HANDBRAKES &HAIRPINS 321 YOUR insight “into the world of RALLY!” ISSUE 321/CONTENTS EDITORIAL INFORMATION 01/ Cover Editor/ Evan Rothman 02/ ATS Photojournalist/ Eva Kovkova 03/ Editorial Information Contributors/ Liga Stirna, Kris Karnitiss 04/ Opening Shot CONTACT INFORMATION 05/ Goodwood Festival of Rally 08/ Rally America climbs the highs E-mail us/ [email protected] 11/ SANRC Volkswagen Rally preview Call us/ +27 83 452 6892 14/ ERC Geko Ypres Rally review Surf us/ http://wp.me/pkXc 16/ WRC in Italy and Poland All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, 22/ Closing Shot 2007-13. This publication is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the editor. While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of information from sources and given to readers, the editor cannot accept responsibility for any inconvenience or damage that may arise therefrom. Each week we’ll be inviting YOU to select our Opening and Closing Shots. We’ll post up five images on our Facebook Page (facebook.com/handhmag) for you to choose. Here’s a beautiful shot from WRC Rally Italia d’Sardegna of Elfyn Evans jumping his M-Sport Fiesta RS WRC to another tidy result. OPENINGPicture: McKlein. SHOT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF RALLY The 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed attracts “motoring and motorsport fans from around the world. It must rank as the only mortorsport event 06 H&H •• where the world’s best racing and rally drivers vie to drive the oldest machine...” The Festival of Speed is a celebration of all that is magical about motorsport, and this year’s popular Forest Rally Stage attracted the legend that is nine-times World Rally Champioin Sebastien Loeb in his old CItroën DS3 WRC, Dani Sordo in his 2014 Hyundai i20 WRC, and a plethora of spectacular rally machines from yesteryear... This is rally! 07 H&H ••• HIGGINSHIGGINS SSMASHESMASHES HIHISS RERECORDCORD Subaru Rally Team USA driver David Higgins is “King of “the Hill” at the 2014 Subaru Mt. Washington Hillclimb, breaking his own course record set in 2011 by over two seconds, while team-mate and returning former Rally America champion Travis Pastrana grabs second place just three seconds off the winner for a dream one-two for the team.” 09 H&H •• At the wheel of a Vermont SportsCar-prepared 2014 Subaru our old record staring us down. But Craig [Drew] was perfect Final Overall Classifi cation: Impreza WRX STI, David Higgins set a blistering new record on the notes and Subaru gave me a car that was perfect.” 01) D. Higgins/C. Drew Subaru Impreza WRX STI - 24m 51.3s time of 06min 09.09sec on New Hampshire’s sinuous 7.6 Higgins team-mate Travis Pastrana, driving an 02) T. Pastrana/C. Beavis mile Mt. Washington Auto Road. Higgins’ teammate Travis identically prepared Subaru, was able to bounce back from Subaru Impreza WRX STI + 01m 37.2s Pastrana, with co-driver Chrissie Beavis, made it a Subaru several setbacks at the event. On his second top-half run he 03) D. Van Way/A. Edwards one-two by fi nishing a close second overall just three seconds clipped a rock on an inside corner puncturing his tyre and Subaru Impreza WRX STI + 04m 14.2s behind Higgins’ new record. subsequently losing time to Higgins. Then on Sunday his fi rst 04) A. Comrie-Picard/O. Holter Higgins and Pastrana also fi nished one-two in the full-course run was slowed by a loss of boost pressure which Ford Fiesta ST + 04m 28.9s Rally America Championship portion of the event, which was subsequently fi xed by his team mechanics ahead of his 05) C. Steely/P. Osborn Ford Fiesta R1 + 04m 59.1s scored drivers based on their cumulative time across the second full course run. Pastrana’s fi nal run up the mountain 06) P. Karpidas/J. Hall four half-course practice runs and two full course runs. The was trouble free, but was just seconds off Higgins’ record Ford Fiesta R2 + 06m 39.4s victory, Higgins’ fourth this season, extends his lead in the pace. 07) J. Cassidy/D. Gretchell 2014 Rally America Championship where he is aiming for his “We knew it was going to be tough to catch David Subaru Impreza WRX STI + 06m 53.2s fourth consecutive Driver’s Title. here,” said Pastrana at the podium celebration. “It’s great for 08) R. Wilcox/J. Beliveau “It was a great event and we put in a big effort for the team to go one-two and lower the record again. It was a Subaru Impreza WRX STI + 06m 58.1s those