Robert's Rally Buzz - October 2020

Can Evans Win The World Crown?

There have only been two British World Rally Champions. Back in 1995 Scotland’s Colin McRae from Lanark became the first, then in 2001 Richard Burns from Reading won the title for England.

Fast forward 19 years and Elfyn Evans is poised to capture the illusive crown. Following his surprise victory in a rough tough Rally Turkey, the little “Welsh Wizard” is 18 points clear of Toyota team mate Sebastien Ogier. Due to the unprecedented nature of the shortened 2020 WRC, Evans is perfectly placed to take the Championship. For that to happen though there must be seven events completed. To date there have been five with just two remaining.

The next scheduled event is Rally Italy in Sardinia (8-11 October) followed by the Ypres Rally Belgium (19-22 November). A further event, the Monza Rally based entirely at the race circuit in Italy, could be added as a backup in December, but that has yet to be confirmed.

Looking Back

20 Years Ago…….2000

The Carryduff Forklift Challenge 2000 was a last minute replacement for the cancelled Ulster Rally. A short six stage one day closed-road rally, this event was based in Gortin, Co.Tyrone. We were timekeeping on SS1/4 Butterloop near Plumbridge. The weather was atrocious with heavy rain all day. The winners were Ian Greer and Dean Beckett in a Toyota Corolla WRC. Padaer Hurson/Ian Porter were second in an Escort Cosworth while Philip Shaw and Ciaran Kelly finished third in a Mk.2 Escort. 27 Cars started and 19 finished.

10 Years Ago…….2010

Garry Jennings and Neil Doherty won the Donegal Harvest Stages in October 2010 in their Subaru S7 WRC. Five of us were timekeeping on the finish of SS2/4 (McBride’s Court) just outside Castlefinn. A huge entry of 161 cars started the nine-stage closed-road event based at Jackson’s Hotel in Ballybofey. The “Rally in the Valley “ as it was known was organised by Donegal Motor Club. All nine tests were in the Finn Valley area of the county. 99 competitors made it to the finish. Jennings was fastest on 8 stages while Seamus Leonard/John McCaffery were second in a Subaru S9 WRC. On the last stage the Jennings Subaru broke its front suspension, but despite loosing 59 seconds to Leonard, the Kesh driver still made it to the finish in first place. Gary McPhilips and James McNulty were third and top two-wheel-Drive finishers in their Ford Escort Mk.2. A total of 99 cars in the main event made it to the finish in Ballybofey followed by all 7 junior drivers who started.

I missed the Down Rally in 2010 because five of us made the trip to Rally Spain in Salou. It was an expenses paid trip which we won earlier in the year at our local ANICC prizegiving event. This was my second visit to the Spanish round of the World Championship. We managed to take in shakedown plus three stages of the mixed surface event. One of the highlights was having lunch in the Ford M-Sport hospitality unit. We were mixing it with stars like Ken Block and Ari Vatanen and many others. Lots of people from Northern Ireland were involved in the WRC at that time including ; co-drivers, cameramen, chauffeurs and service crews.

On the Down Rally (based in Castlewellan) Stuart Biggerstaff became the youngest winner of the Northern Ireland Rally Championship. The 22 year-old from Kinallen finished fifth on the gravel event, but with his closest challenger Mark Donnelly not scoring any points after problems dropped him to last position, Biggerstaff was crowned champion. Winners for the second year in succession were Kenny McKinstry and Noel Orr in a Subaru S8 WRC.