Pedder to drive for MRF

[TheDogBox]

Former Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Australia Driver Scott Pedder and co-driver Glen Weston have announced their plans to contest the full 2008 Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) with the Perth-based Race Torque Engineering Team. Race Torque have successfully fielded teams in the APRC for many years under the MRF Tyres and Mitsubishi Motors Japan banner, culminating in outright honours in the series in both 2003 and 2005.

For Pedder and Weston this announcement comes as welcome relief with the crew only contesting one event in 2007 (Rally New Zealand) following the shock announcement by Mitsubishi Motors Australia to cease their domestic rally programme at the end of 2006.

“This is incredibly exciting for both Glen and I. The Rally New Zealand experience last year, whilst it obviously didn’t go quite according to plan, reconfirmed our passion for competition and really since that event we have been trying our hardest to put a programme together. The deal with Race Torque and MRF enables us to continue to compete at one of the highest levels in the sport, in a series with great diversity and appeal and against some strong opposition. To also be back in a Mitsubishi, a brand that I have had experience with now for over 10 years, is tremendous and possibly an advantage for us – one that hopefully we can exploit against the new Subaru.”

More up at www.aprclive.com (http://www.aprclive.com)

[uncoversport]

Hey,

That's great news for Scott. He's a good driver, perhaps not a great driver, but definately a good one.

So we now have Pedder, Cody Crocker (I assume?) and Dean Herridge (in some) of the APRC rounds while the Australian championship has just Neal Bates and Simon Evans against...themselves.

I'm not questioning either Bates or Evans' talents - not for a second - but great motorsport is built on great rivalries. When one team is left to dominate (for whatever reason) you end up with...well...Formula One for many untill the past two season. :o

Perhaps the Toyota Development Racing guys should just go contest the APRC...that could make for a good battle (yes, I realise I'm dreaming).

[Mirek]

Interesting news. It would be nice to see TRD guys in APRC if there is no real competition in ARC. From my point of view I only need Jussi Valimaki to stay in APRC because of his great media stuff :)

Anyway is it realy that bad with ARC? It had great media coverage and was interesting to watch even for us in Europe...

[TheDogBox]

I'll miss Jussi too. He's a great character and a super competitive driver. Add him to the mix for this year, and that's a lot a experienced rally talent all in the one place.

But even without him, the APRC looks like it will have one of it's best seasons in years. Pedder has been out of a drive for 12mths, but he is fast. If he and Herridge can get into strong cars, they will really pose a problem for Cody.

For the ARC, the lose of Guest/Windus/Ford is clearly a huge blow. So 2008 will be Evans vs Bates, and then some good fights between the privateers.

ARC might be a bit quiet this year, but the APRC looks set to be a cracker.

[Livewireshock]

Great news for both Scott and fellow forum member on here, Glen Weston. Hope it all goes well for them both.

[raybak]

Windus looking for a budget to run a Fiesta in the ARC, if he doesn't get the money he will run his old Spec C Subaru.

Ray

[uncoversport]

If he and Herridge can get into strong cars, they will really pose a problem for Cody.

It's a shame Herridge is only doing the Asia Cup and not the whole series. That would basically be the ARC three years ago but carried out on a bigger stage!

More good news, Karamjit Singh is going to contest a handful of rounds (the man doesn't know what retirment is!) and should be able to put on a show with all the guys we've already mentioned.
http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=429318#post429318

Bring on the APRC '08!

[TheDogBox]

Windus looking for a budget to run a Fiesta in the ARC, if he doesn't get the money he will run his old Spec C Subaru.


A budget that big would be pretty hard to hide, woundn't it? ;)

[GlenW]

Hi all. Thanks for the kind words. Scott and I are really looking forward to be a part of the APRC this year and mixing it up again with Cody and Company.

[grugsticles]

Off topic:

Does the APRC allow S2000 cars or just production cars?
If S2000 is allowed, why wouldnt TRD Australia make the effort to get into the APRC - give Simon (and Niel) a challenge!

[TheDogBox]

APRC does permit S2000 cars (along with Group N and Group A cars). I'm not sure if the Bates S2000 have completed regional homologation or not.

[uncoversport]

APRC does permit S2000 cars (along with Group N and Group A cars). I'm not sure if the Bates S2000 have completed regional homologation or not.

Yeah, I'm not sure if it has completed the right homologation either. Even if it has though I doubt that Toyota Australia would send the boys around the Asia Pacific region for the championship.

I think Toyota is happy enough putting the money it is in to the Australian Rally Championship effort - for now - but the step up to the APRC would require a notible cash injection. Then there's the question of whether that would be a wise investment??? Hmmm, not convinced.

Cheers