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FORD
RALLYE SPORT KA RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
WIGMORE TAKES COMMAND AS RECORDS TUMBLE!
The Pirelli Northumbria Rally is the third round of the Ford Rallye
Sport Ka Rally Championship and last time out, on the Willingham’s
Recovery North Humberside Forest Rally at the end of March, 26
Kas crossed the start line - an all-time record in the seven-year
history of the country’s premier ‘One-Make’
Championship.
As crews arrive
in Gateshead for the Pirelli Northumbria Rally, JONNIE WIGMORE
and co-driver ROBBIE DURANT have already claimed two maximum scores
to give the Oxfordshire pair a healthy lead in their respective
points tables. However with six very demanding rounds still to
go, starting this weekend, they still have to keep the pressure
up and any hindrance to their progress could prove disastrous.
Runners-up
in the points following the trip to Humberside are Swedish driver
LARS-GORAN ANDERSSON and SEAN KELLY. However, second place on
the day actually went to STEPHEN PETCH & MICHAEL WILKINSON
who were leading the pack after the opening stage at Olivers Mount
motorcycle race circuit in Scarborough.
Former Daihatsu
Challenge driver SCOTT VOGL is third after consistent performances
on both the opening round, the Malcolm Wilson Rally, and then
Humberside. Championship newcomer DAVID CROSSEN finished runner-up
on his first run in a Ka and he currently holds fourth place in
the points table.
With just
over a minute separating the top four crews by the finish on North
Humberside, it is already blatantly obvious that there is a very
strong competitive element within the Championship, none more
so than amongst the Junior drivers. Behind JONNIE WIGMORE, Scotsman
NIKI CLELAND has two respectable finishes from two starts, while
STEPHEN PETCH is 3rd. CHARLIE JACKSON and ANDREW LEECE are tying
for 4th place, while ten drivers have already scored points.
As has been
intimated, this year’s Ka Championship has attracted crews
from far and wide for the calendar of events that takes competitors
as far afield as Edinburgh in the north, Aberavon in South Wales,
Hull and takes in a trip to the Isle of Man for good measure!
The prize for the ‘furthest travelled’ would probably
be won by LARS-GORAN ERIKSSON on most occasions, but JOHN CARROLL
and DONI KEATING cross the Irish Sea from their homes in Kilkenny
and Tipperary each time, while DAVID CROSSEN lives in Co. Down
in Northern Ireland. ANDREW LEECE and MATTHEW BETTRIDGE are from
the Isle of Man and, no doubt, relishing the opportunity to show
the opposition how it should be done when the Championship visits
their home ground for the Manx Rally in August!
Ford Rallye
Sport Ka Rally Championship - Points After Round 2 :
DRIVERS :
Wigmore 50; Andersson 34; Vogl 32; David Crossen 29; Cleland 26;
Petch 22; etc.
CO-DRIVERS : Durant 50; Kelly 36; JUSTIN IMBER (Vogl) 34; ANDREW
BUSHE (Crossen) 32; STEVEN CLARK (Cleland) 28; WILKINSON 22; etc
For further
information on the Ford Rallye Sport Ka Rallye Championship, visit
the Championship Website : www.racingpromotions.co.uk
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