Welsh Wizard Evans Wins For TEG Sport With Gould On The Podium Also

Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship news from TEG Sport

Following on from his podium finish on the opening round, TEG Sport team driver Elfyn Evans took his maiden win in the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship with a brilliant victory on the Bulldog International Rally of North Wales.

Driving the Pirelli-sponsored Subaru Impreza and in only his second ever event in a four-wheel drive car, the 22-year-old Welshman from Dolgellau and fellow Welsh co driver Andrew Edwards saw off championship leader David Bogie to take victory by 17.7 seconds after easing off on the final two stages to ensure the winner's spoils on his local event.

There was more podium success for the Carnforth-based TEG Sport team as they made it a double podium with Bristol driver Adam Gould and co driver Sebastian Marshall surviving a late scare with a broken oil cooler to clinch third in their Subaru.

Gould led the rally for the opening four stages before Evans grabbed the lead on SS5 and held the advantage for the remaining six stages as he fended off both Bogie and Gould.

With nearly half a minute advantage going into the final two tests, Evans eased the pace to give him and the TEG Sport team their first International victory since Keith Cronin clinched the British Championship title for himself and the team on last September's International Rally Yorkshire.

It was very nearly a one-two but team-mate Adam Gould slowed when he suffered the oil cooler problem which necessitated him to extinguish a small under-bonnet fire at the end of the stage but worse still was he had to drive steadily through the final test, dropping half a minute in the process.

At the Welshpool finish, an elated Evans said: "I tried to take it easy on the car and I'm delighted with the result. I didn't come with the intention of having to win and I'm surprised it has come so soon. It's a long championship and we'll take it one rally at a time but now I've won, I hope to continue the trend. Thanks to Pirelli and the TEG Sport team and also to my father Gwyndaf who helped me with set up as it's really helped the car. I feel there's more to come from both me and the car and I'm grateful for this opportunity."

For Gould, it was a case of what might have been following a promising showing: "I'm really lucky to make the finish as I wasn't sure what the problem was, I just saw lots of smoke under the bonnet and had to take the extinguisher to it. As a result, I just coasted through the last stage and made sure we got the car to the finish. After leading the rally, third place isn't what I wanted but it wasn't our day today. It's one place better than Rallye Sunseeker so I guess we should take consolation in that."

TEG Sport team owner Stuart Newby said afterwards: "What a brilliant day for Elfyn, he drove magnificently. We made quite a few changes to his car and the results have paid off. Adam was unlucky to break the oil cooler on the penultimate stage but he really showed his pace today and but for a bit of bad luck, we could have been first and second."

The next round of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship takes place with the Pirelli International Rally based in Carlisle on April 30th, 2011.

Results
1 Elfyn Evans/Andrew Edwards, Subaru Impreza, 1:21:15.4
2 David Bogie/Kevin Rae, Mitsubishi Evo, 1:21:33.1
3 Adam Gould/Sebastian Marshall, Subaru Impreza, 1:21:59.6
4 Jonathan Greer/Dai Roberts, Skoda Fabia S2000, 1:22:20.1
5 Jason Tauber Pritchard/Robbie Durant, Subaru Impreza 1:22:29.9
6 Tom Clark/Alistair Wyllie, Subaru Impreza, 1:25:56.4
7 Mark Donnelly/Barry McNulty, Renault Clio Maxi, 1:26:25.3
8 Martin McCormack/David Moynihan/Citroen DS3, 1:26:32.1
9, Craig Breen/Gareth Roberts, Ford Fiesta R2, 1:27:53.1
10, Callum Black/Paul Wakely, Suzuki Swift S1600, 1:29:05.0