A tribute video to the legendary Kurt Caselli who lost his life yesterday at the Baja 1000 by MIKEDGAF1503.
There are some conflicting reports about the accident, but whatever the true circumstances turn out to be it is a very sad day indeed. Thoughts and condolences to his fiancée and all of his friends and family.
I was lucky enough to meet him on a few occasions in California and in Salzburg and was touched each time by his warm personality, huge smile, positivity and kind words. He seemed to have this effect on everybody he met and I am sure he will be missed and remembered with fondness by all.
I asked some kids at a Glen Helen WORCS race a few years ago who their favourite rider was and they all said without fail, Kurt Caselli. He won on that day too as he did so often. RIP.
Hugo Payen, le célèbre dossard 69 du Dakar moto, sera encore soutenu par son partenaire Marc Dorcel pour l'édition 2014. Anna Polina, égérie du géant du X, sera la marraine de la course et a pour l'occasion posé à côté de l'engin du motard.
Hugo Payen et Anna Polina réunis autour de la Yamaha 450YZF, voilà ce que proposent les clichés Marc Dorcel tirés pour honorer la nouvelle collaboration entre le motard et son sponsor sur ceDakar 2014. Deux cocktails de départ seront organisés en présence des deuX protagonistes les 15 et 16 novembre prochains respectivement dans les DorcelStore de Nantes et de Rennes.
Une collaboration eXceptionnelleL'aventure coquine entre Hugo Payen et Marc Dorcel a commencé en 2010. A l'époque, le motard sollicite le géant du X via une de ses boutiques dont il est le voisin. La collaboration entre les deuX parties s'avère fructueuse. Hugo Payen, affublé d'un dossard 69 évocateur et sponsorisé par ce partenaire particulier, se fait remarquer sur les routes du Dakar 2011. Les éditions suivantes ne démentiront pas ce succès, d'autant que le participant remporte la catégorie « malles moto »(qui ne prévoit aucune assistance sur la course).
Un ultime Dakar en proFort de cette eXpérience plus que concluante, Hugo Payen a décidé pour le Dakar 2014, qui sera son dernier, de passer en catégorie pro. La maison Marc Dorcel est plus que jamais derrière son poulain. Pour son huitième rallye, le motard voyagera cette fois avec une équipe d'assistance armée d'un pick up et d'un barnum.
Anna Polina dans tous ses étatsPour l'occasion, Marc Dorcel a même prêté son égérie, la sublime Anna Polina, pour servir de marraine de la course. L'actrice sera présente auX côtés d'Hugo Payen lors des cocktails de départ organisés dans les DorcelStore de Nantes le 15 novembre et de Rennes le 16 novembre, à partir de 18h.
A bord de la Kawasaki ZX 10 R de Horst Saiger pour 30 min d’adrénaline pure à Macao , une course de folie parmi les plus dangereuses du monde où les guerriers de la courses du Tourist Trophy aiment se retrouver bien sûr !
The third leg of the 2013 Wales Rally GB was dominated by VW Polo R WRC/Michelin. This evening’s leaderboard is topped by Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala, while Thierry Neuville (Ford), Andreas Mikkelsen (VW) and Mads Ostberg (Ford) are scrapping hard for third place.
Today’s programme (Saturday) took competitors into the Snowdonia National Park where the day’s five ‘real’ stages were organised.
After an initial visit to Gartheiniog and Dyfi early this morning, they contested the same two tests another time before moving on to Dyfnant (SS14, 21.34km), while the day closed with two attempts at the Chirk Castle spectator stage (SS15/16, 2.06km). That made seven stages totalling 98.42km with no opportunity to service in between.
The Stop Control at the end of SS14 was probably the hardest of the rally, and the entire championship, to reach. It necessitated a 10-kilometre drive through Dyfnant Forest along lanes that were barely wider than our car. The last part took us along a narrow dirt track and over the Afon Cownwy stream before the control came into view at last.
Meanwhile, competitors were busy finishing with SS12 and 13 where Volkswagen/Michelin claimed a one-two-three and a one-two on Gartheiniog (Latvala-Ogier-Mikkelsen) and Dyfi (Latvala-Ogier) respectively.
The Finn went on to score his third fastest time in a row on Dyfnant: “I’m struggling in the morning on gravel. I’m okay on asphalt but I have trouble getting into a rhythm on dirt. That’s something I will need to look at for next year…”
Ogier was almost eight seconds slower than his team-mate, yet he didn’t appear to be concerned: “I can afford to drop a few seconds, but we didn’t go well on that one, just as we didn’t in 2011.” Even so, the Frenchman’s overnight cushion over Latvala this evening amounts to 20.3 seconds, with 52 competitive kilometres remaining...
