Rallies
Driver: Richard Chown
Age: 36
Location: Dunstable, Bedfordshire
Occupation: Senior Geotechnical Engineer - Geo Serv Ltd London - Specialist subsidence engineers for the insurance industry
I have always been a petrol head and have fond memories of tramping through the pitch black in the forest of Dean to watch the Lombard RAC rallies in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The sights and sounds of the Mk 2 escorts and then the Group B 205 T16 and metro 6R4s will live with me forever.
My first competitive experiences were relatively recent with some marshalling on road rallies in 2003. 2004 saw me team up with Mark and we ended up winning the ANEMCC and EMAMC road rally championships, with an outright win on the very foggy Cossack Rally. The following year saw us trying to defend our titles, but a few mechanical niggles and some navigating hiccups saw us relinquish our titles. 2006 saw us move onto the stages with the help of SPOOX motorsport, and the rest as they say is history.
Outside Rallying: When I'm not at work or out rallying, you'll usually find me on the golf course (if the Mrs will let me!!) or in the ABC Bar at Leicester Tigers cheering on the best rugby club in the world!!
Roll of Honour:
2004 ANEMCC Drivers champion
2004 Cossack Rally 1st overall
2006 Twyford Stages 2nd Class 2, 9th overall
2006 Rally of the Midlands 3rd Class 2, 12th overall
2007 Bill Cammack Memorial, Manby Airfield 2nd Class 3, 9th overall
Co Driver: Mark Wagstaff
Location: Littleover, Derby
Family: Married to Cathy -2 children (twins) Sam and Rosie
First Car: Datsun Cherry - wicked stuff !
First Rally: 061 Road Rally as a Driver in 1985 - finished 24th o/a in my standard 1300cc Fiesta Supersport!
Ralying
History: Started
rallying driving on Road Rallies in 1986 in a Chevette 1300cc. In those
days, Targa Timing was used and the navigators got the full route (usually around
200 miles) up to 2 hours or more before the crew left the start. Action
was usually fast and furious.
But times changed
and 1987 saw the end of those types of events. Managed to get an entry
of the very last "Motoring News" rounds (JJB Memorial Rally in Wales)
which was amazing with literally 1,000's of spectators all around the route all
night long.
More standard looking cars
followed suit in 1988 (although under the skin they were still very highly prepared)
and a few changes of navigators as the skill was now one
of plotting and bashing a route card on the move. By late 1989 John Chadwick
(Eastwood & DMC) was in man in the hot seat and top placing's (and awards)
started to come.
1995 saw us finish as ANEMMC Road Rally Champions. Then followed a few years rest and the rally car (a 205 1.6 GTi) was sold - still seen in action today! Until I decided to swop seats and have a go at the "hot seat" Navigators role! I teamed up first with fellow EDMC member Bob Marshall (in Bob's 1.6 rapid Corsa) and then Paul Davis (309 GTi) and managed to win several awards before teaming up with fellow Leicester Tigers fan, Richard Chown - in Richards 205 GTi 1.6.
The first season of 2004 together was truly amazing! A steady start to the season in the EMAMC and ANEMMC Road Rally Championships saw us clock up good results - and by the time summer came and the 2nd half of the Championships kicked in, top 5 results were starting to happen! By the end of the 2004 year, we had clocked up two 2nd o/a, several 4th and 5th o/a and a 1st O/a on the classic Cossack Rally. Which led me to winning both the EMAMC and the ANEMMC Road Rally Championship Navigators Titles !! Which means that I am the only person to have won the ANEMMC Road Rally Championship as both a Driver and a Navigator.
In 2005 we had a steady Road Rally season, doing less events and usually either finishing in the top 3 or 4 (a 2nd o/a again) or having a few car issues - broken driveshafts and drowning out in a deep ford. Though we still managed to finish 3rd o/a in the ANEMMC Championship.
For 2006 we decided that with technical backing from Spoox Motorsport, we would move on and upwards into Stage Rallies.
Other
Hobbies & Interests: Season ticket holder for Leicester Tigers
Rugby Club - that is how Richard & I met. Also
heavily involved in Club Motorsport - I am the Secretary of Eastwood & DMC as
well as the Treasurer of the ANEMMC Association.
Car Specification : Peugeot 205 with spoox Mi16 engine conversion
Peugeot 205:
Reinforced shell and suspension pickup points, seam welding to floor pan, subframe mounts and bulkhead, and welded in seat
railsFull PTS Forest Sumpguard & Tank Guards & Safety Devices 10 point Challenge cage,
Fuel and brake
lines inside shell to prevent damage
6mm reinforced Dural/Aluminium sumpguard
and tank guards.
Engine:
Spoox Motorsport Mi16 1905cc Engine with K&N filter, Standard top engine mounts with Spoox Motorsport
semi-solid lower engine mount
Gearbox:BE1 Box with Quaiffe ATB Diff
with 1.9 hubs and shafts - GE quickshift with new rods
Suspension
- Front:
Bilstein Coilovers on front (Gravel Inserts and 10 inch Gravel Springs)
with Group A top mounts and reinforcing plates. Standard Peugeot
wishbones with Polybushes
Suspension
- Rear:
Bilstein Tar dampers on rear
with forest (21mm) torsion bars, Group N beam mounts, Rear beam reconditioned
in July 2004.
Standard ride height front and back (increased by up to 25mm
depending on roughness of event), Group N stub axles on rear with refurbished
drums and shoes
Brakes:
206 GTi 180 Disc conversion on front
Wheels:15 inch 1.9 Alloys running 185/65 rubber (either Hankook
Inters or Yokohama A30 forest tyres)
Inside
Car: Momo dished steering
wheel, Corbeau
Sprint Kevlar/fiberglass composite seats (side mounted), 5 point 3 inch Luke
harnesses, Terratrip meter and several maplights, Electric cut off switch,full
FIA fire extinguisher system, air horn foot operated by co-driver, intercom
system
