Asphalt tyres; a learning curve
Pirelli training for BRC crews
With the MSA British Rally Championship swapping from gravel to asphalt for the first time in 2009, tyre choice, cutting and the quest to keep tyre in contact with road takes on a whole new dimension on the Jim Clark International Rally. Pirelli, the control tyre supplier for the British Rally Championship, is providing training for drivers and teams in advance of the rally, giving guidance to how best to cut the tyres as well as general tips on how to get the best performance.
The Pirelli control tyre format within the British Rally Championship means that the choice and number of tyres is limited. At the sharp end of the title fight, the 18” wheel is most common. This gives the top runners a choice of three patterns; a moulded slick for dry weather, a full wet pattern for torrential rain and standing water, with an intermediate pattern for those in-between conditions.
The trick that all drivers want to pull off is that of being on the best rubber at all times, a difficult choice to make in changing conditions. As the Jim Clark Rally has been known for weather that can change in an instant, up to the minute forecasts from the stages are commonplace.
In dry conditions the moulded slick provides maximum rubber contact, therefore maximum grip, but when it is damp, the choice becomes more difficult. Whilst the control tyre does not permit any different choice of compound, cutting of the tyres is allowed and knowledge of correct tyre pressures is also an advantage. The ultimate decision always rests with the driver, so experience scores highly on the road to grip, but often a combination works best in these conditions.
“Following on from our successful Pace Note training session ahead of the recent Pirelli Rally, we decided to host a number of further “interest” briefings. These are aimed at our growing field of Juniors, but the sessions are open to all registered competitors and teams.” said Championship Manager Mark Taylor.
The Jim Clark International Rally is the third round of the 2009 MSA British Rally Championship and takes place on Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd May, just over two weeks away.

 

British Rally Championship
ATL Warehousing & Distribution joins BRC
As the MSA British Rally Championship has seen a new name at the top of the timesheets in the person of Keith Cronin, so it welcomes a new partner for the 2009 season - ATL (Ascott Transport Ltd).
Whilst ATL’s origins go back to the early 1930’s, the still family-run business that specialises in Warehousing and Distribution was founded in 1959.
Ideally located on the A50 in Derbyshire, and with half a century of experience within the industry, ATL is perfectly positioned to offer tailored warehousing, distribution or a complete logistics solution. ATL’s comprehensive fleet caters for any type of load and all vehicles are tracked. As well as providing bespoke services for its large range of customers, as shareholder members in Palletline, ATL is able to provide the best cost-effective service for next day or economy pallet deliveries throughout the UK, whether single or multiple pallets for any local businesses.
The centrally located warehouse at the company’s Foston HQ, has just been extended and now provides nearly 250,000 square feet [23,234 square metres], and caters for all types of storage requirements from bulk store to racked pallet locations. The warehouse management system uses the latest technology available and all stock is scanned in using bar codes, providing maximum stock integrity.
ATL is employed by Pirelli UK not only as one of its transport suppliers, but also as the company supplying the logistics planning required to deliver and fit all the tyres in the 2009 British Rally Championship.
Pete Ascott, Managing Director said, “This year is already proving to be a very exciting one for us. We have just completed a new headquarters on our 25 acre site, in addition to managing the requirements of all our regular customers. We are also delighted to be a member of the Palletline network."
“The supply and fitment of Pirelli tyres to the BRC is just another example of how we are willing to adapt to meet any challenge our customers set us. We’re delighted to be involved with the premier Rally Championship in the UK. After all, we already deliver to all the rally locations.”
For more information visit www.atl.eu.com

 

