2009 BEGONIA RALLY

Announcing his company’s sponsorship of the event, Dealer Principal Peter Kings said that the Kings Cars Begonia Rally provided his company with a valuable opportunity to support local tourism, community groups and his Customers.

“Motorsport such as the new Kings Cars Begonia Rally brings significant numbers of people to the region so although it is a fun event for the competitors, it is really about economic activity for the region and in that regard we believe our support is a well placed contribution to the local economy,” he said.

The event will kick off with a ‘book-in’ and briefing session at the Kings Cars Learmonth Road premises on Friday August 14 before a 9 o’clock start on Saturday morning in Daylesford’s Victoria Park.

Three Official Spectator Points provide the local community with opportunities to see all the action in the forest under tightly controlled conditions.

Mr King said that his company was delighted to announce the appointment of Australian Rally legend Ed Ordynski as Patron of the Kings Cars Begonia Rally and looked forward to working with Ed and Rally Organisers in the future and helping make to raise the profile of this event.

“Ed Ordynski’s name and record of achievement are unique in the annals of Australian motorsport,” said Peter “and it will be a great pleasure for our company and all our staff to see him involved with our sponsorship.

“We expect to welcome Ed initially to the book-in and drivers briefing and to assist in the ballot for the road positions of the leading competitors. I know that he will also be out in the forest at the Spectator points where he will be contributing to the commentary during the day.

We also expect to see Ed at the finish to join all the winners and losers in celebrating a great event.”

Peter King has also announced that his company will be bringing the official Mitsubishi Evolution Rally Car simulators to Ballarat as part of the on-going activities surrounding the Kings Cars Begonia Rally.

“These simulators are very close to the ‘real thing’ and are recognised as some of the best fun you can have without actually being out there in the forest,” said Peter.

The simulators will be operational over a full four day period coinciding with the Rally and will be located at Kings Cars all New Showroom facility in Learmonth Road Wendouree. They will be open to the general public of all ages – provided they can reach the controls, and a modest fee will be collected from each budding rally driver with all proceeds going to the Ballarat Autism Network.

“These simulators are amazing and previously only ever seen at major Motor Shows where they attract huge crowds so for us to get them here in Ballarat is a real win”.

“We will keep track of the times shown by all the ‘drivers’ and the best results will be posted on our website with daily prizes included to raise the competitive spirits even further”.

Kings Cars will also be making various Course Cars available to the event to assist with its set-up and management.

These are expected to include the newly-released Great Wall dual cab utes and each will be driven by a member of the Kings Cars team.

Peter said that Kings Cars was delighted to be among the family of Great Wall dealers around Australia and that the response to their arrival had been extremely positive.

“I believe that with these vehicles we have further tangible evidence of the expertise of the Chinese Automotive industry and that these vehicles will rapidly acquire an enthusiastic band of loyal and satisfied owners.

“We are pleased to provide Great Wall products to assist the organisers of the Begonia Rally in 2009."

IRISH EVO CHALLENGE

Fermanagh man, William Mavitty has crept up the leaderboard after a stunning second place finish in the latest stage of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Ireland held in County Meath.

For the second time in as many events, John McGlaughlin and co-driver Crawford Henderson emerged as winners of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge Ireland, following a day-long battle with current series leaders Neil McCance and Sean Ferris. This time, it was the County Meath-based ALMC Stages Rally – round six of the Irish Group N Mitsubishi series – where they came out on top after a dramatic final stage.

Fastest out off the blocks were McCance and Ferris, who set a time good enough to place them second in the event overall and nine seconds ahead of the next placed Evo crew of Alan Carmichael and Ivor Lamont. Carmichael reported that his car was sliding more than he had expected on the opening stage due to the changing grip levels of the rapidly drying road surface, but he and Lamont were ahead of McGlaughlin and Henderson by three seconds.

Others finding the going unpredictable were William Mavitty and Keefe Kilcoyne, who were pushing hard in their Evo VI in fourth, followed by Stanley Ballantine and Donnacha O'Callaghan in fifth, who had overcome a few first-stage frights caused by fading brakes. Geoff McMahon and Robert Graham were sixth and getting used to their new environment, having hired the James Foley Rallysport Mitsubishi Evolution X for this event.

The next loop saw Carmichael and Lamont, and McGlaughlin and Henderson determined to get closer to the leaders. However, for the second placed crew, SS5 signalled the end of the road when a heavy impact with a bank towards the end of the stage forced them disappointingly into retirement.

As it turned out, the accumulated times of McCance and Ferris, and McGlaughlin and Henderson for the second set of three stages was exactly the same, meaning that it was status quo for the two front-runners. Behind them, Ballantine and O'Callaghan were now gathering pace and causing Mavitty and Kilcoyne to look in their mirrors.

