Petchies Successful Swansea

Stephen Petch Junior made up for his recent run of bad luck by scoring a well deserved victory on round 5 of the 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution Cup on this weekend's Swansea Bay Rally.

After the recent problems on the Jim Clark International Rally Stephen was just hoping for a clean run this weekend and opened his account with 5th fastest in group N through the first 16 mile stage, despite suffering in the hanging dust and suffering a brief spin half way through the stage. 5th quickest in class through the second stage meant he was lying 4th in Group N and 13th overall at the first service.

Stephen then really upped his pace and set a string of blistering stage times over the remaining 4 stages, going fastest in Group N on all of them and setting a string of top 10 overall times to eventually bring his SG Petch Scalextric Mitsubishi Evo IX home in a brilliant 9th overall, 2nd in Group N and 1st in the Mitsubishi Evo Cup.

Stephen has to be more than happy with this result as he was going head to head with Julian Reynolds who, as last years winner of this rally, was running first on the road, with the advantage of not having dust hanging in the air. As Stephen competes against Julian in the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally championship this has done a lot for his confidence.

"We’ve known all along that we’ve got the pace, but niggling problems have held us back. Hopefully this result has shown that we have what it takes to run at the front" said the Richmond driver.

Stephen and the rest of the team now begin preparing for round 3 of the 2006 Tescos 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, the Rally Isle of Man, which runs from 3rd to 5th August 2006.

For more on SGP Motorsport please visit www.sgpmotorsport.co.uk

Dodd Victorious In Dusty Wales

Round 5 – The Swansea Bay National Rally – Swansea, Wales - Saturday 22nd July 2006

Former ANCRO National Rally Champions Marcus Dodd and Andrew Bargery took victory on round five of the MSA National Gravel Championship, the Swansea Bay National Rally.

The Poole driver finished just over three seconds ahead of Norwegian newcomer Andreas Mikkelsen and his co-driver Ola Floene who in turn crossed the finish ramp just over eight seconds ahead of Craig Middleton and Robin Hernaman.

Dust was a major problem over the opening loop of two stages with most competitors complaining about lack of visibility as the dust was hanging quite badly. Last year’s event winner and first on the road Julian Reynolds benefited most from the conditions through stages one and two and he and co-driver Paul Spooner had a 1.5 second lead over Marcus Dodd going into the first service halt of the day. Organisers decided to allow two minute gaps for the remainder of the stages on the grounds of safety and it was then that the WRC crews began to
move up the leader board.

Roger Duckworth and Mark Broomfield took the lead after stage three, the second run through Walter’s Arena and he held a 0.6 second lead over Dodd and Bargery going into stage four. It was here that Duckworth lost over forty seconds when his car slid off the road and he dropped to fourth overall. Craig Middleton took the lead after stage four and he extended his advantage by setting quickest time through stage five, the six mile Tyle test and he held a near five second
lead over Marcus Dodd going into second and final service.

A short distance into the penultimate stage saw Craig Middleton hit disaster. A quarter way into the seven mile Rheola test at a fast medium right, they hit the rear of the car off a bank and badly damaged a wheel. They dropped nearly thirty seconds over the fell to third overall, and as a result of the final stage being cancelled, they remained in third place, finishing over eight seconds behind Mikkelsen. Marcus Dodd and Andrew Bargery scored their second maximum score in this year’s championship.

Julian Reynolds and Paul Spooner won GpN, however, are not registered for championship points. Stephen Petch and Michael Wilkinson therefore score maximum points for finishing second GpN, Rob Smith and Alun Cook score second placed points and finish third GpN while Anthony Willmington and Andy White pick up third placed championship points. Petch and Wilkinson scored maximum points in the Mitsubishi Evo Cup and Rob Smith took maximum points in the Subaru GpN Trophy.

Declan Magee and Thomas Nugent won the Special Tuning 206 Super Cup section of the rally, finishing six seconds ahead of Colin Britton and Ross Butler.

The result hands Middleton second placed points in the championship as Mikkelsen is not registered. Roger Duckworth and Mark Broomfield finished fourth and picked up third placed championship points to head the series outright going into the next round, the Park Systems Stages rally in Scotland in September.

Results

1. Marcus Dodd/Andrew Bargery Hyundai Accent WRC - 0:48:28.2
2. Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Floene Ford Focus WRC - 0:48:31.5
3. Craig Middleton/Robin Hernaman Hyundai Accent WRC - 0:48:36.5
4. Roger Duckworth/Mark Broomfield Subaru Impreza WRC - 0:49:25.4
5. Steve Perez/Scott Martin Ford Focus WRC - 0:49:29.9
6. Richard Gower/Aled Davies Hyundai Accent WRC - 0:49.59.8
7. Julian Reynolds/Paul Spooner Subaru Impreza - 0:50:27.7
8. Stephen Petch/Michael Wilkinson Mitsubishi Evo 9 - 0:51:22.9
9. Damian Cole/Craig Drew Hyundai Accent WRC - 0:51:26.2
10. Rob Smith/Alun Cook Subaru Impreza - 0:51:29.1
    

Provisional Championship standings

1. Roger Duckworth – 84 points
2. Anthony Willmington – 79 points
3. Craig Middleton – 72 points
4. Richard Gower – 72 points
5. Marcus Dodd – 69 points
6. Wyn Humphries – 67 points

Fiat 500 To Enter The Guinness Book Of Records

The classic Fiat 500, a direct descendant of which is set to become an automotive star of 2007, has just qualified for The Guinness Book of Records, as, earlier this month, more than 750 Cinquecentisti created the world’s longest one model traffic ‘jam’ at over three kilometres in length!

