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CONTENTS

EVENTS

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Experts Cup 2004

2004 Experts Cup Total Results.pdf  (1Mb)
(All results below are included in the above pdf file)

Experts Cup.pdf
Penalty Reason.pdf
Results - Final Outright 2WD.pdf
Results - Final Outright by Class.pdf
Results - Final Outright N-Co Driver.pdf
Results - Final Outright N-Driver.pdf
Results - Final Outright.pdf
Road Penalties.pdf
Stage Times.pdf
Withdrawals.pdf

Results will are not official until midnight 20th July 2004, Pending any protests.

Supp Regs
Service Park
Entry List

Action and drama was the order of the day for this year's Experts Cup Rally. Round 4 of the WA State Rally championship transformed the normally peaceful forests around Wellington Dam into a spectacle of sideways, high speed rally action. Hosted by the WA Car Club, the Experts Cup Rally is the only other rally in the state championship not shared with the Clubman Cup. A healthy field of nearly 40 teams lined up to pitch their skills against each other and the clock this year.
 
The start, service and regroup areas were centrally located in town around rally HQ, the Premier Hotel.
Saturday dawned to a clear blue sky which looked liked it would hold all day. The Experts Cup rally is usually a wet event, so a dry day would change things for competitors, service crews and officials. The sunny weather and afternoon start also helped to create much interest in the town and gave spectators the chance to meet teams and look at competition cars before they roared off into the forest.

Eight stages totalling 130 km lay ahead of competitors. Rains in recent weeks had helped to compact the surface and despite the dry run up to the event, the dust was minimal. The first 4 stages were due to be repeated after a regroup mid way through the rally, with three services to punctuate the competition. Darkness would also further separate competitors later into the event. The 2:00 PM start saw car 1, Brad Markovic & John Mortimer (Subaru WRX) lead the field away. SS1 was the first chance for spectators to see the cars in action through the forest. Spectators were able to watch cars come flying down a hill and turn 90 degrees to the right on a tricky corner. Several competitors spun on the first pass, Doug Tostevin/Alan Cook (Subaru Legacy) being one of those to the delight of the large crowd. Jeremy Coleman  was on his first drive in a rally and eager to do well. Unfortunately Jeremy and co driver Jamie Buzan were caught out. The pair rolled their Toyota Corolla heavily and retired. The first stage win went to John Macara/Greg Flood (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO III) with the Series leaders Craig Bignell/Joan Percival (Lancer EVO III) in second.

SS2 was a quite a short stage, although the slippery conditions were catching out some competitors. Most blasted through the stage around the 5 minute mark. Macara/Flood took their second stage win. The hard charging pair of Alex Stone/Dianna Madlener (Subaru WRX) were in second.

A short 20 minute service saw competitors out for SS3. The stage weaved through the trees with several tricky corners. One such corner on a fast down hill section caught several teams out, overshooting the corner. Dennis and Jacquie Dunlop (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII) ended their rally with transmission problems. Justin Kinnear/Adam Pearson were also not having a good rally when their Suzuki Swift GTI had suspension failure. SS3 was also the opportunity for spectators to watch more rally action with a good view in both directions. Competitors raced up the hill toward a 90 degree left before rocketing toward the flying finish. Stone/Madlener took the stage win with Bignell/Percival in second.

At 26 km, SS4 (and SS8) were to be the longest of the rally. The first few competitors raced through the stage with no major problems. The setting sun was just low enough to make some of the crests blinding for a split second as competitors reached the brow. Paul Feaver and Glenn Martinovich (Ford Escort) ended their rally landing partly off the road after one such crest. Nick Box/Todd Payne (Toyota Sprinter) came over the same crest a few minutes later and suffered much the same fate as Feaver/Martinovich. The Sprinter took a heavy impact on the driver's side as it collected the disabled Escort. As a result, Nick Box was taken to hospital for observation and SS4 was cancelled. All competing cars were sent to service and then into regroup as the last of the sun light disappeared from view. Matthew Knox/Trent McCoullough (Lancer EVO III) retired with over heating problems. David Gould/Lee Tierney (Mazda 323) also retired at the end of SS4 with clutch failure.

