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Middleton In Driving Seat On Championship Decider& |
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Friday, 06 October 2006 |
The battle for the 2006 MSA Gravel Rally Championship reaches its
climax on Saturday 21st October when the final round of the dramatic
series is played out on the fast and flowing roads of the Mid Welsh
forests which comprises the Bulldog Rally.
Just two drivers are in contention for the prestigious title following
an exciting season which has seen the destiny of the title swing one
way and then back the other meaning for a second year running; the
championship will be decided on the very last round.
Going into the Wolverhampton and South Staffs Car Club event as
favourites are Llandrindod Wells driver Craig Middleton who along with
co driver Robin Hernaman from Royston holds all the aces after taking
their third win of the season last time out in Scotland. An eighth
place finish will guarantee the Hyundai Accent WRC pairing the title
although following two retirements already this season; they cannot
take anything for granted.
Challenging them will be the Towcester pairing of former champion Roger
Duckworth and co driver Mark Broomfield who need to win the rally in
their Subaru WRC and hope that Middleton strikes trouble. Given they’ve
not managed to take the winner’s spoils all season long, it will be a
tough task but consistency has been the name of the game for the
Midlanders this season and it could pay off.
But whilst the championship may be about two crews, there are plenty of
others hoping to round off the ANCRO season in style including former
champion Steve Perez and co driver Scott Martin in their Ford Focus
WRC. Perez missed the last round and as a result, ruled his slim
chances of repeating his 2004 success out and at the time of writing,
entries were still to be received from front runners Barry Johnson
(Subaru WRC) and Marcus Dodd (Hyundai Accent WRC). However, Londoner
Richard Gower has been a major force this season and he could well
figure in the results in his Hyundai Accent WRC but it’s not just about
the National driver’s championship, there are plenty of others set to
be decided on the Bulldog, as well as a couple already sorted.
Dorchester’s Anthony Willmington has proved to be ‘Mr Consistency’ in
his Mitsubishi Lancer this season and after taking his fourth victory
of the season on the Park Systems, he clinched the Mitsubishi Ralliart
Evolution Cup ahead of North Yorkshire driver Stephen Petch who could
clinch runner up spot with a victory but in the Subaru Group N Trophy,
the three way battle between Welshman Wyn Humphries, Inverness driver
Alistair Tough, and Towcester’s Rob Smith will go down to the wire in a
‘winner takes all’ scenario.
Ulsterman Declan Magee wrapped up the TMS Peugeot 206 Super Cup last
time out and in the ANCRO Clubman’s Championship, the Ford Fiesta ST
trio of Pencombe driver George Thomas, Cleadon’s Chris Moore and Tom
Walster from Nottingham are separated by just three points. In the
Innovation Motorsports Challenge Cup, it’s even closer with Willmington
and Tough separated by a single point.
The important Group N Manufacturers title is also going down to the
wire between Prodrive Subaru and Ralliart Mitsubishi who are tied on
points although M-Sport Ford have already boxed off the Group A crown.
Comprising qualifying rounds for no less than twelve championships,
including the Eurorallye Cup and the OSG Motorsport and Dutton Tyres
MSA Welsh National Forest Rally Championship, the first of the ANCRO
National competitors leaves the start at the Bulldog Rally Base at
08.00 on Saturday morning before returning to the finish at around
17.00.
The rally also encompasses the innovative ‘Mini Rally’ which will allow
prospective competitors the opportunity to sample two stages of forest
rallying for a fraction of the cost and already, there has been a good
take up for the available entries.
The rally marks ANCRO Chairman and Bulldog Rally Clerk of the Course
John Trevethick’s 25th and final year in charge of the series finale.
In his first year in charge back in 1981, the late, great Henri
Toivonen, along with Fred Gallagher were the winners. Other names on
the winner’s trophy include Pat Moss, Pentii Airikkala, Ari Vatanen,
Markku Alen, Michelle Mouton, Tony Pond, Stig Blomqvist and Malcolm
Wilson.
Competing on the event as a tribute to one of British rallying’s
stalwarts, former champion Steve Petch (Hyundai Accent WRC) is planning
on coming out of retirement to contest the 70 stage mile event, as
indeed is Ulsterman Kenny McKinstry (Subaru WRC), himself a champion of
the past in the ANCRO series.
Entries officially close on Tuesday 17th October. More details on the event can be found at www.thebulldogrally.freeserve.co.uk and information on the MSA National Gravel Rally Championship is listed at www.gravelrally.co.uk Results can be found at www.ancro.info
ANCRO Championship Standings (after six rounds - Gross Scores – Nett in brackets)
| Pos. |
Driver |
Points |
| 1 |
Roger Duckworth |
106 (nett 86) |
| 2 |
Craig Middleton |
97 (nett 97) |
| 3 |
Richard Gower |
92 (nett 75) |
| 4 |
Anthony Willmington |
96 (nett 67) |
| 5 |
Alistair Tough |
81 (nett 67) |
| 6 |
Marcus Dodd |
69 (nett 69) |
| 7 |
Rob Smith |
67 (nett 67) |
| 8 |
Wyn Humphries |
67 (nett 55) |
| 9 |
Stephen Petch |
64 (nett 64) |
| 10 |
Steve Perez |
60 (nett 60) |
ANCRO Clubmans Championship Standings (after four rounds)
| Pos. |
Driver |
Points |
| 1 |
George Thomas |
67 |
| 2 |
Chris Moore |
66 |
| 3 |
Tom Walster |
64 |
| 4 |
Fraser Jones |
55 |
| 5 |
Chris Peart |
54 |
| 6 |
Mike Winfield |
53 |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 13 December 2006 )
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