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Rally Australia Photos 2006

Hirvonen takes debut win at Telstra Rally Australia

The third leg of Telstra Rally Australia saw a new winner on the podium as Perth said goodbye to the FIA World Rally Championship. BP Ford World Rally Team’s Mikko Hirovonen held off Subaru World Rally Team’s Petter Solberg to take the first win of his career.

Hirvonen started the day with a 32.3 second lead over Solberg and was able to hold onto that lead through the day’s stages. Hirvonen was running behind Solberg on the road and was able to drive to the Norwegian’s pace. The young Finn had previously only claimed fourth at this rally, and while he had played runner up several times, the top spot on the podium had been long calling.

OMV Peugeot Norway’s Manfred Stohl started the day in third and drove strongly to finish on the podium equalling his Telstra Rally Australia result last year. Kronos Total Citroen’s Xevi Pons finished fourth equalling his best WRC finish.

Sadly Finland’s Marcus Gronholm’s championship chances ended at Telstra Rally Australia as he was unable to make up the time needed to finish third and maintain his title hopes. Gronholm rolled his Ford Focus on the first country stage of the rally and faced a mammoth task to make the podium. He fell short, finishing in fifth, allowing Sebestien Loeb to mathematically claim his third straight championship title despite not contesting the rally.

The final three point-scoring positions were occupied by P-WRC cars with Jari-Matti Latvala leading Mirco Baldacci and West Australian Dean Herridge filling sixth to eighth respectively. There was a change of podium on the penultimate stage when Aki Teiskonen rolled.

Home favourite and Subaru World Rally Team driver Chris Atkinson found himself down the order after losing time on Leg One. He was unable to score any points but was cheered on by the Australian crowds as he drove through the stages.

It was an emotional finish for the officials, crew and crowds who lined the riverside podium, and the crowning of first-time winner in Hirvonen was a fitting end to Perth’s WRC era.

Full results and news is available at www.rallyaustralia.com.

Finns on a mission at Telstra Rally Australia

After the dramatic start to Telstra Rally Australia it was a quiet drive in the countryside for the drivers contesting Leg Two of the final World Rally Championship event being held in Perth today. BP Ford World Rally Team’s Mikko Hirvonen held onto the rally lead all day, while team mate Marcus Gronholm desperately climbed up the leaderboard.  

Hirvonen started the day with a 28.2 second lead over Subaru World Rally Team’s Petter Solberg. The running order dictated that Hirvonen ran after Solberg on the stages today so Hirvonen was able to pace his driving to keep the Norwegian at bay.  

OMV Peugeot Norway’s Manfred Stohl moved into third outright on stage 13, relegating Kronos Total Citroen’s Xevi Pons to fourth. The most dramatic fall from grace today was that of Western Australian Dean Herridge. He dropped from fifth outright to ninth despite trying hard against the more experienced P-WRC regulars. Herridge’s attack was greater weakened when he lost fifth gear on SS18, in the final country stage of the day. 

 The biggest leap today was made by the Flying Finn Marcus Gronholm, who needs to finish third or higher to keep his championship hopes alive. He started the day in 18th outright and climbed up to an amazing seventh after claiming four stage wins as well as times within the top three on all of today’s stages.

 It was all change in the P-WRC, with Toshi Arai seizing Dean Herridge’s lead in the opening stage of the day, and Marcos Ligato passing the Australian on the leaderboard two stages later. On the next stage it was the turn of Finn Jari Matti Latvala to push ahead while fellow Finn Aki Teiskonen followed suit on SS16. The P-WRC drivers revelled in the Australian stages, saying they were pushing hard on the fast roads which had been a contrast to their last event in the tough slow stages of Turkey.

 The P-WRC leaderboard turned again on SS17 when Toshi Arai rolled his Subaru, handing the lead to Marcos Ligato with Latvala and Teiskonen forming a Finnish two-three.

 The rally action continues tomorrow with the running of six stages around Mundaring, a service in the city of Perth, and a podium finish against the river and city skyline. Entrance to the service park and podium finish is free and tickets are still available for the Mundaring stages from Ticketmaster or www.rallyaustralia.com

LEG 1
Young Finn leads Telstra Rally Australia after day of dramas 

Leg One of Telstra Rally Australia got underway with a bang this morning with two high profile roll overs on the first country stages.  

The world rally drivers took to the countryside south of Perth today after two runnings of the Gloucester Park Super Special stage in Perth last night, but within three kilometres of the stage start three drivers had already fallen by the wayside. First to go was overnight leader Marcus Gronholm who clipped a stone on the inside of a corner and rolled his BP Ford World Rally Team Focus WRCar, losing over ten minutes before continuing at full speed with broken windows and his car filling with dust.  

Next to suffer on that stage was Stobart VK M-Sport’s Matthew Wilson, who clipped a wheel inflicting terminal damage to his Ford.  Kronos Total Citroen’s Dani Sordo did not even get the chance to exit dramatically; he found himself without gears and unable to complete more than a few kilometres of Leg One.

On the following stage (SS4), Wilson’s team mate Luis Perez Companc added to the catalogue of woes when he rolled on the outside of a corner and came to rest against a tree. The remaining pack of drivers were content to simply finish the stages which many were finding more slippery than in reconnaissance. Leading the field after these incidents was Australian Chris Atkinson, who received a hero’s welcome as he came into the Dwellingup Rally Village for a regroup.  

