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We first became aware of the ‘JRX’ idea last summer so its their presence will most likely be a deterrent to young drivers announcement at the FIA prize-giving event was not a total looking into the formula. surprise. The initiative has a great deal of thought behind it, not to mention a huge amount of expertise in engineering and RallycrossWorld.com How to get Rallycross World driving. RallycrossWorld.com provides news from all major Rallycross Rallycross World is produced monthly and distributed as a pdf document If the calculations are borne out once metal is cut and the events as well as rounding up National championships. Click You can subscribe directly or receive it as a subscription benefit at RallycrossWorld.com cars start to test, then the new category should provide a here to go to RallycrossWorld.com We also now offer a method for you to buy a printed copy or iPad version via MagCloud training ground for young drivers who can also gain experience of racing at the highest level events. World wide print service and iPad magazine If there is a flaw at this stage it would appear to be in the age The MagCloud print-on-demand service now delivers rating. The class is pitched at 14 to 18-year-olds. In Autocross anywhere in the world. You can order a printed magazine to be the Junior Buggy class is open to 13-year-olds, so why isn’t delivered to your door simply by clicking the link on the left or Get it free! Printed magazine iPad JRX also available from that age? Moving the entry points from the back page. MagCloud also makes Rallycross World RallycrossWorld. MagCloud is a print You can download down should also make it easier to close the class off at 16; available for iPad. Just look for the free MagCloud app in the com is the essential on demand service Rallycross World to when racers can drive in any of the adult classes from 16 what iPad App Store and then select Rallycross World from the Rallycross news that means you can your iPad through the is the point of having them knocking around in JRX where MagCloud magazine store. website. As well order a printed copy free MagCloud app. as enjoying all the of the magazine that This gives you the feature of the site will be delivered Mag Cloud magazine you can download anywhere in the store, from where your own copy of the world. you can search for magazine for free Rallycross World within the app.
RallycrossWorld.com MagCloud.com App store Contents 5 Top Story 7 Diary Gallery Click it! Copyright 12 Diary December & January Advertisements in the pdf Rallycross World is published monthly by Myriorama version of Rallycross Ltd. This publication may not be redistributed, copied or 16 Autosport International World are interactive – click reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the written on them to be taken to the consent of the copyright holder. 18 The biggest 2011 ERC review advertiser’s website. Unless otherwise stated, all text and photographs are © copyright Check the whole advert as Tim Whittington 2011. 18 Supercar some have multiple links – and [email protected] you wouldn’t want to miss 29 TouringCar anything, would you? Contributors: There are also links from Eddi Laumanns, Hal Ridge, Henk de Winter, Johan Dingenen 33 Super1600 some editorial items and we will This issue published : January 26 38 Shoestring stories always try to offer a live link Next issue published: March 1 wherever we quote a website www.myriorama.com address in editorial. [email protected] myriorama 2 | #96 – January-February 2012 ©RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 3 Top story
The “JRX” concept will allow for the two- third scale cars to be clothed in bodies that look like your favourite Supercars.
SVERRE ISACHSEN Cosworth YB – 543bhp, 920Nm torque European Rallycross Champion 2009 European Rallycross Champion 2010 JRX puts Juniors in ERC European Rallycross Champion 2011 JULIAN GODFREY Duratec 1.6 – 225bhp, 181Nm torque One-make series to launch in the summer Winner, 2011 Super1600 ERC Belgium
+44 (0)1435 865999 A new Junior Rallycross concept aimed at the European used in the Supercar class, Ford Fiesta, Citroën DS3 and Skoda Rallycross Championship was launched druing the FIA Off- Fabia among them. Described as a “mini me” concept, the idea Road prize-giving and seminar at Riga in Latvia on January 15. is allow drivers a choice of bodies and for teams to run a family RACETUNERS.COM Publicly unveiled at a presentation on the closing morning of cars of similar appearance. of the annual event, the proposed class is aimed at 14 to18- Cars will be offered for sale and on an arrive and drive basis year-olds and is based on a one-make spaceframe racecar with MAKS events setting up a network of national dealers. with tightly controlled technical specifications and high safety The cost of the complete car is being pitched at €40,000 while standards. the the arrive and drive deal is slated at €10,000 per event. The ‘JRX’ concept is being proposed by MAKS Events, Agents for France, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Germany are a company that includes Marc Laboulle and Kenneth already in place. The plan is to launch the series in the summer Hansen, among others. The car will use a spaceframe chassis and for it to appear at the last six rounds of the 2012 ERC, and a 600cc, two-cylinder engine similar to those used in starting with the Norwegian event at Hell on June 22-24.
JULIAN GODFREY JOS KUYPERS KOEN PAUWELS snowmobiles. Power is rated at 125bhp, the cars will have four- The move to introduce ‘JRX’ will provide the first Cosworth YB – 543bhp, 810Nm torque Cosworth YB – 543bhp, 920Nm torque Duratec 2.0 – 304.7bhp, 256.8Nm torque wheel drive and weigh 500kg. international series for Juniors, national series in Britain, British Rallycross Champion 2011 Dutch Rallycross Champion 2011 Belgian Rallycross Champion, TouringCar 2011 The composite bodies for the car have been designed so that Holland/Belgium and Portugal the only option for under 16s to they will resemble a number of different body types currently race in Rallycross until now. RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 5 Diary gallery Bingo! Ridge gets a Twingo British Super1600 specialist Hal Ridge is busy building a Renault Twingo II that he will drive in the British and European championships. Ridge will use the engine and gearbox from his Renault Clio, which is now for sale as a rolling shell, and has already found that the new car is attractive to sponsors.
RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 7 Diary gallery Shrimpton’s new model The most intriguing new Rallycross car on display at Autosport International was Joe Shrimpton’s Supernational Ford Fiesta VII. Built on a spaceframe chassis, the rear-engined car is the work of Avitas and is due to test near its Turkish base before Shrimpton begins his British championship campaign in it.
RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 9 Diary gallery Truckin On the back some strong drives in testing and an event at Phoenix, Rallycross star Liam Doran will return to the Lucas Oil Off Road series in America this year. Driving an ‘unlimited’ truck, Doran will race with Stronghold Motorsports in five of the eight championship events. StrongholdMotorsports RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 11 Diary December – January Diary
December 3 December 8 » American team Michael Crawford Motorsports announces Erik Larsson, younger brother of ERC Super1600 racer Johan Ken Block confirms that he will drive in the 2012 Global that it has struck agreements with Frode Holte and Ingvar is to make the move to the ERC in 2012. The 21-year-old has Rallycross Championship as part of a shift in emphasis that Gunnarsson Motorsport that will see it run Holte and previously raced in karts and in junior Rallycross in Sweden. will see him reduce his involvement in the World Rally his Volvo C30 Supercar in the 2012 Global Rallycross Championship and refocus his activities in America. Championship as well as being licenced to use IGM designs December 7 and technology to build cars in America. The FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in New Delhi December 9 approves proposals from the Off-Road Commission regarding A calendar for the 2012 MSA British Rallycross Championship December 15 rule changes for the 2012 European Rallycross Championship. is released. As expected, the schedule lists six events, the BRC Andy Knowles secures a new sponsorship deal with French oil Super1600: 1.6L @ 240 bhp TouringCar: 2.0L @ 296 bhp The technical regulations will be changed to restrict the use of dropping trips to Ireland and Belgium in a move to reduce company Yacco. The arrangement will see Knowles enter his Duratec HE engines and turbochargers as a method to help control costs costs and consolidate entry levels. Citroën C2 in the new Super1600 class of the British Rallycross while the number of cars in the finals will be increased to eight. MSA British Rallycross Championship Championship as well as a programme of five European March 25 Lydden Hill championship events. » Liam Doran is named as a driver by Stronghold Motorsports May 12 Knockhill Night Race which competes in the Lucs Oil Off Road Championship July 22 Mallory Park December 16 in America. Doran is to drive and ‘unlimited’ truck in the August 26-27 Lydden Hill Eklund Motorsport is completing a rebuild and update on its Pro4 category at Phoenix, his deal coming on the back of a October 7 Pembrey third Saab 93 Supercar and will have all three cars complete www.zomermotorsport.com successful test with the team at Las Vegas. October 28 Croft and race ready for the 2012 season. Team boss Per Eklund [email protected] does not elaborate on his plans, explaining simply, “We have tel. 0031 (0)548 - 361385 three cars and I know that with the Sellhom transmission and a potential winner, from start to podium suspension changes the car is still very competitive so we want to have all the cars ready and available.” December 19 In the wake of Frode Holte’s decision to move his team to ������������ America, Sverre Isachsen spoke publicly of his own desire to make the trans-Atlantic move but now says that he has no agreements in place for the 2012 season and has set a deadline of the beginning of February to decide whether he will continue to race in the European championship or take his Focus to the US. December 28 Belgian Jochen Coox says he has ordered a VW Scirocco chassis from Ingvar Gunnarsson Motorsport with which to replace his Skoda Fabia Supercar. Coox will use the running gear from the Skoda in the new car, the rolling shell of the ex- Lars Larsson machine having been sold to Peter Hedström. December 29 Kenneth Hansen Motorsport names Timur Timerzyanov and 19-year-old Norwegian Alexander Hvaal as its drivers in the ������������������������������������������������� 2012 European Rallycross Championship. Timerzyanov will ������������������������������������������������������� drive the team’s new Citroën DS3 while Hvaal will start his first �������������������������������������������������������� ERC season in a C4. KHM also confirms that Kevin Hansen, ������������������������������������������������������ the youngest son of team owners Kenneth and Susann, will ���������������������������������������������������� switch from karting to Rallycross and will drive in the Junior Rallycross Championship in Britain. ������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ January 2 ����������������������������������� American action sports superstar Travis Pastrana is linked to a RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 13
����������������������������� ����������������� Diary December – January
Dodge entry into Rallycross. There is no official announcement Championship. Doran has formed a new team drawing is clear that he must try to complete a hat trick of titles for the but sources insist that Pastrana will be part of a two-car team together technical services from Mtechnologies and engine » Michael Crawford Motorsports announce that American car, “The goal is to be European champion. There are no other based on the new Dodge Dart – a model that is based on the preparation from Julian Godfrey Engineering to put together racer PJ Abbott will be the second driver in its GRC campaign. goals. Last year showed that there is enough speed. I’m feeling underpinnings of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, Dodge part owned a Citroën C4 to race in the GRC and the X Games for which, The former Indy Lights and NASCAR West driver works good and expectations are high. We have managed to build by Fiat that also controls Alfa Romeo – most likely paired with as a fold medal holder, he is assured an entry. Doran will with MCM in a management role and will complete a ‘limited a nice package with great sponsors. Now it’s down to me to US-based Swede Samuel Hubinette who drives for Dodge in also takes part in five Off Road truck events with Stronghold programme’ of events in a new Volvo C30. perform,” he said. drifting. Motorsports and make a bid on Pikes Peak Hillclimb in a Monster Energy-backed RS200. January 15 » The recently announced Junior Rallycross Cup or “JRX” gains On the closing morning of the FIA Off-Road prize-giving its first competitor as SetPromotion signs Finnish kart star » French ladies champion Adeline Sangnier has stepped up her and seminar event at Riga, MAKS Events unveils plans to Teemu Suninen to race in the six-event series. Suninen (17) is bid to win the Super1600 category of the French championship introduce a Junior class, called ‘JRX’ to run within European part of the Finnish ASN’s talent scheme and was Finnish KF2 by buying the former title winning Citroën C2 from Steven championship events. The proposed series is based on a one- champion in 2010, achieving third place in the European and Bossard. make, spaceframe car that will be available for 14 to 18-year- fourth in the under 18 World championships in the same year. olds. Last year he won the Winter Cup and the Supernational event » The newly formed Scott-Eklund Racing launches a two- in Las Vegas. The Helsinki-based student plans to continue car assault on the Global Rallycross Championship. Two of January 17 racing karts with Finnish team SpeedFun this year as a method Eklund Motorsport’s three Saab 93 Supercars will be shipped Swedish veteran Lars Rosendahl says that he will make of keeping himself race ready until the JRX gets underway in to America for the championship, the first to be driven by a concerted effort to tackle the European Rallycross June. Scott. The new team is in negotiation with several other drivers Championship. The 58-year-old appears set to drive in nine of regarding its second car. the ten events as the Austrian ERC round clashes with the first Dodge round of the Swedish championship (at Höljes) which he also plans to tackle in his TouringCar Fiesta VII. January 5 Peter Hedström confirms his plans to return to Rallycross full January 19 Obituary time in 2012. The Swede has bought Michael Jernberg’s Skoda The Swedish ASN, the SBF, is planning to organise an ‘X Fabia II and all the spare parts for the car along with the ‘Mk1’ Games-style event’ at Stockholm’s new Globe Arena on Bodo Hartkopp Fabia of Jochen Coox. His plan is to form a two-car team to November 8-9 2013. The proposal is to feature different forms We are sad to record the recent death of former German contest European and Swedish events. There is no news on the of motor sport; “Our plan is to have the same format as they Rallycross driver Bodo Hartkopp (68), who died on identity of the second driver, although the team’s ‘anonymous’ use in the United States with the car races of X Games, where December 28 after a short illness. Hartkopp was one of financial backer is widely identified as former European even Rally cars can participate. The format has not yet been the leading German Rallycross competitors of the late champion Olle Arnesson, a neighbour of Hedström. decided, but we want it to be the final round of the Swedish 1970s and early ’80s when he used to drive a Mk1 VW Rallycross Championship series of that year too,” claims Golf GTI in the up to 1600cc category of the so-called January 7 Swedish ASN (SBF) chairman Thomas Jansson. ‘Internationaler Estering-Pokal’ series, the then still Swedish rally start PG Andersson is linked to an outing in unofficial German Rallycross Championship. Hartkopp Hedström’s Skoda Fabia in the Swedish ERC round at Höljes. January 25 was third overall in the 1979 series and the runner-up to January 12 Jussi-Petteri Leppihalme confirms that he will return to fellow VW racer Harald Ganschof in 1980, in ’81, as well as January 9 Rally America makes its return to Rallycross as an event SetPromotion for a full season in the European Rallycross claiming the up to 1600cc Danish championship. After this Finnish organiser Pekka Mustakallio states his intention of organiser by publishing a calendar of four events that it will Championship. The 19-year-old Finn will switch to the three successful seasons Hartkopp retired from the sport making Finland a long-term fixture in the European Rallycross run at New Jersey Motorsports Park. to concentrate on his business. Championship by lifting the level of the event he will promote Rally America Rallycross at Kouvola in September. Finland returned to the ERC in 2010, May 19 Wally Richmond having been absent since 1999, but immediately slipped off the July 21 Part time journalist and ardent motor sport fan Wally calendar again when the event was judged to have fallen short October 20 Richmond died in January 10, he was 78-years-old. When of the necessary standard. November 17 Croft reopened as a Rallycross venue in 1982, Richmond was the man who stood beside George Shield as a director January 10 of Croft Circuit. The racetrack had closed in 1981 and British Super1600 racer Hal Ridge launches his 2012 season Richmond had cast around for ways in which to bring it with the announcement that he is building a new Renault back into use, Shield was also making plans and had settled Twingo with which to replace his Clio. Ridge will drive the on establishing a Rallycross track when he hooked up car in the newly launched Super1600 class in the British with Richmond and the local Darlington & District Motor championship as well as taking in a handful of the European Club which went to organise all the Rallycross events at
rounds. Eddi Laumanns the track. Although he continued to attend events and assist Shield, Richmond had ended his formal involvement January 11 multiple title-winning team’s newer Renault Clio II, the car before Shield resigned his lease when Croft’s landowners Liam Doran confirms a programme of American events used by Timur Timerzyanov in his 2010 championship season redeveloped the racetrack in 1995.
