Looks like quite a few of our lot (see below) are making their way south this weekend for the second M-Sport Stages Rally, both drivers and co-drivers, which will take place on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th July.
Competitors will also get the first public chance to see M-Sport’s new state-of-the-art Evaluation Centre. Nearing completion, the multi-million-pound development offers a unique centre of engineering excellence where leaders in automotive technology can follow a concept from design to production on one exclusively-situated site. It has been said that it might just rival the facilities at Kames (!) minus the pies.
The event will once again be limited to Ford machinery, with M-Sport showcasing as many levels of their Ladder of Opportunity from across as many different eras as possible, from grass-root to top-level rallying.
Organised in conjunction with the West Cumbria and Eden Valley Motor Clubs, the event is expected to run 10 timed stages across approximately 58 competitive stage miles – all within the confines of M-Sport’s own private forest.
The rally will also continue to promote the latest Covid-safe protocols and practices with the electronic management of information and documentation, socially distanced time controls and the safe recovery of vehicles and crews – all of which have been successfully adapted since first introduced at last year’s M-Sport Return to Rally Stages.
Unfortunately this will again be a NON SPECTATOR event and it hopes that rally fans will respect this request. However ‘Motorsport News’ will be there to report on the action and apparently one J Bunnet Esq will also be in attendance on behalf of the home fans.
Entry List: 1, Matt Wilson/Stuart Louden (Fiesta R3, 1500) 2, M-Sport 2, Rhys Yates/James Morgan (Fiesta R5 Mk2, 1600) 2, M-Sport 3, Keith Cronin/Mikie Galvin (Fiesta, 1600) 2, 4, Josh Moffett/Andy Hayes (Fiesta WRC, 1600) 1, 5, Hugh Hunter/Paul Beaton (Focus WRC, 1998) 1, 6, Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Fiesta R5, 1598) 2, Jennings Fuels, Go, LCC 7, Sebastian Garcia Perez/Gary McElhinney (Fiesta R5, 1600) 2, Hooch Lemon Brew, M-Sport, Pirelli 8, Charles Payne/Aled Edwards (Fiesta WRC, 1600) 1, 9, Joseph McGonigle/Ciaran Geaney (Fiesta Rally 2, 1600) 2, 10, Tom Williams/Jamie Edwards (Fiesta R5 Mk2, 1598) 2, Genesis 3D Design, Pirelli, Dom Buckley RSC 11, Stephen Petch/Michael Wilkinson (Fiesta WRC, 1600) 1, SG Petch 4x4, SGP Motorsport, Pirelli 12, Thomas Preston/Carl Williamson (Fiesta WRC, 1600) 1, Hippo Motor Group/ Sterling Automotive Design Ltd 13, Sean Devine/Liam McIntyre (Fiesta R5, 1600) 2, 14, Vivian Hamill/Niall Burns (Fiesta, 1597) 2, 15, Chris McGurk/Eathan McColgan (Fiesta R5 Evo, 1600) 2, CMG Contracts Portglenone 16, Elliot Payne/Cameron Fair (Fiesta, 1600) 2, 17, Simon Bowen/John Cope (Fiesta S2000T, 1998) 2, Andrews Bowen ltd 18, Connor McCloskey/Noel O Sullivan (Fiesta R5, 1600) 2, 19, Martin Cairns/Kenny Bustard (Fiesta WRC, 1600) 1, 20, Gareth Sayers/Gareth Gilchrist (Fiesta R5, 1600) 2, 21, Michael O'Brien/Liam Brennan (Focus WRC, 2000) 1, M O’Brien Group 22, Dan O'Brien/Martin Brady (Fiesta WRC, 1600) 1, M O’Brien Group.com 23, Ian Joel/Graeme Wood (Escort Cosworth, 1998) 2, MRF Competition Tyres, Fuchs Lubricants, 710 Oils, Service & Sport, Stratos PDI 24, Declan McCrory/Stephen O’Hanlon (Fiesta R5, 1600) 2, DMC Modular 25, Trevor Gamble/Ron Roughead (Fiesta, 1600) 2, 26, Robert Adamson/Jane Nicol (Fiesta R5, 1600) 2, 27, Hugh Brunton/Richard Simmonds (Fiesta R5, 1598) 2, DC Motorsport 28, Adrian Hetherington/Ronan O'Neill (Escort RS1800, 1998) 4, 29, Frank Kelly/Lauren Kelly (Escort Mk2, 2500) 3, Bathshack.com 30, Richard Ceen/Hamish Campbell (Focus WRC 2005, 1995) 1, MSL Motorsport / Coedwigaeth Pencelyn Ltd 31, Shane McGirr/Denver Rafferty (Escort G3, 1998) 4, McGirr Fuels 32, Ben Friend/Cliff Simmons (Escort Mk2, 1998) 4, Allglass Anglia 33, R Martin Freestone/Rory McCann (Escort Mk1 RS 1600, 1998) 4, 34, Rob Wright/Mark Fisher (Escort Mk2, 2500) 3, 35, Nick Dobson/Philip Sandham (Escort Mk2, 1998) 4, 36, David Bennett/Alistair McNeil (Escort Mexico, 1600) 5, Sabelt UK 37, Tim Metcalfe/Katy Mashiter (Escort RS1800, 1975) 4, 38, James Lepley/Arwel Jenkins (Escort, 1598) 5, Jason Lepley Motorsport 39, Nick Kitching/Andrew Trollope (Escort, 1975) 4, Old Oak Tree 40, Andrew Varley/Graham Wild (Escort Mk1 Mexico, 1599) 5, 41, Mike Stuart/Neil Shanks (Escort, 1975) 4, 42, Christopher Lloyd/Allan Cathers (Escort Mk2, 1998) 4, Calibre Equip ltd 43, James Hall/Caroline Fiona Lodge (Escort Mk2, 1997) 4, HK Travel, Nobles Garage 44, Terry Pankhurst/Jamie Sparks (Escort Mk1 RS2000, 1998) 4, MRF Competition Tyres Dimma Motorsport 45, David Kelly/Dean O'Sullivan (Fiesta R4, 999) 5, Glebe Builders 46, Brendan Cumiskey/TBA (Fiesta R4, 1000) 5, Gerry Cumiskey 47, Eamonn Kelly/Conor Mohan (Fiesta R4, 998) 5, 48, Casey Jay Coleman/Grace O'Brien (Fiesta R4, 998) 5, Suirway Group 49, Fraser Anderson/Jack Bowen (Fiesta R2T, 998) 5, Baxter & Gillespie Ltd, Cardowan Creamery, Health & Safety Services (Glasgow), Artex, AkzoNobel 50, Joseph Kelly/Shane Byrne (Fiesta R2T, 1000) 5, Kelly’s Toyota 51, Jonny Sproat/Peter Johnson (Fiesta ST, 2000) 4, Eden Valley Tyres Ltd 52, Jeremy Packer/Chris Gilbert (Fiesta R2T, 998) 5, EDSL Sport Classes 1, World Rally versions of the Ford Focus & Ford Fiesta 2, Ford Fiesta S2000, S2400, RRC, R5, R5 variants & other Ford 4WD Cars 3, Ford Cars 2WD over 2000cc 4, Ford Cars 2WD 1600cc to 2000cc 5, Ford Cars 2WD up to 1600cc