Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship- Hill keeps fight alive with second win

Steve Hill (Aylesbury) claimed his second event of the year in the fifth round of the Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship at Lydden today (August 25), breathing new life into his championship hopes in the process. After engine problems left him with a zero score in round four of the championship, Hill needed a good result in round five. With two events left to run, Hill is third, four points behind Lawrence Gibson (Banbridge) and 15 adrift of series leader Ollie O'Donovan (London).

Pole position for the British championship Superfinal race was taken by Pat Doran (Winkleigh) who took a clear win in the Supercar A final. Behind Doran, the battle for places was hard fought, Hill running second for much of the race but struggling with damaged steering and losing the place to O'Donovan who surged ahead at the Devil's Elbow late in the race.

At the start of the Superfinal Hill and Doran jockeyed for position but both ran wide in the first corner and it was O'Donovan who moved through to take the lead. Hill and Doran ran second and third, the leading three cars then joined by Liam Doran who made it a four-car lead battle until the propshaft in his RS200 failed and he was forced to retire. Hill challenged O'Donovan for the lead at every turn, but was rebuffed time and again.

The race order appeared settled when, at the start of the last lap Hill lunged to O'Donovan's left at the Devil's Elbow – repeating the same move the champion had earlier used against him – and seized the lead. Doran also saw a chance and moved into challenge O'Donovan but as the two touched, Hill was able to open out a small lead and move away to take the win.

Andy Grant (Barnstaple) collected his best result of the year with a fine run to fourth place where he finished just ahead of Chris Langley (Hastings) who continued his excellent recent form and took fifth place while James Bird (Midhurst) was best of the two-wheel drive cars in sixth with his Renault.

Superfinal (5.5 laps): 1 Steve Hill (Mitsubishi Lancer E9) 3m33.451s; 2 Ollie O’Donovan (Peugeot 306) 3m37.838s; 3 Pat Doran (Ford Fiesta ST) 4m10.641s; 4 Andy Grant (Ford Escort) 4m16.486s; 5 Chris Langley (Ford Escort) 4m18.289s; 6 James Bird (Renault ClioSport V6) 4m27.644s; 7 John Collins (Vauxhall Tigra) 4 laps; 8 Liam Doran (Ford RS200) 2 laps. Championship: 1 O'Donovan 123; 2 Lawrence Gibson (MG Metro 6R4) 112; 3 Hill 108. Next event: Pembrey September 28

- This event will be broadcast by Motors TV at 10pm on Friday September 5 and will be repeated several times in following weeks.

- The British Rallycross Drivers Association has organised the British Rallycross Championship on behalf of the governing body of British motor sport (the MSA) since 2003.

- The Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship has seven rounds which will be run over six weekends at venues in England, Wales and Ireland. Its events are listed on the International calendar and are open to foreign drivers.

Sun-Mon Mar 23-24 Lydden

Sat May 3 Pembrey

Sun May 4 Pembrey

Sun Jul 6 Croft

Mon Aug 25 Lydden

Sun Sep 28 Pembrey

Sun Oct 12 Mondello Park (IRL)  

Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship website: www.RallycrossUK.com  

-Tim Whittington -