More than 5000 enthusiasts gathered at Garlenda in Italy for the 23rd International Fiat 500 Owners Meeting, to watch 500 Fiat 500 cars create the largest 500 insignia in the world on the Dei Fiori racecourse at Villanova d’Albenga. Then, as the ‘convoy’ headed off towards Casanova Lerrone, it exceeded the two miles in length required to beat the record.

But, of course, this is really just a rehearsal!

Because next year is the 50th anniversary of the Fiat 500, and it will also be the eve of the new Fiat 500 launch, so the Fiat 500 Club Italia, organisers of the event, are calling on Fiat 500 owners and fans from around the world to start making preparations to travel to Italy for the biggest Fiat 500 event in history.

“The Fiat 500 is loved by everyone who enjoys simple things. It is a car that unites the world,” says Domenico Romano, honorary president and founder of the Club.

Meanwhile Fiat 500 enthusiasts all over the world are making huge contributions to the new car via its website at www.fiat500.com

New Evolution FQ-360 Coming To UK

• 366bhp version of the Lancer Evolution IX launched at British Motor Show
• On-sale now priced at £35,504 with first deliveries in September
• 1997cc turbo engine modified with high pressure fuel pump, high flow catalytic converter and reprogrammed ECU
• Tuned for driveability: 366bhp@6887rpm and 363lb ft@3200rpm
• Peak output of 363lb ft is 8lb ft more than the Evolution VIII FQ-400 produced, and is delivered 2200rpm lower down the rev range
• 0-60mph 4.1sec (est.), 160mph+

Mitsubishi Motors UK has unveiled a new and more powerful version of the iconic Lancer Evolution IX supercar. A development of the FQ-340, the new FQ-360 features a 366bhp version of Mitsubishi’s 2.0-litre turbo engine. Available to order now, priced at £35,504, it reaffirms the ‘Evo’s’ reputation as the everyday supercar, offering pace and practicality at an affordable price.

Making its debut at the British Motor Show, the new FQ-360 joins a three car Lancer Evolution line-up, consisting of the FQ-300, the FQ-320 and the FQ-340, all of which continue. Orders can be placed at any Mitsubishi Ralliart dealer with first deliveries expected in September.

The FQ-360 has been developed by engineers from Mitsubishi UK’s motor sport and performance division, Ralliart, which was also responsible for the limited edition FQ-400. Launched in 2004, the FQ-400 was the fastest-ever production Mitsubishi and the new FQ-360 shares some of its key components.

Mitsubishi’s engineers sought to improve the performance of the 1997cc 4-cylinder 4G63 twin scroll turbo engine with the introduction of a high pressure fuel pump and a high-flow catalytic converter, both of which were employed in the FQ-400. The Engine Control Unit (ECU) has been fully reprogrammed to create a car that delivers 366bhp at 6887rpm and 363lb ft of torque at a lowly 3200rpm.

The torque output is the key to this car’s character. The peak output of 363lb ft is 8lb ft more than the FQ-400 produced and is delivered 2200rpm lower down the rev range. It’s also 18lb ft more than the FQ-340. “We’ve worked hard to optimise the FQ-360’s driveability,” says Paul Brigden, general manager, Ralliart. “We wanted to deliver the best possible driving experience, rather than concentrating on a headline-grabbing power output.”

The FQ-360 may have been tuned for driveability, but that doesn’t mean that its supercar-bashing performance has been compromised. This car will sprint from 0-60mph in an estimated 4.1sec and top 160mph. These figures underline Lancer Evolution’s reputation as the supercar bargain. By comparison, the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, which costs almost twice as much, takes 0.7sec longer to reach 60mph from rest.

Subtle exterior enhancements differentiate the FQ-360 from the rest of the Lancer Evolution range and improve its aerodynamic efficiency at high speed. One of the most obvious changes is the introduction of a carbon fibre front lip spoiler, which is attached to the front apron and provides additional downforce. At the rear, a carbon fibre ‘sharks tooth’ rear vortex generator helps to reduce aerodynamic lift.

Keen ‘Evo spotters’ will also note the introduction of a bespoke set of alloy wheels. Developed by Speedline, they mimic the five-spoke design of Mitsubishi’s tarmac-spec rally car and are not available as an aftermarket option. The new alloys are shod with Yokohama ADVAN AO46 235/45ZR17 tyres, which are shared with the rest of the Lancer Evolution range.

