Maximum points for Perez on Bulldog
With an unprecedented record of seven rallies and seven podium finishes in the 2007 Hankook MSA Gravel Rally Championship, Chesterfield rally driver Steve Perez emerged from today’s final round of the series with another maximum ANCRO points haul on the Oswestry-based Bulldog Rally as he secured runner up spot in the series.
Driving the 2005 Ford Focus WRC with new co driver Howard Davies, the VK Vodka Kick backed pairing set fastest time on the opening stage in Dyfnant to lead by 10 seconds after SS1 but an incorrect tyre choice on the next loop of stages saw Perez overhauled by local ace Andy Burton (Peugeot) and the Hyundai of championship winner, Marcus Dodd.
With a combination of better rubber and the fact that Dodd rolled out on SS4, Perez battled his way back into contention and set about reducing the 40 second gap to Burton which he did with a sterling drive over the last two stages but in the end, the gap between him and the Peugeot Cosworth driver was insurmountable and he lost out by 19 seconds.
However, with Burton not being registered for the ANCRO Championship, Perez took maximum points to go with his outright win on the Border Counties Rally back in March and scored most points in the championship with a total of 158. With the series stipulating two dropped scores, Perez’s nett total was 116 compared to Dodd’s 122 meaning he didn’t add to the title he won in 2004.
“The first stage was good but we had the wrong tyres on the next couple meaning we dropped time but we bounced back to take some time out of Andy so I’m happy with that. It’s been a great year but also a disappointing one. We’ve finished every rally on the podium and I’m a little bit disappointed that the way the championship works is that it doesn’t reward consistency which meant we couldn’t win the title but I’m really pleased for Marcus. I’m not sure what I’ll do next year, possibly just pick and choose my rallies but I’ll have to wait and see.”
Results
1 Andrew Burton/Shelley Rogerson Peugeot Cosworth 1:06:12.6
2 Steve Perez/Howard Davies Ford Focus WRC 1:06:31.8
3 Jon Ingram/Ian Allsop Subaru Impreza WRC 1:07:53.2
4 Erroll Clarke/Neil Ewing Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 1:09:30.0
5 Daniel Barry/Mark Bowens Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 1:10:21.6
6 John Lloyd/Pauline Gullick Ford Focus WRC 1:11:26.2
7 Nik Elsmore/Patrick Walsh Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 1:11:26.3
8 Frank Kelly/Liam Brennan Ford Escort Mk II 1:11:53.3
9 Geoff Underhill/Adrian Grinstead Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 1:12:28.7
10 Simon Harraway/Rachel Brockington Subaru Impreza 1:12:32.9
Championship Positions (provisional)
1 Marcus Dodd Hyundai Accent WRC (122) 122
2 Steve Perez Ford Focus WRC (158) 116
3 Jock Armstrong Subaru Impreza (99) 88
4 Philip Morrow Mitsubishi Lancer (86) 86
5 John Lloyd Ford Focus WRC (76) 76
6 Nik Elsmore Mitsubishi Lancer (75) 75
7 Sebastian Ling Mitsubishi Lancer (68) 68
8 Roger Duckworth Subaru Impreza WRC (67) 67
9 Julian Reynolds Mitsubishi Lancer (65) 65
10 Stephen Petch Mitsubishi Lancer (63) 63