Wednesday 09 July, 2008

News

21 May 2006 - [Heat Two] Evans And Toyota Dominate In The West

Team Toyota Racing Development's Simon Evans dominated the second Heat of the Quit Forest Rally in West Australia today, claiming his first Round win for the year and the second consecutive Round win for Toyota. Despite various Heat wins, it has been two years since Evans' last Round win at the 2004 Forest Rally, and the Toyota star was clearly delighted with the result.

21 May 2006 - [After SS19] Evans Completes Toyota White Wash

He was unbeatable at the shakedown, he was unmatchable over yesterday’s competitive stages and again today Simon Evans was unmistakably the fastest driver at the Quit Forest Rally. Remarkably Evans won ten of the nineteen stages contested this weekend, while Toyota team mate Neal Bates, who claimed second outright behind Evans for the weekend, scored seven stage wins.

21 May 2006 - [After SS16] Herridge Splits Toyota Duo

For the first time this weekend Dean Herridge has been able to crack the Toyota strangle hold on the Quit Forest Rally, the Privateer in his Subaru Impreza WRX has moved ahead of TRD’s Neal Bates by 0.2 seconds to hold second outright. Simon Evans continues to lead the rally at a canter though, his Corolla Sportivo proving bullet proof to lead today’s second Heat by 17.6 seconds.

21 May 2006 - [After SS14] Toyota Resume Frontal Assault

Toyota Racing Development’s Simon Evans and Neal Bates have resumed their frontal assault on the Quit Forest Rally, the pair aiming to make it a Toyota one-two podium finish to cap off the weekend. Currently Evans holds a 6.2 seconds advantage over team mate Bates, the margin a significant amount smaller than the gargantuan margin that Evans was able to open during Heat One.

21 May 2006 - [Before SS13] Frantic Rebuilds And Headaches

As another clear day dawns over the Nannup service park in Western Australia there are a few teams up and down the main street rubbing weary eyes and trying to shake off the headaches of a night spent repairing cars. At the top of the list Mitsubishi Ralliart eventually extracted Scott Pedder’s Lancer from the scenery while Darren Windus has a slightly different cause for concern.

20 May 2006 - [Heat One] Evans On Top After Fiery Day

Toyota driver Simon Evans was in a class of his own in the first Heat of the 2006 Quit Forest Rally, winning by a margin of 52.8 seconds from team mate Neal Bates. In what could be a worrying sign for their competition, the newly re-branded Toyota Racing Development duo dominated the day's proceeding's and held the top two positions outright from the start to the finish of the Heat.

20 May 2006 - [After SS10] Toyota Claim Crushing One-Two

Simon Evans and Neal Bates have scored a solid one-two finish for Toyota during the opening Heat of the 2006 Quit Forest Rally. Evans lead from start to finish and for once suffered not a single mechanical problem as he seemingly cruised to victory well clear of team mate Bates who fought all day long with Subaru Privateer Dean Herridge, the pair split by just 9.2 seconds at the end of stage ten.

20 May 2006 - [After SS6] Evans Maintains Winning Pace

With a healthy lead built up over the opening two stages this morning Simon Evans has reverted to a more cautious pace, ensuring that he continues to take stage wins but without the amazing gaps that typified his start to the day. After the sixth stage of the event Evans has built up a significant 33.0 second advantage over Toyota team mate Neal Bates with Dean Herridge chasing hard in third.

20 May 2006 - [After SS4] Evans Powers Away From Opposition

Toyota Racing Developments Simon Evans believes that he is driving a cautious, considered race while his rivals believe he must have eaten something special for breakfast. After the opening pair of forestry stages of the 2006 Quit Forest Rally Evans has opened a commanding 21.1 second advantage over team mate Neal Bates while Dean Herridge had a lucky escape to hold third.

20 May 2006 - [Before SS3] Cool, Clear Conditions Ahead

A chilly morning under gloriously clear skies awaited drivers for this morning’s service halt in the township of Nannup in WA, as teams undertook last minute alterations to setups and tyre selections for the opening pair of stages. Deep gravel is anticipated on the first two stages with most drivers opting for a cut medium gravel compound to combat the ball-bearing style rocks.

