Results

Bentham’s David Wright enjoyed amazing success at last weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed when he beat numerous world championship drivers and cars to set the fastest time on each of the festival’s three days.

​

Photo by Songasport

The event did not start well for Wright as he hit a bank in his Kumho Tyres, Proflex, Drenth, York Brewery, Millers Oils and Grove Hill Garage-backed GPM Mitsubishi Evo 9 when doing a run the day before the festival opened. The car suffered suspension damage which took most of Thursday to repair but the car was all ready to go on Friday.

Despite facing tough competition from the likes of the works Skoda team and the Citroën DS3 WRC of world rally driver Thierry Neuville Wright was quickest on the very slippery rally stage, pipping Intercontinental Rally Championship champion Andreas Mikkelsen by 0.4 seconds. He repeated the performance on Saturday before rounding off his event by taking another quickest time on Sunday, this time beating Neuville into second place.

“It was an unbelievable event, “ said Wright. “To beat some of the stars of world championship level rallying was fantastic. The stage was unlike anything I’ve driven on before, the chalky surface was almost like driving on ice.”

“Thanks to the team for getting Thurday’s damage repaired, they did a great job and without them I would not have been able to run the car in the event. Thanks also to the International Rally Drivers Club for inviting me to drive, I’m very proud to have been the quickest driver and hopefully I can return next year.”

Wright will return to action later this month on the Nicky Grist Stages in Wales.

Bentham’s David Wright continued his run of rally success last weekend when he finished in a brilliant second place on the Plains rally, just one week after winning the Tour of Hamsterley.

​

Wright on the Plains rally. Photo by Simon Clarke

The Welshpool-based event was round four of the BTRDA rally championship and after two retirements on the early championship rounds Wright was keen to get a strong result in the mid-Wales forests.

The rally kicked off with a stage in Gartheiniog forest which, at over 10 miles, provided a stern test for the crews. Wright was immediately on the pace in his Kumho Tyres, Drenth, York Brewery, Proflex and Grove Hill Garage-supported GPM Mitsubishi Evo 9, finishing the stage in second place.

Wright went one better in the following Dyfi stage as he was fastest through the twisty forest tracks. Three stages in Hafren and Sweet Lamb were next and Wright kept up his challenge for the win with another fastest time backed up by two third quickests.

A storming run through the second run of Gartheiniog saw Wright lie just three seconds off the lead going into the final Woodyard stage. Despite the stage only being one mile long Wright went flat out for the win but he overshot a corner which lost him time, meaning that he had to settle for second place.

“It was disappointing to have the overshoot as I think we would’ve been very close to taking the win,” said Wright. “I’m extremely happy with the result though, it has been an incredible few days winning in Hamsterley and then finishing second here. It has made all the hard work we’ve done on the car worthwhile. Thank you to all the sponsors and the team that have helped me get such fantastic results on the last two events.”

As well as his rally success Wright received some other good news with an invitation to take part in the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed at the end of June.

“I’m really looking forward to taking part in the festival, it’s an honour to be invited. I’ll be using the car on the rally circuit and I’ll be doing my best to put on a good show for all the spectators!”