Reigning champion Cole faces tough challenge

Defending REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Champion Damian Cole is returning to the series this year with a view to taking back-to-back titles. With Craig Drew reading the notes in the Get Connected! Ford Focus WRC, Cole’s season begins with the one event he failed to finish in 2010 reported www.motorstv.com!

For the first time Port Talbot Motor Club’s Tour of Epynt takes Brecon as its base with the meat of the rally taking place on the Epynt Military Ranges. Seven stages, totalling 80 miles, constitute the meat of the event and the first car is due to start on the Ranges at 8.55am on Sunday 13th March. That first car will be the Subaru Impreza WRC of 2010 event winners, Peter Lloyd/Graham Handley, while Cole/Drew are next.

Simon Mauger was 3rd overall in his Ford Escort MkII on last year’s Tour of Epynt which set the Bicester driver on his way to taking the runner-up spot in the MSA Asphalt Championship and winning the BTRDA Asphalt Rally Challenge outright at the wheel of his two-wheel drive machine. His performances have set the scene for the Millington Escort Challenge which is running on all nine events of the Asphalt Championship this year, catering for up to 2.5 litre front-engined (not necessarily Millingtons!), rear-wheel drive MkI-Mk5 Escorts. Obviously, Mauger must be regarded as a serious contender for this but, with the likes of Jersey’s Steve Leonard, Dave Allmark, Jay Stanley, Pete Rayner, Tommi Graham and Graham Muter in his amazingly quick 1300 BDA version on the blocks, there is already considerable interest in the new category.

John Stone/Patrick Walsh will be hoping to start the new season as they finished the last – with a win! Stone’s Legend Fires Skoda Fabia WRC emerged victorious at the end of the Cheviot Keith Knox Stages Rally last October, confirming his 3rd overall in the 2010 MSA Asphalt Championship. Meanwhile, having recently won the Oak Leaf Stages in their Hyundai Accent WRC, Mark Jasper/Don Whyatt have been putting in
some pre-season practice as they attempt to improve on last year’s 7th place on Epynt.

Jasper contested the event in his MG Metro 6R4 and he will be followed away from the start by another former Metro pilot. After an absence of several years, John Indri and co-driver Dave Engwell are set for a full season in their Darrian T90 GTR – a car which is a proven winner on Epynt, especially if the weather stays dry.

Graham Coffey/David Gamblin (Subaru Impreza WRC) and David Mann/Alun Cook (Subaru impreza GpN) are rejoining the Championship this year and each has the talent and machinery to dominate their respective categories.

The PROVISIONAL Top 10 Starters on the Tour of Epynt are as follows:
1 – Peter Lloyd/Graham Handley – Subaru Impreza WRC
2 – Damian Cole/Craig Drew – Ford Focus WRC
3 – Simon Mauger/Brian Cammack – Ford Escort MkII
4 – John Stone/Patrick Walsh – Skoda Fabia WRC
5 – Seb Ling/Aled Rees – Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9
6 – Mark Jasper/Don Whyatt – Hyundai Accent WRC
7 – John Indri/Dave Engwell – Darrian T90 GTR
8 – Bob Fowden/Jason Sugden – Subaru Impreza
9 – Graham Coffey/David Gamblin – Subaru Impreza WRC
10 – David Mann/Alun Cook – Subaru Impreza GpN

Watch MSA Asphalt Rally Championship highlights on Motors TV in 2011.
– Credit: Andrew Haill – www.motorstv.com