Cunningham Claims Challenge title on the Isle of Man

The 2010 Kick Energy Fiesta SportChallenge (FSC) Championship was wrapped up at the weekend with Galwayman Jonathan Cunningham winning the championship after taking the FSC victory on the Isle of Man Challenge Rally.

 

With each day of the event counting as a separate event and as the only FSC driver scoring points on the event, Cunningham, 26 from Galway, only had finish one of the two events to take maximum points and secure the championship victory.  Despite his best efforts and driving well within himself Cunningham had to wait until the second day before claiming the title, a pair of broken driveshafts forcing him and co-driver Richard Millener out of the first event on SS6, Ballanank.  The stage also knocked out FSC regulars Alex Laffey, 20 from Market Harborough, and Peter Martin after they went off the road and crashed heavily.  Although not scoring points the pair had come to the event to improve their pace on Tarmac ahead of the Ulster Challenge Rally.  The damage sustained was too severe to be safely repaired and the crew opted to sit out the second day and get the car properly sorted for the Ulster event. 

 

Cunningham and his crew repaired the car ready for the start of the second day, but even this proved to be against them, the right hand shaft breaking well inside the gearbox meaning the gearbox had to be removed to allow the offending part to be extracted.

 

With a fresh pair of driveshaft's fitted and strict orders not to push too hard from co-driver Millener, Cunningham set off for the second of the two events.  Despite not pushing Cunningham managed to claim an overall stage win, on the second stage, and brought his Fiesta ST home third overall ahead of some faster machinery in the BRC Challenge.

 

The victory puts Cunningham out of reach of nearest challenger John Pritchard, who will score points on the Ulster Challenge Rally.  As well as the FSC championship win, Cunningham also claimed his £500 prize money for winning the FSC round of the Isle of Man Challenge Rally.

 

2010 Kick Energy Fiesta SportChallenge Champion - Jonathan Cunningham said:

 

"It's great to wrap up the title so early in the year. After yesterday's drama it looked as though everything was going against us, but we have managed to turn it round and get the result we needed.  I can't wait to get my hands on the Fiesta R2 now and hopefully trade some stage times with Evans and MacCrone."

 

Isle of Man Challenge Rall Final Standings FSC:

 

Pos	Driver/Co-Driver	Time	Behind First
1	J Cunningham/R Millener	1:15:29.4	-
DNF	A Laffey/P Martin	-	-

 

Kick Energy FSC Championship Standings after Round 4:

 

Pos	Driver/Co-Driver	Points
1	J Cunningham/R Millener	96*
2	J Pritchard/C Williams	64
3	R parry-Jones/S Price	62
4	A Laffey/P Martin	58
5	D O'Brien/P Morris	53
6	D Smith/F Hutchinson	49
7	J Brown/C Burgess	39
8	R Hall/L Burgess	18

*2010 Kick Energy Fiesta SportChallenge Champion

 

For more information on the Fiesta SportTrophy UK Championship please contact series co-ordinator Callum Craw on ccraw@m-sport.co.uk or visit www.fiestasporttrophy.co.uk