Evos prepare for Yorkshire battle

The Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge will make its Yorkshire Forest debut next weekend, when the one-make championship for production specification Lancer Evolutions heads to Pickering for round five.

Once again, the series will represent a large percentage of the overall Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship entry, with the seven Evolution Challenge crews making up 24% of the total number of competitors.

All eyes will be on the Mitsubishi Championship leader, as not only does Jonny Milner top the table with two rallies left to go, but the Rally Yorkshire is his most local event. The former British Champion has already gone on record to say that he is now concentrating on Evolution Challenge points, as his bid for the BRC title has now slipped from his grasp.


Also destined to go quickly on this event will be another ex British Champ, Gwyndaf Evans, who won the previous round in Ulster and in doing so became the first ever Evo Challenge competitor to win an event outright!

Evans shares second place in the series with his team-mate Stuart Jones, who has far from given up the chase for the title and a seat with the works Mitsubishi team next year.

Neil McCance lies fourth in the standings and will be looking to put the experience of his home event in Northern Ireland behind him, when he retired after an argument with the scenery. His fellow countryman Phillip Morrow also suffered a similar outcome in Ulster and is pleased to be back on gravel following three rally-stopping incidents on all-three previous asphalt events.

Morrow shares fifth in the Evo Challenge standings with another driver from Northern Ireland, Connor McCloskey, who is intent on have a solid season and, other than series leader Milner, is the only driver to have completed every round so far.

Having missed the previous event due to an accident on round three, the Rally Isle of Man, Stephen Petch is delighted to be back in the chase again, especially as the Rally Yorkshire is also his most local event of the season. Although realising that the Evo Challenge title is now out of reach, the young Yorkshireman is keen to show he has the pace on home ground.

The International Rally Yorkshire starts at 8.00 am and finishes at 7.00 pm at the showground in Pickering and is the only one-day event in the 2006 British Rally Championship and Evolution Challenge calendar. The event features 108 miles of competition split between 12 timed special stages, 10 of them taking place in the Yorkshire Forests with two spectator friendly affairs held at the showground.

The Evolution Challenge offers driver the best prize in British motorsport – the chance to become a Mitsubishi works driver in the British Rally Championship. The series is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK Ralliart and sees the continued support of its associate sponsors: Walon, Pirelli, PIAA, Speedline Corse, Shell and Mintex.

Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge entries (in start number order)
3. Gwyndaf Evans (Dinas Mawddwy)/Huw Lewis (Machynlleth)
6. Jonny Milner (Huggate)/Nicky Beech (Lewknor)
7. Stuart Jones (Welshpool)/Craig Parry (Llanymynech) (J)
8. Phillip Morrow (Lisburn)/Daniel Barritt (Burnley) (J)
17. Neil McCance (Comber)/ Sean Ferris (Drumquin)
18. Connor McCloskey (Kilrea)/Damien Connolly (Monaghan) (J)
19. Stephen Petch (Richmond)/Michael Wilkinson (Tow Law) (J)
(J) = Junior driver.

Championship Positions
Drivers
1st Jonny Milner - 41 points
2nd= Stuart Jones - 34 points
2nd= Gwyndaf Evans - 34 points
4th Neil McCance - 32 points
5th= Phillip Morrow - 31 points
5th= Connor McCloskey - 31 points
7th= Shaun Gallagher - 13 points
7th= Stephen Petch - 13 points

Co-drivers
1st Nicky Beech - 44 points
2nd Huw Lewis - 34 points
3rd Craig Parry - 33 points
4th Daniel Barritt - 27 points
5th= Sean Moriarty – 22 points
6th= Charlie McGinty - 15 points
6th= Michael Wilkinson - 15 points
8th Sen Ferris – 11 points
9th= Jonathan McGrath – 8 points
9th= Robbie Durant – 8 points
11th Damien Connelly - 6 points

For the latest Evolution Challenge news, visit: www.evo-challenge.com

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