Neuville is now fighting to save third spot from the assaults of Norwegians Mikkelsen and Ostberg, and the latter was only one second off the best time on SS14. “My dad told me to go flat out and you should always listen to your dad!” joked the Ford driver who is provisionally fifth overall, 7.3s adrift of Mikkelsen and 27.3s behind Neuville.
Mikkelsen probably deserves the Drive of the Day prize after claiming two fastest times: “Yeah, it’s been a good day for me and I have moved up four places.”
VW’s youngster closed to within less than 20s of Neuville on SS14: “We were in a bit of a rush before the stage and I just had time to put my helmet on before the start,” explained the Belgian driver. “I didn’t have a good rhythm to begin with.”
WRC-2 pace-setter Elfyn Evans (Ford/Michelin) went ‘straight on’ twice on Dyfnant, “The most slippery stage of the day!” The Welshman is still comfortably clear of Jari Ketomaa and Mark Higgins at the top of the class’s classification.
In the WRC-3 battle, Quentin Gilbert (Citroën DS3 R3) didn’t take long to recover top spot after dropping three minutes on Friday.
La troisième journée du Wales Rally GB 2013 a vu la domination des VW Polo R WRC/Michelin avec cinq meilleurs temps sur sept. Demain, Sébastien Ogier et Jari-Matti Latvala (+20s3) vont se disputer la victoire, alors que Thierry Neuville (Ford), Andreas Mikkelsen (VW) et Mads Ostberg (Ford) seront en pleine bagarre pour la troisième place.
La 3e étape emmenait les concurrents aux confins du Pays de Galles, près du parc national de Snowdonia, où les trois « vraies » spéciales du jour étaient tracées.
Après avoir parcouru Gartheiniog et Dyfi ce matin et observé une courte pause à Corris, les pilotes ont enchaîné par un second passage dans ces deux ES, avant de disputer Dyfnant (ES14, 21,34 km) puis deux tours sur le parvis de Chirk Castle (ES15/16, 2,06 km) en remontant vers Deeside. Les voitures ont quitté le parc ce matin à partir de 6h15 et ont enchaîné 98,42 km chronométrés et sept spéciales sans assistance.
Le point stop de l’ES14 est peut-être le plus difficile d’accès du Wales Rally GB 2013, voire du championnat, avec une dizaine de kilomètres à travers la forêt de Dyfnant sur des routes guère plus larges que la voiture et bordées de hauts talus. Puis l’asphalte laisse place à un chemin étroit qui enjambe une dernière fois le ruisseau Afon Cownwy avant de s’enfoncer dans un méli-mélo de sapins, de ronces, de lichens et de fougères.
Pendant que nous progressions à tâtons, les concurrents ont bouclé les ES12 et 13 où les pilotes Volkswagen/Michelin se sont encore mis en évidence avec un triplé Latvala-Ogier-Mikkelsen dans Gartheiniog et un doublé Latvala-Ogier dans Dyfi.
Survolté, le Finlandais a signé un 3e meilleur temps d’affilée dans Dyfnant : « C’est ça, je ne suis jamais bien réveillé les matins… Sur l’asphalte ça va, mais sur la terre, j’ai du mal à me mettre dans le rythme. Je vais devoir solutionner ça l’année prochaine. »
A près de huit secondes de son équipier dans l’ES14, le leader Sébastien Ogier n’était pas inquiet pour autant : « Je peux me permettre d’en lâcher quelques-unes, mais on n’était pas bien ici, comme en 2011 d’ailleurs. » Ce soir, Ogier est leader avec 20s3 d’avance sur Latvala. L’écart était de 20s1 ce matin !
Thierry Neuville est quant à lui en pleine bagarre pour la 3e place avec les deux Norvégiens Andreas Mikkelsen et Mads Ostberg. Dans l’ES14, le pilote Ford a raté le meilleur temps pour une petite seconde : « Mon père m’a dit d’y aller à bloc et je l’ai écouté. Il faut toujours écouter son père, enfin pas toujours… » plaisantait Mads qui pointe à la 5e place à 7s3 de Mikkelsen et 27s3 de Neuville.
