Rally-Driver.com: Gwyndaf Evans wins Evolution Challenge opener

Gwyndaf Evans wins Evolution Challenge opener
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Julian on 15 May, 2006 12:00:00
 
This weekend’s Pirelli International Rally saw the Mitsubishi Ralliart
Evolution Challenge enter a new era, the event heralding the start of the
series’ first season with the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship.
First to take honours was former British Champion Gwyndaf Evans, partnered by
Huw Lewis, he led the Evo Challenge field right from the start, but with a
clutch change on the second day it was no easy task for the experienced
Welshmen.
Eight Mitsubishi teams signed up to start this year’s one-make championship
for Group N Lancer Evolutions and the quality of the field signaled that it was
to be a highly competitive first round. With the new-look British Championship
excluding World Rally Cars it meant that production specification machinery
would run at the front of the field and therefore Evo Challenge runners were
destined to battle for the leading positions.
Winner Gwyndaf Evans, partnered by Huw Lewis
Starting and finishing in Carlisle the rally featured 16 special stages, ten on
Saturday and six on Sunday, with most of the event’s 114 competitive miles
taking place on the gravel roads within the notorious Kielder Forest.
Evans was quickest out of the box and at the end of the first stage took the
Evo Challenge lead and held fourth overall ahead of Jonny Milner. Phillip
Morrow and Stuart Jones followed just a few seconds behind, the young chargers
resurrecting their rivalry from last year.
Evans continued to extend his lead as others dropped back. At the first service
halt of the day Milner was delayed with fuel feed problems and collected a 40
second penalty. Morrow’s car lost fourth and fifth gears and Jones was unsure
about his cars handling.
Others suffering the Kielder curse were Neil McCance, who mis-heard a pacenote
and put his car off the road and into retirement on SS3, whilst on the same
stage both Connor McCloskey and Evo Challenge new-recruit Shaun Gallager were
both delayed with punctures.
Stephen Petch was the next Evo Challenger to retire when he was caught out by a
deceptive bend on SS7, went into a ditch and rattled his car off a few logs,
making it look decidedly worse for wear.
With his car’s handling sorted Jones went in pursuit of his team mate, but
such was Evans’ pace he now held second place overall and had pulled out a
lead of 58 seconds. However, his car’s clutch started to slip over the
day’s closing stages and the team opted to change it at the first service on
Sunday morning.
With the repair taking longer than expected Evans collected a 40 second penalty
for leaving the service area late, putting Jones within striking distance.
The same service halt allowed Morrow’s team to change the damaged gearbox and
with his car restored to full strength the Ulsterman set about making up for
lost time. However, Milner had the same intention and pushed hard throughout
Sunday’s stages.
Then just when it looked like the Evo Challenge top-three was established,
Jones slid wide on a fast corner and the car dropped into a ditch, rolled and
landed back on it wheels. With minimal damage he tried to set-off immediately,
but lost two minutes trying to re-start the engine.
As cars returned to Carlisle it was Evans who had dominated the opening round
of the Evolution Challenge. Milner had fought back to take second place, whilst
Morrow had had a clear run on Sunday to finish third and Jones held fourth,
despite his brief inversion.
Shaun Gallager came home fifth after an excellent run in his new Evo IX, with
Connor McCloskey sixth. Stephen Petch and Neil McCance both restarted on the
second day under Super-rally regulations, their persistence seeing them collect
seventh and eighth places respectively.
“Considering we had a few problems I’m very happy with the result.” Said
Evans. “It would have been a tall order to win the event overall following
the penalty we picked up after the clutch change, but I’m very pleased to
have won the first round of the Evolution Challenge.”
The next round of the Evolution Challenge is the Jim Clark Rally on 7th & 8th
July. The Championship is backed by Mitsubishi Motors UK and sees the continued
support of its associate sponsors: Walon, Pirelli, PIAA, Speedline Corse, Shell
and Mintex.
For further information visit: http://www.evo-challenge.com
2006 Evolution Challenge Round One
Pirelli International Rally (13th & 14th May Results:
1st Gwyndaf Evans (Dinas Mawddwy)/Huw Lewis (Machynlleth) - 1:45:58.4
2nd Jonny Milner (Huggate)/Nick Beech (Lewknor) - 1:47:16.6
3rd Phillip Morrow (Lisburn)/Daniel Barritt (Burnley) - 1:47:30.1
4th Stuart Jones (Welshpool)/Craig Parry (Llanymynech) - 1:49:08.1
5th Shaun Gallagher (Letterkenny)/Charlie McGinty (Letterkenny) - 1:52:18.6
6th Connor McCloskey (Kilrea)/Damian Connelly (Monaghan) - 1:54.56.6
7th Stephen Petch (Richmond)/Michael Williamson (Tow Law) - 2:23:41.6
8th Neil McCance (Comber)/Sean Ferris (Drumquin) - 3:08.43.0
Championship Positions
Drivers
Gwyndaf Evans - 13 points
Jonny Milner - 11 points
Phillip Morrow - 9 points
Stuart Jones - 8 points
Shaun Gallagher - 7 points
Connor McCloskey - 6 points
Stephen Petch - 5 points
Neil McCance - 4 points
Co-drivers
Huw Lewis - 13 points
Nicky Beech - 11 points
Daniel Barritt - 9 points
Craig Parry - 8 points
Charlie McGinty - 7 points
Damien Connelly - 6 points
Michael Wilkinson - 5 points
Sean Ferris - 4 points