Also setting faster times as they became more familiar with their car were McMahon and Graham, while White and Murphy were also gaining time as their engine worries were now over. However, for Egan and O'Kane it was now a case of just getting to the finish when their car's gearbox suddenly lost fourth and reverse.

Then, just when the teams had fitted slicks in readiness for a big push in the final loop, the weather played its hand, with showers of rain making sections of road very slippery indeed for some of the crews.

Although enjoying a cushion of 29 seconds, McCance and Ferris spun on SS7 and then again on SS8, which meant that when they lined-up to start the ninth and final stage, there were just 11 seconds separating them and McGlaughlin and Henderson.

Halfway through the stage, McCance felt confident that his pace would be good enough to stay ahead, but then a noise from the transmission was followed shortly by no drive at all and the series leaders had no choice but to pull up at the side of the road.

The door was now wide open for McGlaughlin and Henderson, who had started the stage flat out, intent on clawing back the 11 second deficit, but when they saw McCance's car at the side of the road, they were able to cruise to the finish to record their second Evo Challenge victory in as many events.

Behind the leading pair, confusion reigned on the final stage, with the wet roads first catching out Ballantine and O'Callagan, who slid into a ditch. It was then Mavitty and Kilcoyne's turn, when they first overshot a junction and then had a high-speed spin, from which they were lucky to escape unscathed.

Conditions were a little better for McMahon and Graham and they made it through the SS9 without incident. This, added to problems with the stage timing system, meant that no one knew who was second, third or fourth in the Evolution Challenge until organisers had double-checked the results that evening at the rally HQ. As it turned out, the positions stayed the same, with Mavitty and Kilcoyne delighted to finish second and Ballantine and O'Callaghan third.

EMPHATIC VICTORY

DUBLINER Michael Barrable and his co-driver, Dermot O'Gorman, in their Ford Focus WRC swept to an emphatic victory in the ALMC Rally in Gormanstown, County Meath on Sunday last.

They finished two minutes and 48 seconds in front of John McGlaughlin/Crawford Henderson (Mitsubishi). Briton Mark Jasper and co-driver, Don Whyatt (Metro 6R4), were 29 seconds further behind in third.

The local crew of Barryroe's Damien McCarthy and Ownahincha's Eamonn Hayes were set to finish a superb sixth overall only to drop some five minutes on the ninth and final stage when they overshot a junction and slid into a drain. They finished 35th. overall, however, they maintained their challenge for the Honda Cup series.

Meanwhile, Baltimore’s Step­hen Carey/Mark Lee (Honda Civic) were second in Class 2 and 36th overall and winners of the Group N category in the Honda Cup. The two-wheel drive award was won by Trevor Mulligan/Lisa Roe (Ford Escort).

The top performance over the opening stage came from Seamus O'Connell (Escort), one of a number of crews that were called from the reserve list. O'Connell finished the 15km stage some four seconds ahead of the Neil McCance (Mitsubishi). Mark Courtney (Toyota Celica), Adrian Hetherington (Escort) and Brian Brogan (Escort) followed. Meanwhile, number one seed, Barrable had to be content with seventh place, he was eleven seconds off the lead after he stalled on the start line. O'Connell rolled his Escort out of the rally on the second stage while Carrigaline's, Brian O'Mahony, retired from the top ten when his Renault Clio suffered a differential oil leak.

At the service halt, and courtesy of two fastest times, Barrable had exerted his control and led McCance by 40 seconds. Hetherington and Viv Hamill (Escort) completed the top quartet. Elsewhere, Brian Brogan occupied fifth followed by Mitsubishi Evo contenders, Alan Carmichael and John McGlaughlin.

Barrable was in total control out on the repeat loop of stages and arrived at the final service halt with a lead of one minute and 47 seconds. His only concern was a glitch with the transmission system.

Hetherington slotted into second ahead of McCance, who spun on the fourth stage.

Damien McCarthy made great headway through the loop and held ninth overall.

Barrable went on to take victory but a number of retirements brought significant changes to the top ten. McCance and Hetherington failed to finish and John McGlaughlin netted second spot and took maximum points in the Mitsubishi series. Jasper was third and Trevor Mulligan came through to take fourth ahead of Eugene Meegan (Honda). McCarthy lost his sixth place when he slid down a slip road in the greasy conditions and lost over five minutes before he rejoined the action.

Mark Nangle (Subaru) was best placed to take advantage and the top ten was completed by Brian Lawlor (Escort), Robert Barrable (Ford Fiesta), Geoff McMahon and Stanley Ballentine in Mitsubishi's. Marty McCormack, who was a late entry, won the Junior category, he finished 54 seconds ahead of Craig Breen, who debuted the new Fiesta R2.

