Rally2Raise team aiming for more success in 2013

After a very successful 2012 where £2,500 was raised for four charities the Rally2Raise project will continue in 2013.

The project, founded by Aberdeen's Rachel Clark, is using motorsport to raise funds and awareness for charitable causes and for this year the Nystagmus Network will once again be supported.

John Sanders of the Nystagmus Network said: "The Nystagmus Network funded research in Leicester University and Moorfields Eye Hospital in 2012. We helped more than 800 people directly by email and phone and thousands more through the support and information on our website.”

“We also published our ‘The Challenge of Nystagmus’ book and wrote a new ‘easy guide to nystagmus’ for teachers. All of these achievements were only possible thanks to the support of Rally2Raise and many other fundraisers and donors. We hope to do a lot more in 2013 and are really pleased that Rally2Raise continues to support us."

In addition Rally2Raise will help raise awareness of the Bottle Stop campaign, a campaign started by Jane Sherriff after her husband tragically died after being attacked and stabbed with a broken glass bottle at a corporate event In London. The aim of the campaign is to ban glass bottles from late night pubs and clubs.

Rally2Raise has already had a great start to the year with the news that the Saltire Rally Club have very generously agreed to continue their support, part of which will involve the Rally2Raise Micra running as course car on the popular Saltire Classic rally in March.

Colin Wallace of the Saltire Rally Club said: "The Saltire Rally Club were delighted to support Rally2Raise in 2012. We look forward to continuing our association in 2013 and contributing to the superb work of the nominated charities.”

Rachel is hoping to compete on selected Scottish Rally Championship events this year but her first event will be running as course car on the E.Watson and Son Coneyhatch rally time trial next Sunday.

Rachel commented: "I'm delighted that Rally2Raise was such a success last year and we are hoping to build on that this year. I'd like to thank everyone who has supported us, we raised far more than I expected and I think the awareness raising, particularly of the lesser known causes such as nystagmus, went really well."

"We have decided to continue to support the Nystagmus Network this year. My son suffers from nystagmus and I want to do all I can to help find a cure for it. We will also help raise awareness for Bottle Stop. Both myself and fellow Rally2Raise team member Katherine have seen the trauma due to glass incidents through our work. Jane has been through her worst nightmare in losing her husband and she has founded Bottle Stop to try and prevent more families from going through that pain. The cause really resonated with us.”

"I can't wait for the season to start, Stonehaven and District Motor Club have kindly let me run as course car on their time trial so that will be a good way to blow away the cobwebs. Hopefully we will be able to run on a few of the Scottish championship rounds again this year but that will depend on funding – if anyone can help with the costs of running the Rally2Raise Micra please get in touch via our website.”

For more information please visit www.rally2raise.co.uk or follow the team on Facebook www.facebook.com/rally2raise and Twitter @rally2raise.

Images from the Roger Albert Clark rally

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Wright hoping for Grizedale rally double

Bentham’s David Wright will end his 2012 rally season on Saturday when he contests the Coniston-based Grizedale Stages.

After winning the rally in 2011 he is aiming for another victory on the challenging Cumbrian event this year.

Wright has been out of action since October following a serious hand injury suffered at work which meant he was unable to drive but, although he has not fully recovered, he should be fit enough to return to competition at the weekend in his Kumho Tyres, Proflex, Drenth, York Brewery, Millers Oils, Owen Developments and Grove Hill Garage-backed GPM Mitsubishi Evo 9.

“I’ve not done a rally since the Merrick Stages so it will be good to be back out in the car again,” said Wright. “My hand is still painful but I’ve got most of the movement back into it now so I think I’ll be ok to drive competitively. I’m really looking forward to our final event of the year, Grizedale is always a cracking rally and the stages used are some of my favourites.”

“It is always a very tough event and the forest tracks are very challenging, especially after all the recent wet weather. They are sure to be extremely slippery. It would be great to win the event again but there are some very quick crews entered so it will be difficult. It could all come down to the very long 18 mile stage that ends the rally. Thank you to all my sponsors for their valued support, I hope we can get a good result to round off the year.”

The rally starts from Coniston on Saturday morning with most of the action taking place in Grizedale forest.

Bridgnorth offroad racing team triumph at British Cross Country Championship

The Bridgnorth-based Millington Phoenix offroad racing team completed their Britpart MSA British Cross Country Championship season last weekend with a second place finish which meant they successfully defended the title they first won in 2011.

The series, which is Britain’s premier offroad racing championship, kicked off in April with a round in mid-Wales. The team’s season got off to a good start as they finished second, a result that was repeated at round two despite their car suffering some electrical troubles.

Problems with the oil seal on the engine meant the team failed to score at round three in Scotland and, with their closest rival winning each of the opening three rounds, it looked as though their hold on the championship was slipping.

However, victories at round four and five saw Rochelle and Hammond head to the last round in South Wales needing to finish in the top three to retain the title. Torrential rain before the event made the conditions on the 7 mile offroad course treacherous and Rochelle drove within himself to hold third place early on. He was promoted to second after a rival driver lost a lot of time when his steering failed and he held this position to the end of the event’s 13 runs to take the championship win.

“I wasn’t really racing on the edge this weekend,” said Rochelle. “A third place was sufficient and, with the very slippery course, I did not want to risk putting the car off the road by driving at my usual flat-out pace.”

“It is absolutely brilliant to win the championship again, it’s been a very tough year so to finish with the victory is fantastic. It has been a real team effort with Chris putting in a lot of work behind the scenes as well as navigating, Roy Millington producing a brilliant engine and Tim Henry doing a great job as our team mechanic, it’s an all Bridgnorth team and we’re brimming with pride."

“The championship has been a very thorough test of our car with six cracking courses through the year, we’ve had everything from extremely tough offroad sections to fast gravel tracks. To end up as championship winners is a real achievement for all the team.”

The 2013 championship will start next April although Rochelle has not yet decided if he will go for a hat trick of title wins.

Images from BCCC Walters

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