World RX champs crowned. Winter rallycross. RX drivers star in Trophee Andros.
by Rallycross World |
6 December FIA World Rallycross Champion Timmy Hansen collects his trophy at the FIA prize-giving gala held at the Louvre in Paris. Andreas Bakkerud and Kevin Hansen are also awarded as is Kenneth Hansen who collects the World Teams’ Championship trophy for the second time in the history of the series.
6 December Swift Rallycross announces two winter test drive and development days. Prices start from just £49 and the days will provide the chance to try out Junior Rallycross or Swift Sport Championship cars. For details go to: bit.ly/SWIFTEVENTS
6-7 December The first weekend of Trophee Andros racing takes place at Val Thorens from which Aurelien Panis (Audi A1) emerges as the series leader. Yann Ehrlacher (Dupessey AS01) beats Panis to the SuperFinale win in the first day in which rallycross star JB Dubourg (Renault Zoe) places third ahead of Andreas Bakkerud (Audi A1). Panis beats Sebastien Loeb (SLR AS 01) to win on the second day (video below). DA Racing collects third and fourth places with Nicolas Prost and Dubourg. Bakkerud is sixth. Clementine Lhoste makes the podium in the Elite final in day one and the Elite Super Finale on the second day. Former European Rallycross Champion Eddy Benezet places second in the Elite Super Finale driving a Nice Metropole on the first day.
7 December STARD takes the Projekt E rallycross car to the Rajd Barborka event in Warsaw. Rally star and some time rallycross driver Krzysztof Holowczyc drives the car during the event and also provides passenger rides for guests of the event.
7 December The second round of the Lydden Winter Rallycross Series ends with Belgian drivers taking the top three places. The evergreen Jos Sterkens (Ford Escort MkI) takes the event win ahead of compatriots Bart Coninx (Seat Ibiza) and Peter Byloos (Vauxhall Corsa). Earlier in the day Sterkens had won the Classic & Retro class. The two-wheel drive classes were won by Fred Ling (Fiesta) who dominated the over 1600cc section and was fastest in all three qualifiers before winning the final. Tomasz Wielgosz won the up to 1600cc final in which pole starter Chris Scott (Suzuki Swift) did not finish. Abbie McGuinness (VW Lupo) started on pole and won the Junior final ahead of Patrick O’Donovan and Alfie Porter (both Swift).
10 December RallyX on Ice will take place over a single event in March 2020 when the event forms a part of the multi discipline SM Veckan event. Hosted at Lulea between 25 and 31 March, the rallyX on Ice event will be staged on a course set out on the frozen river Lule on 28 March. Supercar Lites (RX2) will top the bill with other classes for Cross Car and Supernational cars.
11-12 December More potential competitors get to sample the Projekt E rallycross car as STARD runs the car for two days at Melk in Austria. World RX racer Krisztian Szabo, rally driver Marijan Griebel and Super1600 rallycrosser Lars Christian Rosland were among the drivers to test while Discovery Channel also took the opportunity to get to grips with the car.
Obituary We are sorry to report the death of UK-based Pole Tomasz Marciniak (50) who died on 10 December following complications from heart surgery. Having been successful in amateur rallies as a young man, Marciniak was among the first to try drifting when the sport arrived in Poland. After moving to the UK he drove in Targa rallies and autosolo events before meeting other expat Poles who were racing in rallycross and being convinced to try the sport. After winning the Stock Hatch class in his first event, Marciniak raced when work commitments allowed but never contested a full championship. We extend our sympathies to his wife Anna, daughter Agata and all his family and friends.