Andreas Mikkelsen fut peut-être l’homme du jour avec deux meilleurs temps : « C’était une bonne journée en effet où j’ai gagné quatre places au général. » Le pilote WV est revenu à tout juste 20 secondes de Neuville : « On était à la bourre au départ de l’ES14, j’ai juste eu le temps de mettre le casque et hop... Je n’étais pas dans le rythme au début », expliquait le pilote belge qui défend chèrement sa position.
En WRC-2, Elfyn Evans (Ford/Michelin) a fait deux tout-droit sur des freinages : « C’est la plus glissante du jour. » Le Gallois est toujours leader de la catégorie devant Jari Ketomaa et Mark Higgins. En WRC-3, Quentin Gilbert (Citroën DS3 R3) n’a pas mis longtemps pour reprendre la tête ce matin.
Norway’s Andreas Mikkelsen, 24, made his world rally debut in Wales in 2006 driving a Ford Focus WRC. Like Neuville, Evans, Lappi and Tidemand, he belongs to a generation of talented young drivers who have grown up with new technologies and a connected world.
Through his manager, press officer, website, Facebook page, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram accounts, Andreas Mikkelsen is someone who looks after his image. He’s already got 64,780 ‘likes’, while he could easily be mistaken for a model or an actor given his good looks. Like his VW team-mate Sébastien Ogier, he could have become a professional skier, but fate drew him to a career in rallying…
In 2006, at the age of 17, Andreas left Oslo to sit his driving test in Great Britain before winning his first event – the Quinton Stages Rally – several days later obtaining his licence. He made his WRC debut the same year in a Ford Focus WRC: “I remember it well, but I went off on the last stage. I was battling with Harri Rovanperä.”
After that first taste of the WRC, he returned to Norway to try his hand in a Group N Mitsubishi Lancer. Then, in 2010, he contested selected rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge driving a Ford Fiesta S2000. His performance attracted the interest of Skoda and that led to his recruitment by Skoda UK with whom he won the IRC title in 2012.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen was preparing for its WRC programme and entered a Skoda Fabia S2000 for Mikkelsen on certain rounds of the championship with a view to grooming him for the factory team in 2013. “I drove the VW Polo R WRC for the first time in Portugal where I had a new co-driver and a new pace notes system. My mission for the season was to cover as many kilometres and stages as possible, work on the car for the future and gain experience. There were a few times when I was asked to push a little harder, like in Greece, Sardinia and Spain, and I managed to win a few stages.”
“I have made a great deal of progress and I believe I have the potential, but I still need more consistency. In fact, what impresses me the most about the top drivers is their ability to go fast for a long time,” admits Andreas. “I’ve obviously still got lots of work to do but everything is in place now for me to succeed.”
“In 2014, I will do the complete world championship with Volkswagen and the aim will be to score some top results. I would like to fight for the podium on occasions, get closer to my team-mates and resume the great fights I used to have with Thierry Neuville in our IRC days. I am pleased for him that he has signed for Hyundai.”
Le Norvégien Andreas Mikkelsen (24 ans) avait débuté sa carrière mondiale au Wales Rally GB 2006 à l’âge de 17 ans seulement au volant d’une Ford Focus WRC. Comme, Neuville, Evans, Lappi, Tidemand, Andreas fait partie de la génération « Y » du WRC, des jeunes pilotes talentueux qui ont grandi avec les nouvelles technologies et qui sont hyper connectés.
Manager, attaché de presse, site internet, page Facebook, comptes Twitter, Youtube et Instagram… Andreas Mikkelsen soigne sa communication autant que son image. 64 780 personnes sont déjà « amis » de cet esthète norvégien aux yeux d’acier balayés par une mèche rebelle. Il aurait pu être mannequin, ou acteur… Comme son équipier Sébastien Ogier, il aurait aussi pu embrasser une carrière de skieur professionnel. Mais c’est vers le rallye que le destin l’a emmené…
A 17 ans, Andreas a quitté Oslo pour passer son permis de conduire en Grande-Bretagne avant de remporter son premier rallye – Quinton Stages Rally - quelques jours plus tard. Il a débuté cette même année en Championnat du monde au volant d’une Ford Focus WRC : « J’en garde de beaux souvenirs malgré une sortie de route dans la dernière spéciale. Je me battais avec Harri Rovanperä. »
Andreas a suivi un parcours inverse de ses camarades : après des débuts mondiaux sur une WRC, il est rentré au pays pour se frotter à la concurrence sur une Mitsubishi Lancer Gr.N. En 2010, Andreas a disputé quelques épreuves de l’Intercontinental Rally Challenge sur une Ford Fiesta S2000. Remarqué par Skoda, il a intégré l’équipe officielle Skoda UK avec laquelle il a décroché le titre IRC 2012.
