Fréttatilkynningar um rallið til enskra fjölmiðla.

Hankook MSA Gravel Rally Championship

Severn Valley National Rally - Saturday 2nd June 2007

 

 

STAGE SNIPPETS….

•           Julian Reynolds and Patrick Walsh (car 4) were using their new Mitsubishi Evo 9 for the very first time on the event. They finished eighth overall and fourth in Group N. They had a problem with the turbo pipe which lost them some time.

 

•           Daniel Siguroarson and Asta Siguroardottir (car 46) made the long trip over to compete on the rally from Iceland in their Mitsubishi Evo 7. It was driver Daniel’s third time driving in the UK but co-driver Asta’s first time over here and she was finding it very different and difficult saying: “there are no trees in Iceland!” so venturing out into Radnor forest on your debut is a bit of a baptism of fire. They hope to come back over sometime soon after enjoying the event. They were registered for ANCRO points and finished 16th overall.

 

•           Bournemouth duo David Gamblin and Michael Stewart (car 37) had an interesting first stage. They had a big spin and had to get their Subaru Impreza into reverse to get it out of danger. When asked if they were hovering close to going off and getting stuck in a ditch they answered calmly: “no we were hanging over a big bloody drop and as we tried to reverse it kept popping out of gear, but the second stage went OK…”

•           Skoda Felicia driver Matthew Green (car 45) was making his debut in the car and it was his first rally following a three-year absence from the sport. He and co-driver David Muir were having “a fun day out”

•           Winners of the previous round, the RBS International Manx Rally, Roger Duckworth and Mark Broomfield (car 2) retired after SS3 with an engine problem on their Subaru Impreza WRC which had been blighting them all day.

•           Mark McCawley from Subaru kindly came down from Prodrive to meet the crews from the Subaru Trophy. He brought down two holdalls full of SWRT goodies for the winners. Jock Armstrong and Kirsty Riddick (car 14) were first home in the event in the Subaru Trophy.

•           Dave Weston did not start the event. He entered midweek but then withdrew.

•           Neil McCance (car 10) confessed that he had not spent much time at work recently in the family steel business due to one thing or another and rallying. “I think I’ve become a full-time rally driver and I only work part-time now after the past few weeks,” he said.

THEY SAID WHAT….?

“I’m allergic to anything under four stars…” ANCRO’s Dilys Trevethick on her preferred accommodation standards…

“It went OK but I was a bit pathetic…” John Lloyd’s words, not ours… 

“We rolled over and rolled back on but we lost about 35 seconds but there’s no damage.” Daniel Siguroarson and the luck of the Icelanders…

 “I’ve got a new co-driver and he’s called Professor-Thinks-He-Knows-It-All…” Another Wug Utting classic.

 “It was f*****g marvellous.” Jonathan Sparks enjoyed SS1…

“I was pathetic this morning but I’ve woken up now and had my breakfast.” Whatever it takes, John Lloyd found it…

“I’ve fitted a universal translator to the intercom because my co-driver is Welsh…” Utting again doing his bit for international relations…

“We thought we did really well through Radnor and we were full of praise for each other then I looked in the mirror and saw the car behind…” Neil McCance gets all deluded…  

“The afternoon is going fantastic; the stages are so good I’m getting into the swing of it.” John Lloyd must have had some lunch…

 “It’s so hot we’re melting…” Daniel Siguroarson on the tropical Welsh temperatures…

“I’m gobsmacked, the event went absolutely fine, Wales has been kind.” Jock Armstrong threatens to get the disco dancing gear ready… (Oh no, Kirsty…)

“Me and my co driver had a lover’s tiff…” Now we are worried about Alan Carmichael.