that is centred on a full season in the Global Rallycross Hall Terry and by Andreas Bakkerud to win the 2011 crown. Leppihalme 14 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 15 Autosport International
Andy Knowles revealed Yacco as the new backer of his Super1600 Citroën. Below: Liam Doran had both the Rallycross stars RS200 he’ll drive at Pikes Peak and his GRC Citroën C4 on show. Bottom: Steve Hill’s Lancer E10 had new colours for the show. at Autosport show Revamped Clubmans championship pushed Rallycross cars were prominent at Autosport back of the car. Avitas R&D manager Kerem Orak Stock Hatch and entry- International this year but despite several new said the car was designed around new rules, “It point classes as well as new double-header machines being on display, perhaps the hottest fits rules for spaceframe cars that allow us to move event at Nutts Corner. ticket in the show was the RS200 that Liam Doran the engine position. It’s the first complete car we will drive at Pikes Peak Hillclimb in July. have built, although we have 30-years experience of “There has been so much attention around the building many different components.” car it’s amazing. It was flat out during the trade After Autosport International, the car will be days with all kinds of media and press wanting to returned to Turkey where a programme of testing know about the car, everyone seems to love it!” said will be carried out before it is returned to Britain Doran who also had the Mtechnologies Citroën C4 in time for the start of the British championship. Supercar that he will race in the Global Rallycross “The whole car was built in eight weeks and I’m Championship on display. The Citroën was shown really pleased with the way it looks, I can’t wait on the Monster Energy stand, the energy drink to get going now and see how it performs,” said company also hosting Steve Hill’s Mitsubishi Shrimpton. Lancer E10, Andy Knowles’ Citroën C2 Super1600 The Clubmans Rallycross Championship was also challenger and Graham Rodemark’s Swift Sport present at Autosport International, and introduced Championship car to launch its new involvement Lucas Oil as sponsor for its Stock Hatch class. as title sponsor of the 2012 Monster Energy MSA The championship is set to run an eight event British Rallycross Championship. schedule this year, although dates and venues have Elsewhere in the show there was a good deal yet to be finalised. It will feature a new double of attention for the new Fiesta built by Turkish header weekend at Nutts Corner, two rounds of company Avitas Motorsport for RX150 racer Joe the championship running on consecutive days in Shrimpton’s move to the Supernational class. The June’s four-day Bank Holiday weekend that marks revolutionary car has a full spaceframe chassis with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The events will run composite body and is powered by a 250bhp, two- on Sunday and Monday June 3-4 at the County litre Duratec engine mounted transversely in the Antrim venue in Northern Ireland.
16 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 17 European championship driver by driver
Norsemen of the apocalypse Norwegian trio dominant in European Rallycross Championship
The 2011 European Rallycross Championship was incredibly Sverre Isachsen claimed a third consecutive competitive; across the three titles a dozen different drivers European Rallycross Championship title. won events in a season during which new winners emerged and the trend towards younger drivers finding success in the sport continued. And yet, despite the apparently open nature of the series, all three titles were decided before the final round. This may indicate that there was a pattern here, but each of the champions had quite a different path to glory, the only common links being that all three are Norwegian, and that the trio put the finishing touches to their respective title campaigns in the penultimate round of the championship in Poland. In this issue we will focus on the performance of the drivers. A detailed review of the championship on an event-by-event basis is available in the Rallycross World Yearbook which is available now from RallycrossWorld.com. Overview During the year we saw 72 different Supercar drivers start in championship events, 40 of them managing to score points. At the top of the pile Sverre Isachsen put his name to the European championship for the third time. At last January’s prize-giving Isachsen had been asked which of his two titles was the best, a question that drew the cheeky response that the third championship would be the best one! Take nothing away from Isachsen, who came on strong at the end of the year, but you could argue that this was a year in which his challengers lost the championship rather than the Norwegian winning it. Each of the drivers in the top five at the year end won events, four of them climbing to the top step of the podium for the first time, but each of the pack chasing Isachsen stumbled at some point in the year. 1st, Sverre Isachsen, = A year on from the late deal with First Stop that backed his 2010 title campaign, the double champion arrived at Lydden with his Ford Focus rebuilt, but presented to scrutineering in plain white. There were rumours that the champ did not have the budget for the coming year, also that he wanted time out to be at home with his family. Before practice started, decals and vinyl wrap were applied to the car and Isachsen went on to start the year with an event win. His passage through the event was very far from smooth, on Sunday night his team changed the engine in the focus and in Monday’s third heat they were in trouble again when the head gasket failed. Swapping cylinder heads before the final, the team got its man to the grid for 18 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 19 European championship driver by driver
the A final. The failures were put down to the way the water had expected to win from pole, and if being beaten was bad, enormous proportion. suddenly become. Once again the picture changed as potential pump was installed and while Isachsen was able to shake off being beaten by another Norwegian, specially a younger one, Holland brought a turn in fortune, although a little like the title rivals hit problems, those who could still deny Isachsen the problems at Lydden and land the win, the following weeks in Norway, was absolutely the worst thing that could have championship itself, this was an event in which the failure of the crown, falling at different stages, but as Isachsen celebrated were to be more difficult. happened on home ground. others helped Isachsen to take his second win of the year. After the event win, he was not aware that it had also secured his By the end of round two in Portugal Isachsen had added just Sweden was next on the agenda and would, if anything, bring non-finishing the second heat, he was ‘only’ fourth on the A third title. ten points to his total, beaten in the B final by Frode Holte, the even worse fortune. In Norway Isachsen was not fast enough final grid, but charged up the order, running second in the first Going to the final round of the championship with the title champion had again suffered engine problems and on Sunday in the A final; plain and simple as that. A week later at Höljes lap and then taking the lead in the second. As Isachsen had in his pocket and the party already done, Isachsen drove freely, night was calling for a man with a van who was prepared to he was fastest in the first two heats and then led the A final on discovered earlier in the year, it never rains, but it pours. And was fastest in the first and second heats, chilled out while the take two engines and drive non-stop to Calais so that the Sunday afternoon. Streaking away from the pack, even when the change of luck now not only brought a win, but the added rest sweated in the third and then won the A final pretty