Results: 1. M. Barrable/D. O'Gorman (Ford Focus WRC) 1h. 14m. 27s; 2. J. McGlaughlin/C. Henderson (Mitsubishi) 1h. 17m. 15s; 3. M. Jasper/D. Whyatt (Metro 6R4) 1h. 17m. 44s; 4. T. Mulligan/L. Roe (Ford Escort) 1h. 18m. 59s; 5. E. Meegan/B. Sharkey (Honda Civic) 1h. 10m. 34s; 6. M. Nangle/N. Breen (Subaru) 1h. 20m. 09s; 7. R. Barrable/D. Connolly (Ford Fiesta) 1h. 21m. 14s; 8. B. Lawlor/P. Kavanagh (Ford Escort) 1h. 21m. 14s; 9. G. McMahon/R. Graham (Mitsubishi) 1h. 21m. 23s; 10. S. Ballantine/D. O'Callaghan (Mitsubishi) 1h. 21m. 34s.

Junior Rally: 1. M. McCormack/E. Sherry (Citroen C2 R2) 46m. 03s; 2. C. Breen/G. Roberts (Ford Fiesta R2) 46m. 57s; 3. J. Byrnes/K. Sheil (Citroen C2 R2) 49m. 29s.

Mitsubishi Evo Challenge Irish series: 1. Neil McCance 34pts; =2. Liam Egan and Stanley Ballantine and William Mavitty 32pts; =5. Keith Cronin and John McGlaughlin 24pts.

The Irish crew of Daniel Barry/Martin Brady clinched the Mitsubishi Evolution Challenge UK series courtesy of their fourth place finish on the Swansea Bay Rally. The Enniskerry driver edged out Icelandic ace, Daniel Sigurdarson by a mere 1.1 seconds.

The rally was won by Steve Perez (Ford Focus WRC); Marcus Dodd (Hyundai Accent WRC),who was second, won the Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship. 1. S. Perez/P. Spooner (Ford Focus WRC) 49m. 02.0s; 2. M. Dodd/A. Bargery (Hyundai Accent WRC) 49m. 10.6s; 3. R. Duckworth/M. Broomfield (Subaru WRC) 49m. 32.4s; 4. D. Barry/M. Brady (Mitsubishi) 51m. 15.5s; 5. D. Sigurdarson/A. Sankey (Mitsubishi) 51m. 16.6s; 6. J. Lloyd/P. Gullick (Ford Focus WRC) 52m. 27.6s.

Mitsubishi Evo Challenge UK Championship: 1. Daniel Barry 70 pts (Champion); 2. Simon Hughes 50 pts; 3. Nik Elsmore 39 pts; 4. Owen Murphy 29 pts; 5. Alan Carmichael 18 pts.

Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship (Positions after Round Six) 1. Marcus Dodd 120 pts; 2. D. Barry 119pts; 3. S. Hughes 94pts; 4. S. Perez 88 pts. and 5. N. Elsmore 73 pts.

Saturday's Kerry Rallysprint at the Tralee Racecourse has attracted an entry in excess of 80 crews. The event that will consist of four timed runs over a mix of sealed and loose surfaces, will be sponsored by Tyre Stop Tyre centres with the first of the four timed runs beginning at 12.30am.

The last time such an event was run by the Kerry Motor Club was in 1986 when it was won by Tralee's Donie Horan, who makes a return to competitive action in a Mitsubishi Evo9. Carrigaline's Brian O'Mahony will drive a Metro 6R4.

Other entries include Thomas Fitzmaurice (Mitsubishi), Mike Quinn (Escort), Anthony O'Halloran (Mitsubishi), Stuart Darcy (Subaru), Mallow's Barry Meade, Ed Synan, Aidan Walsh and Frank Sweeney, all in Ford Escort. Ovens driver Owen Murphy is set to drive a Toyota Corolla and Mallow's Jimmy Deane is also competing.

The Lurgan Park Rally (Saturday, August 8) is set to retain all its top features of its winning formula that has been built up over three decades. The format will be similar to last year - with eight special stages within the confines of Lurgan Park. Apart from the overall award, the Escort Mk2 Challenge will also form an integral part of the event.

"Park" specialist, Kenny McKinstry, who has nine wins to his credit, will try and prevent Kevin Lynch from making it six wins in a row. Triple winner, Gwyndaf Evans is also set to compete as are Glenn Allen (Toyota Corolla WRC), Denis Biggerstaff (Subaru): John McGlaughlin (Mitsubishi).

Some of the drivers contesting the Mk. 2 Challenge are Wesley Patterson, Camillus Bradley, Trevor Moore and Adrian Hetherington.

BARRY WINS UK EVO

It was a perfect weekend for Daniel Barry and co-driver Martin Brady, when they crossed the finish line of the Swansea Bay Rally to record their fifth Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge victory of the season and, in doing so, put themselves in an unassailable position for the title.