few seconds,” explained Higgins. “There is so much close fi ght on that fi nal run, and our Subaru was just a blast 09) Erika Detota/M. Warren Subaru Impreza + 07m 42.8s history here and it’s great to be a part of it again for Subaru. to drive here.” 10) D. Kennedy/M. Kennedy This was a big challenge this weekend as we had Pastrana and Subaru Impreza + 08m 03.7s 10 H&H ••• PRIVATEERS RALLY FOR WINS The South African National Rally “Championship reaches half- way, but the action is only just beginning... What does it take to be at the top?” 12 H&H •• double champion’s team... established on a test, I push it and see what else I can learn “We’re not under pressure this weekend, but rather and understand from the car. We then adjust the settings our rivals feel it I reckon,” said Mark Cronje. “Our year started to create new feelings and more speed in the car, and the off in the worst possible way, but we’ve not halted our mission stopwatch then tells us if its working.” to win the Championship again. In fact, it has driven has even Speed is relative, and these racing and rally drivers more. Mathematically we’re in with a chance, and while that will tell you. It is not the speed at which you travel that is is the case we’ll give it our all. The car’s fantastic, the team’s scary, but the speed when you’re out of control that is most motivated, my driving the best I’ve ever felt it to be,and Robin terrifying. When that happens in a stage, how does a driver [Houghton, co-driver] is peerless with his pacenotes. Its just react and even when a car suffers a mechanical malady a bit of Lady Luck we need and then we’ll be at the top once beyond your sphere of control? “I immediately move on from more.” it - there’s simply no time to consider or contemplate the The underdogs. That’s one word to describe this team consequences or reasons in a stage,” said Cronje. “A DNF is at the moment, and it is one that they wear comfortably. For not something easy for a driver to handle. I’ve learnt to put defending champions, they should be favourites for victory: it out of my mind as quick as possible - if you let it simmer in they have a formidable car in the M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000, your thoughts, that’s when you begin to doubt yourself and a track record that sees them one of the three most successful put more pressure onto your shoulders for the next event. crews in the long and proud South African rally history, and That’s really not good for your speed, simply put.” they’re a privateer outfi t too. They’ve worked magic since We begin to ask what is that feeling then that tells a their inception three years ago, and their rivals the factory driver the they’re making the right moves behind the steerign Volkswagen and Toyota squads have reacted by developing wheel, when Cronje explains: “When I set a great stage time, all-new rally cars. That is the powerful effect Mark Cronje, I have the same feeling as when I set a fl yer of a qualifying Robin Houghton and the M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 have lap in my circuit racing days: each apex is kissed, every had on South African rallying. Three events into the 2014 millimetre of the track is used, and every kilowatt from the The mid-point of the 2014 South African National Rally season, and the picture is rather different in the eyes of the engine is extracted on the straights. That’s the feeling I aim Championship is crossed this weekend with the Volkswagen Volkswagen and Toyota camps. And this all makes Cronje and for in stages. Nothing less!” Rally, Round Four on the calendar. This year’s Championship his band of merry mechanics now the underdogs. Is the X-factor Cronje and Houghton? On Cronje’s is by no means a straight-cut affair, as four crews are running Is it Lady Luck that Cronje and Houghton need for fi nal run in this test, the answer is revealed. The service close at the top of the Drivers’ Championship log and the the remainder of 2014? We don’t think so. Last week this crew’s view of the test stage is obscured. But, a silence hangs reigning double champion Mark Cronje is looking to his title team undertook an exhaustive test to prepare for this event, over the make-shift service park as Cronje rolls out his Fiesta tally three on the trot. Cronje and Houghton spent many hours poring over their in- and climbs a gentle rise to the start of the test stage.