Parallèlement, Volkswagen l’a engagé en Mondial sur une Skoda Fabia S2000 dans l’idée de l’intégrer au team officiel en 2013. « J’ai débuté sur la VW Polo R WRC au Rallye du Portugal, avec un nouveau copilote et un nouveau système de notes. Mes objectifs cette saison étaient clairs : parcourir le plus de kilomètres et de spéciales possibles, travailler sur la voiture pour le futur, prendre de l’expérience sur tous les terrains. Parfois, l’équipe m’a demandé de pousser un peu plus, comme en Grèce, en Sardaigne ou en Espagne. J’ai ainsi pu réaliser quelques temps scratch. »
« J’ai beaucoup progressé. Je pense avoir le potentiel, mais je manque encore de constance. C’est d’ailleurs ce qui m’impressionne le plus chez les top-pilotes : leur capacité à aller très vite et très longtemps », reconnaît Andreas. « Il me reste beaucoup de travail, évidemment, mais j’ai toutes les cartes en main pour réussir. »
« En 2014, je disputerai un championnat complet avec Volkswagen et l’objectif sera de signer de bons résultats. J’aimerais jouer le podium sur quelques manches, me rapprocher de mes équipiers et reprendre mes belles bagarres de l’IRC avec Thierry Neuville. Je suis heureux pour lui qu’il ait signé chez Hyundai avec de belles perspectives à moyen terme. »
Mostly the stories we get in the shed are in-depth tales of all the technical work that went into a build, but every now and then its just a darn good yarn about how the bike began its life. In the case of A&G Cafe Racer’s “Gert”, is definitely the latter.
The starting point for this ‘Muscle bike’ project was a GPz1100. They found one in Portsmouth on the south coast of the UK, and on a perfect winter’s day in late Jan the guys set off from Nantwich in Cheshire in a hired transit van. With ‘Gert’ (named after a Great Aunt Gertrude) safely secured in the back of the van, the clear blue sky became dark and stormy, and within the hour a snow storm was upon them, blizzard conditions, thunder and lightning, zero visibility. The guys soldiered on valiantly into the night; but were eventually defeated by one particularly vicious incline, and they were forced to take refuge in a local pub. This is when all sympathy is lost as the hand-pulled ales and home cooking appear to have done a fine job of helping the guys get over the effects of the traumatic journey, and also gave them some ‘inspiration’ for the build itself.
Back in the warmth of the workshop in Nantwich, complete with raging hangovers, the work started in earnest. The bike was stripped back to the bone and the motor was removed. One look at the top end revealed that this Zwaka had had an easy life up to now. So the first job was to chop the frame and measure up for the alloy tank and tail. “Mick the Tank” handmade all the stunning alloy on the bike. The front mudguard would look as much at home in a gallery as it does hugging the front tyre. Unfortunately the wiring loom wasn’t in such good condition as the engine, so a complete new loom was required which was a major headache for Al (you sure that wasn’t the real ale?) . GPz1100 B1’s are fuel injected, but Gert had a Carb conversion so all the injection wiring had to be removed which was extremely complex. The carburettors were crying out for bell mouths, so George sourced them and machined up some beautiful aluminium adaptors. The Harris Race System needed some attention too, so they had it powder coated black and tracked down a racing baffle. The result is visual and aural perfection. The rearsets are from a CBR1000 which were modified to suit, along with special adaptor plates. A&G do all their own powder coating, and from what we can see in the photos, they’re a dab hand at it.
From stormy beginnings to a shiny alloy work of art, Gert’s been on some journey. The hours that have gone into this build are plain to see, but as is often the case it’s the stories behind these bikes, the things you can’t see that provide the ingredients for what this scene is all about – good old fashioned banter down the pub with like minded mates. Thanks for the bike guys, and thanks for the story.
Welsh is a colourful Celtic tongue which pre-dates English. It shares its roots with the language spoken in Brittany and many words are similar to modern-day French. For visitors, however, many place names are unpronounceable. We tried to uncover the meaning behind the some of the places visited by this weekend’s rally…
The internet served as an initial source of information, and we also asked some Welsh speakers on the event. In certain cases, they were left scratching their head. Elfyn Evans was quizzed, too. He lives in Dolgellau, Mid Wales, but even he couldn’t fill in the remaining blanks.