The new Champions were kept honest all day by Icelandic Rally champion Daniel Sigurdarson, with his co-driver on this occasion, Andrew Sankey. They led the Evo Challenge for most of the rally, only to be passed on the final stage by Barry and Brady who stopped the clocks to win by a slender 1.1 seconds.

With the absence of their main rivals Simon Hughes and Craig Parry and a reduced Evo Challenge field, all Barry and Brady had to do was finish. But in rallying it's never that easy and they admitted to being a little nervousness before the start outside the Village Hotel in Swansea's Dockland area.

The event comprised four of the stages which are regularly used for the Wales Rally GB, each run twice during the day to give a total competitive distance of 60-miles. The first two saw Sigurdarson and Sankey take the lead by 7.1 seconds, Barry reporting that he wasn't concentrating hard enough on Brady's pace-notes and consequently loosing time.

But for Nik Elsmore and Craig Drew, stage two was to be as far as they went. Half-way through SS1 they heard some strange noises coming from their car's gearbox and then lost second gear. They therefore decided to nurse the car through SS2 and see if their team could fix the problem at the following service halt, but just 200 yards from the end of the stage, the car came to a halt with no drive at all.

After trying all they could to get their Evo moving again, they frustratingly accepted their fate, further inspection revealing an oil leak, which had eventually led to a complete seizure.

Having gathered his thoughts, Barry was now listening to his co-driver's instructions and he and Brady went ahead on SS3 by 3.3 seconds, Sigurdarson reporting that the stage had not flowed well for him and Sankey.

With rally organisers cancelling SS4 due to hold-ups, it was now down to the remaining four afternoon's stages. Knowing that the Evo Challenge title was now within his grasp, Barry's team issued strict instructions to get to the finish. With Barry's quest for the title firmly in his sights, stage five saw Sigurdarson and Sankey re-take the lead, the Icelandic driver getting to grips with his new Evo X as every mile clicked-by.

As has become traditional in the Evolution Challenge, it all came down to the final stage and as the two Mitsubishi crews they lined up at the start of SS8 the gap was down to just 3.1 seconds in favour of Sigudarson/Sankey.

Unable to resist a last-stage push, the Irishmen emerged from Rhonnda Forest ahead by just 1.1 seconds and, in doing so, recorded their fifth Evo Challenge win in six events.

This result also meant that Barry and Brady are now uncatchable in the race for the title and have amassed enough points to be crowned 2009 Evolution Challenge Champions.

“All of us in the team have been working towards this moment for the past three years and I am over the moon that we're now Evo Challenge Champions,” said a delighted and relieved Barry at the finish. “Although we've wrapped up the title with two rounds to go it's not been easy and sometimes, like today, it's very close, which make the victory feel even better, although I have to say, it hasn't quite sunk in yet.”

Although having clinched the title before the end of the season, Barry has confirmed he still intends to compete in the remaining two Evo Challenge rounds, the next being the Antrim-based Todds Leap Ulster Rally, which takes place on August 21-22.

KENYA NATIONAL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP-2

Carl Tundo still tops the Kenya National Rally Championship even after dropping out in Friday's Asset Finance Rally at the Timau farm in Meru.

Tundo who damaged the rear differential at Loldaiga stage while in comfortable lead is at the pole position on 280 points.

The Nakuru based farmer Lee Rose co-driven by Piers Daykin in an EVO 9 and who emerged the winner in Timau is lying second with 235 points.

Alistair Cavenagh who exited due to a mechanical problem is in the third place on 215 points.

Azar Nwar co-driven by Julius Ngigi in a Mitsubishi Evolution 8 are in the fourth place with 195 points especially after finishing in the third spot last night.

The fifth place occupier is none other than Ian Duncan the Veteran rally driver just ten points adrift.

Baldev Charger the Kenya national rally defending champion who rolled yesterday and exited the Asset Finance rally is 6th.

KENYA NATIONAL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

The battle for the Kenya National Rally Championship title has been thrown wide open after Nakuru-based Mitsubishi driver, Lee Rose, recovered from a puncture in the third stage to win Saturday’s KCB Asset Finance Rally run around the Timau and Nanyuki areas.

The Yana Tyres crew of Jamseet Chana and Sudhir Thatti also claimed their second win in a row and a third for the season after triumphing in a close combat in the two wheel drive class.

They clocked one hour and two minutes, beating off defending series champion Leo Varese with a mere 21 seconds while Adnan Suhail (Daihatsu Charade, 1:04.42) was third.

The rally, which was the fifth in the eight-leg KNRC series, also threw wide open the title chase after series leader and Safari Rally champion, Carl “Flash” Tundo, navigated by Jim Jessop, for the second time in as many races failed to steer his Mitsubishi Evo9 to the podium.

