RALLYCROSS-PUMA.COM

Steve Hill (Aylesbury) claimed his second event of the year in the fifth round of the Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship at Lydden today (August 25), breathing new life into his championship hopes in the process. After engine problems left him with a zero score in round four of the championship, Hill needed a good result in round five. With two events left to run, Hill is third, four points behind Lawrence Gibson (Banbridge) and 15 adrift of series leader Ollie O'Donovan (London).

Pole position for the British championship Superfinal race was taken by Pat Doran (Winkleigh) who took a clear win in the Supercar A final. Behind Doran, the battle for places was hard fought, Hill running second for much of the race but struggling with damaged steering and losing the place to O'Donovan who surged ahead at the Devil's Elbow late in the race.

At the start of the Superfinal Hill and Doran jockeyed for position but both ran wide in the first corner and it was O'Donovan who moved through to take the lead. Hill and Doran ran second and third, the leading three cars then joined by Liam Doran who made it a four-car lead battle until the propshaft in his RS200 failed and he was forced to retire. Hill challenged O'Donovan for the lead at every turn, but was rebuffed time and again. The race order appeared settled when, at the start of the last lap Hill lunged to O'Donovan's left at the Devil's Elbow – repeating the same move the champion had earlier used against him – and seized the lead. Doran also saw a chance and moved into challenge O'Donovan but as the two touched, Hill was able to open out a small lead and move away to take the win.

Andy Grant (Barnstaple) collected his best result of the year with a fine run to fourth place where he finished just ahead of Chris Langley (Hastings) who continued his excellent recent form and took fifth place while James Bird (Midhurst) was best of the two-wheel drive cars in sixth with his Renault.

Results 

Superfinal (5.5 laps): 1 Steve Hill (Mitsubishi Lancer E9) 3m33.451s; 2 Ollie O’Donovan (Peugeot 306) 3m37.838s; 3 Pat Doran (Ford Fiesta ST) 4m10.641s; 4 Andy Grant (Ford Escort) 4m16.486s; 5 Chris Langley (Ford Escort) 4m18.289s; 6 James Bird (Renault ClioSport V6) 4m27.644s; 7 John Collins (Vauxhall Tigra) 4 laps; 8 Liam Doran (Ford RS200) 2 laps. Championship: 1 O'Donovan 123; 2 Lawrence Gibson (MG Metro 6R4) 112; 3 Hill 108. Next event: Pembrey September 28

A full event report detailing all classes will be posted on RallycrossUK.com later 

Notes 

- This event will be broadcast by Motors TV at 10pm on Friday September 5 and will be repeated several 

times in following weeks. 

 

Bank Holiday Monday's (August 25) Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship event at Lydden is perhaps the most important Rallycross event to take place in the UK for a dozen years or more. The event will be observed by inspectors from motor sport's World governing body the FIA and, if it is judged to be up to standard will pave the way for Lydden to host a round of the 2009 European Rallycross Championship.

Although Rallycross was created at Lydden and the circuit ? known as the home of Rallycross ? played a key role in the introduction of the European championship, the international series has not appeared at Lydden since 1996, and has been absent from the UK? since 1998. Lydden Circuit MD Amy Doran has made he bid to regain the Euopean event a cornerstone of her first year in charge at the track. "The European Rallycross Championship event belongs here, it is part of the circuit's heritage as much as Lydden is a part of the championship's heritage. We have already carried out a lot of improvements to the circuit in readiness for this event," she said.

While the backstage focus will be on completing this observed 'candidate' race successfully, the ongoing battle for the Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship will be what draws race fans to the traditional Bank Holiday fixture. Entering this fifth of seven events the championship is led by Lawrence Gibson (Banbridge) who moved after winning round four at Croft last month with a perfectly measured performance in difficult conditions. "I had felt that my chances in the championship were fading a little and my aim at Croft was move up the order a bit. Winning the event and taking the championship lead has given me a renewed enthusiasm for the rest of the year," said Gibson.

Behind Gibson, current champion Ollie O'Donovan (London) lost the series lead when transmission problems his his Peugeot in round four but could regain the position with a good result at Lydden where he has already won this year. Also seeking to make up ground at Lydden is Steve Hill (Aylesbury)? who lost the chance to challenge for the championship lead in round four when his Mitsubishi suffered engine problems.

Rejoining the series at Lydden will be Pat Doran (Winkleigh) who missed round four in favour of racing in the Swedish round of the European championship on the same day with his Fiesta ST. Doran's son, Liam,? is another hoping for a change of fortune ? mechanical problems and a crash have so far prevented him from translating competitive speed into results in his first Supercar season.

Southern racers seek home comfort

A number of south east-based racers feature in this year's Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship. In the Supercar category garage proprietor Chris Langley (Hastings) will return to his local track after achieving a personal best second place finish at Croft in round four. ?

Meanwhile Midhurst gamekeeper James Bird is enjoying his best ever season and leads the SuperModified category for two-wheel drive cars in his Renault ClioSport V6.

The Stock Hatch class features 22-year-old Canterbury driver Ryan Lawford who has contested just two of the four events run to date but holds fifth in the class points battle having finished in the top three at rounds one and four. A little higher up the Stock Hatch order in second place is Heathfield-based motor sport engineer Julian Godfrey who has won twice already in the 2008 championship and is now just five points behind defending champion Tony Lynch (Wigan) who leads the class.

Junior driver Brad Bailey (Chelmsford) will make his first appearance at Lydden on Bank Holiday Monday. Bailey, son of successful 1980s racer Paul, has driven in three events since turning 14 and being eligible to compete and brings experience from schoolboy motocross with him to Rallycross.

Motors TV features the Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship in a regular Friday night broadcast slot in 2008. The standalone shows will air at 10pm on second Friday after each round and will be repeated in the Motors TV schedule after the first airing, the Lydden event will be screened at 10pm on September 5.

Event details

Monday August 25

Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship (round five of seven)

Lydden, on the A2 between Dover and Canterbury (CT4 6RX)

Racing starts at 1000

Adult admission ?15, accompanied under 12s free.

Further information: - 01304 830557. lyddenracecircuit.co.uk