much damaged units could be re-prepared in time fore the following his Focus picked up a rear puncture, it looked as though the bonus that only one of his title rivals made it to the A final, and as he pleased. weekend’s French event. advantage built in the first few laps would be enough for him he ended up in last place. At his best, and when the car was with him, or perhaps This was a big effort on the part of all involved, engine to remain ahead and take the win. But in the last corner of The Dutch win also appeared to boost Isachsen’s confidence more accurately, when he believed the car was with him, builder Julian Godfrey getting the motors back to Essay and the race an ECU fault caused the engine to stop and, with the and belief in his car: in Austria he systematically took the Isachsen was devastatingly fast. The last three events typify allowing Isachsen to tackle the French event fully equipped. finish line in sight, Isachsen slumped to fourth place. opposition apart. Fastest in each of the first two heats, he this perfectly, but those difficult events earlier in the year, This, however, would be another trying weekend and amid a Things did not improve after the summer break, Belgium was did not fail in the A final despite being put under some and the poor showing in Belgium, demonstrate that he is large and very competitive entry, Isachsen sunk into the C final bringing another C final appearance and the lowest score of pressure by those chasing him, made tactically strong use of not unbeatable. Those events also show that when Isachsen and gathered just five points. the year, just four points added. the Joker Lap and won again. This was the point at which the does not believe that his car is working properly, he can be Things began to look up as the championship moved to The common theme through these events was that Isachsen season really spun in Isachsen’s favour. shaken, but that also underlines just how, as the championship Norway, Isachsen qualifying on pole for the A final. But there said he was not happy with the car. In Norway and Sweden it It’s perhaps indicative of the way the year had been that, becomes ever more competitive, the whole package needs to was very little joy in the eventual second place. Isachen’s was clearly working well, although to say he was unhappy when in Poland, neither the Norwegian nor anyone in his team be right, how this is developing into a team activity. demeanour on the podium made it quite apparent that he the engine stopped in Sweden would be an understatement of appreciated just how finely balanced the championship had 20 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 21 European championship driver by driver
Tanner Foust bagged his first ERC win with a Class newcomer Timur Timerzyanov led the polished performance in Portugal. championship and gained his first win in Belgium.
2nd, Tanner Foust, +9 was out in the first lap. In France the legacy of a third heat Foust’s entire would revolve. It was, however, a difficult race too little, too late. Foust ended up locked in a battle for second A limited campaign in 2010 demonstrated that Tanner Foust incident caused a failure that put Foust out, while in Norway for the American. Eriksson had rolled out of the Swedish place with Timerzyanov, a battle that was eventually resolved had what it takes to run at the front of the ERC, but at the he was the cause of a stoppage in the first lap of the main event event and did not race again. Foust was on his own in Belgium, in Paris long after the racing had finished and which was start of 2011 there was still the question about how he would after driving into the back of Timur Timerzyanov and then completely as illness now kept Eriksson away even from his settled as Foust’s Belgian points came back into play. fare in a full season; a lot of the tracks would again be new bouncing off the track and into the wall. team manager role. A tough run into the B final and nine territory and with the stated aim of challenging for the title, he If those two events represent opportunities lost, then points was not what the championship leader would have 3rd, Timur Timerzyanov, new entry would have the pressure of expectation as well as the absolute Sweden was a chance taken. Foust qualified on the front row expected, but worse was to come. The Super1600 champion made his presence felt from the off necessity to deliver results at every event. alongside Isachsen, but, such was the champion’s dominance, Foust was excluded from the Dutch event, a decision that and went to the A final in each of the first four rounds of the The year did not start well, Foust and team boss Andreas there appeared little real likelihood of anything better than set in chain a series of events that did not conclude until championship and going into round five as the points leader. Eriksson both missing the A final at Lydden, the latter second place in the final. Isachsen was pushed by Kenneth November when Foust learned that his appeal to the FIA That was the good news, plenty of it. The less good came in acknowledging that the Fiesta lacked pace on the fast track. It Hansen in the first lap, but when the Swede took an early had been successful, and that he had been reinstated in the the depth of the rivalry between Timerzyanov and KHM team was a different story in Portugal where, on a track that both Joker, was off the hook and, alone up front, lapping fast. Foust, Dutch event. The American had failed to make it to the mate Liam Doran. Team mate might not be the right term drivers love, and which clearly suited the car very well, the however, kept up his own pace and when the leader suffered finals in what was probably his worst event ever in Europe. here, stable mate would be more appropriate and the trouble Ford boys operated very nicely as a team. Foust had the edge a puncture, was close enough to take advantage, make a pass The difference between being excluded and not is that as an that Kenneth Hansen had with his two charges illustrates the on Eriksson in terms of pace and dropped his car on pole and his second win of the year. It would have been easy to have excluded competitor Foust would have to count the zero score difficulty that any team will have if it is running two individual ahead of his team mate. There was a challenge in the A final, settled for second, drive safely to the finish. In which case, he in his championship total. As a non-qualifier he could use the drivers, each capable of winning events and the championship. but as that faded and Foust kept his nose clean, it became clear would probably not have been close enough to make the pass. zero as his drop score, thus counting the nine points earned Ultimately the infighting benefitted only others. that the American was set to enter his name in the record A classy drive, this was perhaps a more impressive all round in Belgium. Foust stood on the bottom step of the podium in Two fourth places and a brace of thirds in the first four book once again. His first win was nicely done but in both of performance than Portugal. the three remaining rounds, controversially winning through rounds marked Timerzyanov out as an immediate title the next two rounds things went pear-shaped. In both France Maasmechelen in Belgium opened the second half of the from the B final in Poland. But, as Isachsen was on the top step prospect in Supercar and for all there were problems with and Norway Foust went directly to the A final, but in both he season and would, ultimately, be the event around which in all three events, and also in Holland, this run of results was Doran, he showed maturity in Sweden where, running in the 22 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 23 European championship driver by driver
Frode Holte made the breakthrough and scored his The impressive career of Mats Lysen continued first ERC win in France. with a maiden Supercar win in Norway.