Wheat farmer

Hindered by a puncture on stage three, Rose, who is yet to secure a sponsorship this season after Triton Petroleum went under, showed his prowess as he powered his Evo9, co-driven by area resident, Piers Daykin, to win in one hour, 51 minutes and eight seconds.

The rally was run over 345.9 kilometres, 159 of which were competitive while 186 served for liaison.

Wheat farmer Rose beat Ian Duncan/Amaar Slatch (Nissan Patrol) to second place (1.53.07) while top seed Azar Anwar and Julius Ngigi (Mitsubishi Evo8) settled for third timed at 1.55.24.

Results: Main rally - 1. Lee Rose/Piers Daykin (Mitsubishi Evo9) 1.51.08, 2. Ian Duncan/Amaar Slatch (Nissan Patrol) 1.53.07, 3. Azar Anwar/Julius Ngigi (Mitsubishi Evo8) 1.55.24, 4. Quentin Mitchell (Mitsubishi Evo8) 1.55.51, 5. Asad Anwar (Mitsubishi Evo9) 1.58.26. Two wheel drive - 1. Jasmeet Chana/Sudhir Thatti (VW Golf GTi) 1.02.10, 2. Leo Varese (VW Golf GTi) 1.02.31, 3. Adnan Suhail (Daihatsu Charade) 1.04.42, 4. James Kirimi (VW Golf GTi) 1.05.53, 5.

EVO VS IMPREZZA at KCB

Coastweek -- Enthusiastic Meru spectators who never witness state-of-the-art technology in 22 years will this afternoon grace some hair-raising thrills at ASK Meru Showground beginning 4.00pm.

The last time Meru hosted rally cars was during the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally in 1987.

Thrills and spills are inevitable though on the showground spectator stage (2.2KM CS1) as well as fond memories emboldened by the fact that this ‘leading town is incidentally home of former Kenya Group N Champion Phineas Kimathi and Veteran navigator Abdul Sidi.

Cars will be flagged-off outside KCB Meru Branch from 3.30pm today followed by a designated public viewing special stage at ASK showground at 4pm.

Cars will then head back to Meru for an overnight rest before restarting Saturday morning for a run around Timau town and onward to the finish on Saturday 4pm at Sportsman Arms Hotel, Nanyuki.

The undulating hills of Tumau will reverberate with the roar of turbocharged machines in day two action on Saturday.

The last time this edition of the KCB Kenya National Rally Championship was staged here was in 2006 when Asad Anwar shocked all and sundry with his maiden career win.

This event, better known as Nanyuki rally was first won by former President Moi’s son Jonathan Toroitich in 1998 when Nanyuki first staged the KNRC.

The roll of hour in Nanyuki has always graced big names in the likes of Patrick Njiru and Ian Duncan.

Baldev Chager the defending KNRC Champion won this event last year after eclipsing Tundo by a mere two seconds.

Timau is home to Lee Rose’s navigator Piers Daykin and Kenya based Tanzanian Shaun Miller who was third in his KNRC debut in 2007.

Azar Anwar will be flagged off first followed by legendary Ian Duncan who will be returning to a terrain he has concurred a couple of occasions.

The Mitsubishi Evolution 9 craze and its rivaly with Subaru N-series should shape the battle in Meru and Timau.

Chager is the hottest driver on Subaru specifications.

Asad Anwar, Rose and series leader Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo are the men to watch in the EVO 9 craze.

Three-time Group N and KNRC champion Azar has a lower version of Mitsubishi (EVO 8) through stunningly competitive.

Tundo is atop the KNRC with 280points and his Dalbit Racing team-mate Alastair Cavenagh trailing him with 65.

Others expected to support the Subaru-Mitsubishi rivalry are in Nanyuki are Ben Muchemi ‘Baba Chiru’ (Subaru N10), the ever-green Horsey brothers Peter (EVO 9) and his brother Alex (EVO8), Asad Khan ‘Kalulu’ and Kirit Rajput (Subaru N10).

The 2WD Class will be a battle for supremacy between Champion Leo Varese, series leader Jasmeet Chana (Yana Racing) and season’s pacesetter Charles Hinga (Toyota Levin).

DRIVING SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP

CYPRESS, California — Jim Russell Racing Drivers School has joined forces with Mitsubishi Motors North America for a new driver training course using a 2008 Lancer Evolution X. The program has been named the Jim Russell Lancer Evolution Experience.

The program includes a full day of instruction, starting in the classroom and moving to the tarmac. The curriculum focuses on improving driving technique, speed and car control skills on the twisties of Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California.

Drivers will get behind the wheel of one of the five Mitsubishi Evo MRs equipped with the six-speed TC-SST automatic transmission or the five manual-transmission GSRs for the driving portion of the class. The 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X makes 291 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque.

