|
Photo: Neil Dockray Press Release For immediate release Preview - Round 3 Athron Hall - Scotland 16/06/02
Colin Read (Works entered Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin) - High Quality photo available (Photo: Chris Nunn)
The Goodyear British Off Road Championship is wide open as we head into the third round in Scotland on the 27th and 28th July. Five times British Off Road Champion, Bruce Tigwell has reasserted his authority in no uncertain terms with an impressive win in Wales and now leads the championship. Those who had written off Mr Tigwell need to think again. The Tigwell 4x4 is in it's eleventh evolutionary year and Bruce has shown that it still has the pace to keep with its newer rivals. Will Bruce's dominant form continue all the way to the 2002 title? There remains a long way to go and some very hungry teams are chasing hard. The Scottish round marks the half way point in the series and could well prove a good pointer to the final championship placings. The terrain in Scotland is unrivalled and the course will feature fast farm tracks combined with plenty of open moorland. Overlooking the picturesque Loch Leven there will be plenty of opportunity to see the vehicles airbourne as they fly across the hills. The Goodyear Wrangler MT/R control tyres that the championship uses will need to prove themselves against the new challenges of wet grass and mud and the competitors will face two long tough days in the Ochil hills. The battle of the production cars is neck and neck Colin Read took the first victory in the works Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin, but had a bad event in Wales for the second round, where an on-form Nik Ward and his little Suzuki Vitara took a convincing victory. Colin's Welsh excursion left him and the Mitsubishi crew with plenty of work to do to be ready for Scotland following a high speed roll towards the end of the event. Simon Dowdeswell's push for modified production honours with his Land Rover Defender 90 was strengthened by a good performance in Wales, but rival Richard Hopkins' challenge faltered with a broken gearbox on the first lap in his Bearmach Discovery and he will be looking to make amends in Scotland.
Richard Kershaw (Amaterati) - High quality image available (Photo: Chris Nunn)
The status of the Goodyear British Off Road Championship as the pinnacle of off roading in the UK is assured by the fact that amongst the competitors are two individuals who are leading other major championships and neither are leading the British series. Trevor Milner with his impressive Milner R4, a Toyota Pick-up look-a-like spaceframe special, lies third in the British championship rankings, but leads the famous All Wheel Drive Club (AWDC) national championship and Richard Kershaw (Amaterati) leads the prestigious Northern Off Road Club championship and is currently second in the Goodyear British Off Road Championship. "This is a great boost to the championship. We knew that the championship was made up of the best in Britain, but this just proves the point! To have the leaders of two separate top off road championships is one thing and for neither of them to be leading the British says something else again!" exclaimed championship spokesman Henry Webster. "We are the first off road competition in the UK to use a control tyre, and running all the competitors on the Goodyear tyre has levelled the playing field and brought up some interesting results." With every round to count towards the Goodyear British Off Road Championship and the Scottish event playing host to the AWDC national championship as well as to a clutch of local clubman competitors the organisers expect an excellent turnout. Championship standings after 2 rounds/ Top ten entries 1 Bruce Tigwell Tigwell 4x4 162pts 2 Richard Kershaw Amaterati 155pts 3 Paul Choat Simmbugghini 145pts 4 Trevor Milner Milner R4 136pts 5 Mick Gillett Simmbugghini 133pts 6 Alec Lofthouse Indipendant 130pts 7= John Scott Range Rover Spl 126pts 7= Keith Lewis Simmbugghini 126pts 9= Ryan Cook Land Rover TMC 125pts 9= Dave Bakewell TMC 4x4 125pts
Spectator Information Spectators are welcome on both days of the competition. The HQ can be found at Athron Hall near Milnathort. Map ref: OS Landranger Sheet 58 104068 For further details please check the championship website www.BritishOffRoadChampionship.co.uk or call Henry Webster on 0777 5655256. Marshals Marshals are required for the Scottish event - if you are interested then please get in touch with Henry Webster on 0777 5655256 or email marshals@britishoffroadchampionship.co.uk
High quality photos available on request from media@britishoffroadchampionship.co.uk
Goodyear MSA British Off Road Championship
Check www.britishoffroadchampionship.co.uk regularly for more details, or call Henry Webster 0777 5655256 -Ends- |
