PRESS INFORMATION
For Immediate Release

2006 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge - Round one report

Pirelli International Rally – 13th & 14th May 2006

Evolution Challenge kicks off first season with British Rally Championship
Evans takes an accomplished victory
Milner, Morrow and Jones battle it out for podium places.

15th May 2006

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.

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.


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

ENDS

Further information and regulations are available by contacting the Series Coordinator, Simon Slade: 01935 424873, simon@rpmpromo.com

For further information please contact:
Mitsubishi Motors UK
Gabi Whitfield, General Manager - Press & Public Affairs
g.whitfield@mitsubishi-cars.co.uk
Tel : 01285 647157

Paul Brigden, General Manager - Ralliart
p.brigden@mitsubishi-cars.co.uk
Tel : 01285 647680

Mitsubishi Motors UK Motorsport Press Officer
Simon Slade, RPM Promotions
simon@rpmpromo.com
Tel: 01935 424873
Mob: 07966 153555