Cars That Go Fast: Carter Wins On Rallycross Debut...!

Carter Wins On Rallycross Debut...!
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Elton on 03 November, 2009 05:17:00
 
Northallerton motorsport Broadcaster and Journalist, Larry Carter emerged with
an unlikely victory after an epic encounter at this weekend's Get Connected/SG
Petch Rallycross Superprix held at his local Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire.
Making his rallycross debut in the rally-specification 1600cc MSR
Motorsport-prepared Peugeot 206 Super Cup car, Carter battled throughout
Saturday's Fuchs Lubricants Rallycross Open Championship to eventually claim a
fine third place in the Cartersport Rally Car category, sandwiching a quintet of
Mitsubishi Lancers to be the first 2WD car home.
But the highlight of the weekend came in the Division 1A class whereby a fourth
place finish in the opening heat behind the mighty Volvos of Ola Froshaug and
Don Shannon, and Gary Dixon's two-litre Astra, set the scene and a third place
behind new Super National champion Jamie Lea (Toyota MR2) and Shannon in heat
two saw Carter claim a front row slot for the 'B' Final.
A good start saw Carter out-dragged into Clervaux behind the more powerful BMWs
of Polish champion Witold Starobrat's E36 version and the 325 of Jonathan Bean.
Soon joining the leading trio was the Division 1A Citroen C2 of Tina Scott and
what followed was one of the closest races of the season.
Starobrat held sway over Carter but as the battle raged, the encounter became
increasingly physical as all four cars traded blows and swapped paintwork. Bean
put a move on Carter at the Chicane to move into second and by virtue of being
forced wide, Scott nipped through into third. Onto the final lap and still
nothing could separate the top four and into the hairpin, still it was anyone's
race but Starobrat held on ahead of Bean with Carter just out-dragging Scott to
the line to claim third and with it, victory by just three-tenths in Division
1A.
However, any hopes of repeating Saturday's heroics in Sunday's 2WD Superprix
were thwarted by the weather as torrential overnight rain continued into the
morning leaving the track flooded and despite finishing third in the opening
Rally Car heat, the Cartersport Motorsport Media and RWS Bodyworks-sponsored car
suffered a serious electrical problem when well placed in third position in the
first Superprix heat which proved ultimately to be terminal.
"I've not had so much fun in years" said Carter afterwards. "I've never raced
in rallycross before and thought we wouldn't disgrace ourselves but it was only
ever going to be a bit of fun and to come away with a first and third place
trophy is remarkable. We put some new suspension on the front of the car and
it's transformed it and conditions on Saturday were ideal, it's just a shame
about Sunday. What a race we had in the 'B' Final, I was dishing it out as much
as I was getting it and people were saying it was the best race of the weekend!
My previously pristine car is a little second hand, but it'll fix and we'll be
back next year, that's for sure! Thanks to the MSR Motorsport Team for their
hard work this weekend also."
Carter will next be in action on the Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally on
Monday 28th December 2009 and then the Jack Frost Stages Rally on Sunday 17th
January 2010.
Further information is available at www.rallycrosssuperprix.co.uk or
www.croftcircuit.co.uk
Picture attached courtesy of www.ianhardy.net