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PRESS
INFORMATION
 Philip White Tyres Ulster Raly – 31st August & 1st September 2007
Following its impressive one-two result last time out on the Isle of Man, the Mitsubishi Motors UK Rally Team’s confidence is high for a repeat performance in round four of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, the Philip White Tyres Ulster Rally, which takes place on 31st August and 1st September. The team’s showing on the Manx proved that its two Lancer Evolution IXs are the quickest cars in the BRC field and, having been 100% reliable Mitsubishi are eager to get back on top of the team and driver’s points tables next weekend in Northern Ireland. With two BRC wins under his belt so far this year on round one, the Pirelli Rally and round three, the Rally Isle of Man, Guy Wilks currently lies second in the driver’s standings and he and co-driver Phil Pugh now have the British title firmly in their sights. ‘I’m really looking forward to getting back into the Mitsubishi’, said Wilks. ‘After our performance on the Manx I have a lot of confidence in the car and, if I include my recent WRC outing in Germany, I have covered a lot of miles on tarmac recently which can’t be bad. It’s also good to be challenging for a championship title.’ After finishing second on the Isle of Man and with mechanical difficulties forcing them to retire from the first two rounds of the season, Gwyndaf Evans and Huw Lewis admit they are looking for more this time round. They will therefore be out to repeat their 2006 Ulster performance, when they were first of the British Championship contenders home. ‘I have competed on this rally many times and I enjoy driving on the Irish roads’, said Evans. ‘However, over the years the stages have changed so I can’t say I know them that well. But like any asphalt event, weather conditions and tyre choice can play a big part and this is where experience can count of course’. Although boosted by their performance on round three, the Mitsubishi team knows all too well that in rallying there is no room for complacency and they will be keeping a watching brief on other British Championship contenders, such as Mark and David Higgins. The Ulster Rally also sees the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge join the field and, with some of the drivers registered for BRC points, this could well make a difference to the final outcome. General Manager for Mitsubishi Motors Ralliart and team boss Paul Brigden is looking forward to seeing his team back in action, but is also mindful of the sport’s pitfalls and commented: ‘There are no foregone conclusions in rallying, so it will be important for us to focus on achieving the best result we can for the team and not get distracted with other issues. This worked for us on the Isle of Man, so I don’t see why it shouldn’t in Ulster.’ As well as the fourth round of the Tesco 99 MSA British Rally Championship, the Ulster Rally is also the seventh round of the Global Group Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Based in Armagh, the event features 16 timed special stages totalling 121 competitive miles on closed public roads within a 20-mile radius of the town. Starting on Friday afternoon, the first leg sees six stages before the overnight halt, with a further 10 before the finish on Saturday evening. The Cirencester-based Mitsubishi Motors UK rally team is supported by HKS, Pirelli, Sparco, Speedline Corse, PIAA, Ricardo and Performance Friction Brakes. The team’s two Lancer Evolution IXs are built and run on events by ADR Motorsport of Chesterfield. Guy Wilks is supported by Mobil 1. Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship standings after round three
ENDS Notes for Editors
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For
further information please contact: Paul
Brigden, General Manager - Ralliart Mitsubishi
Motors UK Motorsport Press Officer
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