2007 MATADOR TYRES MSA BRITISH OFF-ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP (BORC)
Bleddfa, Powys, June 2nd/3rd – round 2 of 5
For immediate release
Sunday, June 3rd, 2007
RICHARD KERSHAW TAKES BRITISH OFF-
ROAD VICTORY AT BLEDDFA IN MID-WALES
? Second place for Keith Lewis after nail-biting finish
? Colin Gould finishes third overall; Trophy victory for Matt Lowe
BLEDDFA (Wales): Huddersfield?s Richard Kershaw won the second round of the 2007 Matador Tyres British Off-Road Championship (BORC) at Bleddfa in mid-Wales on Sunday.
The Peugeot 206 GSR Evo9 driver finished a challenging two days of action over a varied special stage at Parry?s Farm in Powys, a mere two seconds ahead of Abergavenny?s second-placed Keith Lewis in his Simmbugghini. The win came after a nail-biting final stage, which saw Kershaw overturn a 10-second deficit to clinch victory and a slender lead in the championship.
Colin Gould completed the podium positions in his Mattseratti, but there was disappointment for former championship leader Gordon Monaghan, who was attempting to defend a five-point lead in Britain?s premier off-road series. The Preston-based Monaghan RS driver was challenging for the lead until the 10th of 14 runs through the 4.5-mile stage, when he was delayed with fuel pump problems and slipped to an eventual 17th overall.
Marches 4×4 Motorsport Management Limited received a huge response to the two-day event, which used the same base as the inaugural Baja GB had done in August 2006. Fifty-seven cars tackled the main BORC event and both the Trophy and Clubman categories.
Burnley?s David Nutter took maximum points in the Trophy section at Baden Hall in April, but it was the turn of his Chorley-based rival Matt Lowe to take victory at Bleddfa in his CG Pro 1.
Lowe completed the two days of competition a mere 12 seconds ahead of Nutter, as the pair swapped their Baden Hall finishing positions on the second round of the series. David Brown was third for the second successive event to maintain his championship challenge with a Land Rover.
James Webb was the pick of the bunch in the Clubman category and steered his GM Proto to a comfortable win over second-placed Rupert Astbury?s Special Stealth Pig and Nick Forsyth?s third-placed Land Rover. Forsyth had won the category at Baden Hall in April.
Several drivers succumbed to mechanical problems, but Richard Green rolled out of contention and Dean Sutcliffe crashed his car down a ravine and out of the reckoning for Clubman category honours.
?I would like to thank David Parry of the Stud Farm for his hospitality for another successful round of the BORC this weekend,? said clerk of the course Selwyn Kendrick. ?Once again we were blessed with good weather and a bumper entry. The competition was close and we had a nail-biting finish between Richard Kershaw and Keith Lewis on the final run. This interest bodes well for the next round of the series and the future of this form of motorsport.?
Final positions
BORC
1. Richard Kershaw (Peugeot 209 GSR Evo9) 1h 24m 01s
2. Keith Lewis (Simmbugghini) 1h 24m 03s
3. Colin Gould (Mattseratti) 1h 26m 28s
4. Toby Jefferson (Peugeot 306) 1h 27m 49s
5. Martin Gould (Tomcat 100) 1h 28m 59s
6. Ryan Cooke (Land Rover Special) 1h 29m 03s
7. Ian Bartram (Warrior Storm) 1h 29m 12s
8. Lee Mansfield (Bowler Wildcat) 1h 29m 48s
9. John Cockburn (Tomcat Max Traction) 1h 30m 27s
10. Martin Andrews (AT Special 206) 1h 31m 36s, etc
Trophy
1. Matt Lowe (CG PRO 1) 1h 41m 14s
2. David Nutter (Tomcat) 1h 41m 26s
3. David Brown (Land Rover) 1h 42m 52s, etc
Clubman
1. James Webb (GM Proto) 1h 31m 37s
2. Rupert Astbury (Special Stealth Pig) 1h 39m 51s
3. Nick Forsyth (Land Rover 90) 1h 41m 24s, etc
Ends
Images of other BORC competitors are available from Steve Rees, www.concept-photos.co.uk
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: ndppublicity@compuserve.com. www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).
www.marches4x4.com
www.BritishOffRoadChampionship.co.uk