The interior of the FQ-360 builds on that of the FQ-340 with one notable addition, the space below the stereo – which is used for oddments storage in the FQ-340 – is now occupied by a Ralliart Sports Meter Kit. Three dials display the battery voltage, oil temperature and boost pressure, providing extra, useful information to the enthusiastic driver.

Fears that the FQ-360 would be a stripped-out road racer can also be allayed. Its comprehensive specification includes climate control, all-round electric windows and electrically adjustable mirrors, a category 1 alarm and four airbags, proving that performance and comfort can go hand-in-hand.

The FQ-360’s suspension steering is unchanged from the standard Evolution IX. The Evolution IX’s Brembo brakes are also more than capable of coping with the increase in performance. The 17in ventilated discs with four piston callipers at the front and 16in ventilated discs with two-piston callipers at the rear are supplemented by Sports ABS and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD). EBD automatically regulates the front and rear braking force to match the vehicle load and driving conditions.

Evolution resources:
Mitsubishi Evolution Lancer

A Joyless Jim Clark For Petch

The SG Petch Scalextric Team experienced a torrid weekend as both cars suffered an incredible amount of bad luck on round 2 of the 2006 Tescos 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, the Jim Clark International.

Both Stephen Petch Junior and Rob Gill had had good runs over the closed public lanes of South Scotland in 2005 but Rob’s 2006 rally got off to the worst possibly start when the gear lever broke shortly after the start of the very first stage. Despite finishing the stage he chose to retire with plans to re-start under ‘super rally’ rules on Saturday.

Stephen opened his account with a time inside the top 20 but was unhappy with the handling on his car, complaining about a lack of confidence with the tyres. He then lost more ground to those ahead of him when the car suffered intermittent fuel feed problems, causing it to cut out at the most inopportune moments.

Despite playing around with tyre pressures and gaining confidence in the grip levels Stephen then struggled with a faulty fuel pump and it was by sheer determination that he persevered through the 3 remaining stages on Friday before the team was able to descend on the car and replace the faulty fuel pump, ready for Saturday’s action.

With the team restored to 2 cars for the 2nd day everyone was full of hope, but once again bad luck struck. First of all Rob Gill suffered clutch problems that would prove terminal, a result of the strain of being stuck in 4th gear on Friday. And then Stephen was hampered by more handling problems. At first the team thought a drive shaft had broken, but when the problem persisted after changing the drive shaft they realised that the centre diff was the culprit.

The unusual nature of the Jim Clark is notoriously tough on cars and quite a few of the Mitsubishi drivers were struggling with differential problems. All Stephen could hope for was that the car would hold together long enough to complete the rally, as the way cars were retiring around him he was set for a decent points haul in the Evo Challenge.

Unfortunately it all went wrong on Stage 18, Fogo 2. With the car having a tendency to step out of line Stephen was trying to keep up a good pace whilst not taking too many risks. However the car snapped sideways on a fast bend and brushed a telegraph post, resulting in a punctured tyre. Not wishing to do any more damage Stephen opted to stop and change the tyre there and then. Unfortunately all of his efforts were to be in vain as the central diff cried enough at the end of the stage, ending their rally there and then.

A downhearted Petch Junior said: "I must have done something really bad in a previous life to have warranted all of this bad luck." But he added: "Next up is the Swansea Bay Rally and having rolled out on the very first stage last year, we’ll be hoping for a better run this year."

The Swansea Bay Rally is on the 22nd of July. For more on SGP Motorsport please visit www.sgpmotorsport.co.uk

Petch Jnr Set For Jim Clark

County Durham rally driver Stephen Petch Junior is hopeful that his recent trip to Belgium to compete in the Ypres Rally will have given him a confidence boost ahead of this weekends all tarmac Jim Clark Rally.

Young Stephen, who is competing in the 2006 Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship at the wheel of a SGP Motorsport Mitsubishi Evo IX impressed on his tarmac debut in the car, at the Manx National earlier this year. Despite no testing at all Stephen was immediately on the pace and was set for a top 3 finish in class when fuel injector problems sidelined the car.

As well as contesting the BRC Stephen is also competing in the 2006 Mitsubishi Evo cup and he and co-driver Michael Wilkinson endured an eventful day on the recent Severn Valley Rally. The pair were severely hampered by dust in the morning but once they had clean air the pair set some blistering times to climb up the leader board, missing out on the Evo Cup win by a mere 4 seconds!

Belgium was fantastic and we had a really great time. If it hadn’t been for those pesky punctures we would have been pretty high up the leader board so overall I’m pleased with my performance on tar now.

Stephen will be joined once more by fellow SG Petch Scalextric team mate Rob Gill who will be contesting the Jim Clark in his Subaru Impreza a year on from finishing 11th in class on the 2005 rally.

The 2 car team intends to have a brief tarmac test as a shakedown before heading to Scotland for the rally.

The rally begins from Kelso Race Course on Friday afternoon at 3:30pm and finishes on Saturday evening after 150 stage miles of treacherous tarmac rallying.

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For more on the Jim Clark Rally please visit the Jim Clark Rally website