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Rowe and Fagg secure podium position in
China
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Former Production
World Rally Champion Martin Rowe and Isle of Man based co-driver Rob
Fagg secured a podium finish on the latest round of the Chinese
National Rally Championship in Kunming.
The pair began the
second and final day of the event in third place, and that is where
they finished, although it wasn’t quite as straightforward as it
sounds.
They were still
hampered by the transmission problems encountered on the very first
stage of the rally in their KST Ralliart Hong Kong Team Mitsubishi
Evo8, when they lost second gear 7 kilometres into the opening 10km
test. Without sufficient service time to change the gearbox they had
been pleased to complete the days six stages still in contention, 19
seconds down on Australia’s Simon Evans in second place, and 15
seconds ahead of the fourth placed Xu Lang, one of China’s leading
drivers in a similar Mitsubishi. The schedule allowed no time to
change it for the final day either and the plan was therefore to
salvage as many points as possible. |
Thursday dawned to
heavy rain and thunderstorms which the KST team thought would suit
their tyres, but on the very first of the days four stages, they
slid off the road, causing steering damage to the right hand side
front wheel.
They managed to
get through the stage, dropping just 6 seconds to Lang, but worse
was to follow on the next test. The |
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opening 2km were
on heavily rain-soaked
and muddy tarmac, and Rowe, who had won the last two rounds of the
championship, was caught out, smashing into a telegraph pole and
causing serious impact damage to the co-drivers side of the car
and shattering the windscreen.
Lang moved
passed them into third as a result, but the team did a superb job
in service to repair the car to a driveable state for the final
two stages.
However as they set off for the first of them the windscreen
wipers failed to work and they were left to struggle on with
limited visibility in the conditions. Ahead however Evans also
went off the road, blocking his cars exhaust with mud, putting him
out of the rally and forcing the stage to be cancelled.
As a result Rowe and Port Erin resident Fagg moved back into the
top three, a position they held onto through the last of the 10
tests, as the overnight leader, Australian champion Cody Crocker,
took victory in his Subaru.
‘It became a rally of survival for us in a way’ said 26 year-old
Fagg, speaking from host city Kunming shortly after the finish.
‘The car is a bit of a mess, my door won’t open, I’ve got
cling-film for a window and the screen is still shattered, but I’m
delighted to have helped the team to a top three finish.’
‘It’s been a
fabulous experience, my first event outside of the UK, and a real
culture shock. The whole city seems to come out for the rally, the
level of support is incredible. I’ve learned a lot and I’m so glad
I was able to come and do it, it’s been very worthwhile’.
‘I have to say a
huge thank you to the KST Ralliart team who have been so helpful
to me, as has Martin, and some of the other co-drivers sharing
their experience. Also the Isle of Man Steam Packet for there help
on this occasion’
As an overseas
competitor Rowe is ineligible for the drivers’ title, but will bid
to help secure the teams championship on the fifth and final
round.
Rob is supported
in 2005 by the Isle of Man Sports Council, Manx Motorsport Youth
Trust, Isle of Man Bank Scholarship, Integrated Capabilities,
Patterson Pacenotes,
www.Mexperience.com
and on this occasion the Isle of Man Steam
Packet.
In addition Rob
particularly wishes to thank Manx Telecom for giving him leave at
such short notice, and is seeking additional sponsors. He can be
contacted via email at
robert@robertfagg.com
or telephone
(07624) 451232.
Chris Boyde
23/09/2005
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