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Exclusive Interview with
Top British Co-driver
Richard Edwards - page 2
All geared towards 2006
2005 review |
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A promising
year sets Wolverhampton co-driver Richard
Edwards up nicely for what will be a very important
2006.
For Richard,
2005 was always going to be a learning year and it was going
to be hard to hit the heights of 2004 when he was crowned Peugeot
Cup Champion, following in the footsteps of former British World
Championship winning co-driver Robert Reid. So it proved, but
still there was plenty of encouragement going into 2006.
 Having
parted company with his championship-winning driver Stuart Jones,
after 2 years and 36 rallies, which had brought 19 top-3 class
results, it was time for a new challenge.
The year
started off by reforming an old partnership with Stourbridge
driver Richard Sykes. Sykes and Edwards had done 12 rallies
back in 1999-2000, a partnership that came close to success
without ever quite having the luck. In January they were back
and tasted success at last by winning the 2nd round of the Peugeot
Winter Cup. A delighted Edwards said, "I'd planned that
I wouldn't come back to Peugeots after winning the championship,
but Sykes asked and I just couldn't turn him down. It's great
that he has finally won a round as he deserves it for the commitment
he has shown over the years."
By now plans
for the season were falling into place; Richard had been approached
by Chesterfield-based VRS Motorsport, the team that had won
the overall Mitsubishi Championship in 2004 and the Junior Championship.
This was the next step up and where he wanted to be. The seat
was alongside Cheltenham's Ed Stallard, the junior champion
who was looking to challenge for overall honours in the winning
car he had just bought. A successful test was followed by a
warm-up rally, the Wyedean in Chepstow. First time out they
were equal fastest on the first stage and won the last outright
to finish an excellent 8th overall.
The Mitsubishi
Championship covered 8 rallies in England, Wales, Scotland and
the Isle of Man and, for the new partnership, a solid 5th place
started their campaign in Bournemouth. Next up was the daunting
Kielder forest, where they were quick out the blocks; third
fastest through the opening stage, but disaster on the next
when one of the famous ditches caught them out.
The Isle
of Man was next up and, with Ed not having much experience on
tarmac again, a solid 5th followed. Illness held them back on
the next round and they missed the fifth before coming back
for the Swansea Rally. A small 'off 'left the crew with damage
and repairs on the side of the road which delayed their progress
and the decision was taken to start planning for the next season.
They competed
on Ludlow's Woodpecker Rally which wasn't part of the championship
and proved they had lost none of their pace, being inside the
top 10 before a problem and a small fire stopped their outing,
but back in the championship for the final round took a solid
5th again. "We may not have the results on paper,"
said Edwards, "but we have worked hard together and with
the team to improve our notes and what we do in the stages.
We've showed on most rallies we had the pace but it just didn't
come together for us. This is the most professional team I have
been in and Ed is keen to do well so we will have a big push
next year."
Richard
is now starting to plan for 2006 and in the next few weeks will
be looking for sponsors to help support their ambitious programme
of events. The Mitsubishi Challenge is joining up with the British
Rally Championship. 6 rallies are planned, 3 on gravel (2 in
England and 1 in Wales which is also the round of the World
Rally Championship) and 3 tarmac rounds (Scotland, Isle of Man
and Ireland).
The BRC
has banned World Rally Cars meaning that while challenging for
Mitsubishi honours they can also be challenging for overall
honours in this country's top championship.
As well
as this, they are looking to do 8 rallies in the BTRDA Series;
they were running in the top 10 on the two rounds they competed
in this year, and believe they can challenge for overall as
well as class success.
Richard
Edwards is sponsored by Peter Posh Suit Hire and Perspective.I
Rich
2/12/05
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| The
story so far... |
| In
the beginning - started by doing 12-car navigational events run
by Northern Exposure in the Midlands. First-ever was in Feb 1995.
In total did 44 events - 5 wins, 4 seconds and 7 thirds. Was first
Novice in 1995/96 and runner-up overall in 96/97 and 97/98 seasons.