C final and with nothing to gain at the end of a tough event, he well, however, and Timerzyanov ended up in the B final. That Holte turned things around in France and, as is so often no more than what was expected, necessary of a driver in parked the car. race ended in acrimony, Doran excluded after a clash with the case, when he eventually bagged his first ERC victory, it Holte’s position. Fifth in Austria, he was still a title prospect in The second half of the season started with the KHM boys Timerzyanov and the win being handed to Foust. The incident appeared to be the easiest thing in the world. Fastest times in Poland and, after Timerzyanov’s failure to escape the B final, in magnificent form and dominating in Belgium. There was ended Timerzyanov’s title hopes and was the point at which it the second and third heats put Holte on pole, from where he the last man who could deny Isachsen the crown. Holte’s slim nothing to choose between the pair but at the start of the A became clear to those who wanted to see it that the only one of drove a clean and perfectly paced race, holding off Mats Lysen’s chance went west when he was forced to park the car after final it was Timerzyanov who had his nose ahead and who the KHM pair could remain with the Swedish team for 2012. last lap challenge in the Joker Lap to take the win. a rough first lap. Another A final start and fifth place in the went on to take his first win in an impressive drive that saw the The final round started off with Timerzyanov rolling his C4 While a first win can sometimes be the turning point for a series finale secured fourth place in the championship, his best Russian hold everything together even when his car suffered a in practice. Damage was light and the Russian fought back with driver, lifting confidence and opening the floodgates on a series result to date. puncture in the last lap. determination to make it to the A final and fourth place. of victories, for Holte it soon began to look like a blip in form. The following weekend in Holland the C4 broke, pitching There were disappointments for Timerzyanov but overall In Norway the Volvo driver was at the tail end of the B final, in 5th, Mats Lysen, +4 Timerzyanov into the barriers in the heats and leaving him as this was an impressive debut season, one in which speed, Sweden he slipped into the C and, despite that maiden victory, After his debut Supercar season with a Fiesta, the 2009 a C final qualifier. This should have been the low point of the resilience and determination were on display at all times. the first half of the year did not look very pretty. Super1600 champion struck a deal with the Swedish Helmia second half of the year, but worse was to come. Part two started out better, second place in Belgium putting team to run one of its Renault Clios in 2011, a season that In Austria, Timerzyanov emerged from the B final and drove 4th, Frode Holte, +3 Holte between the sparring KHM Citroën boys but again the brought him a maiden victory, an improved end of year his heart out in a stunning A final run in which he pulled With strong performances in the second half of the 2010 form was not maintained, Holland turning into a nightmare placing, but also two rollover incidents. himself up to second place. Isachsen was on the ball and took season much was expected of Frode Holte but the start of the event as Holte twice fell into the capacious sand traps and non- Not unlike compatriot Holte, Lysen started the year less well his Joker Lap early as a perfect defensive move, otherwise year was not very good, a run into the B final at Lydden was qualified. It has to be said that his second visit to the beach than we may have expected, or he would have wanted, B final Timerzyanov’s drive may just have been enough to bring less than a championship contender would have hoped for came in the controversial race with Foust... runs in the first two rounds not reflecting Lysen’s experience another win. and while Portugal eventually brought fourth place, it was not Despite the problems so far Holte remained in with a shot at or raw speed. To give him some credit, Lysen had no real seat Going to Poland, Timerzyanov was the one who could a smooth event for the Norwegian who almost missed timed the title and things did pick up a little in the last three events. time in the Clio before the year started, so those first two still realistically deny Isachsen the title. The heats did not go practice and went to the main event via victory in the B final. A final starts in Austria, Poland and the Czech Republic were events were also spent getting the car setup to his liking. 24 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 25 European championship driver by driver
Finn Toomas Heikkinen had a good year under the watchful eye of Per Eklund.
Doran’s Monster deal is big for Rallycross. Hunsbedt and Walfridson were in the top ten.
In France, the 20-year-old came within a metre or two of get back into contention and his run ended in the B final. Third place in Sweden was Heikkinen’s best finish of the year, Czech Republic with the stated aim of ‘going large, or going denying Holte the win, it was that close on the exit of the Joker The B beckoned again in Poland but in the Czech Republic but his Lydden run was perhaps the most impressive. home’ Doran found himself on the way home early after a big in the last lap. Buoyed by this result. Lysen went into his home he was right back on the pace and into the A final in third After placing third in 2010 with two event wins to his crash trashed his car. event in good spirits and had winning pace all weekend. His place. A podium place was in sight when he messed up in the name Liam Doran was tipped as a title prospect in 2011. When Ludvig Hunsbedt went to Nomaco racing in 2010 it drive in the A final was specially impressive; Isachsen led but penultimate lap and rolled out of the race, a poor end to an A final appearances in the first three rounds as well as the seemed he was equipped to win the title, but that turned out Lysen won on sheer speed, he was, quite simply, faster. otherwise solid year and one that, without those points lost in introduction of the most significant new sponsor for some to be a long way from how a disappointing season ended. For The week after the win Lysen slipped back into the B final, Holland and Czech would have resulted in fourth place. time did nothing to dispel this even if, by the time we got to 2011 the team was restructured, slimmed down to a singlke this disappointing result in Sweden ending the first half while Norway, it was becoming apparent that Doran had to win entry for Hunsbedt who had a new Volvo C30. Despite this, an even worse run in Belgium opened part two. A roll in Sixth to 10th an event to maintain that status. Norway was disappointing, the year was billed as preparation for a 2012 title assault. On practice left Lysen on the back foot and with no real chance to Each of the next five drivers might have been expected to make Sweden too, but in the second of the Scandinavia races Doran that score it does not look too bad, although we may have get back into the running, a single point from the C final poor it into the top five, none of them would have been out of place was left kicking himself after missing the Joker Lap in the expected more than three A finals from a driver who remains reward for a lot of hard work. higher up the championship ranking. second heat. Belgium should have brought a win, but after the one of the best ever. Technically, the team still appears to fall While others struggled in Holland Lysen shone, qualifying In his first full ERC season Toomas Heikkinen drove well early season clashes with team colleague Timerzyanov, Doran short, it bailed out of the Portuguese event to concentrate on second for the A final alongside Michael De Keersmaecker. everywhere. The Finnish teenager’s results show two things; played fair when the alternative was to gain the win by running testing after problems in round one and then failed to score in Lysen then looked set for second place until, in the last corner that he is immediately fast on the fast and smooth tracks the Russian out of road in the first corner. Like Timerzyanov, Norway after further difficulty. In Holland, where things were and under intense pressure from Ludvig Hunsbedt, the Clio (Lydden) and that where he has some experience he can Doran was knocked out of the Dutch event by a component distinctly old skool, Hunsbedt was at his best. The difficulty is slid into the sand and he could only watch as the four behind also run with the best. Perhaps too much was expected of failure and, like Lysen, he was unable to get back into he needs to hit that form in every race if those title hopes are him zipped by. Heikkinen, those hopes ramped up after he featured in the A contention after being shunted out of the first heat. The B final to be realised. Austria was also cruel to Lysen who went off with Doran final in round one. Portugal should have brought points but clash in Poland was effectively the end, Doran angry to have At the end of the year Stig-Olov Walfridson announced his and Koutny in the first heat. He drove his heart out in the a puncture in the first heat and then a clash with with Marc excluded for an incident he felt Foust had caused, specially intention to withdraw from being a full time ERC contender. rest of the event, but when you are down it’s so difficult to Laboulle for which the Finn was excluded put paid to that. when the American then became the beneficiary. Going to the The Swedish Renault driver appeared in the A final twice in 26 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 27 European championship driver by driver
Clockwise from here: Davy Jeanney, Andy Scott, Kenneth Hansen and Michael De Keersmaecker.