"Deciding to work with Mitsubishi Motors for the Lancer Evolution program was an easy choice. We have been using the 4G63 engines in our Lola-built school cars and found them to be exceptionally reliable," said Chip Pankow, president of Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.

For those with some driving experience, Jim Russell also offers its Advanced School of Racing, a three-day course that uses the single-seat FJR-50 F3 car. The F3 has a maximum of 300 hp at a weight of just over 250 pounds.

Two of the Jim Russell Lancers and the F3 car will be shown at Mitsubishi Owners Day on July 11, when more than 1,500 Mitsubishi owners and enthusiasts are expected to congregate and show off their rides. All Mitsubishi owners will be eligible for a drawing, with the grand prize being the first seat in the Jim Russell Lancer Evolution Experience — a prize worth $1,000.

2008 EVO MR - FOUR SEASON UPDATE - JUNE 2008

Our affair with a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution continues to run the gamut. One staffer piles on praise for the handling and suspension tuning, then another comes along and complains the car feels like it's falling apart and costs far too much. Though cars like an Evo aren't supposed to be for everyone, the range of comments it elicits is pretty entertaining.

Here's Web producer Evan McCausland, who's spent a lot of time in the Evo and a few nights in our Four Seasons 2010 Nissan GT-R: "I know the Evo MR is still wicked fast and a blast to drive, but what used to feel like neck-snapping acceleration feels rather sedate, now that I've driven the GT-R (and, no, I didn't play with the GT-R's launch control)."

I, too, thought the Evo was starting to feel a bit pedestrian, until I looked at the speedometer and noticed I was going far too fast for a public road. I then scribbled the following in our logbook, "God help us if cars like the Evo start to feel sedate or mundane. Maybe we need to spend some time in a Chevy Aveo to recalibrate our sense of sedate."

Senior editor Joe Lorio explained the Evo best: "Many have complained about the Evo's humble, Lancer origins, but I think that's part of the charm of a car like this. The Evo, and its ilk, are the muscle cars of today. Like those '60s machines based on bare-bones Tempests, Belvederes, and Chevelles, this Mitsubishi spends ALL its money and effort on performance, and nothing, really, on comfort, convenience, or even styling." That formula works for Lorio, but he acknowledges that not everyone will feel the same way: "Will most people prefer a BMW 335i? Absolutely. But I wouldn't want the Evo to become one."

New associate editor Eric Tingwall spent a few nights in the Evo, a car he hadn't driven since he was an intern with us last summer, and he quickly remembered how the tricky throttle/clutch interaction dampens low-speed maneuvers: "It's especially bad when backing out of a parking space. I'd find myself jumping into the car, throwing it into reverse and then nervously feathering the throttle, as it took me forever to back out."

We just dropped the Evo at the dealer awaiting new transmission fluid to see if that improves the response from the transmission while accelerating from a stop. The dealer needed to order transmission fluid. A service rep also questioned our choice to swap the fluid before the 30,000-mile interval specified in the owner's manual, but we assured him the 25,000 miles we have accumulated were anything but easy on the car and fluid. We will know soon whether the fluid makes as big a difference as we've been told to expect.

Base Price: $38,965
As Tested: $41,515

Overview:
Body Style: 4-door sedan
Accommodation: 5 passenger
Construction: Steel unibody

Powertrain:
Engine: DOHC 16-valve turbocharged I-4
Displacement: 2.0 liters
Power: 291 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque: 300 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed dual-clutch semi-automatic
Drive: All-wheel
Fuel Economy: 17/22/19 (city/highway/combined)

Chassis:
Steering: Power rack-and-pinion
Turns lock-to-lock: 2.27
Turning Circle: 38.7 ft
Suspension, Front: Strut-type, coil spring
Suspension, Rear: Multi-link, coil-spring
Brakes, F/R: Ventilated disc, two-piece rotor/ventilated disc; ABS
Wheels: 18 x 8.5 in BBS forged alloy
Tires: Yokohama ADVAN
Tire size: 245/40YR-18

Measurements:
Headroom F/R: 40.6/36.9 in
Legroom F/R: 42.3/33.3 in
Shoulder room F/R: 54.7/54.3 in
Wheelbase: 104.3 in
Track F/R: 60.8/60.8 in
L x W x H: 177 x 71.3 x 58.3 in
Cargo Capacity: 6.9 cu ft
Weight: 3594 lb
Weight Dist. F/R: 57.4/42.6%
Fuel Capacity: 14.5 gallons
Est. Range: 275 miles
Fuel Grade: 91 octane

Standard Equipment
ABS and ESP
Front, side, side curtain, and knee airbags
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Front and rear limited slip Differentials
Active center differential
Bluetooth handsfree communication
Automatic A/C
Cruise Control
Recaro front sports seats
HID headlights

Options:
Technology Package, $2550
Navigation with 30 GB hard drive
650-watt Rockford-Fosgate 9-speaker sound system with subwoofer
Sirius satellite radio

Test Results:
0-60 MPH: 5.3sec
0-100 MPH: 14.4 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.1 @ 99 mph
30-70 Passing: 6.3 sec
Speed in Gears: 1) 45; 2) 82; 3) 108; 4) 100; 5) 100 mph
Cornering L/R: 0.97/0.96 g
70-0 Braking: 156 ft
Peak Braking: 1.06

RED BRICK RACING for BRAND's HATCH

WEDNESDAY, 11.30am: Melton motor racing team Redbrick Racing put them in the driving seat for a championship title with another strong showing at Brand's Hatch.

