- Team Harford win season finale to secure the Defender Challenge by Bowler championship.
- Edd Cobley defies pre‑race nerves to drive the team to victory at the Borders Hill Rally.
- Ben Gott's Race2Recovery claim a sixth consecutive podium, but it's not enough for the championship.
Monday 24th November 2014 ‑ Team Harford celebrated winning the inaugural Defender Challenge by Bowler championship on Sunday, after victory in the series finale in Scotland edged out rivals Race2Recovery.
The champions, driven by Edd Cobley, went into the final rally with a slender one point lead in the championship, from Race2Recovery, who are driven by Surrey's Ben Gott.
And despite being pushed to the wire by Race2Recovery, Cobley, who works as a Land Rover Experience instructor at Rockingham Castle, defied pre‑race nerves to win the final round and claim the title.
He said: "I was very nervous at the start line because it is so easy to throw these things away. I was driving very cautiously but it paid off and I am really chuffed with the result.
"I am honoured and proud of the team and the car, and off course what Bowler has done with the vehicle. It's been a great championship and we have made some life‑long friends which is what rallying is all about."
Cobley went into the Borders Hill Rally needing to finish ahead of the in‑form Race2Recovery team. But despite a sixth consecutive podium finish, the team, which enables people with disabilities to participate in professional motorsport, could only secure second place in the championship.
After the rally, driver Ben Gott paid tribute to one of the disabled members of the Race2Recovery team, female co‑driver Stephanie Boddez.
Boddez uses prosthetic limbs after losing both her legs to meningitis at the age of 17. She became involved with the Race2Recovery team when she contacted them after watching them on the Top Gear TV series. The team invited her to join them for a day in the co‑driver's seat and, after she showed a natural flair for navigating, they invited her to become a full member of the race team.
Gott, from Farnham in Surrey, said: "It's been a brilliant year. We are very thankful to Land Rover for its sponsorship over the past twelve months. It has meant that the team has learnt new techniques, and Steph has really blossomed, helping her on the road to international rally raids in the future."
2014 was the inaugural year of the Defender Challenge by Bowler race series, which featured seven rounds, held across the UK. The series has been created to offer competitors a clear pathway to further international rally raid competition such as the Africa Race and Dakar Rally. Three teams from the Defender Challenge are currently preparing to compete at Dakar in 2016.
Mark Cameron, Global Brand Experience Director, Jaguar Land Rover, said: "We'd like to congratulate Edd Cobley on winning the first ever Defender Challenge championship. The series has proved to be a huge success and has showcased the unique abilities of the Land Rover Defender.
"For Land Rover and Bowler, one of the many positives to come out of the series is that we've provided a platform for teams, drivers and navigators who to progress to international competitions like the Dakar Rally. We are delighted that three of our teams are set to tackle Dakar in 2016 and are looking forward to an expanded Defender Challenge next year, which will see the event move into Europe for the first time."
Drew Bowler, Managing Director of Bowler Motorsport said: "The first year of the Defender Challenge has reminded us all what fun motorsport can be and should be. We have had a new group of people who have come in to motorsport who have all had good time and it's not cost them too much money.
"We have taken people, who might not have known how to get into motorsport and they understand what is involved and what is needed in terms of improvement to go and do Dakar. I am looking forward to seeing the Defender Challenge next year and potentially seeing a broader spectrum of events."
People wishing to find out more information about the Defender
Challenge by Bowler should visit: www.bowlermotorsport.com
or, to get a taste of the action, watch the highlights video
at:
http://www.landrover.co.uk/sponsorship‑and‑experiences/defender‑challenge.
ENDS.
For further information contact:
Paul Garbett, Defender Challenge by Bowler Communications:
paul.garbett@fasttrackagency.com,+44
(0)7718 340555
Kim Palmer, Land Rover UK PR Manager
kpalmer@jaguarlandrover.com,
+44 (0)2476 564129
Editor's Note:
About the Defender Challenge:
The Defender Challenge by Bowler is a one‑make rally series
operated by Bowler Motorsport designed to act as a feeder series to
the annual Dakar rally and other global rally competitions.
Continuing the strategic partnership announced in 2012 between Land Rover and Bowler Motorsport, the Defender Challenge will see competition‑prepared Land Rover Defenders being used in a one‑make, seven round, rally series taking place across the UK. The series will be regulated by the MSA (Motor Sports Association) and each Defender Challenge car will be FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) compliant enabling competitors to compete internationally.
The ultimate aim of the series is to provide a route for teams to progress to top rally raid competitions such as the Dakar and the Africa Race, a pathway previously non‑existent for drivers and teams aspiring to compete in the world's toughest races. Competing in the Defender Challenge by Bowler are drivers with experience of races such as the Dakar, the Dubai Desert Challenge, and drivers for whom this will be their first stage rally. For Damien Taft, this was his first motorsport event since representing the UK in the 1994 Camel Trophy. In addition, Richard Hayward is a previous Dakar competitor and a second place finisher in the former London‑Dakar race. Other drivers, such as Steve Richards and Andrew Wicklow, were racing in their first ever stage rally event, both with the aim of developing their skills and gaining the required license to compete in the Dakar.
All competitors drive Bowler‑prepared Land Rover Defender 90
vehicles that have been expertly modified for safety, performance
and durability. The modifications to the competing Land Rover
Defender 90 vehicles include a full MSA / FIA certified roll cage,
fire extinguisher system, racing seats and harnesses, light‑weight
Bowler wheels, a full
Bowler racing suspension system with bespoke springs and heavy
duty racing dampers and an engine tune to 175hp that delivers 450Nm
of torque.
The Defender Challenge is a 'class' within existing rally events where total entries of all classes will be between 80 and 130 cars (including the Defender Challenge cars). These events vary in distance and duration, but all will give the team (driver, navigator, service crew) an introductory experience of national level motorsport. Completion of the series will gain the driver their National B rally license, and attendance at some of Bowlers' overseas races will allow this to be converted into the International license required for events such as the Dakar.
About Land Rover:
Land Rover is supporting the Defender Challenge by Bowler
series. Since 1948 Land Rover has been manufacturing
authentic 4x4s that represent true breadth of capability across the
model range. Defender, Freelander, Discovery, Range Rover Sport,
Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque each define the world's 4x4
sectors. Land Rover products are currently sold in approximately
180 global markets.
About Bowler Motorsport:
Bowler is a market leader in the production of racing and high
performance all terrain vehicles, and has been since 1985. The UK
pioneers in Rally Raid cars, Bowler has continually competed at the
highest levels and, during this time, has designed, developed and
produced some of the most innovative, durable and exciting all
terrain vehicles ever seen.
The Bowler Wildcat, Nemesis and now the EXR have all been proven in the toughest race in the world ‑ the Dakar. Each evolution of Bowler has refined the knowledge and experience gained from the previous one.
Based in Derbyshire in the UK, Bowler uses both technology and craftsmanship to deliver vehicles with style, strength, performance and an unrivalled spirit of adventure.
About Race2Recovery:
Race2Recovery is a successful off‑road racing team that provides
opportunities for people who live with disabilities to participate
in motorsport.
The team is the first and only motorsport team with disabled team injured members to twice enter and complete the Dakar Rally (in January 2013 and 2014). Team members achieve the extraordinary through endeavour and endurance; they are courageous and undaunted by injury, disability and challenges.
Race2Recovery is a strong and supportive team; members become a part of the R2R family and the team is supported by a loyal community of followers from around the world.