LEGENDARY STAGES AND MIXED-SURFACE CHALLENGE AWAIT BRC CREWS
July 6, 2016 by MSA British Rally Championship![LEGENDARY STAGES AND MIXED-SURFACE CHALLENGE AWAIT BRC CREWS](images/articleimages/brc_crews-msa_stages-01-400.jpg)
Trending News• Hyundai Wins Two Favorite Vehicle Awards From Midwest Automotive Media Association
• Wrap it Up! The All-new, All-Electric 2024 Jeep® Wagoneer S Launch Edition Takes Center Stage on Stellantis NA Headquarters in Michigan
• Dark Horse R drivers set for 2025 Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational
• Nissan sunsets R35 generation GT-R with T-spec Takumi and Skyline limited editions
• Genesis reveals U.S. pricing for first-ever 2025 GV80 Coupe
Desi Henry leads the Irish contingent in his Skoda Fabia R5, after a brilliant podium in Scotland put his championship aspirations back on track – a feat he will want to replicate on the Nicky Grist Stages. In hot pursuit are Circuit of Ireland BRC winner Josh Moffett in his Ford Fiesta R5 and Ulsterman Jonathan Greer in a rapid Citroen DS3 R5. Both Moffett and Greer have yet to play their 'Joker', and will be keen to score more valuable championship points ahead of their preferred events later in the season. Wales has been a happy hunting ground for Jamie Anderson in recent years. The Fiesta R5 driver has got to grips with his new machine and will want to record a top five finish as he continues to rise up the championship table. Fellow Michelin Fiesta R5 runner Rhys Yates will be fired-up to bag his first points on gravel, while James Slaughter (Ford Fiesta R5) returns to the series to gain further mileage as he searches for his first outright BRC points. The DMACK Junior BRC has seen three different winners in four events, and the chase for the title is beginning to become intensive between the next generation of rallying superstars. Championship leader Robert Duggan in a Vauxhall ADAM R2 has taken two wins so far this season in Ireland and England, along with a fine second overall on the Scottish Rally. The Irishman has yet to play his 'Joker' and holds a ten-point cushion over the latest member of the Junior BRC winners' circle, Sindre Furuseth. The Norwegian won in Scotland last time out and is riding the crest of a wave heading to the Nicky Grist Stages in his Renault Twingo R2. Gus Greensmith returns to the series after missing round four due to World Championship preparation. Behind the wheel of his Ford Fiesta R2T, the Englishman won the last time the championship was in Wales and the round one winner will want to add another victory to his name at the close of play next weekend. Despite taking three podiums, Mattias Adielsson has yet to win a round of the BRC in his Vauxhall ADAM R2. The Swedish star has come close and is as determined as ever to show he has what it takes to become a title contender. Like teammate Duggan, he has yet to play his 'Joker' and cannot be discounted on the two-day classic. Another man who will have his sights set on the podium is local driver Meirion Evans in his Ford Fiesta R2T. After two retirements at the start of the year, the Llanwrda-based driver has turned his campaign around with two fourth-placed finishes and will hope his experience of past Nicky Grist Stages will put him in good stead for 2016 event. Adam Bustard in his Fiesta R2T has already scored two podium finishes this season and will be eager to emulate his mid-season form once again after a troubled run on the Scottish Rally. Ford Fiesta R2 drivers Josh Cornwell, Guy Tyler, Nick Carr and Blair Brown will all want to rise up the ranks as they search for solid points in Wales. Nabila Tejpar suffered an accident in Scotland and has had to withdraw her entry for the Nicky Grist as her Fiesta R2 is too heavily damaged. MH Motorsport, which runs the 22-year-old, will now get the car ready for the Ulster Rally in August. Will Graham returns to the series in search of his first BRC points on the Nicky Grist. In BRC2, Matt Edwards will be in action once again in his Mitsubishi Evo 9, aiming to not only claim a maximum class score but overall championship points to keep himself in the top ten. Chris Wheeler is the sole runner in BRC3 in his Citroen DS3 R3T, while a three-way battle is set to rage in BRC4 between Roger Platt (Fiesta R2), Marty Gallagher (Peugeot 208 R2) and Kumho-supported Tony Simpson (Fiesta ST). In the National Rally Cup, Robert Blomberg (Mitsubishi Mirage) was the victor on the last round as he successfully played his 'Joker' to reel in championship leader Donnie Macdonald, who is now just five points up the road in his Mitsubishi Evo 9. Jamie Jukes in another Mitsubishi Mirage returns to home ground and will hope his experience will guide him to his first NRC victory. Lee Hastings and John Morrison will both be targeting the podium in their Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Evo 9 respectively, while Chris Hellings joins the series for the first time in an MG ZR, making it 11 marques represented in the BRC so far this season. BRC Championship Manager Iain Campbell has high praise for the Nicky Grist Stages team and is looking forward to the mixed-surface challenge. 'The Nicky Grist Stages is going to be a real test for the BRC crews,' he enthused. 'To have two surfaces in one event is a real innovation from the organising team and will create a fantastic spectacle for the championship. 'There are so many scenarios that will make the event very unpredictable. Gravel drivers will hope to trail blaze on the first day, while Tarmac specialists will be aiming to stay on their coat-tails on the first day and then claw back the time on the asphalt on the second. The transition from gravel to Tarmac will be a real culture shock for drivers as they change from softly-sprung gravel machines to a lower, stiffer asphalt weapon. 'Then there are the service crews who prepare the cars. The teams will have just two-and-a-half hours to change the set-up for the second day, meaning they will not only be against the clock on the stages but in the Service Park as well.' The new-look BRC takes in seven events across the British Isles as it tours England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland before culminating on the iconic lanes of the Isle of Man. Asphalt special stages and gravel tests will see the country's best drivers in the best cars fight for overall supremacy on the best events, while the action will feature throughout the year on Channel 4 and BT Sport. The final event will count for double points, while each driver has one 'Joker' to play on one of the first six rounds. Selected a week before each round, a 'Joker' can only be played once and will enable a driver to double the points scored on that nominated event. Keep tabs on all the latest BRC developments by visiting www.msabrc.com or following us on social media: MSA British Rally Championship on Facebook and @MSA_BRC on Twitter using #BRC
posted on conceptcarz.com
Previous post
KIA UPDATES ITS 'LITTLE TITANS', THE PICANTO AND RIO
Related Posts
Recent Posts
- Hyundai Wins Two Favorite Vehicle Awards From Midwest Automotive Media Association
- Wrap it Up! The All-new, All-Electric 2024 Jeep® Wagoneer S Launch Edition Takes Center Stage on Stellantis NA Headquarters in Michigan
- Dark Horse R drivers set for 2025 Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational
- Nissan sunsets R35 generation GT-R with T-spec Takumi and Skyline limited editions
- Genesis reveals U.S. pricing for first-ever 2025 GV80 Coupe