1997
- Chris Hodson - Ford Escort MK2 - 3 rallies, Mixture of events
1997 - Paul Bunch - Ford Escort MK1 - 1 road rally
3 stage rallies in first year, first-ever rally being the Tour
Of Lincs Rally with Chris Hodson. Best result of the year was
8th in class on first forest rally - the Woodpecker Rally. 1
road rally, first time out for both of us and finished 3rd Novice
and picked up first-ever award.
1998
- Chris Hodson - Ford Escort MK2 - 4 rallies, Welsh National
1998 - Shane Gamble - Ford Escort Cosworth - 1 rally, Mewla
National
1998 - Lee Bartlett - Ford Fiesta 1600 - 2 road rallies
Finished runner-up in class in Welsh National Championship alongside
Chris Hodson and had a one-off drive with Shane Gamble as a
late replacement. This was first experience on pace notes and
was over Epynt, unfortunately the turbo blew. Had a 2nd in class
on one of the road rallies.
1999
- Richard Sykes - Peugeot 106 Rallye - 4 rallies, BTRDA
1999 - Lee Bartlett - Ford Fiesta 1600 - 5 road rallies
Sat with Richard Sykes when his regular co-driver couldn't.
Best result was first in class A5 on the Somerset Rally where
we were fastest in class on 11 of 12 stages; the other we hit
a tree! Had a 1st overall on the Saw & Weld Novice Road
Rally with Lee Bartlett, winning by over 8 minutes on a very
wet night.
2000 - Richard Sykes - Peugeot 106 GTI - 8 rallies, Peugeot
Cup
2000 - Pat Macarthur - Peugeot 106 Rallye - 1 rally, BTRDA
2000 - Robin Bolt - Peugeot 306 GTI - 1 rally, Tour of Flanders
2000 - Lee Bartlett - Peugeot 309 GTI - 2 road rallies
2000 - Lee Bartlett - Peugeot 205 GTI - 1 road rally
Great experience on maps and notes this year. First year in
the Peugeot Cup alongside Richard Sykes, with the best result
being runner-up in round three at Carlisle. Was leading round
four before a crash. First chance to recce a rally on the Jim
Clark and then first foreign rally including recce in Flanders,
which was a one-off rally alongside Robin Bolt. Also had a one-off
outing alongside Pat Macarthur as stand-in for his injured co-driver.
Finished season with a 3rd in class with Richard Sykes on the
Rally GB, my first WRC rally, where Sebastian Loeb won the class.
2001 - Barry Mayers - Peugeot 106 GTI - 7 rallies, Peugeot Cup
2001 - Barry Mayers - Toyota Starlett - 1 rally, Barbados International
2001 - Mandy Twynham - Peugeot 106 XSI - 2 rallies, mixture
of events
2001 - Simon Rigsby - Peugeot 309 GTI - 1 road rally
Full season of Cup with Barbadian youngster Barry Mayers, in
his first year over here. Lots of experience on notes and recces,
our best Cup result being 7th. Plus given the chance to compete
in Barbados for their International Rally where we finished
9th overall and 1st in class. Also helped out new starter Mandy
Twynham by sitting with her on her first two events.
2002 - Alan Doncaster - Peugeot 206 - 3 rallies, Peugeot Cup
2002 - Mandy Twynham - Peugeot 106 XSI - 1 rally, Red Kite Stages
2002 - Olly Marshall - Peugeot 206 - 1 rally, Galloway Hills
Rally
2002 - Lee Bartlett - Peugeot 309 GTI - 8 road rallies, AWMCC
Quieter year due to lack of funds, but did manage to win the
AWMCC Road Rally Championship with one 1st in class, a 2nd and
a 3rd alongside Lee Bartlett. We were very consistent, finishing
all 8 rounds we entered. Worked with Peugeot on one of their
Cup rounds before sitting with Alan Doncaster on 3 rounds before
funds ran out. Finished the year alongside Olly Marshall on
the first Peugeot Winter Cup rally. Met the night before but
was leading before an 'off' in stage 4.
