Penrith-born rally driver Frank Bird continued his meteoric rise when he claimed runner-up spot on today’s TJS Self Drive Alan Healy Memorial Cadwell Park Stages Rally which formed the final round of the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship with MSVR.
The 19-year-old Cumbrian, along with Hexham co-driver Jack Morton in the Dom Buckley Motorsport/IRS-prepared Ford Focus WRC07, with backing from Frank Bird Poultry, Be Wiser Insurance, Fuchs Silkolene, PBM and Hager, were hoping to add to the win they recorded on last month’s Lee Holland Memorial Rally 2019 at Anglesey.
Hopes were high when Frank set fastest time by six seconds on SS1 at the Lincolnshire track but on SS2, he dropped over 30 seconds with one of many stalls which was to prove costly as it turned out, due to a handbrake issue. Frank was quickest on the next three stages to move up to second, but more time was lost on SS6 to drop down to third again.
But in typical fashion, Frank set about closing the gap and with fastest time on the final three stages, he’d managed to climb up to second place overall ahead of series rival Peter Smith (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) and at the finish, had closed to within 17 seconds of winner and 2019 champion Chris West (Peugeot 306 Maxi Kit Car).
That means in three rallies, Frank has finished first, second and third to bump himself up the order to third in class D2 in the series having only contested the three events.
Frank Bird: “The rally started off well and we ended up winning every stage apart from two. On the two stages we weren’t fastest, we had a small issue with the handbrake causing us to stall a number of times. That put us out of contention for the win, which was a shame, but we showed great pace all day to get back up to second overall. The car was feeling mega and once again thanks to Jack who was brilliant on the maps, the team, my dad and our sponsors. Next up is Monza next weekend for the first round of the Formula Renault Eurocup Championship.”
Frank now turns his attentions to that opening round of the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup which gets underway at Monza in Italy next weekend.
Results
1 Chris West/Keith Hounslow, Peugeot 306 Maxi Kit Car, 44:32
2 Frank Bird/Jack Morton, Ford Focus 07 WRC, +17
3 Peter Smith/Patrick Walsh, Ford Fiesta RS WRC, +18
4 John Griffiths/Nigel Wetton, Subaru Impreza, +2:19
5 Stephen Tilburn/Jack Tilburn, Ford Escort, +2:21
6 Ciro Carannante/Simon Coates, Porsche Cayman, +2.21
7 Mike Taylor/Martin Haggett, Talbot Lotus Sunbeam, +2:24
8 Peter Stephenson/Tony Jones, Subaru P2000 WRC, +2:43
9 Mike Bayliss/Sam Bailey, BMW Compact M3, +3:08
10 Nigel Mummery/Fiona Scarrett, Ford Focus WRC, +3:22
For further information, please visit the team website: www.pbmuk.net
Pictures attached copyright free, courtesy of Tom Irvin (True Turbo Media).
Notes to Editors:
Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM) are winners of over 180 races in British Superbike Championship, MotoGP CRT, World Superbike Championship, 125cc, 250cc, Supersport British Championships, Superstock National Championships, Isle of Man TT, North West 200, Daytona, Macau GP, and British domestic races. Points scorers in 125cc, 250cc and 500cc GPs. Points scorers in World Supersport, podium finishers in WSB, Superpole winners in World Superbike. They are based at Langwathby near Penrith in Cumbria.
ENDS