The team, fronted by Tilton driver Robin Duxbury and backed by Melton businesses Tracktive Solutions and Melton Fibreglass, finished first in the Club Pro class in the penultimate round of the Time Attack 09 Series at the former British Grand Prix circuit.

The 34-year-old's best lap time was also good enough to give racers in the professional class a fright, finishing fourth quickest overall.

Robin said: "All went according to plan and we managed to triumph again which was great. And the best news of all was that we were only 0.242 seconds off the top time of the day set by the pro team of Roger Clark Motorsport.

"We can now go into the summer break a bit more relaxed ready for the last round at Snetterton in October."

It is almost miraculous Duxbury is racing at all having broken his neck in two places in an off-road racing accident in 2006.

But he has roared back in his first season back, guiding the Mitsubishi Evolution to previous round victories at Knockhill and Silverstone.

2009 EVO X RS

As I write, I am drinking more than a few Red Bulls - the large size. It's not to get the energy, but to steady my frayed nerves. They say that two negatives make a positive. I'm hoping that the double whammy of my 240 bpm heart rate and 'bullish' nature of the energy drink will slow me down. Three thousand pounds of Mitsu Evo X RS, early mornin' hours and open road add up to the most fun one can have sitting down (erhm, alone).

For a day and a night, Automotives had custody of the red beastie you see here. Motor Sales gave us automotive carte blanche - keys and a full tank of gas, plus permission to drive any way we saw fit - and gave us the all-important gate pass. Now, what would you do if you had access to arguably the fastest four-door in the island and nothing but a 'fare thee well' from those responsible for it? Right. We drove it like we stole it.

Just walking up to this car is an experience. While the new model Lancer is quite aggressive, Evo X turns that aggression into bloodlust. Slit headlights for eyes, huge rear wing, bulging fenders and wheel arch gills; functional air vents for the huge Brembo brake system (13.8-inch front discs, and a whopping 13.0-inch discs for the rear). The blacked out grill makes the car look like it has a symmetrical harelip - in a sinister, positively evil way. Fear's new definition: looking in your rear view on Mandela and seeing this Evo fill your mirror under full song. Be afraid! Be very afraid!

For the number crunchers. The 'Ten' has 240-odd wheel hp, 300 lb ft of twist, a close ratio five speed box, much improved Active Yaw Control (AYC), more than a smattering of aluminium body panels, radio delete, no Recaro seats - but it has A/C.

Mitsubishi wants you to think it is civil. Ha! It even has child-restraint tethers for a child seat, so you can legally carry your infant in a car that is ready to do a buck 40 in the time it takes to open a Red Bull can. In aiming for the best front/rear split, Mitsubishi relegated the battery and some fluid reservoirs - like washer and power steering fluids - to a 'closet' behind the back seat.

The New MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system) equipped 4B11T has the valve control system on both cams, instead of the intake only, circa the old 4G63. In a drive to remove as much friction as possible from the new all-alloy engine, engineers shrouded the water pump impeller to reduce cavitation /drag, resorted to fully floating piston pins and did away with one of the 4G63's weak links - the balance shaft.

Highlights

The cams are also direct acting, eliminating the roller rocker fingers that the old engine had. The crankcase main bearings have five four bolt main caps - as opposed to a crankcase supporting girdle with two bolt mains. Electronic throttle and a rear bolted stainless steel exhaust are some of the highlights of the new engine.

Word on the street is the block is a step up from the old standby. The semi-open deck design has pressed in cast iron sleeves, which add longevity to the short block. Local (Jamaican) tuners are already claiming 400 whp from the stock TD05H152G6-12T turbine, a figure that was previously unheard of from even a wickedly street tuned 4G63 without a turbo upgrade.

On the road, this Evo RS belies its specs. The individual systems coagulate into a symbiotic extension of the driver's thought process. The front wheels seem to be hard wired to your neurons; think about turning, and turning is what you get.

A car trundling ahead of our tester shielded, then uncovered a tyre-busting pothole just metres away. The reaction in a lesser automobile would not have been adequate, and we would be probably changing - and paying for - at least one, maybe two chopped 18" 45 series low-profile tyres. But the preciseness of the steering, coupled with almost no weight transfer, allowed us to negotiate the hazard - and was a portent of things to come.