If any of our visitors can help, don’t hesitate to let us know!
Gwydyr (SS1): This forest takes its name from Gwydyr castle, ancestral home of the Wynn family. The different interpretations of the word include ‘field of blood’, because the Wynns are said to have bought the castle with money made as mercenaries!
Penmachno (SS2): ‘Pen’ means ‘head of’, so this signifies the upper reaches of the Machno River, a tributary of the River Conwy, which reaches the sea near the rally’s start venue.
Clocaenog (SS3/19): A mystery word, I’m afraid.
Hafren (SS4/7): Another mystery.
Sweet Lamb (SS5/8): This name was chosen by the rally complex’s founder. It is taken from a poem (The War Song of Dinas Vawr) featured in an Arthurian novel by Thomas Love Peacock (The Misfortunes of Elphin) in 1829. It talks about sheep-stealing by invading armies. “The mountain sheep are sweeter, but the valley sheep are fatter. We therefore deemed it meeter [better], to carry off the latter.”
Myherin (SS6/9): Another mystery, especially as ‘Myherin’ visits Tarenig Forest.
Gartheiniog (SS10/12): Mystery.
Dyfi (SS11/13): This is the Welsh spelling of the short River Dovey which flows through Mid Wales to the Irish Sea.
Dyfnant (SS14/17): ‘Nant’ means small stream. It refers to the moorland near the River Dovey’s source.
Chirk Castle (SS15/16): The original 13th Century castle was built next the River Ceiriog (or Keyroc). ‘Chirk’ is believed to be a corruption of this name.
Penllyn (SS18): ‘Pen’ means ‘head of’ and ‘Llyn’ means ‘lake’, so… ‘head of the lake’.
Kinmel Park (SS20/21): Another mystery, especially as the letter ‘K’ does not exist in Welsh.
Great Orme (SS22): There are two headlands near Llandudno: Great and Little Orme. The name ‘Orme’ is actually of Viking origin and means ‘sea serpent’. The Vikings thought the peninsular resembled the head of a sea serpent when seen from the sea.
Llandudno (finish venue): ‘Llan’ means church, the ‘church of Saint Tudno’. The 13th century chapel on Great Orme is located where Tudno – a 7th Century missionary – is said to have lived in a cave.
One last name, just for fun… As our British visitors will know, on the island of Anglesey near Llandudno is the village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch! Translation? Saint Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of Saint Tysilio of the red cave.
Le gallois est une langue celte très colorée, antérieure à l’anglais, qui n’est pas sans rappeler le breton. D’ailleurs, beaucoup de mots gallois sont similaires à ceux de la langue française actuelle. Nous avons traduit pour vous le nom de certaines spéciales du Wales Rally GB 2013.
Pour cela, on a demandé de l’aide à nos amis Gallois. Mais même pour eux, ce n’est pas évident. Elfyn Evans, par exemple, habite à Dolgellau, au cœur du Pays de Galles, mais il n’a pas pu répondre à toutes nos questions.
Gwydyr (ES1) : « Le nom de cette forêt vient du Château de Gwydyr, demeure de la famille Wynn. On pourrait traduire par « terre de sang » car les Wynns avaient acheté le château avec l’argent de leurs crimes. »
Penmachno (ES2) : « Pen signifie « tête de », donc ça pourrait vouloir dire au-dessus de la rivière Machno, un affluent de la rivière Conwy qui se jette dans la mer tout près de Deeside.
Clocaenog (ES3/19) : Un mystère, désolé !
Hafren (SS4/7) : Un autre mystère !
Sweet Lamb (SS5/8) : « Ce nom a été choisi par les concepteurs de ce complexe de rallye. Il vient d’un poème (The War Song of Dinas Vawr) tiré d’un roman arthurien de Thomas Love Peacock (The Misfortunes of Elphin,1829) qui parle de vol d’ouailles par des envahisseurs. « Les moutons de montagne sont plus doux, mais les moutons de vallée sont plus gros. Nous avons jugé mieux de prendre ce dernier. »
(ES6/9) : Un autre mystère, d’autant que Myherin traverse la Tarenig Forest
Gartheiniog (ES10/12) : Mystère également
Dyfi (ES11/13) : C’est le nom gallois de la petite rivière Dovey qui s’écoule du cœur du Pays de Galles jusqu’à la Mer d’Irlande.
