Images from M-Sport Fiesta WRC test



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Images from the Devil's Own Rally 2014

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EMMU rescue to continue to benefit from MIS Motorsport support

Motorsport rescue service EMMU will continue to be supported by MIS Motorsport in 2014 after the Kent-based motorsport insurance provider funded the replacement cost of one of the unit’s patient monitors.

MIS Motorsport started their support last year when they sponsored the purchase of two cordless saws for EMMU. The saws are a vital tool in the process of aiding the extraction of casualties from crashed vehicles.

The new patient monitor will allow the EMMU crew members to monitor all the parameters associated with an injured patient including pulse rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation levels and temperature.

EMMU crew chief Stuart Westbrook commented: “The patient monitor plays a hugely important part in dealing with casualties, we can keep track of the main parameters and target our actions appropriately.”

“I’m very grateful to MIS Motorsport for their continued support. We are a voluntary service so help from businesses such as MIS Motorsport is vital in ensuring we can continue to provide the best quality motorsport rescue service.”

The EMMU rescue service is based in Morecambe and they cover events all over the UK including providing cover for the Ford World Rally Team test days. More information can be found on www.emmu.co.uk.

Overheating problems end Wright’s Malcolm Wilson rally hopes

 

Bentham rally driver David Wright had a disappointing Malcolm Wilson rally last weekend when overheating problems forced him out of the event.

Wright’s rally got off to a bad start when just half a mile into the opening Comb stage the Kumho Tyres, Drenth, Owen Developments and Grove Hill Garage-supported GPM Mitsubishi Evo 9 started to overheat. The car went into “safe mode” and Wright had to struggle around the rest of the stage. Despite this he still set 12th fastest time.

There were three stages to go before service, two runs of Wythop and one of Greystoke. Although the car was not at 100% Wright managed to set two 6^th fastest times and one 8^th fastest.

The service halt was spent attempting to fix the cooling issues and Wright and co-driver Michael Wilkinson set off for three stages in Grizedale forest. However, on the road section Wright noticed that the engine had built up pressure so he decided to retire rather than risk further damage.

“After all the hard work by GPM to get the car ready for the event it’s really disappointing to have had to retire,” said Wright. “We had high hopes of getting a podium finish but they were dashed after around 30 seconds of stage one.”

“We carried on through the rest of the morning stages and had hoped we could get the car fixed in service but the pressure build up showed there was still a problem. It wasn’t worth the risk of causing a lot of damage so we pulled out on the road section to Grizedale.”

“We’re concentrating on getting our new Focus ready for the next BTRDA championship round in Somerset now, hopefully the engine parts we need will be sorted and fitted. We don’t have a lot of time but we’ll do our best to be on the start line in Minehead.”

The Somerset Stages, round 3 of the BTRDA rally championship, takes place on 12^th April.

Images from the Malcolm Wilson rally



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Rally2Raise at the Edradour Saltire Classic rally 2014



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Successful Saltire for Rally2Raise team

 

The Rally2Raise team of Rachel Clark and Gary Simpson headed to Perthshire last weekend to take part in the Edradour Saltire Classic rally. The organisers, the Saltire Rally Club, have supported Rally2Raise since 2012 and as part of the support they let the Rally2Raise rally car run as the course car on the event.

The rally started from the Birnam hotel on a cold and clear morning with a wide variety of cars lining up ready to tackle the route and tests which would take them up towards Pitlochry, across to Loch Tummel and then north towards Blair Atholl.

The opening test was in a forest just outside of Dunkeld. The team’s Nissan Micra struggled to get traction on the very slippery and steep track but the test was successfully negotiated.  A further nine tests took place in quick succession including one at the distillery of event sponsor Edradour which involved negotiating a course marked out by whisky barrels.

“The first few tests went well,” said Rachel. “Most were extremely slippery and, even though we’ve only got a 1300cc Micra, it was a struggle to find grip. Fortunately we didn’t suffer a repeat of last year where the exhaust manifold broke early on.”

After a lunch halt on the shore of Loch Tummel the Rally2Raise crew completed another test before the highlight of their event, a 12 mile section through a snowy Errochty forest. From there the rally headed back towards Dunkeld via Blair Atholl and the south side of Loch Tummel, taking in seven more tests before the finish.

“Errochty was fantastic, I’ve driven it on the McRae Stages rally but this was the first time I’ve seen it in the snow. The roads were pretty icy and it would’ve been easy to slide off but we completed the section with no problems. The remaining tests were fine and we made it back to the finish in one piece.”

After the rally a raffle was held in aid of “Funding the fuel for Flynny” which included prizes donated by Penny Street Boutique Lancaster, Motorsport Mugs, Colin Wallace, Martin Steele, Willie Greig, 2013 rally winners Noel Cochrane and Olly McCollum, Life Memories Photography and Songasport. A total of £270 was raised.

“Thanks to everyone who donated a prize and bought a raffle ticket, we were delighted with the amount raised. Thanks also to Colin Wallace and his team at the Saltire Rally Club for letting us run on a brilliant event, we had a great time.”

For more information on Rally2Raise please visit www.rally2raise.co.uk or www.facebook.com/rally2raise.

Wright looking to get rally season off to flying start

Bentham rally driver David Wright will start his rally season next weekend when he contests round two of the BTRDA rally championship, the Malcolm Wilson rally.

Having sold the Mitsubishi Evo 9 he had used for the last three years Wright was hoping to debut his new Ford Focus WRC on the Cumbrian event but the car is awaiting engine parts so a back-up plan has been put into action.

“The pistons for the Focus are still in America with Cosworth so we’ve had to sort another car to contest the Malcolm Wilson rally,” said Wright. “We’ve got the Mitsubishi Evo 9 that we won the 2009 BTRDA title in. It’s taken a lot of work but we’ve managed to get it into pretty much the same specification as the car we used last year.”

“We’ll struggle to match the pace of the world rally class cars but we’ll be pushing hard in what are some of my favourite stages in rallying and hopefully we can target a podium finish. We’re planning to test the car ahead of the rally which should iron out any problems.”

The Evo will be supported by Kumho Tyres, Drenth, Grove Hill Garage, GPM and Owen Developments.

The Malcolm Wilson rally starts from Cockermouth on Saturday morning and the crews will be tested over some of the classic Lake District stages including Comb, Wythop and Grizedale.