Lars Øivind Enerberg overcame cash and crash troubles to win the TouringCar title.
each half of the year, fourth places in Norway and Austria his to slow the Citroën a little. Jeanney did not show for the series in Britain, Norway and Sweden should not have happened TouringCar best results. Along the way, however, there were also four C finale but if he chooses to return in 2012 he will surely be a and he is a better driver than C and B final runs in the last The newest of the three classes in the ERC, TouringCar final appearances, which more or less counteracts the good formidable opponent. two rounds would suggest. A stupendous run from the C final continued to grow and gain support in 2011 when 32 different results. Walfridson has been a good ERC competitor over the shows the racer’s skill, a canny setup call in Holland his basic drivers took part (30 scoring points) and the class attained a last few years and we should all hope that he remains as a team Others grasp of what is needed. The Benelux events were his best and new high point with 24-starters in Sweden. As the number of owner to run the car for another driver. When he set out on his first year of European racing, Andy show the form he needs to display across a full campaign. cars in the class grows, so too does the competitive level and While Walfridson ended his stint in the ERC, Frenchman Scott recognised the challenge ahead of him and had modest The most successful driver the sport has ever known, while we ultimately had a clear winner in the championship, Davy Jeanney was just beginning, although there is no hopes of earning a few points. At Lydden he took points but Kenneth Hansen started in just two events, admitted that he his dominance was challenged and, in the midfield drivers certainty that he will continue. Jeanney arrived with a bang, was also taught a lesson by Andreas Eriksson who performed was not comfortable enough to be able to extract his new DS3’s from many different countries and with a varied range of cars climbing onto the podium in third place at Lydden but then a sort of drive by mugging to deny Scott the C final victory. ultimate pace, but still bagged a pair of second places. Not and technical ideas, have delivered viable cars. finding the going pretty tough until late in the year. There There were points again in Portugal and also in Sweden. bad for an old fella! Hansen’s outings were full of class and in were B and C finals, as well as a terrible non-score in Belgium, Illustrating perfectly the value of experience, Scott showed not running the new car more often, Hansen appeared to be 1st, Lars Øivind Enerberg, +3 before Jeanney’s team accepted the inevitable and put anti-lag his true colours in Belgium and Holland, tracks at which he keeping his powder dry, not allowing the rest to see just how The young Norwegian had amply demonstrated both his speed in its C4. The result was immediate, in Austria and Poland had prior knowledge. Straight into the main event in Belgium, good the transverse setup really is. and ability to win events during 2010 when he drove in some Jeanney was the only one truly on terms with Isachsen. And Scott placed fourth, going one place better in Holland after Former champion Jean-Luc Pailler eventually got to the of the ERC events. So, when Enerberg won at Lydden in round yet neither event brought any real joy. Punished for causing winning the B final and then working his way up the order. bottom of an electrical problem that had blighted his cars one of the 2011 series there was little surprise. Lydden was not, a jump start in the Austrian A final – wrongly in the eyes of Points scores in the C finals of the remaining three events for months and, when he was truly in the mood, was able however, quite the walkover that we might think, defending many – Jeanney was bitterly disappointed. In Poland he was completed a solid debut year that ended in a strong 11th place. to turn on the old form. One of those drivers who adores champion Derek Tohill was close and was arguably had done on the pace again and ran Isachsen close in the first couple of A champion in both of the support classes, Michael De Valkenswaard, Pailler had his best event in the gloom and to after a startline clash with Enerberg. That incident caused laps of the A final before an incident in which the Frenchman Keersmaecker has what it takes to complete a hat trick of slime of Holland, fifth place and his only A final start of the Tohill to sink into the field and when he emerged behind the felt he’d been brake tested caused contact and enough damage crowns, if he had the complete technical package. Non-scores year reminding everyone of the worth of both driver and car. duelling Koen Pauwels and Per Magne Røyrås after taking his 28 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 29 European championship driver by driver
Roman Castoral bagged three event wins in the Derek Tohill was close to the leaders, but never second half of the year. quite managed to bag a win.
Joker Lap, there was no way to catch Enerberg. Enerberg left as the undisputed star of the class. the top of the podium, collecting his sixth win and putting the capitalise when there was even the smallest chance. A hat-trick With a win under his belt, Enerberg appeared to gain a Sensing that this was the last chance, the pack closed on title beyond the reach of his rivals. of events and two second places in the second half of the year massive confidence boost and strolled through the Portuguese Enerberg after the summer break. The leader had pole in two The pressure off, Enerberg was at his best in the Czech speak for themselves and underline Castoral’s considerable event as if nothing and no-one could touch him; fastest times heats but drove in the third when things got rough and he was Republic and looked very comfortable as he added a seventh ability. The Czech, however, remains very much an old school in all three heats preceding a clear win in the A final. spun out. In the final Roman Castoral pulled out all the stops win to sign-off his title in style. In this form Enerberg is competitor and with more drivers in top notch equipment Tohill bounced back and was strong in France but again and delivered a magnificent drive to beat Enerberg and land his virtually unbeatable but Belgium, Holland and Austria he coming into the class, and with the presentation standard of there was a clash with Enerberg in the final and again it was first TouringCar win. showed that he can be beaten, and, perhaps, that he does not teams progressing all around him, it’s difficult to see how he the Norwegian who came out of it best, regaining the track Now there appeared to be a little chink in Enerberg’s armour, handle pressure too well. It will only be the end result that is can do better than he has done so far. and then managing to progress as the rest took their Joker perhaps wobbled by being beaten, perhaps not as home in remembered, seven wins and a clear win in the championship Laps and winning for the third time. In Norway, Enerberg the rain as others, the points leader lost pole to Castoral in for a driver who clearly deserved that success. 3rd, Derek Tohill, -2 was imperious, even home track favourite Ole Håbjørg had to Holland and then crashed in the A final after running wide and It’s difficult to assess the season of a champion who slips to conceded that he could not match his young compatriot. breaking his steering by hitting the banking. 2nd, Roman Castoral, +3 third place as anything other than disappointing, but Tohill’s With four wins in the bag and a maximum score from the Enerberg’s Fiesta took a hammering in the crash and after The Czech racer has been on the ERC trail for a long time now year as defending champion was not as bleak as the bald first part of the championship in which drivers must drop the first day in Austria, when he had been relegated to third and has adapted quickly and confidently to rear-wheel drive statistics may show it. Across the first four rounds there one score from each five-event half, Enerberg had nothing place, the driver and his team worked into the night setting having spent all of his career in front-drive cars. Castoral’s self was little to choose between Tohill and Enerberg; the clash to gain by going to Sweden. And yet, despite the fact that his up the car up again. A brace of fastest times on Sunday put built car is cleverly engineered, money spent where it’s needed, at Lydden cost Tohill dear and in France where both he and budget was already under pressure and that, at that point in Enerberg on pole, but when it looked as though he would gain but certainly not wasted. Enerberg spun while contesting the lead in the first lap, Tohill the summer he did not have enough funds to complete the his sixth win, the Fiesta slid off the track and out of the race. Castoral was consistently quick everywhere and in all could be judged to have been desperately unlucky to have year, the points leader was present and not holding back one Despite the unpredicted collapse in form, Enerberg still led conditions and went to the A final in all of his nine starts. A come off so badly. little bit. After yet another unbeaten run that comprised fastest the championship going into the penultimate round in Poland non-starter in Norway, he was at his very best in the second Sweden was disappointing, and while Tohill then went to times in all three heats and his fifth win in as many events, and while he was not dominant, this was where he returned to part of the season, forcing errors from Enerberg and there to the A final in each of the last five events, he found himself 30 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 31 European championship driver by driver
Clockwise from here: Koen Pauwels, Per Magne Røyrås, Robin Olsson and David Nordgård.