2003 - Olly Marshall - Peugeot 206 - 1 rally, Red Kite Stages
2003 - Stuart Jones - Peugeot 206 - 17 rallies, Peugeot Cup/BTRDA/Welsh
2003 - Stuart Jones - Mitsubishi Evo 3 - 1 rally, Red Dragon
2003 - Stuart Jones - Proton Satria - 7 rallies, BTRDA/mixture
Started year with a Winter Cup outing with Olly Marshall where
we finished 3rd before being given 5 rallies alongside Welsh
youngster Stuart Jones to see how I did. One of these was the
Sunseeker Rally where we won the Peugeot Winter Cup. Got the
rest of the year with him, winning our class 9 times in total.
Won first-ever Cup round on the Harry Flatters Rally, where
we led from stage 1 and won by 40 seconds. Also BTRDA class
A6 winners and did the Tempest Rally in the BRC with S1600 Proton
claiming a 1st and 2nd fastest class time before retiring. Busiest
year to date, the only downer being the Scottish Rally where
we crashed out of both days.
2004 - Stuart Jones - Proton Satria - 2 rallies, mixture
of events
2004 - Stuart Jones - Peugeot 206 - 8 rallies, Peugeot Cup
2004 - Stuart Jones - Mitsubishi Evo 3 - 1 rally, Jim Clark
2004 - Robin Bolt - Peugeot 206 - 9 rallies, BTRDA/mixture
Peugeot 206 Cup Champion alongside Stuart Jones, winning 3 rounds
and being fastest crew on over half of the stages competed on
all year. First win being in Swansea by over a minute, then
won over Epynt on the Mewla after fighting back from a minute
down after car problems. Then won the final round leading from
stage 1 to claim the championship. BTRDA class A6 runner-up
thanks to Robin Bolt and a one-off outing on the Cambrian with
Stuart. On the Cambrian we were the first FWD winners of the
Silverstar class. The Ryton Employees rally team ran Robin in
the BTRDA and we won our class twice in a development 206 (Wyedean
and Woodpecker). Voted Wolverhampton & South Staffs Car
Club Competitor of the Year.
2005
- Richard Sykes - Peugeot 206 - 1 rally, Red Kite
2005 - Ed Stallard - Mitsubishi Evo 8 - 8 rallies, Evo Challenge/mixture
2005 - Stuart Jones - Mitsubishi Evo 8 - 1 rally, Jim Clark
Helped Richard Sykes to his first-ever Peugeot win at the start
of the year on a Winter Cup round.
 Joined
up with 2004 Evo Challenge winning team VRS in the winning car
and with PIAA Junior Champion Ed Stallard. On our first outing
at the Wyedean we set joint fastest time on the first stage
and fastest on the last stage. My first year in the Evo Challenge
was mixed but Ed and myself worked hard and learnt plenty to
carry into 2006. One-off outing with Stuart Jones on the Jim
Clark but unfortunately the head gasket went, so didn't get
many miles in alongside the MSA Elite driver. Also worked with
Vision Motorsport and Innovation Motorsport at their rally schools.
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What
a year!
2004 review |
|
 I
thought 2003 was good but 2004 just got better.
Finally after 5
years of trying I have been lucky enough to sit alongside Stuart Jones
to win the Peugeot Cup.
Also had a enjoyable
year in the BTRDA with Robin Bolt and the RERT crew.
I have had the pleasure
of sitting alongside Jones for the past 2 years doing 36 rallies with
him!!! Not bad considering I was given 3 rallies to see how we got on
at the start of 2003.
Now though, we are
finally going a separate ways. I'd like to think I haven't done a bad
job there and I wish him all the best in the future. We will stay mates
and I can't wait to see how he goes on whereever he goes next year.