Ju Greenerways Rally 14th June 2009
Revolution Team joins the tyre revolution
The Revolution Wheels Rally Team has committed to support the Greenerways Rally on Sunday 14th June, the first confirmed entries for this essential test event.
Team boss, Warren McKiernan, will co drive for Rob Swann in his own car, which Revolution Team driver Swann used on the recent Pirelli Rally.
He will be joined by the team’s engineer, Geoff Jones, who will also stand-in for Swann for the Revolution Team on the next BRC event, the Jim Clark Rally.
Warren explains the rationale behind the Team entry on the Greenerways Rally; “As a wheel manufacturer we obviously keep a close eye on tyre development, so this project is of particular interest as it could impact not
only tyre design but rallying as a whole.”
“If other leisure industries have less impact on the gravel roads on Forestry Commission land, then it makes sense that the Commission look there for income. If rallying doesn't do something to try and reduce the environmental impact in the woods, then I can see a day when the Commission will move away from rallying altogether.”
“The Greenerways Rally is designed to prove that this new tyre design can reduce the damage caused by rally cars. I know it is effectively a test event for the tyre, but I'm actually looking forward to the format and a bit of fun on the way.”
“This is great news and I'm encouraging other teams and drivers to follow suit. The rally is open to all competitors with four wheel drive Group N type vehicles whether currently homologated or not.” said BRC Manager Mark Taylor.
Revolution Wheels (www.revolutionwheels.com will field two Group N Subaru Imprezas on the event, which includes shakedown, recce and the use of a set of Pirelli “Eco” tyres, all for 195.
For more information and regulations visit www.greenerwaysrally.co.uk
For more information on the MSA British Rally Championship visit www.rallybrc.co.uk or its support series, the BRC Challenge at www.rallybrcchallenge.co.uk

 

Taylor takes second Swift Sport Cup win on Pirelli
Swift Sport Cup round two report Twenty year old Australian Molly Taylor with Cumbrian co-driver Jemma Bellingham made it a second successive victory on round two of the British Rally Championship’s Swift Sport Cup, the Pirelli International Rally this weekend.
The Friday night stages looked like being a battle between Luke Pinder/Peter Scott and Richard Sykes/Simon Taylor though, as the pair swapped fastest stage times over the two tricky Kershope tests. Sykes took first blood, but used his many years of experience on the second, backing off in the rough sections.
Pinder had what he described as a good pace on the opener, then stormed through stage two with a time sixteen seconds clear of Sykes to lead at the overnight halt. Manxman David Harrison and co-driver Glyn Thomas were third
in the falling dusk of stage one, suffering on two with inconsistent pace-notes and a trailing rear suspension canister.
Taylor was initially fourth having bent a steering arm on a rock, but she pushed into the failing light and leap-frogged Harrison to lie third, just two seconds back, with 2008 Swift runner-up Gordon Nichol & Emma Morrison fifth having
suffered excessive oversteer.
The time difference between the top five was just fifteen seconds, but Nick Everard & Chris Davies were not too disheartened despite being over a minute back. “We have a game plan to get to the finish after our retirement so early on round one,” explained the 21 year old.
The first stage of Saturday morning saw another stage winner in the form of Taylor, albeit only 1.5 seconds quicker than Pinder. Sykes and Harrison were both within four seconds of the all-female crew’s time, themselves split by 0.2
seconds.
Pinder now started to pull clear of the chasing pack, setting fastest times on stages four and five, but the fierce fight for third was still blazing. Harrison had a cracking stage four, beating all but Pinder, while Sykes and Taylor were split
by just a tenth of a second in Sykes’ favour. Nichol’s new pace-notes system was proving inconsistent again but he remained ahead of Everard whose confidence was building on every stage.
By the first proper service of the day however, it was Taylor who led by just over a second from a closing Sykes. Pinder had disappeared from the results on SS6, crashing his yellow Swift on a high speed section of the infamous Kielder stage. “We were going well but got onto the loose stuff on the right hand side,” he explained, “Then I don't really know what happened, but we went off on the left. Looking at the in-car footage we think something may have broken, because the car just lurched to the left.”
“I'm not surprised Luke was off,” said the Taylor, “We were taking risks and he was quicker; the loose gravel tries to suck you into those ditches. It’s a shame for him but we’re concentrating on keeping Richard at bay now.”
A big push after service saw Sykes snatch the lead by three seconds, stating, “Both back wheels were in the ditch at some points, I've never been so terrified” Harrison and Nichol were close on times too, the Manxman having suffered rear shock absorber leakage.
As stages eight, nine and ten were cancelled due to event leader Guy Wilks’ car fire; the Swift Sport Cup crews had just a re-run of the rally’s opening pair of stages to decide a winner.
The titanic scrap that Taylor and Sykes had maintained throughout the event ended on the penultimate test though, after the Stourbridge man’s engine mount broke, forcing him to crawl through that and the final stage. He and co-driver Simon Taylor lost over twenty minutes as the engine thrashed back and forward on every gear change, leaving Taylor and Bellingham to cruise to their second win on as many events.
Harrison and Thomas survived a loose lamp pod on the final stage to take second, just keeping a charging Nichol at bay. His and Morrison’s pace-notes eventually came good and the pair was only 0.5 seconds slower than stage
winner Taylor on the event’s final stage.
Nick Everard seemed happy enough with fourth, realising his goal to finish the event and gain valuable experience, but the most disconsolate crew was definitely that of Sykes and Taylor, whose lowly fifth place certainly didn't do
their early pace justice.
Molly Taylor now leads the Swift Sport Cup by eight points from Gordon Nichol, the pair the only two to score on both rounds.
The next event in the calendar is the asphalt of the Jim Clark International Rally on May 22nd & 23rd; will a change in surface mean a change in winner?
For more information on the BRC’s Swift Sport Cup visit
www.swiftsportcup.com
SWIFT SPORT CUP (DRIVERS)
Pos Name Nationality Total
1 Molly Taylor AUS 40
2 Gordon NicholGB 32
3 Luke Pinder GB 18
3 David Harrison GB 18
5 Nicolas Everard GB 15
6 Richard SykesGB 14
For more information on the MSA British Rally Championship visit
www.rallybrc.co.uk

