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Gripping start on Rallye Sunseeker for Hankook Gravel Rally Championship |
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Sunday, 25 February 2007 |
The Hankook Gravel Rally Championship kicked off in style this evening with thousands of rally fans in Bournemouth wowed by some of the most thrilling high speed action on day one of Rallye Sunseeker.
Fastest Hankook GRC competitor over the first two stages of the rally was Paul Bird in his Subaru Impreza WRC setting the pace through the Bournemouth Winter Gardens and along the seafront – the traditional curtain opener to the UK’s premier gravel rally series.
Local hero Marcus Dodd was fastest on the first run through the Winter
Gardens but despite saying he was a little rusty Bird finishes day one
of the Rallye Sunseeker at the head of the leaderboard for the fourth
year running.
But the real test is still to come as overnight rally leader Bird and
co-driver Andy Richardson start day two of the event just 1.8 seconds
ahead of Phillip Morrow and Simon Morrow in their Mitsubishi Evo who
lies second overall.
Saturday provides a full day of action for competitors in the Hankook
GRC with drivers bidding to secure an early points haul in the seven
round championship.
Twelve high speed stages in the forests around Ringwood and Wareham lie
ahead of the crews in a full day of action before a finish back in
Bournemouth Town Centre
“Once again the Rallye Sunseeker has provided a tremendous start to the
rally and to the Hankook GRC,’’ said Hankook motorsports manager Mike
Patterson. “We are delighted to begin our support of the series in such
style.’’
Results after SS2
1 Paul Bird/Andy Richardson (Subaru) - 3m.00.0s
2 Phillip Morrow/Simon Morrow (Mitsubishi) - 3m.01.8s
3 Marcus Dodd/Andrew Bargery (Hyundai) - 3m.02.6s
4 Steve Perez/Claire Mole (Ford) - 3m.02.7s
5 John Lloyd/Pauline Gullick (Ford) - 3m.04.8s
6 Ollie O'Donovan/David Moynihan (Subaru) - 3m.05.3s
7 Jonny Milner/Ian Windress (Mitsubishi) - 3m.06.4s
8 Stephen Harron/Sean Mullally (Subaru) - 3m.06.6s
9 Roger Duckworth/Mark Broomfield (Subaru) - 3m.08.4s
10 Garry Jennings/Craig Drew (Mitsubishi) - 3m.10.6s
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