19 May 2006 - [After SS2] Toyota Continue Tarmac Domination

Toyota Racing Developments Neal Bates and Simon Evans have continued their total domination of the tarmac Super Special Stage at Busselton tonight. In front of a smaller than usual crowd of enthusiastic locals Bates blasted around the stage in his Toyota Corolla Sportivo to clock a time a clear 1 second faster than team mate Evans with Kevin Shaw a further 2.2 seconds behind in third.

19 May 2006 - [Shakedown] Toyota Duo Dominate Forest Warm Up

The TRD branded Toyota’s of Neal Bates and Simon Evans were head and shoulders above their rivals during the pre-event shakedown for this weekend’s Quit Forest Rally. In bright sunshine and under clear, blue skies the Toyota pair were untouchable with Privateer Kevin Shaw the closest competitor over the short tarmac special stage which borders the host township of Busselton.

17 May 2006 - Forest Rally Countdown As International Flavour Confirmed

With the start of the 2006 Quit Forest Rally just days away, teams are jetting in to Western Australia from around the country to begin preparations for the event. One driver however has a little further to travel, with Chinese National Champion Xu Lang teaming up with Aussie Dale Moscatt in a Les Walkden prepared Group N Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII.

17 May 2006 - Herridge Rallies With Home State Support

A last minute deal has secured West Australian Dean Herridge enough funding to contest a further three Rounds of the NEC Computers Australian Rally Championship including this weekend’s Quit Forest Rally, based at Busselton, WA, from 19-21 May. Herridge and co-driver Bill Hayes, both residents of Perth, have secured funding from the Subaru Dealers of Western Australia.

15 May 2006 - Ford’s Pirtek Rally Team Ready For The West

The Pirtek Rally Team is confident of a strong performance from its Ford Focus at the second Round of the NEC Computers Australian Rally Championship, the Quit Forest Rally outside Busselton from 19-21 May. The team completed nearly 250-kilometres of testing in Sydney and Melbourne over the past couple of weeks, with only minor interruptions over the two days of running.

15 May 2006 - Pedder Aims For Early Birthday Present

The NEC Computers Australian Rally Championship is the country’s most competitive motor sport series, and Team Mitsubishi Ralliart is “up” for its West Australian round this weekend (May 19-21) with its Evolution IX Lancer. Pedder has a special reason for wanting to win in south-west WA this weekend – it will be his last rally in his 20s, as he turns 30 the following Sunday (May 28).

11 May 2006 - Monkhouse's Late WA Withdrawal

Leading Privateer contender Jack Monkhouse has reluctantly withdrawn his entry from next week’s Quit Forest Rally. The South Australian has cited funding as the primary reason for his decision meaning that the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7 driver will miss his first NEC Computers Australian Rally Championship Round since he joined the Championship in a Galant VR-4 in 2003.

7 May 2006 - Toyota Re-Brand Motorsport And Performance

At the upcoming Quit Forest Rally, the second Round of the NEC Computers ARC, Toyota will roll out the first phase of an aggressive re-branding of their motorsport and performance vehicle ventures. Toyota will dispense with the TTR moniker which has signified their local motorsport efforts in favour of the internationally recognised Toyota Racing Developments (TRD) title.

5 May 2006 - Quit Forest Rally Entry List Released

The entry list for the upcoming Quit Forest Rally, which will have crews converge on the holiday township of Busselton situated in the picturesque Margaret River region of Western Australia, has been released today with a total of 56 crews expected to take the start line for the second Round of the NEC Computers Australian Rally Championship on the weekend of the 19th-21st May.

5 May 2006 - AFL Premiers Get A Taste Of Rallying

AFL Premiers, the Sydney Swans, have taken time out ahead of their match this weekend with the Brisbane Lions to get an appreciation for rally car driving. Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos and players Barry Hall (captain), Leo Barry (captain), Brett Kirk (captain), Paul Williams, and Nic Fosdike got a speed fix sitting beside Ford’s multiple Rally Champion Michael Guest.

4 May 2006 - NEC Computers ARC Lures Reigning Chinese Champion

Reigning Chinese Rally Champion Xu Lang has been enticed by the level of competition of the NEC Computers Australian Rally Championship and will contest atleast two Rounds of the series with co-driver Dale Moscatt. With limited competitive experience outside of his native China, Xu Lang is keen build on his pace noting and technical driving on the roads of WA and Queensland.