Dyfnant (ES14/17) : « Nant » signifie petit ruisseau, en référence à la lande près de la source de la rivière Dovey
Chirk Castle (ES15/16) : Le château du 13e siècle a été bâti près de la rivière Ceiriog (ou Keyroc). « Chirk » serait une déformation de ce mot.
Penllyn (ES18) : « Pen » signifie « tête de » et « Llyn » veut dire « lac », donc…
Kinmel Park (ES20/21) : Un autre mystère, surtout que la lettre K n’existe pas en gallois !
Great Orme (ES22) : Il y a deux promontoires près de Llandudno : Great et Little Orme. Le nom Orme a des origines vikings et signifie « serpent de mer ». Les Vikings trouvaient que la péninsule ressemblait à une tête de serpent vu de la mer.
Llandudno (arrivée) : « Llan » signifie « église », donc l’église de Saint Tudno. La chapelle du 13e siècle de Great Orme est située où Tudno – un missionnaire du 7e siècle – est supposé avoir vécu dans une grotte.
Following a teaser released earlier this week, Mercedes-Benz has revealed the 2014 SLS AMG GT Final Edition.
The last hurrah for the SLS will be built in a limited series of 350 units which will feature the same V8 6.3-liter engine from the regular SLS AMG GT version outputting 591 HP (435 kW).
This special edition is distinguished by a carbon fiber hood and front splitter, along with a redesigned front bumper and new brakes. We also notice the updated rear wing and carbon side mirror housings, while the light surrounds have been darkened.
A replacement for the SLS has already been announced and will likely come out in 2014 wearing the "SLC" moniker. Codenamed "C190", it will be smaller than the SLS and is expected to receive a newly developed V8 4.0-liter twin-turbo rated at 493 bhp (327 kW) that will also power the next-gen C63 AMG.
Full details about the SLS AMG GT Final Edition will be disclosed next week when the car will get its public outing at the Los Angeles and Tokyo motor shows where it will be showcased alongside the S65 AMG.
Saturday’s Wales Rally GB action visits the forested mountains east of Dolgellau where the local hero is undoubtedly this weekend’s provisional WRC-2 pace-setter, Elfyn Evans. He is the son of Gwyndaf, but his rise up the sport’s ladder means he is recognised increasingly for his driving ability rather than his filial ties. Aged just 24, he is one of the fastest and smartest drivers of his generation.
It’s difficult to believe that Elfyn Evans was just another J-WRC hopeful barely a year ago. Since clinching last year’s Junior crown, though, he has lost no time becoming a regular face on the world championship, either in a Ford Fiesta R5 or, as in Sardinia, behind the wheel of a WRC car.
He grew up in Dinas Mawddwg which sits almost within walking distance of classic Rally GB stages such as Dyfi and Gertheiniog, so it is little wonder he was attracted to rallying, not to mention the influence of his dad’s own remarkable pedigree in the sport (1996 British Champion). “I was always interested, and my spectating days started when I was three or four years old,” recalls the youngster, “but it was only at the age of 16 or 17 that I really felt the urge to push.”
Dad, who runs a Ford dealership in Dolgellau, spotted Elfyn’s natural talent much earlier, however: “When he was 11, he could perform reverse flicks and handbrake turns in old cars. I never pushed him, though. Personally, I would have preferred him to take up soccer; it would have cost me less! I didn’t take much notice when he started competing. I was happy he was enjoying himself but under no illusions. I told him that if he didn’t dominate, he should forget about a career. He kept doing well, but it was a message I repeated frequently. Indeed, in 2012, his 2013 programme rested on the result of his J-WRC campaign. And it’s still like that. Today is possibly the toughest period of all as he tries to move on to the next step…”
With the final round of the 2013 WRC passing so close to home, it’s no surprise to see the Evans family out in force this weekend’. Even his grandmother says she will be “in the woods” today. “I follow Elfyn’s results closely,” she smiles. “Rallying is a way of life in our family and I am very proud of him, of course. But I’m more than 80 now, so I sometimes get a little nervous when he’s competing.”
It’s not just the Evans family that follows Elfyn’s career. Unsurprisingly, he is something of a local celebrity. Out of interest, we quizzed Emma who works at the Ffynnon Hotel where we are staying in Dolgellau… “Ever heard of him? I went to school with him!” she reveals. “We always believed he would succeed as a driver, and we always buy our cars from his dad’s garage!”
Very soon, if Elfyn manages to put together a good programme for 2014, it is highly probable that his reputation will soon take off internationally, too!
