RSS Share 26/05/2006
Clio Rally Victory For Delighted Dale

Renault tasted success in the first round of the Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship when Justin Dale and co-driver Andrew Bargery drove their Renault Clio Renaultsport 182 to R3 Class victory in the Pirelli International Rally in Kielder Forest on 13th/14th May.

Finishing 16th overall, Dale and Bargery’s effort was good enough to beat five Super 1600 Class cars. Super 1600 is the second category of front-wheel drive cars in the Championship and generally have around 50bhp more than Renault Clio Renaultsport 182. They are also allowed many more technical adjustments to improve performance, including a sequential gearbox.

With an impressive start list including many past BRC champions, Justin and Andrew, who were S1600 champions in 1999 and 2002, proved to be a partnership that delivered. In their Kumho shod Clio, they were fastest in the R3 class on every single stage, to record a class victory by over nine minutes

“I haven’t had as much fun in a rally car for years!” exclaimed a delighted Dale when he jumped out of his Renault Clio Renaultsport 182, which was originally designed by Renault to be run on tarmac stages. “It’s our first forest event for over three years so we took a little while to get really confident in the car but the Clio Renaultsport 182 does everything we ask of it – and more!

“The handling capability of the car is fantastic and the whole package is really effective. I’m not sure when Andrew and I will stop smiling. The next round of the BRC, the Jim Clark Rally, is an event we always enjoy so I think we’ll have some real fun there.”

The Jim Clark International Rally is to be held on 7th/8th of July, based in the Scottish Borders around Kelso south of Edinburgh.