Official rally reports of rally driver Ryan Champion

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04/06/05 Mutiny Rally - Mitsubishi Ralliart Evo Challenge Round 4

CHAMPION STILL IN CHAMPIONSHIP RACE

North Yorkshire driver Ryan Champion is still well in contention for the 2005 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge, despite a tough weekend in the Welsh forest's on last weekend's Mutiny Rally.

Having taken victory on the tarmac of the Isle of Man on round 3, Ryan was looking forward to the Welsh stages but had not driven the Conchango owned Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 on gravel before the event. He was quickly on the pace however setting a time just 0.2 of a second slower than the fastest time over the opening stage and when Champion and York based co driver Craig Thorley set fastest time on the third stage all was looking good for the MSR prepared machine.

Unfortunately on stage 4, the 18 mile test in Radnor forest things didn't go quite so smoothly. Ryan overshot one of the tight hairpin bends in the stage and the car stalled. Restarting the engine and regaining the road cost the crew 30 seconds and any chance of fighting for victory.

Champion commented "We just came into a tight hairpin a bit too fast and had to take to the escape road! It should have only cost us a few seconds but unfortunately the engine died and it took a while to restart it. We also had a spin later on which cost us a bit more time and in a championship as close as this it's impossible to make up 30 seconds in a one day rally. We backed off over the last few stages as we realised we couldn't do any better than fourth unless someone in front made a mistake. Although today was disappointing, we are still right in the thick of the Championship battle and the next event should be a strong one for us."

Champion currently lies fourth in the points standings but is just four points behind the leader with four rallies remaining. The next round of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge is the Jim Clark Memorial Rally, Round 4 of the British Rally Championship which takes place on the closed public roads of the Scottish Borders around the Duns area. Champion knows the event well and having taken victory on the last tarmac round, the Manx National Rally, will be looking to take another win in the Champions of Castleton supported Lancer Evolution 8.
The Jim Clark Memorial Rally starts in Kelso on July 8th.