- Inaugural Defender Challenge going down to the wire, with the championship to be decided at the series finale in Dumfries, Scotland.
- Race2Recovery within a point of championship leaders Team Harford as teams prepare to face the Borders Hill Rally.
Tuesday 18th November 2014 ‑ The Defender Challenge by Bowler championship will be decided this weekend, with Race2Recovery and Team Harford going head‑to‑head to win the inaugural title.
Championship leaders Team Harford, driven by Edd Cobley, a Land Rover Experience instructor from Leicestershire, lead the series by just one point, from team Race2Recovery, who are driven by Surrey's Ben Gott.
Cobley had hoped to secure the title at last month's Cambrian Rally, but his hopes were dashed, after a dramatic off in North Wales left him only able to recover one championship point.
He said: "I went to North Wales hoping to win the championship, but it wasn't to be, and now I've got a very tough weekend of racing ahead. The Race2Recovery team has been pushing me all season, so it's great for the championship to have a final round decider.
"It would be a fantastic achievement for me to win a national rally championship, and having driven so well all season, I'm desperate to finish the job and be the first Defender Challenge champion."
To win the title, Cobley needs to finish the Borders Hill Rally ahead of the on‑form Race2Recovery team, which has recorded five consecutive podium finishes in the Defender Challenge.
The Race2Recovery team enables people with disabilities to participate in professional motorsport and has received backing from partner Land Rover to enable its entry in the series.
One of the disabled members of the Race2Recovery team, female co‑driver Stephanie Boddez, has won plaudits for her efforts in the series so far. Belgian 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.
She said: "I've heard some great things about the Borders Hill Rally, and after coming second in the Welsh Hill Rally earlier in the year, we think it should suit us and we can do very well there. It's exciting to be in contention for the championship and we'll try to push Edd all the way in Scotland."
Race2Recovery driver Ben Gott, from Farnham in Surrey, said: "We've really improved as the series has gone on, so to be in with a shout of winning the championship is fantastic. Stephanie has been an excellent co‑driver for us and it would be great if we could finish the series in style and win the championship."
2014 is the inaugural year of the Defender Challenge by Bowler race series, which features 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.
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 are supported by a loyal community of followers from around the world.