With clear skies, and no sun the temperature was dropping rapidly. Many crews took advantage of the early service and put on jackets whilst waiting to restart the rally. Regroup was a slightly jumbled affair as cars returned out of order after the closure of SS4. SS5 was a repeat of SS1 only now in complete darkness. The spectator point was to catch out Karl Drummond/Trevor Brewer in their Mazda 323. The pair had struggled most of the day without constant 4WD, the centre differential had failed, along with the power steering. An overshoot on the tricky corner getting the car stuck for two minutes. Spectators helped to push the Mazda back onto the road. Matt Green/Brian D'arcy (Toyota Corolla) sped past before Drummond/Brewer could get going. Stone/Madlener took the stage win with Macara/Flood just one second behind them in second place.

Green/D'arcy were not incident free either. The pair collected some of the scenery in SS6. The collision damaged both the radiator and oil cooler, although most of the damage appeared cosmetic. The pair were able to continue and finish the rally. With the rally becoming a two way fight Macara/Flood took their fourth stage win with the White WRX of Stone/Madlener in second. Andrew Hannigan/Jill Fitzsimons (Daihatsu Charade Detomaso) making a welcome return to rallying after an 18 month break, were in the thick of things. Andrew showing why he won the Australian formula two title in 2001. He and Jill finished SS6 ninth, soundly beating some 4WD turbo cars to the line.

After the last service competitors were out for the final two stages. The dark and cold conditions were now favouring turbo charged engines. In some places a light mist was forming in the Forest, it was not enough to slow cars down. Despite the speeds and the brute force of the 4WD cars' drive trains, the roads were holding up well with few ruts on the stages. SS8 was a long run to the finish weaving through the forest, opening over the top of an escarpment and then finishing back in the forest. The roads over the top of the ridge were noticeably drier and the looser gravel was making for poor traction for some competitors. The win for SS7 was taken by Stone/Madlener with Macara/Flood in Second. SS8 saw the retirement of Chris Anderson/Joel Lithgo who put their Lancer EVO IV off in a fashion on a tight right hand corner. The final stage win went to Macara/Flood and Stone/Madlener took another second.

At rally's end two wheel drive honours went to Hannigan/Fitsimons whom also took tenth place outright. Ben Searcy/Daniel Smith (Suzuki Swift GTi) were home in second. A strong performance from Graham Furness/Peter Lindsay (Subaru WRX) brought them home in ninth place, Tostevin/Cook got their Subaru Legacy home in Eighth and Markovic/Mortimer reached the finish in seventh. Gavin Morgan/Chris Parish (Lancer EVO III) missed a top five finish by just 14 seconds, finishing sixth, whilst Ross Mackenzie/Paul Vandermey (Subaru WRX) landed in fifth. Mike Anderson/Anthony Chudleigh (Lancer EVO VI) took fourth place. At a slightly relaxed pace (although you'd never know it by watching) Bignell/Percival brought their Lancer EVO III to the podium in third. The mechanical problems of past rallies very much forgotten, Stone/Madlener took a deserved second place. "Chucky" John Macara and Greg Flood, standing atop the podium took first place. Macara had previously won the Experts in 2002.

Despite the late charge in the championship, the boy from Broome Hill Craig Bignell and his faithful co driver "Aunty" Joan Percival have amassed enough points to win the 2004 State Rally Championship. Still missing from competition after round 1 this year are defending state champions Rob Herridge/Bill Hayes (WRX), Tolley Challis (Lancer EVO VII) (although making a cameo appearance driving a course car on the Experts) and Dave/Jenny Kendall (Lancer EVO IV).

The WA Car Club are now still hard at work organising the final state rally for the year. The Stirling Stages is due to be contested in Harvey in September. It will form round 5 of the State rally championship and round 3 of the Clubman Championship.

Thanks must be given to Jeremey Savage on his first rally as Clerk of Course, and his team of dedicated officials. Competitors, crews and spectators owe much to the people who give up their time and are willing to brave the elements, in this case the cold, for the love of the sport. Without them, WA would not have such thriving rally championships. Thanks also to the WA Car Club and especially to the Town of Collie.

For info on all rounds of the WARC and Clubman Cup, photos, results and contact details go to: www.rallywa.com    www.lightcarclub.com.au or www.wacarclub.com.au

Karl Drummond
WA Rally Promotions Committee

Visit the motorsport photo galleries at www.circlework.com.au