rally Archives - Page 37 of 47 - Tyrepress

Posts

Marcus Dodd Wins Hankook GRC Championship

Marcus Dodd and Andrew Bargery were crowned the 2007 Hankook MSA Gravel Rally Champions after finishing first championship registered crew and second overall on The Malton Killarney Forestry Stages Rally. Dodd and Bargery finished just 15 seconds behind event winner and 2007 Hankook Irish National Forestry Rally champions Stephen Moore and Greg Shinnors in their Hyundai Accent WRC to claim the title for a third time and wrap-up the honours with one round still remaining. “I’m elated to win the championship for a third time. It’s great to win it on the penultimate round but it would have been nice to take it down to the final round, the Bulldog Rally, as that’s a bit special to me.”

Eight MSA National Gravel Rally Championship crews made the start of the Killarney-based rally, which was included in the series calendar for the first time. Despite the title already been claimed, there are still plenty of class honours to fight for on the final round of the 2007 Hankook MSA Gravel Rally Championship, the Oswestry-based Bulldog Rally which takes place on Saturday 20 October.

3rd September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Barum Dealers Win Big

Barum Tyres has announced the winners of its recent dealer promotion which saw a mixture of high-tech goodies up for grabs as a reward for tyre sales. Dealers were split into three categories to make it a fair competition, giving all dealers, regardless of spending, the chance to win.

Right Cars based in Ayrshire won the Category A prizes, which included a laptop computer, PSP Base Unit, remote control car and iPod Shuffle. Predominantly dealing in car sales, Right Cars fit the Barum brand to their vehicles and has been a customer for over ten years. Workshop manager Andrew Smith, accepted the prizes on behalf of his team of twelve staff members. The prizes were presented by Richard McCormick, Business Development Director for Viking International, exclusive distributors of Barum Tyres.

30th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin and BFGoodrich take the Long Way Down

Drawing on their success in gruelling events such as the Dakar Rally, Ewan McGregor, Charley Boorman and their team chose Michelin and BFGoodrich tyres to support their recently completed ‘Long Way Down’ adventure through Europe and Africa. Travelling from John O’Groats to Cape Town via Western Europe and East Africa, the epic journey took in everything from tarmac roads to deserts and supported the Unicef, CHAS and Riders for Health charities.

Michelin supplied its Anakee tyres for the BMW R1200GS Adventure motorcycles ridden by Ewan and Charley, and BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A tyres for the two Nissan Patrol support vehicles. The two men were impressed by the combination of wet and dry grip, mileage, handling and comfort, combined with some off-road ability offered by the Michelin Anakee, the same tyre they used in the US leg of their previous trip, the Long Way Round.

22nd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

WTCC Goes Green in Sweden

In anticipation of the FIA World Touring Car Championship’s switch to the use of bio-ethanol control fuel for 2009, the upcoming round at Anderstorp in Sweden will see a one-off outing in the championship for Volvo, with the Polestar-run, ethanol-powered S60. The car will be driven by Robert Dahlgren, who has already won two rounds of the Swedish Touring Car Championship and will be the first time a car running to the FIA’s Super2000 regulations will use the fuel in the WTCC.

A development programme will take place throughout the 2008 season, the third using Yokohama Advan as control tyres, which have recently been confirmed as control tyres for 2008 and 2009. Every manufacturer, with the support of Yokohama and other sponsors and partners, will help evaluate different fuel options to determine the ideal solution to reduce the fossil-fuel component, before approval by the FIA.

26th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Former BRC Champion Higgins Riding Hankook to Victory in China

Hankook Tyres has contributed to the 2007 success of former British Rally Champion David Higgins, who has been blitzing the opposition in China. The Welsh-based driver and co-driver Leuan Thomas won the first two rounds of this year’s Chinese Rally Championship – and praised the performance of their vehicle’s Hankook tyres.

“This was my first international win on tarmac and the tyres played a huge role in this success,” said Higgins. “It was one of the most demanding rallies for tyres with long corners into more long corners so finding the right compound was extremely important.” Higgins and Thomas were fastest on all but two of the high-speed tests with their TQ Education Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, and their puts the WY team firmly at the top of the points table.

13th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Back After a Short Break….

An international motor sport event has not taken place on Russian soil since before the First World War, when the St Petersburg Grand Prix was held on 31st May 1914 with victory going to the German Willy Schoel, driving a Benz. This almost century-long absence from the international motor sport scene is now finally being remedied, with St Petersburg hosting the start of Rally Russia, the fourth round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

Pirelli Competizioni is participating in this significant event through its support of European champion Renato Travaglia, competing in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX Group N, and the official Honda Civic Type-Rs driven by Dani Solà and Luca Betti. After leaving St Petersburg, the rally stages will be based in the Vyborg region near the Finnish border, about 140 Km to the north of the city. The race will be held on extremely fast unsurfaced roads with lots of jumps.

13th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo, Gordon Extend Off-Road Deal

(Akron/Tire Review) Toyo Tire (USA) Corp. has extended its contract with off-road racer Robby Gordon through 2010. Gordon will continue to compete on Toyo Open Country M/T tyres in SCORE International off-road racing circuit, including the Baja 1000, Baja 500 and Dakar rally.

“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Robby Gordon,” said Steve Weinger, Toyo senior vice president of sales and marketing. “Together we have seen much success including a big win at the Baja 1000. We look forward to more great performances, both at Baja and Dakar and to apply the knowledge we have learned to future product development.

