Rally-Driver.com: Milner takes Mitsubishi win in Yorkshire Milner takes Mitsubishi win in Yorkshire ================================================================================ Julian on 10 October, 2006 12:00:00 Yorkshireman Jonny Milner, together with his co-driver, Nicky Beech, won this weekend’s round five of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge – the International Rally Yorkshire and in doing so, extended his championship lead with one round still to go. With this year seeing the Evolution Challenge running with the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship this was the first time that the Mitsubishi series has appeared on this event. Based at Pickering Showground, the rally featured a competitive distance of 108 miles, with a spectator stage held at the venue followed by five testing stages in the North Yorkshire forests in the morning and, following a lunch-time service halt, a repeat of the same six-stage loop in the afternoon. With this being his home event Milner started in confident form and after the first stage not only headed the Evolution Challenge field, but led the event overall. The Yorkshireman maintained his advantage for the first two forest tests, but things were close and after SS3 his advantage was just 0.6 seconds over Gwyndaf Evans, with Stuart Jones only 3.7 seconds further behind. Another local driver Stephen Petch was pleased to be back in the Evolution Challenge chase having missed the previous round whilst his Mitsubishi was being rebuilt. But his season of bad luck was to continue. A puncture in SS2 ended his rally when the disintegrating rubber fractured his car’s oil cooler. After making adjustments to the suspension at the auxiliary service halt, Jones went through stage four like a man possessed, passing everyone ahead of him to take the overall rally and Evolution Challenge lead. Unfortunately for the young Welshman, his glory was short-lived and on the very next stage a front brake calliper bolt sheared - thankfully at a slow corner and Jones had little choice but to retire. When cars returned to Pickering for the half-way halt Milner was back in front, with Evans still second, but now 12.9 seconds behind having had a high-speed off-road excursion into the surrounding moorland. Phillip Morrow was third of the Mitsubishis and enjoying a much-welcomed uneventful day, with fellow Ulstermen Neil McCance fourth and Connor McCloskey in fifth. With the British Championship title now out of his grasp Milner admitted he was concentrating on winning the Evolution Challenge and therefore set off for the afternoon’s six stages intending to consolidate his position and not take risks to try to win the event overall. A calculated run by Milner throughout the afternoon’s six stages meant that 2005 Evolution Challenge Champion Ryan Champion and 2005 British Rally Champion Mark Higgins went past to occupy first and second places overall. Even though a bolt removed itself from the gearbox casing and caused momentary concern, Milner crossed the line to win his second Evo Challenge round of the season and, more importantly, extend his series lead in the process. Champion went on win the event overall and by finishing second, Higgins did enough to wrap up the British title for the second year in succession. Having been flustered by his morning’s trip into the scenery, Evans’ progress was further delayed when transmissions problems meant he completed the last stage with just two-wheel-drive, but the experienced Welshman had done enough to claim second. Third place went to Morrow, who had a scare on the run-in to the second auxiliary service halt when his car suffered a bout of fuel starvation. McCance and McCloskey also held stations, after both had posted solid performances in a rally which demanded a high level of commitment over the fast forest roads. “I’ve done what I set out to do today”, said Milner at the finish. “My goal was to win the Evolution Challenge on this event and make things a little less demanding for the final round – but it’s the Rally GB and it’s not going to be easy. I’m delighted to have won the first ever Mitsubishi round on my home turf, but I’m also pleased to have led the rally until the half way point and to have finished third overall.” The 2006 Evolution Challenge shares its season finale with the British and World Rally Championships when it heads to Cardiff for the Wales Rally of Great Britain on December 1st – 3rd. With such a major event hosting the final round, Evo Challenge organisers are awarding up to five points for the top five crews on the first two days, plus the usual final tally of points at the end. Therefore, a potential 23 points is up for grabs, meaning that the series title and prize of a Mitsubishi works drive in 2006 is still within the reach of the first six drivers. 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. 2006 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Round Five International Rally Yorkshire – Results 1st Jonny Milner (Huggate)/Nicky Beech (Lewknor) – 1:39:16.6 2nd Gwyndaf Evans (Dinas Mawddwy)/Huw Lewis (Machynlleth) – 1:40:55.3 3rd Phillip Morrow (Lisburn)/Daniel Barritt (Burnley) – 1:41:35.7 4th Neil McCance (Comber)/Francis Regan (Cushendall) – 1:43:23.4 5th Connor McCloskey (Kilrea)/Damien Connelly (Monaghan) – 1:44:38.3 Retirements SS2 Stephen Petch (Richmond)/Michael Wilkinson (Tow Law) - Puncture SS5 Stuart Jones (Welshpool)/Craig Parry (Llanymynech) – Brakes Championship Positions Drivers 1st Jonny Milner - 54 points 2nd Gwyndaf Evans - 45 points 3rd = Phillip Morrow - 40 points 3rd= Neil McCance - 40 points 5th Connor McCloskey - 38 points 6th Stuart Jones - 35 points 7th= Stephen Petch - 14 points 8th= Shaun Gallagher - 13 points Co-drivers 1st Nicky Beech - 57 points 2nd Huw Lewis - 45 points 3rd Daniel Barritt - 36 points 4th Craig Parry - 34 points 5th Sean Moriarty – 22 points 6th Michael Wilkinson - 16 points 7th Charlie McGinty - 15 points 8th Damien Connelly - 13 points 9th Sean Ferris – 11 points 10th= Jonathan McGrath – 8 points 10th= Robbie Durant – 8 points For the latest Evolution Challenge news, visit: www.evo-challenge.com