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 MANN
EXTENDS KUMHO CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD
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Kumho National Rally Championship - Round Four |
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David Mann and his co-driver, Alun Cook, increased their lead in the Kumho National Rally Championship lead last weekend by finishing an excellent third in Saturday's (31st May) round four, the Mutiny Rally.
 Starting and finishing in Llandrindod Wells, the event took competitors into the mid-Wales forests, many of which are regarded as classics by the rallying fraternity. The event featured 75 competitive miles split into 12 special stages and with the day dawning dry and bright, competitors found the forestry roads covered with a fine layer of gravel, making the going slippery - and very dusty!
The loose surface made tyre choice very important, Mann benefiting by running on Kumho tyres which he reported to grip well in the conditions. Fresh from his convincing victory on round three in the Isle of Man, the Bungay driver started the day cautiously, intent on ensuring a good points score to consolidate his Kumho Championship lead.
As the day progressed Mann experimented by fitting various compounds and sizes of Kumho tyres to his Subaru Impreza and steadily gathered pace to cross the line third overall after an almost faultless drive.
"I know there were times when I could have gone quicker as the Kumho tyres were working well in the conditions," said Mann. "But in the back of my mind I had to think of the championship, so Išm very pleased to get to the finish safely, take third place and extend my series lead."
Mann now holds a 23 point advantage in the Kumho National Rally Championship.
 Kumho honour was also well served in the Group N category, Gavin Cox and Tim Hobbs returning an excellent performance to finish fifth overall, second in Class and second in the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge.
Like Mann, Cox also opted for a steady start. Having retired from two previous events this year, the Hope Valley driver was eager to get to the finish and wanted to dial himself in to the conditions before pushing his Evolution VII too hard.
Cox's strategy was well rewarded, as throughout the event he steadily climbed up the leader board by keeping out of trouble and utilising the grip of the Kumho tyres to his advantage.
Fellow Kumho runners and Group N contenders, Dorchester's Anthony Willmington and Andy White, were not having the best of days. After winning the Production category on this event last year, their first time out on Kumho tyres, they were disappointed to be plagued with problems; a loose cattle grid on stage five causing untold damage to their Mitsubishišs suspension. Battling on, the car's subsequent wayward handling got the better of Willmington on SS11, bringing his rally to an abrupt halt against a tree.
The event was won by a hard charging Roger Duckworth from Towcester, who recorded his first Kumho victory of the year driving a WRC Subaru. Richmond's, (Yorkshire) Steve Petch finished second in a WRC Hyundai, with Mann third in the first non world rally car.
Once again the Kumho National Rally Championship provided contenders with a challenging and highly competitive event, a testimony to the organisers and a measure of how strong the series has become since the start of its association with Kumho as a sponsor in 2002.
The championship now takes a summer break before round five, the Swansea Bay Rally on 9th August.
Kumho National Rally Championship Round Four - Results:
| 1st |
Roger Duckworth/Mark Broomfield |
Subaru WRC |
1:20.40.4 |
| 2nd |
Steve Petch/John Richardson |
Hyundai WRC |
1:21.14.6 |
| 3rd |
David Mann/Alun Cook |
Subaru Impreza |
1:21.28.1 |
| 4th |
Brendan Crealey/Dean Beckett |
Mitsubishi Evo VII - Gp N |
1:22.08.3 |
| 5th |
Gavin Cox/Tim Hobbs |
Mitsubishi Evo VII - Gp N |
1:22.51.0 |
| 6th |
Martyn Harrison/Plug Pulleyn |
Metro 6R4 |
1:22.57.6 |
| 7th |
Gary Smith/ Andrew Sankey |
Escort WRC |
1:23.12.3 |
| 8th |
Phil Morgan/Martin Douglas |
Subaru WRC |
1:23.16.0 |
| 9th |
Brian Bell/Paul Spooner |
Focus WRC |
1:23.19.9 |
| 10th |
Paul Wedgbury/Neil Dashfield |
Subaru Impreza - Gp N |
1:24.53.2 |
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KUMHO National Championship points standings after Round Four, the
Mutiny Rally:
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points |
| 1 |
David Mann |
83 |
| 2 |
Martyn Harrison |
67 |
| 3 |
Andy Burton |
60 |
| 4 |
Steve Petch |
60 |
| 5 |
Brendan Crealey (GpN) |
58 |
| 6 |
Roger Duckworth |
43 |
| 7 |
Raymond Munro |
39 |
| 8 |
Bob Ceen |
33 |
| 9 |
Stephen Hendy |
32 |
| 10 |
Phil Morgan |
32 |
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