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Following on from the generosity of ANCRO
stalwarts Marcus Dodd and Steve Perez, two lucky drivers are set to claim their
prizes after success in the 2007 Hankook MSA Gravel Rally
Championship.
At the start of 2007, Dilys Trevethick, the then
Marketing Manager of ANCRO, came up with some initiatives to attract more 2WD
and smaller capacity cars
into the series. This year's champion driver Marcus
Dodd and 2004 champion Steve Perez agreed to back the categories by putting up
generous prizes with
Marcus offering a prize drive in his Hyundai Accent WRC
for the winning 2WD crew and Steve supplying a trip to John Haugland's ice
driving school along with his VK Rally Team for the winner of the 1400cc
category.
Winning the HPM Motorsport 2WD Challenge was
Andover farmer Rod Bennett, who along with co driver Henry Richardson from Ripon
took their Fiat Stilo Abarth to victories on The Brick & Steel Border
Counties, Severn Valley Stages and Bulldog Rallies whereas the Newton Abbott
pairing of Kevin Wills and Lorna Hill clinched the VK1400 Challenge in their
Nissan Micra with victory on the Severn Valley Stages and runner placings on the
RBS International Manx and Swansea Bay Rallies.
Despite the caveat of a minimum of eight
registered contenders falling one car short, Bennett’s prize is to spend a day
with the HPM Motorsport Team testing and will include hospitality and the
opportunity to drive Dodd’s Championship winning Hyundai Accent WRC.
Although only a handful of competitors registered
for the VK1400 Challenge during its inaugural season, Perez has magnanimously
agreed to honour his pledge and Wills is looking forward to meeting up with the
VK Team who are currently ensconced on the East African Safari Rally where Steve
is competing.
ANCRO wish to thank both Marcus Dodd and Steve
Perez for their kind help in supporting grass-roots rallying and hopefully, both
Challenges will continue in 2008. An announcement regarding the 2008 ANCRO
Championship along with dates and classes will be made in due course once plans
are finalised.
Both Bennett and Wills will collect their prizes
along with all the other winners at the annual ANCRO Gala Awards Dinner which
takes place next Saturday (8th December) at the Paramount Hotel in
Daventry.
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