Andreas Bakkerud started the year with a win at Lydden and was champion by round nine.
focussing more on batling with Pauwels for third place than disposal, although as an occasional competitor who clearly is failed to score points in France with his new Volvo C30 that to the Norwegian that a berth in a pro-team was the way to go trying to topple Enerberg and Castoral. not aiming at winning the title, he also benefits from being able was proving a recalcitrant partner. The Belgian was present for his career to develop and he was back for a full season with As champion, of course, the only way is down and with to drive without the pressure of building a championship score. throughout the second half, making the A final in Belgium and the Finnish Renault squad in 2011, hitting the ground running ambition to graduate to Supercars, it is perhaps the bravest Newcomer David Nordgård had ups and downs in his Austria and climbing quickly into the top ten as he and his and winning the first two events as he immediately underlined thing possible for Tohill to bide his time and remain in debut season, fourth place in France and early high while devoted team got to grips with the new car. his position as pre-season favourite. TouringCar, setting himself up to be knocked down. third in Poland was his best result of the year. There were also, The last place in the top the was taken by BelgianIvo Van In France Bakkerud showed his class; Steven Bossard was however, non-scores in Sweden and the Czech Republic and Den Brandt who started in just four events with his Mitsubishi clearly all out to win and Bakkerud did not need to take risks Fourth to 10th the young Norwegian did not take part in the Austrian event. Colt – a car that looks as though it wants to kill its driver at trying to beat the Frenchman, a well measured run to a safe Enerberg and Tohill were the only drivers to start in all ten Sixth in his first year would, however, appear a solid base on every corner. second place was the perfect result. events, fourth place taken by Koen Pauwels who skipped the which to build fore the future. A few weeks later another second place maintained his Swedish round at Höljes, before spending the second half of After trying his hand in the class at the end of 2010, Robin Super1600 championship points lead, but you got the distinct impression the year locked in battle with Tohill and also appearing in the Olsson made the move to TouringCar and drove in all except Now a well established part of the ERC package, Super1600 that this time Bakkerud was smarting from the defeat which A final in each of the last five events. Second places in France the last round, fourth place in Austria his best finish while he attracted 90 drivers, 50 of whom managed to score points came at the hands of team colleague Ildar Rakhmatullin. and Austria were Pauwels’ best results of the year, his first also made the A final in Portugal. during the 2011 season. The story here was not unlike that in The championship is all about playing the long game and season in a rear-drive car and one in which the results appear Anton Marklund made his first start in Norway, then drove TouringCar, a clear winner, but one who was worked harder when engine problems halted Bakkerud in Sweden, two wins to validate his decision to step sideways from the Supercar in four more rounds, his best result coming with third place than we might have expected by an industrious underdog. and a pair of second places were more than sufficient to send category. at Höljes, while he also went to the A final in Holland and the him into the summer break with the championship lead. Norwegian Per Magne Røyrås started in seven events and Czech Republic. The impressive young Swede was another to 1st, Andreas Bakkerud, +2 Second place in Belgium – feeling that he was robbed when made his way into the A final at all of them, third place finishes set down a marker on which he can improve in future. A move from his own team to Set Promotion at the end of the the race was cut short – preceded victory in Holland and his in France and Poland his best results. Røyrås appears to be While there were young drivers showing well, old dog Jos 2010 season helped Bakkerud into the top three, the bronze best driver of the year. In tricky and changing conditions, another who over achieves considering the machinery at his Sterkens made just one start in the first half of the year and medal he’d aspired to in his debut season. It also made it clear Bakkerud shone. While many others faltered or floundered in 32 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 33 European championship driver by driver
Running his own show, Ulrik Linnemann was the Krzyzstof Skorupski made a sensational debut in man who kept Bakkerud honest. Sweden and then climbed to third in the series.
the muck and bullets, the Norwegian demonstrated his very who kept Bakkerud honest during the year. Fiat class but to most the Pole was an unknown when he and Linnemann. As it is he must start the coming season as a best and won with aplomb. There were four A final starts in the first half of the year, the arrived in the paddock at Höljes for his first ERC event. That favourite for the crown. Following that fine showing, there was a poor run in Austria only blip coming in France where Linnemann non-finished he came properly equipped for the task ahead is undisputed, where, with the possibility to take the title, pressure appeared the first heat and then got a black flag in the second, cutting his ex-Leganov VW Polo was a proven event winner and in Fourth to 10th to weigh heavily on the young driver who languished in the B his game short. The story was not very much different in the Czech squad Blue Engineering he had the technical backup In the final round of the year, and with Skorupski on a mission, final for the only time in the year. second part of the year, the low coming with a B final run in and knowledge necessary to challenge for top places. Johan Larsson was bumped out of third place. The Swede Setting aside the disappointment of Austria, Bakkerud drove Poland where he had clashed with Bakkerud in the heats as he That said Skorupski’s performance in his debut was nothing had a mixed year, three A final appearances coming his way in well in Poland, shaking off a clash in the second heats to book fought desperately to try and keep the title race open until the short of perfect; fastest times in the first two heats and a lights the Citroën C2 that he runs along with his father as satellite himself a place in the A final and, with it, sufficient points last round. By the year end Linneman had amassed a second, to flag win in the A final, he never set a wheel wrong on a track of the KHM operation. A third run to fastest time that helped to put the championship title beyond the reach of his rivals. two thirds and four fourth places along with sixth in Austria, a that can, and regularly does, fell even the most experienced. Larsson on his way to third place on the Polish A final grid was Pressure off, Bakkerud was free to race as he wanted in the race that he really should have won to max out on a day when This sparkling performance was by no means a flash in the pan. the high point of his year, fourth place here the same eventual series finale and added his fourth win of the year, extending Bakkerud was at his weakest. Skorupski was present throughout the second half of the year placing as he achieved in Portugal and Sweden. his advantage at the top of the table to 36 points, the greatest Against the opposition he has, Linnemann’s second place and went to the A final everywhere except Belgium. Another Sweden also brought the best place of the year for Clemens winning margin in any of the classes. is one of the most impressive performances in the entire track that is more difficult than it may at first appear, Skorupski Meyer, second a fine reward for the German who lost out at championship and it would be intriguing to see this young worked hard for a B final placing on his first visit but then went the start of the season when his Skoda Fabia was blighted by 2nd, Ulrik Linnemann, +8 driver in a professionally built car and with the resources of a to the main event in trying conditions in Holland. driveshaft problems. If there were a prize for the unluckiest driver in the top team behind him. Confident event wins in Austria and on home turf at Had it not been for the amazing performance of Skorupski, championship Linnemann would have won it in 2010, and Slomczyn, prefaced second place in the series finale and the Jussi-Petteri Leppihalme would have been the sensation probably in 2011 too. The Dane is clearly the best of those 3rd, Krzyzstof Skorupski, new entry climx of an impressive run that brought him home third in of the year. The 18-year-old Finn tossed down a marker running his own shown in Super1600, you have to go to down The anoraks among would have registered Skorupski’s name the championship. Had Skorupski been present all year he by climbing onto the podium in his first ever ERC round, to seventh place to find the next ‘privateer’, and was the man from an impressive entry to the sport in Poland’s entry-point would, it seems fair to say, have posed a threat to Bakkerud completing a top three lockout for Set Promotion in Norway. 34 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 35 European championship driver by driver
Clockwise from here: Johan Larsson, Clemens Clockwise from here: Zdenek Cermak, Julian Meyer, David Johansson and JP Leppihalme. Godfrey, Jaroslav Kalny and Ildar Rakhmatullin.