SOMETHING OF EVERYTHING AT THE SHOW
.With just six weeks to go before the start of the biggest all-rally event in England this year, the variety of people and cars to be seen at the VK sponsored Rally Show at Chatsworth is increasing all the time.
In the nine rally events which form the competitive part of the Show, there will be at least two World Champions taking part. Stig Blomqvist will drive a David Sutton Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2 in the opening All Comers event on Saturday and again in the Historic Category C event on Sunday. Interestingly for British fans, Stig turned down an invitation to go to the Race of Champions event in Porto (to be held the same weekend) in order to be at Chatsworth.
Also taking part in the competitive events will be Louise-Aitken Walker, who won the inaugural Ladies World Championship for Opel in 1990. Mark Higgins, British Rally Champion in 1997 and again in 2005, will drive several cars during the weekend.
The Nations Cup, an innovation for this year's Show, will see teams of three drivers from England, Ireland and Germany battle it out in two heats, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. In the German team will be at least two, possibly three, of the spectacular Porsche GT3s, of which one, that of Olaf Dobberkau, was such a hit with spectators last year.
Big GT cars will also feature in the special GT event to be held on Sunday, when two latest-specification Aston Martins driven by Mark Higgins and Paul Appleby will take on the Porsches. Entries are still coming in for this GT and Sports car event and it seems likely that this will produce even more variety.
This year, the Rally Show at Chatsworth has invited the Richard Burns Foundation to be its supported charity. They will be there in force and two rally cars from the Richard Burns Collection, both driven by Richard in the World Rally Championship, will feature in the static display, organised in conjunction with "Motorsport News" to celebrate 30 years
of the World Rally Driver's Championship.
What with all this, plus the History of Rallying which, apart from the more "modern" historic cars, will feature two early V8 rally cars: Jerry Thurston's Allard L-type from the 1950s and Doug Allen's Ford Falcon Future Sprint from the 1960s. With various other demonstrations of rally cars both ancient and modern, the action will be non-stop over the two days.