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Former Production
World Champion Martin Rowe and Port Erin based co-driver Rob Fagg
have endured a disappointing opening day on their return to the
Chinese National Rally Championship.
The pair are contesting the second round of the championship, based
in Guiyang, the main city of the Guizhou Province. They are driving
for the same team as least year, KST Ralliart Mitsubishi, in a brand
new Mitsubishi Evo 9.
Speaking from Guiyang on Saturday night, Rob summed things up as ‘a
bit of a tough day’.
It was an early start, leaving the city at 6am for a one and a
quarter hour road section to the opening test. The KST Mitsubishi
flew through the test after the pair had completed a thorough set-up
session earlier in the week, leaving them in second place to
reigning New Zealand rally champions Richard Mason and Sara Randall
(Subaru Impreza).
However the challenge was dented very quickly by a front right
puncture half-way through the 25 kilometre second stage on the
all-gravel event. With 11km’s to go Rowe and Fagg had no choice but
to stop and change it, dropping around 4 minutes. The problems were
further compounded when the engine wouldn’t restart after the
change, largely due to the heat, and once the pair did get going it
was right behind Mason so they were caught in the dust kicked up by
his car.
After service the opening two tests were repeated. That is quite
literally repeated in the case of Rowe and Fagg; a good run on SS3
and then another puncture on SS4.
‘It was very near the place it happened first time round’, reported
a frustrated Rob. ‘At least this time it was a rear tyre, the left
rear, so we took the gamble to carry on, but it still cost us
another 40 seconds’.
On the fifth and final stage of the day the pair were again back on
the pace, setting a good time, but they stand near the bottom end of
the top 10.
‘We’re looking for a clean run tomorrow!’ said the co-driver. ‘We’ll
see what happens, but obviously look to progress up the leaderboard.
We need to watch out for Xu Lang, one of China’s top drivers, who is
only ten seconds behind us’.
‘We’re looking for a clean run tomorrow!’ said the co-driver. ‘We’ll
see what happens, but obviously look to progress up the leaderboard.
We need to watch out for Xu Lang, one of China’s top drivers, who is
only ten seconds behind us’.
Scotland's Alister McRae, who won the opening round of the series,
rolled on the first stage, dropping 10 minutes, though he does
continue in the rally.
The event resumes at 7.30am local time on Sunday for the concluding
four stages over nearly 70km’s.
Rob is supported
in 2006 by the Isle of Man Sports Council, Isle of Man Steam
Packet Scholarship and Mexperience.com . A special thanks goes to
Manx Telecom for their continued support, allowing Rob to compete in China.
Media
22/07/2006
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