Aujourd’hui, les spéciales du Wales Rally GB traversent les forêts près de Dolgellau, chez Elfyn Evans, le leader du WRC-2, qui s’est fait un prénom dans la discipline après les nombreuses victoires de son père Gwyndaf. A 24 ans, Elfyn semble promis à un bel avenir.
Il est difficile d’imaginer qu’Elfyn était encore en championnat WRC Academy l’an passé. Après avoir décroché le titre, sa carrière a fait un bond en avant cette année. Elfyn est désormais considéré comme un pilote du WRC sur une Ford Fiesta R5, ou une Fiesta RS WRC comme en Sardaigne.
Elfyn a grandi à Dinas Mawddwg, un petit village au bord de l’A470, tout près des spéciales de Dyfi et de Gertheiniog, des classiques du Rally GB. Pas étonnant alors que ce gamin fut attiré par le rallye, sans même parler de la carrière de son père (Champion britannique 1996, quatre fois vice-champion…). « Le rallye m’a toujours intéressé. Je devais avoir trois ou quatre ans quand j’ai assisté à mon premier rallye en spectateur. Mais c’est à 16 ou 17 ans que tout a vraiment commencé. »
Son père, concessionnaire Ford Dolgellau, avait remarqué les aptitudes du fiston bien avant : « A 11 ans, il maîtrisait déjà parfaitement le demi-tour en marche arrière et les freins à main sur de vieilles voitures. Je ne l’ai jamais poussé. Personnellement, j’aurais préféré qu’il joue au foot, ça m’aurait coûté moins cher ! »
« En 2006 quand Elfyn a disputé la F1000 Cup sur une Nissan Micra, j’étais heureux de le voir s’amuser, sans autres prétentions. Je lui ai dit que si les résultats ne suivaient pas, on arrêtait tout. Je le lui ai répété en Fiesta ST Trophy, et puis comme ça tous les ans. En 2012, il avait beau être en WRC Academy, je n’avais pas changé de principe : dans les premiers, ou stop… Aujourd’hui, passer à l’étape supérieure est peut-être le moment le plus crucial… »
Le Wales Rally GB passant si près du fief des Evans, il n’est pas surprenant de voir toute la famille réunie autour d’Elfyn ce week-end. Même sa grand-mère est dans les spéciales aujourd’hui ! « Comme son père Gwyndaf, je suis mon petit-fils de très près. Le rallye, ça fait partie de notre vie, et je suis très fière d’Elfyn évidemment. Mais j’ai plus de 80 ans aujourd’hui, et je suis un peu nerveuse quand il est en course. »
Elfyn est un héros local. Emma, qui travaille au Ffynnon Hotel, nous a dit qu’elle avait été à l’école avec Elfyn « Si je le connais, bien sûr ! On était dans la même école, pas dans la même classe car on a un an d’écart. On savait tous qu’il réussirait comme pilote… Et puis on achète toujours nos voitures au garage de son père. »
Elfyn aura peut-être un programme très intéressant pour 2014 et sa carrière pourrait vraiment décoller. A suivre…
We love classic cars. We love their engines, their styling, their smell – and their character. Whether you currently own a vintage car, are planning to buy one, or have just dreamed about it, I think we can all agree that the cars of yesterday offer something that you just can’t find in today’s high tech machines.
In the world of our car hobby, there are few things more rewarding then finding an old beat-up vehicle and breathing new life into it. It’s the kind of thing lots of car enthusiasts live for. Whether it’s some simple refreshing to get an old car back on the road, or tearing one down for a complete rebuild, a classic car represents a wealth of opportunities depending on your budget, spare time, and mechanical ability.
But as with any car project, there are some questions that need to be answered before the wrenches start turning. What do you want from your classic car? A factory restoration is the most traditional choice. It will probably be most beneficial to the car’s value, and there’s always something to be said for a period correct throwback to the way motoring was done in the past.
But if you go this route, there are going to be some drawbacks. Even with a full restoration, your old car will still drive like, well, an old car. Acceleration, braking, handling, fuel economy and reliability may seem very lacking, especially to someone who is used to driving newer, more technologically-advanced automobiles.
So in that case, you might instead to choose to completely modify your vintage car. Whether you’re driving on the street or race track, you can go for a modern engine swap, upgrade the suspension and install bigger brakes with large wheels and tires and so forth. If you do things right, you’ll have a classic car that drives like something a lot newer.
