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Martin
Rowe and Rob Fagg team up once again this weekend in
China
, bidding to
help KST Ralliart Mitsubishi lift the teams crown in the Chinese
National Rally Championship.
Following
two wins and a third place finish on previous rounds, former
British and WRC Production Champion Rowe has been the leading
driver in the series this year, but overseas entries are
ineligible for the drivers and co-drivers championships, so the
pairs focus is purely on that teams title.
The
final round is based in
Shaoguan
City
in the
Guangdong
Province
and the pair flew out earlier this week in high spirits. They
tested the Mitsubishi Evo 8 upon arrival after it sustained
significant damage in two second day accidents on the last event
and Isle of Man Sports Aid recipient Fagg is pleased with the
progess made.
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It’s going well
so far’, he reported immediately after the test session, ‘The
car feels totally different to the last event (Fagg’s first with
the team). KST have opted to fix the car instead of re-shelling it,
but we have been provided with a new engine, new gearbox and in the
process have been given 1.5 bar boost and it feels totally
different. Martin seems so much happier with it’.
The pair had a day off on Wednesday
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Martin Rowe and Rob Fagg
on their way to third place on the Sonming Rally back in September.
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before
the recce of the route on Thursday afternoon and this morning
(Friday). The event itself gets underway tomorrow afternoon with
just a 3.6km super special to be completed before parc ferme.
Sunday’s
re-start is at 7am, tackling 6 stages totalling 116km's, four of
which are over 20 kilometres in length, with a 6am start time on
Monday for the concluding 6 stages and a further 118km's,
including two runs over the longest of the event at almost
25km’s. The rally is due to finish back in the city centre at
4pm
(
8am GMT
).
The
event is also the final round of the FIA Asia-Pacific
Championships, one of the most highly regarded series outside of
the WRC, which means strong competition is ensured. Among the
leading drivers are top Australian’s Cody Crocker and Simon
Evans, both in Subaru’s. Rowe and Fagg are seeded behind them at
number 3 but also in contention is
Finland
’s Jussi
Valimaki in another Mitsubishi, who secured the FIA title on the
Rally of Thailand.
Rob
is supported in 2005 by the Isle of Man Sports Council, Manx
Motorsport Youth Trust, Isle of Man Bank Scholarship, Integrated
Capabilities, Rob and Ali Graham and www.Mexperience.com.
In addition Rob particularly wishes to thank Manx Telecom for
giving him leave at such short notice to make the trip possible.
Chris Boyde
07/11/2005
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