James Everard

Despite most of Cockermouth being submersed, the Grizedale forest stages are set to continue as planned.

This gives Everard just 12 days to complete the R2 build. Progress so far has been smooth, the rollcage has been fitted (Custom Cages), sprayed (The Paint and Body Shop, Hull) and the engine is currently at top engine performance builders Mountune Racing.

Everard and mechanics are now left with the tricky tasks of wiring and heat protection to finish before the engine returns and the gearbox, drive shafts and suspension can be connected.

Latest pictures show the car on side mounts, which Everard believes will greatly benefit the Used-Garage-Equipment team in service. He commented, “It has made a massive difference whilst we have been building the car, and it will make it much quicker and far more secure when the team are rushing about during servicing. The most pressing concern at the moment is to ensure that we get the car ready in time for our first planned event. ”

On a lighter note, the youngest member of the team was heard to remark, “if you can’t fix it with a hammer, you’ve got an electrical problem.” It remains to be seen if this is the way foward in modern service team analysis.

After collaborations with top local graphics designer Ian Fathom, the finishing touches have been made to a sponsorship package boasting some of the most prestigious benefits available in the world of rallying. In addition to logos and brand names on the car itself worth an estimated advertising value of £612,500 per annum, sponsors names are broadcasted worldwide, reaching approximately 500 million viewers.

Exclusive VIP benefits include getting behind the wheel of Everards personal rally car to complete a test stage or even compete in a local or national event. The used-garage-equipment.com rally team believe that no other team are able to offer a sponsorship package that enables rally enthusiasts get as close to the action as this.

For further information regarding sponsorship package availability or to request a brochure please send an email or give the team a call using the contact details available.

Other news

With the bodyshell well on the way to completion, mechanic Townend is feeling positive about the next stage of car preparation. Bringing on board diagnostics specialist Jon Fry of Jonathan Fry Automotive Ltd to assist in the engine rebuild will give Everard a boost in the right direction.

“With the engine fully stripped and awaiting machinery to accommodate the new camshafts and connecting rods Fry took a well earned break to describe the rebuild protocol. It’s an absolute pleasure to have been asked to work on the engine for James’ new Fiesta R2 rally car. This engine represents the very latest technology Ford has to offer and I can gain a great deal from working on such a project, benefiting James both now and in the future.

The goal is to provide a top specification engine for James which will prove reliable throughtout the rallying season. Using the upgrade kit provided by M-Sport and years of automotive knowledge my aim is to build the very best engine possible, giving James a fighting chance of competing in this years Fiesta Sporting Trophy.”

After safe delivery of Everards Fiesta Zetec, mechanic Andy Townends’ tight scheduling has enabled the car to be well on the way to looking more like a rally R2 and less like a family Zetec. All metal panels and underseal have been removed and new engine mounts, side stand mounts and seam welding have been completed.

Head mechanic Townend is said to be happy with the progress and has booked the car in for a rollcage to be fitted on Monday 2nd November. The early starts and late finishes from both Everard and Townend are paying off with only minor adjustments still to be made.

The final shell modifications are currently taking place and Everards determination to see the car completed should be enough to secure his entry to the Grizedale Stages 2009.

M-Sport finally unveiled their first global rally car, the Fiesta R2, designed to allow competitors to graduate in Ford cars from national level through to WRC.

A European tour showcasing the R2 has proven the car to be immensely popular, and it is looking to be the most hotly contested single make championship in Europe and the UK. The R2 and ST will be in the same championship, the Fiesta Sport Trophy, and with some of the highest calibre drivers involved it is looking to be one of the most thrilling contests of 2010.

Everard and regular navigator Sam Collis, see this as the perfect opportunity to progress from the top level results gained in the Fiesta Sporting Trophy and to prove their worth in the R2. An invitation to the first Fiesta R2 test day at Carisle on 28th September will allow Everard to test the handling of the car before the kit has been fitted to his own. The Championship is set to follow all rounds of the BRC plus the Malcom Wilson Rally.

Impressive podium finishes in the Malcolm Wilson and Pirelli National Events led to a personal request by BRC champion David Higgins for James to join the leading Chinese Wan Yu Rally Team. Tight scheduling meant that James had to choose either the last round of the Fiesta Sporting Trophy or to make his debut into China.The opportunity to compete in a four wheel drive Evo 9 on foreign soil was enough to entice James away from his chance of a Championship podium finish. Despite this, previous solid results throughout the season managed to secure him a 4th place championship finish.

The Longyou rally, part of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) is held 400km away from Shanghai, the largest city in China. The event kicked off with a head to head short super SS. James made an impressive start, easily out driving his counterpart when disaster struck on the final corner. The front and rear left tyres slipped down the edge of the embankment towards the river, and due to advertising banners spanning the mud wall James was unable to find the grip to pull the car back up to the road. When nothing else could be done to get the car onto the road, James climbed out and bowed to the eagerly awaiting 2000 spectators perched on the bleachers and another 13 million viewers on live Chinese TV!

After several hours of waiting, the car was finally towed back to service with minimal damage ready to compete in the morning. James was back to winning ways the following day, despite the remainder of the stages involving tight and twisty muddy dirt tracks snaking up the terrifyingly high mountain edges. After two days of tricky terrain and bad weather James surpassed all expectations and finished first Brit and 10th overall, in an event comprising over 100 competitors.

Speaking after the event James remarked that he had had a “fantastic time and thoroughly enjoyed the stages and competition. The car was amazing to drive and the team did an unbelievable job at service, working all hours to ensure the car was ready after the off on the first stage.”

James is completing in this year’s Ulster Rally in his Ford Fiesta ST rally car.

Preparations have been taking place for the last few weeks and James and his team set off for Ireland on Wednesday morning.  James arrived safely and has already signed on and is surveying the stages.

James will be posting regular updates via Twitter and you can follow James’s progress in several ways:

• Through this web site.
  The Used Garage Equipment Online Rally Team at their engineering base in Hull will be correlating all the information and updating James’s web site accordingly over the course of the rally.
• Through Twitter.
  Receive James’s updates by following James Everard on Twitter.  James is Twitting personally directly from his rally car when time permits.
• Through Facebook.
  James will be updating his Facebook profile personally whilst in Ireland and in addition the Used Garage Equipment Online Rally Team will post further information and photos when they become available.

The latest updates we have received from James are as follows:

1. On route to Stranraer with Sam Collis ready for Ulster Rally recce tomorrow.
2. Now in Ireland heading to Rally HQ with Sam to sign on for recce.

Team Used Garage Equipment Online Rally Update.

James and Sam have sent the following update directly from their Ford Fiesta ST rally car.

The team have successfully completed the pre-event shake down for the third round of the Fiesta ST Championship this morning.

There were some small changes made to the car’s suspension set up and James Everard, who is entering this event leading the Ford Fiesta Sporting Trophy Championship table, was said to be very happy with the changes the service team have made and is looking forward to starting the rally.

The team are now heading to Builth Wells for scrutineering and signing on.

Ends
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