As for me.....well, does anyone want a codriver for 2005? No budget but
lots of experience. Think it's time to go 4wd; would love to go Evos
with a competitive driver next year - I got the taste for champagne this
year!!! Would consider 4wd in BTRDA and would love the chance to do BRC.
Anyone?????
Rich
20/12/04
email Kielder Computers Ltd
if you would like to talk to Richard about 2005
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| 2003
review |
Well 2003 has been a year I won’t
forget in a hurry. My fullest and most successful year I have had since
I started rallying back in 1997. 26 rallies, 9 class wins, Peugeot Winter
Cup and BTRDA A6 honours, plus three other top 3 class awards.
The year started with Olly Marshall back
in January on the Red Kite. After a quick shuffle round of co-drivers
I found myself with the opportunity to sit alongside Welshpool youngster
Stuart Jones, son of “Mad” Mick
Jones in his Peugeot 206. To start with it would be for 3 rallies to see
who we worked and got on. Well, it turns out we must have worked ok because
my remaining 25 rallies were with Stuart.
2nd in class first time out on the Wyedean was followed by a slide
off into a ditch on the very icy Winter Stages before an early
highlight of the year on the Sunseeker. An excellent controlled
drive brought a Peugeot Winter Cup round win which was enough to win the
Peugeot Winter Cup Championship. All that was in February. March
was a little more low key with 3 rallies, the first being an outing in
a Proton Satria kit car. A short run after engine problems but a taster
for later in the year.
April brought 4 rallies. 2 tarmac class wins of which one was a 3rd overall
on the two-wheel-drive Halewood Rally. The Pirelli Rally
counted as two separate rallies for the Peugeots, the best being Day 1
in the fog with a 6th place. 3 more rallies in May brought a class win,
and an outing in a Mitsubishi which was cut short by turbo problems and
my error on the R&M Williams Welsh rally saw us withdraw.
June brought the two-part Scottish Rally and a bad weekend after
two offs brought 2 retirements and a very damaged car, but the start of
July saw Stuart really start to show form with a 2nd in the Peugeots on
the Jim Clark and a class win on the Quinton Rally in only
the second outing in the Proton. 3 rallies in August brought 3 excellent
class wins, 2 in the Proton and my first full Peugeot Cup win after we
dominated the Harry Flatters Rally over Epynt.
September wasn’t as good after a tough run in Ulster and the
Plains rallies left us heading to the Trackrod needing
a good result. Unfortunately a faulty map sensor robbed us of another
Cup win. My next rally was the Tempest rally where we stepped up
to the BRC in S1600 in the Proton. After settling in well we got a 1st
and 2nd fastest times before gearbox problems intervened but the speed
shown here was continued on the Cambrian where an excellent 11th
overall and 1st in class rounded off the year nicely.
My lows from the year would have to be the Border Counties, but
for reasons away from our own run, and my pacenote mistake on the R&M
while in a stunning 3rd overall could have ended my year. Then the Trackrod
as, for the first time, I really felt I needed a result to prove a point
that I could do it at this level but to be robbed on the penultimate stage
while leading was hard to take.
My highlights would have to be winning the Winter Cup on the Sunseeker,
winning my first full Cup round after years of trying on the Flatters
and the last stage of the Woodpecker when, after a spin, Stuart
put in the quickest run I have ever had.
So, what a year! My thanks go to Stuart and Mick for the chance.
I’m extremely grateful for them taking me on and I wish Stuart all
the best for next year's BRC. And to the whole Jones family and crew for
making me so welcome and to my family and friends for continued support.
2004? Watch this space.
Richard
11/12/03
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| Belgium 2000 |
| Look forward to seeing you
all in Belgium. Hopefully Neil will get some action shots this time rather
then wreck shots. The crew I'm going with have got a ferry crossing Tuesday
evening so we should be on the recce Wednesday and Thursday.
Drinks on Jonty if / when you win.
Richard
30/8/00
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