The celebrations were short-lived, as the Queenslander hit a rut and beached his Subaru on soft sand on stage six. As he struggled to re-start, sparks from his exhaust caught fire on nearby bush and the remainder of the stage was cancelled with notional times awarded to those who stopped to help him.  Adding to the drama on this stage was the retirement of Henning Solberg, who went off the road at high speed, felling several trees in the process. Luckily no injuries were suffered by himself or his co-driver but the same could not be said for his OMV Peugeot Norway 307WRCar.  

As a result, BP Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen found himself unexpectedly in the lead of the rally by a slim 1.4 seconds over Subaru’s Petter Solberg. It was a thrilling afternoon as Solberg took the lead away from him on the following stage, and held the lead for one stage more by a mere 1.3 second margin before succumbing to Hirvonen on SS9, the last stage before the cars headed back to Perth city.  

The day was rounded out at the Gloucester Park Super Special where Wilson and Atkinson were permitted to run the two stages against each other for the benefit of the 12,000 strong crowd with no stage times recorded. Both expect to rejoin the field under SupeRally tomorrow. Behind Hirvonen and Solberg, Kronos’s Xevi Pons lies third and with OMV Peugeot’s Manfred Stohl fourth. West Australian Dean Herridge lies in fifth in one of the best performances of his career.  

The rally action continues on Saturday with the cars tackling the famous Wespine series of jumps before returning to the Gloucester Park Super Special Stage for its final use as a stage in the World Rally Championship.

2006 TRA West Australian preview

Seizing on the last chance to be part of this legendary event on home soil, 17 West Australian teams have committed to Telstra Rally Australia 2006. 

Heading the list is Dean Herridge and Bill Hayes in their Maximum Motorsport operated, ex works Subaru WRX. With Dean and Bill’s exploits being well documented this year, many will be following the likable duo as they tackle the world’s best in the PWRC section of the rally.

Looking down the list there are both experienced and first time competitors as WA privateers. The Anderson family have entered three Spec C WRX’s. Father Mike with Emma Plane alongside will be looking at his stage times closely with sons Chris navigated by Joel Lithgo and James navigated by Ben Searcy just as fast in the identical machinery. Toby Heyring/Peter Turner will be looking to repeat or improve on last year’s good result. This year the pair are running a new Spec C WRX.

Steve Maitland will be competing in his first Rally Australia this year. Using a Lancer Evo 5, Steve will be co-driven by the experienced Brian D’Arcy. Similarly Robert Ash (WRX) will be on his first international event with Shane Cary alongside whilst Peter Bennison and Tamara Adams will not only be on their first event, it will be the first turn of the wheels in anger in their newly built WRX.  

Whilst the above teams have chosen their own separate ways for Rally Australia 2006, ten teams have joined Rally Team West for this year’s event.

Rally Team West is purported to be the largest private team to ever enter a WRC event. Rally Team West is now in it’s third year and is again proudly supported by WA local company, Golden Egg Farms.

The Golden Egg Farms rally team consists of both experienced and first time competitors to Rally Australia. The idea being that all competitors may draw on the expertise and resources of the entire team whilst still being individual competitors in their own right. At service parks and spectator points the team’s shirt will be distinctive and eye catching. 

Heading the Golden Eggs Team for 2006 is Darren Windus with Jon Mortimer in the silly seat. Darren and Jon will contest Rally Australia in a Spec C WRX and have been renowned for charging hard in this year’s Australian Rally Championship.

Perhaps the most experienced Rally Australia entrant is next. Tolley Challis, co driven in his Lancer Evo 7 by Daryl Judd is one of only two drivers to have competed in every Rally Australia. 2006 will be Tolley’s 19^th start to the event.

John “Chucky” Macara and Greg Miles (WRX) are lining up to match their skills this year. John has contested Rally Australia previously and holds much experience with the WA conditions.

Known as the real battlers’ story of 2005, Shane Eather and Alex Kirkhouse will be looking for a better outcome to their 2006 Rally Australia. Having taken a year off rallying, Shane and his dedicated crew have meticulously repaired and re-prepared his WRX from 2005. The car was rolled in Rally Australia last year, repaired enough to continue under Supe Rally rules and finished the event, although looking very “shop soiled” by the finish ramp.

Graham Furness/Mike Civil (WRX) and Warren Tuckett/Stuart Percival (Evo 7) will be looking to improve on last year’s results too. With experience of the event and fast driving, both teams were doing well in 2005 until both retired with blown engines at different points on the rally. 

Shane Orkney will be another on his very first Rally Australia. This will also be Shane’s first drive in a 4WD car in the form of a Subaru WRX. Shane will be co-driven by the experienced Queenslander navigator, Tony Best. 

Whilst Tim Abbott and Ivan Tan are not technically part of the Golden Eggs Rally Team, the pair has joined in an unofficial capacity for Rally Australia 2006. This will be the pair’s first Rally Australia outing in their WRX. 

Lastly and by no means least is the duo of Phil Steele and Mark Sforcina. Phil is driving his own WRX on this year’s TRA, only the third rally he has ever contested.

For Phil, he also has a vested interest in seeing the Golden Eggs Rally Team do well. Phil is not only a team member, but the CEO of Golden Eggs farms. 

To contest an international rally is no mean feat. As privateers, many teams spend their time burning the midnight oil so that everything is prepared to get their cars and themselves through three days of gruelling rallying.

Come and show your support for not only the World Championship Teams, but the local heroes who will be competing on the same special stages of Telstra rally Australia 2006.

 Telstra Rally Australia starts on Thursday the 26^th of October and runs through until Sunday the 29^th of October. Event details can be found at: www.rallyaustralia.com.au

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