But then again, is the car really a classic at that point? It might look like one, but some might say that if you wanted the performance and reliability of a new car, you should have just gone and bought one. I love a thoroughly modernized classic, but I do agree that having all the high tech bits takes some of the adventure out of things.
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The challenge then, is to try and find the middle ground. A classic car that can be improved in the right areas without taking away all the stuff that made us fall in love with it in the first place. The 1971 Toyota Celica you see here is a perfect example of this.
The car is owned by Southern California’s Jorge Aguilera, and when I saw it at Toyotafest in Long Beach this year I fell in love with it. It was the complete package, and after a few seconds of surveying its eye-catching green bodywork and mechanical bits I knew we had a feature car on our hands. A call was made to Larry Chen and now we have the images you see here.
Jorge is part of a tight-knit group of SoCal Toyota enthusiasts, and he’s owned the Celica for seven years now. When he first brought the old Toyota home, his wife wasn’t too pleased (I think we’re all familiar with that), but in the time since, he’s created what is surely one of most impressive first generation Celicas this side of Tokyo.
The Celica was a big deal when it went on sale in the United States during 1971. It offered the scaled-down looks of a Camaro or Mustang, sports car moves and the fuel economy and reliability that Japanese imports were quickly becoming known for. It also turns out that these early model Celicas would be the best looking of the bunch – before ‘the man’ intervened with his 5mph crash laws and the gigantic bumpers that came with them.
In addition to having those great first year lines, Jorge also outfitted the body of his Celica with a few period correct modifications that make a big difference to the look. There’s a subtle front chin spoiler and a set of Japanese market fender mirrors…
… along with set of over fenders that give the svelte Celica just the right amount of 1970s toughness. Combine that with the paintwork done by Jorge’s close friend Sid and you’ve pretty much got the perfect exterior.
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But it’s not just the exterior that makes this car so good. In North America, the early Celicas were only offered with single overhead cam engines that, while decent for their time, paled in comparison to the more exotic DOHC engines available in Japan.
This wouldn’t be the last time American market cars got the short end of the stick when it came to engine choices, but no problem though because like many old school Toyota enthusiasts, Jorge swapped in a twin cam 18R-G motor that made the Daruma Celica such a hit in Japan.
But he didn’t stop there. For some extra power, he outfitted the 18-RG with a T3/T4 turbocharger with a custom piping and intercooler set-up. While this doesn’t make the Celica a wheel stander or tire destroyer, it’s still a huge improvement over what the car made from the factory.
But more importantly, I just think there’s something cool about popping the hood and seeing that old school twin cam engine with a snail attached to it. There are any number of modern Japanese powerplants Jorge could have gone with while looking for more power and reliability – but I very much like this combination. It looks like something you might have seen at at a tuning house back in the early ’80s.
The engine is mated to a five-speed transmission and to handle the additional power that the car is putting down, the rear differential has been upgraded to one from a ’79 Supra.
Inside the car, you’ll find the same great balance of classic style and functional upgrades – and that’s a good thing because first generation Celicas had interiors that looked just as cool as their bodies.
For the most part everything looks pretty original here, but Jorge has made a few changes…
… like installing a pair of bucket seats from an ’85 Supra that have been convincingly reupholstered to match the rest of the cockpit.
There are other little things like carbon fiber trim and extra gauges to keep an eye on the turbocharged engine…
… but by and large, that great nostalgic feel of a 1970s Japanese car has been kept intact.
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Finally, we have the wheel and tire set-up. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a cool vintage car that’s been visually ruined by having a set of modern oversized wheels with low profile tires. It’s a look that can work sometimes, but it takes some effort.
Thankfully Jorge doesn’t have that problem, because he went with a very period-correct wheel choice. Those are RS Watanabes measuring 13″x8.5 in the front and 13″x9.5 in the rear.
Combine the timeless Watanabes and those flares with meaty 13″ tires and you’ve got a look that could’ve come straight from the grid at Fuji Speedway in the early ’70s.
As for future plans, Jorge is planning to go through the Celica’s suspension and also to eventually build a new motor for it.
Whatever he plans to do though, you can rest assured that the car will not stray from its perfect blend of old and new.
This Celica is not an exact recreation of something that rolled off the assembly line in 1971, nor is it a modern performance car wrapped in a vintage body. It’s somewhere right in the middle, and that’s what makes it so special.
(ES6/9) : Un autre mystère, d’autant que Myherin traverse la Tarenig Forest
