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Post by Mitch on Jan 5, 2006 6:19:34 GMT
Con. from Monte Carlo Entrylist
It is amazing they gave up ARC to support Chris in tarmac events. Hopefully this means that along with Dean Herridge at the Mt Buller sprint, means that SRTA are getting data on tarmac. SRTA must have known for a while that they were leaving so why did they enter Herridge into WC recces? They must be waiting to enter Herridge into the PWRC. If this is the case they are putting a lot of faith in Herridge instead of Aussie champ Cody Crocker. You could argue that Crocker is faster, better driving style. Better navigator, better notes etc. But Herridge can set consistently fast times. If this is the case that they are going to use Herridge I support them. If they are not doing PWRC i hate them!
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Post by Lita on Jan 5, 2006 7:20:45 GMT
What i have heard is that Herridge has plans for the PWRC with Subaru Aust supporting him. This was at Rally Australia, at a function they had. Crocker was very tightlipped in regards to his plans for 2006-virtually no mention was made of PWRC, only that he would like to do some rallying in the Asian arena-that was it. So, take what you want out of that, but it would seem Subaru have interest invested with Herridge quite profoundly-with Crocker-who knows?
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Post by Mitch on Jan 5, 2006 8:24:32 GMT
Crocker of course will be with Les Walkden Rallying. Les being a factory team again after being Mitsubishi in 2004. It will be interesting in who he chooses fro the second driver. Both Will Orders and Eli Evans are very skilled young drivers. Benni Tirant will probably go back to State Rallying in Victoria. Lucky FordTeamsRS, Vivski and Lita! (Have I missed any Vics?). I myself would love to have a look at Les Walkden's workshops! I'll have to do some research! Navigator find of the year would have to be Glen Weston closely followed by Bill Hayes the Dale Moscatt. I'm kind of straying from the topic here!
I reckon in the future maybe even 2007 Herridge will do the PWRC. Since the PWRC now does Monte Carlo. What other reason does SRTA have for being in Monte Carlo?
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Post by FordTeamRS on Jan 5, 2006 8:24:54 GMT
So far, it looks like Herridge may look to do some tarmac events, with the possibility of entering the PWRC in 2007 with help from Subaru Aus. Crocker I think will stay on in Australia with a privateer squad like LWR and perhaps enter some rounds in the APRC or Chinese Rally Championship, or maybe event defect over to another team if he felt he wasn't happy not getting full manufactuer support here in Australia.
Personally, I don't buy Subaru's admission that they left rallying because of a shift in customer stance. Really, I don't decided which car is better or not because of what they can do out on the track, it does make me notice the manufacturer and consider that manufacturer as an option for a car, but I don't buy a Subaru, a Mitsubishi, a Ford, a whatever because of their motorsport programme. I'm the 99% of the population who likes a car purely of it's performance, looks and personal preferences. And I think Subaru saying they're leaving rallying because of an audience shift is utter rubbish. With a degree of bias, rallying is a greater measurement of a car's potential as it is based on everyday road going cars modified to go rallying, in relation to Group N regulations at least. A car designed for circuit racing, has very little in common with its road counterpart. Group N cars are almost identical to its road car counterpart except for some little things that allow the thing to go off road.
I just don't like how Subaru handled the thing really, when Citroen and Peugeot pulled out from the WRC, they at least gave everyone a years notice that they were doing so, they didn't announce it late into the season. It's put everyone in a difficult position as the drivers from both SRTA and the RS Challenge desperately looking for drives. I could sympathise if the company was rocky financially, but not in the case of Subaru Australia.
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Post by Mitch on Jan 5, 2006 8:30:05 GMT
gee you replied quick FTRS! I have to say I don't get it with the hift in customer stance. The Subaru Forester and Impreza are hits down here in Tassie. I see about 3 Foresters a day!
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Post by Mitch on Jan 5, 2006 8:32:09 GMT
Not including Mum's Forester Lovely car those Foresters. We don't like ours as it has a engine problem and it struggles to get up hills. Don't buy a Forester if you have hills! Nissan X-Trail is way better! It has a smaller engine but more horsepower and torque! It goes too!
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Post by Vivski on Jan 16, 2006 4:00:41 GMT
Subaru would be nothing without rallying. Rallying built their brand from paddock bomb to cult performance car. We wouldn't even have Forester's if not for Subaru's rally program.
It's very frustrating that this has come just as Toyota become competetive and Ford entered the championship. I can understand Mitsubishi reducing their programme 'cos they're in deep doo-doo financially.
I hope they save their pennies and put them into supporting Crocker and Herridge in Rally NZ, Japan and Australia. I would like to see Dean Herridge doing a full APRC with Subaru.
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Post by Vivski on Jan 24, 2006 11:08:21 GMT
www.rally.com.au/home/features/articleid=1876Subaru Australia has recently supported Atkinson's drive in Monte Carlo, now they've announced they'll compete in the APRC through the Les Walkden Racing team with Crocker and Eli Evans. Woohoo! Two Vics!
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Post by FordTeamRS on Jan 24, 2006 11:28:02 GMT
At least Crocker is getting a decent deal in the end and Eli Evans gets a good shot overseas also. But it's still a shame they've abandoned the Australia rally scene though
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