2008 MSA NATIONAL GRAVEL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

www.gravelrally.co.uk

 

PRESS AND MEDIA INFORMATION

2nd June 2008

For Immediate Release

Severn Valley Rally 2008

Stage Snippets

Andy Burton faced a race against time to get his car ready for the event following on from the engine failure on the Somerset Stages Rally in April. He and co-driver Shelley Rogerson missed round three of the championship in the Isle of Man earlier this month as the car was being rebuilt, but returned with a new engine for the Severn Valley and took maximum points.

Main topic of conversation with many ANCRO crews was that they were still trying to piece together their night in Colours after the RBS International Manx Rally. need we say more.

After his debut on the Isle of Man last month, Irishman Stephen Moore ventured into the classic Welsh forests for the first time and admitted he enjoyed Radnor.

It was co-driver David Curtis' (car 36) birthday on the day of the rally.

Jon Ingram thinks he may have found the key to success in rallying. On forgetting his balaclava and gloves on a stage on the Isle of Man on which he set the fastest time he admitted that "I might drive naked." Everyone was pleased when he turned up to the first control fully clothed.

Icelander Daniel Sigurdarson made a welcome return to the championship following on from his accident on the Isle of Man in which he broke a bone in his right hand. He and his team spent the previous two weeks rebuilding the car with help from Quick Motorsport. They finished preparing it at 8pm on Friday night before the rally and had no time to test it. He admitted he drove a little cautious and his hand was a little painful for the first three stages. He was reunited with his younger sister Asta Sigurdardottir in the co-driver's seat for the event but unfortunately the pair didn't finish after the transmission broke on stage five.

Other retirements from the rally included Neil McCance and Graham Hopewell who went out in Radnor. Daniel Barry and Mark Bowens also failed to finish after they went off also and Jonny Greer/Jonny Hart also bowed out on the final stage after going OTL in their Lancer.

David Bogie was lucky to make it to the finish in Builth Wells. On the last stage his temperature gauge was in the red and he had to keep stopping on the road sections to top it up with water that they had inside the car.

They Said What.?

"I'm too old and I need to retire." - Jon Ingram thinks about registering the zimmer frame.

"I'm too slow..." - John Lloyd already has.

"I'm a bit stiff and slow out of the blocks these days..." Rod Bennett - Bloody hell, this series is getting to be like a day out with SAGA.

"My arse is sore, I swear that when they wash the car, the seats shrink." Neil McCance needs larger underpants, apparently. 

"I'm no mechanic but I know it's not right." The intuitive Marcus Dodd. 

"We had no spins but I'm just sweaty." Hot prospect Stephen Petch.

"When you see cars off you become more sensible." Peter Egerton gets a reality check.

"Sheep are the problem..." We are getting increasingly worried about Andy Burton.

"We had some heart-stopping moments and worried some spectators..." Michael Curtis gets in on the worrying act.

"It's all going better. It's because I rubbed my nipple before." Nik Elsmore has some strange rituals nowadays.

"I had a few 'Oh dear God' moments in the last couple of stages." The very reverend Henry Richardson contemplates a career change.