Kumho-Shod cars dominate Quinton Stages Rally

Victory on last weekend’s Quinton Stages Rally – round 6 of the prestigious BTRDA Gold Star Rally Championship – went to the Kumho-shod Subaru Impreza WRC of Will Nicholls and Nick Broom.

Eager to score points after their recent engine failure, the team was quick out of the box and more than matching the stage times of reigning champion Hugh Hunter. As ever on these events, tyre choice was going to be crucial. For the third test Nicholls decided to run a harder compound Kumho R800 gravel rally tyre on the front compared with the rear of the Subaru, in an attempt to improve turn in on the corners. The gamble paid off as he was two seconds clear of the next fastest car; the Mitsubishi EVO 9 of David Wright/Michael Wilkinson that was also running on Kumho rubber. A series of spins had dropped Hunter down to third place – 14 seconds off the lead.

The Nicholls/Broom partnership was never headed during the event, enjoying a trouble-free run apart from a misfire due to spark plug failure on Stage 7. Nicholls reflected: “At times it was like towing a trailer with a 30-year old Transit!”

In the final tally, Kumho runners filled no less than three out of the top four places, with the Wright/Wilkinson Mitsubishi coming home third overall and first in the Group N category, and the Hyundai Accent WRC of Damian Cole/Patrick Walsh annexing fourth spot.

Said Kumho’s European Motorsport Manager Steve Thompson: “We are truly delighted at our rally results so far this year. Not only are our drivers achieving wins at all levels, but we have strength in depth to a degree we’ve never previously experienced.”

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