Like his team mates he struggled in Sweden but was then a crash in a national event that heavily damaged his Saxo struggle to get the best from the car. When he was on it, That Belgian event was whereJulian Godfrey became second in Holland and Poland, on course for a podium again in between Britain and Portugal. He rented the Bossard C2 for Rakhmatullin showed he had winning pace; his event win from the first British winner in the class. The circumstances were the Czech Republic when his car broke and he slipped to sixth. Portugal where third place became his best result. The level the B final in Norway was very impressive. unusual but as Godfrey pointed out he had been within Here is another star in the making. of competition is a little lower in Portugal, but the result striking distance of winning the event the previous year when There was heartache and anger forDavid Johansson at the should illustrate other factors; that a young driver in a family Others bad luck robbed him, so if he had a little good luck to help get start of the year when scrutineers rejected his new Citroën run team is fighting with one arm tied behind his back, that Old hand Jaroslav Kalny was another to have mixed year the win this year, it did not seem unfair. Whatever, Godfrey DS3. The car was revised in time for Portugal and here, as going with an experienced team (Bossard pere et fils were on and here too you can see how the class is developing and showed that he had winning pace, something he’d already well as in France, he made it to the A final, the latter a strong hand in Portugal to guide Holten) releases that arm and that moving away from the traditional competitor. The Czech’s new demonstrated in Britain with second place and underlined result given the vast field and level of competition. There was the tide has finally shifted to the point where trying to do Peugeot 207 had trouble and in the second half of the season with fourth in Holland. an A final start in Sweden, but the second half of the year was this without experience in the team is unnecessarily difficult. he reverted to an old 206. In Austria Kalny also demonstrated Further down, Steven Bossard was again hugely impressive comparatively bleak and the determined Swede was missing Holten raced everywhere except France but only once showed that are tracks and times at which his kind of class and sheer in France, running rings around both the ERC regulars and from the series finale. his true worth, in the Czech republic, a track on which he had determination can overcome outrageous odds and his sublime the French championship runners to take the win in his home At the scene of his first ERC win Zdenek Cermak started experience from 2010... Here is another driver that it would be run to second place was one of the best drives that anybody in event with his usual calm ease. The Frenchman was back for year strongly with third place at Lydden but his form then fascinating to see in a professional team. any class delivered all year. the series finale, his first event outside of France coming in Set slipped and there were B finals in France and Norway before Hanging on to a top ten placing after a truncated season, While Kalny shone in Austria, the event promised much but Promotion’s Twingo which he guided to an accomplished third gearbox problems halted him in Sweden. Replacement parts Ildar Rakhmatullin was not seen after Austria, the official ultimately delivered nothing to Christian Petrakovits. On place. Here too is a driver who can win the title. were a long time coming and the Czech reverted to an older reason being that his new job precluded him travelling. It was home ground the Austrian was absolutely dominant and was The other driver worthy of note here is RussianVadim Fabia to remain present, but a handful of B and C final placings also apparent that, with just two rounds to run, Rakhmatullin leading the A final when he dropped a wheel of his Polo into a Makarov who moved from autocross and drove just twice in were disappointing for this seasoned campaigner. was completely out of the title hunt and, therefore, might as hole, damaging the suspension and ending his day. Elsewhere his Volland Racing-built Skoda Fabia II. The rookie went to the The hype around Norwegian teenager Daniel Holten was well cut his losses and stay home. The Russian took a bold Belgium offered the best finish to Petrakovits who came A final on both occasions and stood on the podium in Austria. probably not helpful to the Citroën driver. And neither was move to run Set Promotion’s new Twingo and appeared to through that unusual event in third place. Watch him in 2012. 36 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 37 Shoestring stories – the life of a low budget racer in the European championship New year, new car Immediate interest generated by Twingo move
Ridge is replacing his trusty Clio (right), now for sale, one careful owner… with a new Twingo II, the first example of which was run by SetPromotion last year (bottom right).
It has been quite a while since I last wrote here in Rallycross far superior to the more dated Clio. The new shape Clio is, I we are making the bodywork from scratch, which is hugely miss those races when the car is just sitting there and could be World, and in that time I have had quite a change in plans for feel, too big for the Super1600 class, so the Twingo felt like the labour intensive. The bodywork has only been able to be done ready relatively easily. the 2012 season. As you may have read on RallycrossWorld. right way to go. And, it is working on that front. Hopefully in once we finally worked out our desired wheel base and track But, lets hope it doesn’t come to that! Look out for updates com website, or in Motorsport News, I have decided to build a the next few weeks I should be able to announce some new widths, which as ever included many calculations on loads of and photos on my website, Facebook and Twitter. Check back brand new car. A Renault Twingo to be precise. sponsors who are keen to come on board because of the better bits of paper. here next month for Twingo build information and photos. On the face of it, this seems like a crazy idea. For somebody image a new car offers. Another problem is the rollcage. For most models of car who struggles for budget in the way I do this could be viewed We are implementing what we learned from racing in the many different specialist manufacturers make rollcages. This as a waste of money for the sake of it. However, I beg to differ ERC with the Clio into the Twingo, having now got a little isn’t the case for the Twingo, again based on how new it is, and feel that the reasons we are building a new car justify experience, and a lot of time observing what others have done. so the only place to get a FIA homologated roll cage from is themselves. When we left the last event in 2011 with my I have had the Twingo shell for almost two months now, and it Renault Sport in France. Those words never sound cheap, but beloved Clio, the plan was a total revamp of the suspension, is progressing well. In comparison to the length of time it took it is something that just has to be overcome unfortunately. and many other modifications. That is the nature of the to build the Clio it is flying along. This is helped by the fact Although things are progressing well with the new car, I development of any racecar. We planned a ground up rebuild... that I already have a lot of the bits to carry over from the Clio, haven’t lost sight of how close the new season really is, and, But, what came as a joking idea of looking into building a but also from the experience of building one car already. As now we know so much more about how we want to set the car Twingo started to become a realistic proposition. For a start, ever, quite a large amount of time was taken to carefully strip up, testing will be a must. I know I have said that many times its not a totally new car in that most of the running gear and the Twingo to a bare shell so I could sell all the parts on a well in the past, but this time it really is the case! There are only 72 interior parts etc are being carried over from the Clio, which known internet auction site to help fund the project. days left before the ERC opener at Lydden Hill, and the British is now for sale as a rolling shell. My engine that was in the However, the newness of the Twingo is having its downfalls. Championship, which I am going to race in too, starts two Clio is being rebuilt for more power and drivability with new Since there are only two other Twingos currently in use in weeks earlier. camshafts, and the gearbox is having a refresh. European Rallycross, model specific parts are hard to find, and I do have a back-up plan. Its not ideal, but, if my engine is As a promotional tool a Twingo, which is a fairly new car expensive. I have been unable to secure any wide arch panels, back together in time and the Clio is still unsold then I think that is still available in the dealerships throughout Europe, is so together with my long term sponsor Magnum Motorsport we could rebuild it for the first two events, it would be silly to 38 | #96 – January-February 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #96 – January-February 2012 | 39 - 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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