From a standing start, first is good for 40mph, boost begins spooling in earnest from 2500 rpm and builds all the way to redline; the time between boost onset and the 7000 rpm redline is about one second. Extend the clutch leg, grab second and 70 mph is yours at redline - 100 mph comes up, theoretically (heh, heh) at the top of third gear. The car will do zero to a 100 in about nine secs - with the manners of a family sedan! And without theatrics - no waste gate hiss, no blow-off pop. But the g's don't lie. For the newbie, the acceleration is unholy - and the sound of that engine, between five and seven grand, when the cam phasing occurs - will put the fear of God in mere mortals. Tunnel vision becomes a reality at these levels of acceleration.

And then there's the grip and handling. Other-worldly doesn't do it justice - new adjectives will have to be created, new buzz words coined - the RS handling experience begins where normal sedans fall away. The electronics make a star of mediocre talent; its Super - All-Wheel Control System and Advanced Yaw Control - one of S-AWCS subsystems - balances chassis dynamics on a knife edge, allowing a neutral cornering attitude in even hazardous conditions. Different programmes are available that tune the system to differing road conditions, such as tarmac, gravel and snow.

Babe factor and street cred

Looking through the windshield in this red bullet is akin to looking down the barrel of a rifle. Folks in front of you scurry to get out of the way. Babe factor and street cred are off the scale. The telling thing about this platform is that it can be used as a grocery getter. It does have a bit of a trunk, and will even return 12-13 litres per 100 km around town, if you use fifth gear a lot.

The engine is tractable enough to do this (though those having a penchant for banzai-type runs will easily TRIPLE that figure). Heaven help the soccer mom who decides to set the fastest time to Hi-Lo. Soccer dads, I hear PriceSmart's the cheapest place to buy Red Bull.

2009 EVO is BEST on TRACK

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution may be a one-trick pony, but that one trick is sure to knock the socks of anyone who can appreciate a true sport sedan.

Utter the word ‘Evo’ and any car enthusiast will instantly think of Mitsubishi’s acclaimed sporty compact sedan. More specifically, they’ll conjure up images of a turbocharged car that can be taken to the extreme on race tracks the world over.

Search for a used Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

The last time we drove the Evo, it was on a track in Quebec - just the kind of place where it’s right at home. We saw just what kind of trick this thoroughbred can pull off in its natural habitat, and it was awe-inspiring. Taking the Evo onto the packed, broken streets of a major downtown city makes a person look at it in a different light altogether.

Autonet’s tester is the upscale MR model, which features, among many other things, Mitsubishi’s fantastic Twin-Clutch Sporttronic Shift Transmission (TC-SST). The only transmission available in the MR, the TC-SST reportedly shifts faster than any driver using a fully manual transmission could.

Interestingly, this is the transmission that is preferable when you think about driving the Evo through stop-and-go rush hour traffic - you can let the car do all of the work and keep your left foot from constantly reaching for a clutch. It’s clear though, that just about everything else about this car proves that it’s best on the track.

The MR also gets, among many other things, infinitely-supportive Recaro seats with suede inserts (great for keeping your body firmly planted during racing manoeuvres but difficult for getting in and out of), HID headlamps (so much better to see the quickly-oncoming road with!), a big ol’ rear spoiler (it spoils the driver’s sightlines, but it is functional), and FAST-key system (no need to put the key in the ignition when you jump in your car to race - take that Porsche and your left-side ignition!).

It’s almost pointless to tweak the different drive settings the Evo MR employs. Changing it from Normal to Sport mode allows for quicker shifts that come at higher RPM, but it’s rare that you’ll be able to use that. And unless you want to burn fuel pointlessly, Super Sport mode is best only when on a race track.

The tightly-tuned suspension can also get old fast. Of course, this is exactly how you want it to feel while you’re ploughing around a corner at insane speeds, but over broken pavement it’s a different story altogether.

Again, this is the more upscale version of the Evolution, and Mitsubishi doesn’t try to hide the fact that this car is meant to take on vehicles from luxury makes like Infiniti and Audi. That said, the Evo MR gets a lot of standard equipment, from the aforementioned FAST-key system, to a wireless Bluetooth phone system, exterior chrome accents on the beltline and grille bezel, leather sprinkled throughout the interior, and fantastic steering wheel paddle shifters. Even with all this stuff, and with this clearly being the most upscale Lancer ever made, it’s still difficult to put this in the same category as any given luxury model.

It’s a lot of money to throw down at once, but the Evo MR isn’t some lame attempt at making a stock race vehicle. It employs cutting-edge technology to make for something that belongs on a track. It looks amazing and has a lot of standard features.

Just don’t expect to feel the magic this car possesses when you’re not on a race track.