rallying future that incudes Rallycross. “I like Rallycross and it’s definitely something I can do when I’m finished with rallies. It’s just boring hanging around between races. I’m used being up at six in the morning, being in the car at seven and then going flat out all day,” he said, before greeting the suggestion that perhaps there ought to be more races warmly. “Four or five races a day? Yes, that would be good, maybe not for the engineers, but I’d like that!” 28 | #90 – July 2011 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 29 Shoestring stories – the life of a low budget racer in the European championship Touring Car comes of age Northern lights Rear-drive class finds favour up north

Lost! The boy Ridge went to Glastonbury to earn a shekel or two to spend on his beloved Clio – but we haven’t seen him since! We’re not sure if he’s eloped with Beyonce, Some time in gestation, the European championship’s As the number of cars grows, it is also easy to see the signed-up a roadie for Elbow, TouringCar class shows every sign of coming of age this competitive level increasing, the fastest cars in the category is still out there in the Stone summer. There were 17 starters in the class in the Norwegian now regularly matching the times of the fastest Super1600 Circle field getting in touch ERC event and 26 entries for the Swedish round at Höljes cars, a breed that is much more highly developed and also has with his inner self, or if he’s – easily the biggest entry the class has ever drawn. a lower weight limit to go with its smaller engines. just lost in the sea of mud… It’s now plain to see that the category for two-litre, rear- Where we see the cars racing against ‘unlimited’ machinery, If you see him, please send wheel drive cars was introduced at an economic point that they are also setting impressive results, best illustrated by him home. has made its growth slow. Launched in 2007 as a ‘Cup’ class, it Derek Tohill’s Supernational win at Lydden in the British Normal service will, we gained full championship status in 2009 and lost its ‘Division championship opener earlier this year. hope, be resumed next Two’ tag for this year when it was renamed TouringCar. TouringCar is clearly growing up to become a worthy class month when the Clio should Now included within the Supernational class structure in within the ERC structure, both well supported and competitive be ready to go to Belgium Sweden and Norway, the number of cars in Scandinavia is at most events. If the decent entry level is maintained through and Holland for its next growing; helped also by the Nordic propensity for rear-wheel the remaining events of the year, the class may truly be judged outings in the ERC. drive. to have come of age. 30 | #90 – July 2011 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #90 – July 2011 | 31 - WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLDWebsite RALLYCROSS- WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD- RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS- WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS- WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSSJ WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD- RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSSMagazine WORLD WORLD

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