11th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

BFGoodrich Dealers Face Malaysian Driving Challenge

Over 20 tyre dealers recently descended on Kuala Lumpa and Langkawi Islands in Malaysia for a rally challenge trip organised by BFGoodrich. Celebrating its involvement and success in the FIA World Rally and Dakar Rally Championships, the high performance and 4×4 tyre brand developed ‘Rally Challenge 2007,’ an incentive programme open to dealers throughout the UK and Ireland. Meeting the ambitious targets set for Q1, 22 dealers from across the UK and Ireland were flown out to Malaysia for a track and rainforest driving experience.

Based at the luxury Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur for the five- day trip, the group were transported each day to exclusive destinations to experience a range of driving adventures. A rallying experience at the world famous International Sepang Circuit was included in the itinerary. On a specially prepared gravel surface, the group put their driving skills to the test in go-karts, Citroen C2s and Subaru Imprezas.

27th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop Appeal for Iconic Images to aid Motorsport Safety

Dunlop Tyres are appealing for motoring enthusiasts to submit photography for inclusion in a coffee-table photobook encapsulating the thrill of the drive. The book will then be sold to raise money for the Motorsport Safety Fund which helps aid improvements in safety standards at motorsport events.

James Bailey of Dunlop Tyres said: “We really want to produce a photobook that celebrates the best and most emotive elements of driving. We know that many driving enthusiasts are also passionate about photography and we would like to give them the chance to see their work in print.

22nd June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Run-Flat Mousse – Victim of its Own Success

As we reach the mid-season break in this year’s FIA World Rally Championship, it is worth pausing to remember a small and seldom celebrated development that for two decades has kept competitors in the action and even seen drivers take first place when disaster would otherwise have loomed large. This saviour of many a racing team’s competition hopes is the mousse insert, an innovation that can keep a tyre in roadworthy condition even after receiving substantial damage.

It is twenty years since the Michelin Group first publicly showed off this mousse insert, which it christened the ATS (Appui Temporaire Souple, or Flexible Temporary Support), at the gruelling 1987 Acropolis Rally. Initially the system had its limitations, with post-puncture use restricted to a maximum of 30 kilometres and centrifugal force caused by the moving mousse ring creating unpleasant steering wheel vibrations, but despite these teething troubles, numerous improvements were made in subsequent years and today the system is said to enable vehicles to keep driving on 90 per cent of all punctures.

4th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

BFGoodrich Backs Donnelly in Scotland to Take Irish Points

The leading Irish Tarmac Rally Championship contenders are in Scotland this weekend for the Jim Clark Rally, which counts for their domestic series, and Eugene Donnelly is banking on his new BFGoodrich tyres to take him to victory over the 260 kilometres of special stages.

The Jim Clark Rally is the only international event held in Scotland that runs on closed public roads with the route running across the Berwickshire countryside during Saturday and Sunday.Reigning Champion Donnelly has finished second three times on the Jim Clark and needs a maximum points score to strengthen his Championship challenge. He is confident that the Reid Motorsport entered car will be competitive from the start.

29th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Donnelly to Ride on BFGoodrich for Champioinship Challenge

BFGoodrich tyres will supply reigning Irish Tarmac Rally Champion, Eugene Donnelly, for the tyre he needs to continue his quest to retain the title. Donnelly has recently joined the Reid Motorsport team and his Subaru WRC will now be equipped with the BFGoodrich g-Force tarmac competition tyres developed for competitors in the World Rally Championship. The tyres are supplied through Kerr’s Tyres of Antrim, a key distributor of BFGoodrich car tyres in Ireland.

4th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

UK’s Youngest Rally Crew Runs on Yokohama

The UK’s youngest competing rally crew, 17-year old driver Kris Hall and co-driver Ella Flynn, 16, have attracted the attention of one of the most forward-looking organisations currently involved in rallying; Eddie Stobart. Stobart already has an impressive reputation for spotting and supporting emerging talent and its support for Kris and Ella further reinforces what many believe; that this crew has a big future in rallying.

2nd May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin deal for Australian Safari

Promoters of the Australian Safari off-road rally, Octagon Australia, have announced the appointment of Michelin & BFGoodrich Tyres as major sponsors of the event. Michelin has been chosen as the official motorcycle tyre supplier, while BFGoodrich Tires will be the official automotive tyre supplier for the event. The agreement covers both the 2007 and 2008 Australian Safari events.

As part of the sponsorship, Michelin & BFGoodrich Tires representatives will travel with the event, supplying and fitting tyres for competitors along the 5500-kilometre route, which starts in Kununurra, Western Australia on August 24 and finishes in state capital Perth on September 1, 2007.

“Michelin and BFGoodrich Tires are thrilled to be involved in such a fantastic world class rally event, particularly one that caters for both automotive and motorcycle”, said Adam Storey, Michelin Australia marketing manager.

20th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Dunlop on Top Down Under

The Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 has been singled out as Australasia’s tyre of choice for large cars after scoring highly in independent tyre tests conducted by leading Australian motoring publication Wheels Magazine. South Pacific Tyres, Goodyear Dunlop’s Australian and New Zealand operation, also received a second accolade as the Eagle F1 GS-D3 was joined by the Dunlop Sport Maxx as the best tyre for small to medium cars.

In 2006 the tests were conducted on 17-inch tyres only but this year the magazine editors created two classes – one for 245/45R18 tyres, which were mounted on a 6 litre V8 Holden Commodore SS, and the other for 205/55R16 on a turbo diesel VW Golf. Six different brands of tyre, including those fitted as OE, were tested by professional rally and race drivers. The tests comprised slalom, cornering, braking and hot laps on wet and dry roads.

18th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors