British Rallycross and Irish Rallycross 2008 Season Underway

The Rallycross Open Championship is underway and Jamie Lea is hoping to compete in all the UK rounds during the 2008 season.

Jamie Lea's Ford Fiesta with Mitsubishi Evo 6 Turbo Engine Jamie Lea's Ford Fiesta with Mitsubishi Evo 6 Turbo Engine
Lea drives a rear wheel drive Ford Fiesta with a Mitsubishi Evo 6 turbo engine. It has a six speed gearbox, fully floating group 4 axle. “We use a K&N Apollo air filter system and exceed 300 bhp,” said Lea. “The K&N Apollo works very well in the conditions that we race in.”

Ben Power's Ford SportKA with updated engine
Ben Power's Ford SportKA with updated engine
Rallycross is circuit racing with ten cars on the track competing against each other. The track has a mixed surface of tarmac and loose gravel. The Rallycross circuit racers compete in tracks like Croft, Knockhill and Mondello Park in Ireland.

“We have been racing for 6 years in the Rallycross circuit,” said Lea. “For the past twenty years we’ve raced in many forms of motorsports, but Rallycross is by far the best sport for us.”

Lea finished third in 2007 in the Super National Class. His team is currently building a new super national car. “It is a Toyota MR2 with a Honda Civic type R engine,” he said. “We hope to do really well this year.”

Ben Power is another rallycross racer who plans to compete in the British Rallycross Championship season and selected rounds of the Irish Rallycross Championship. “My vehicle is a Ford SportKA,” said Power. “It is however, no ordinary Sportka. It is designed with a unique built space framed chassis with a molded carbon/Kevlar lightweight body.” Rallycross has several categories and Power competes in the Supermodified class which is 2 wheel-drive cars with unlimited engine size.

“I love going fast and the adrenaline rush from racing is great,” said Power. “Motorsports have been an interest in my family for generations.”

Power’s engine is a 2.3 Duratec engine, which produces more than 280 bhp through the front wheels. His car has a 6 speed sequential Hewland gearbox and Reiger 3 way adjustable suspension. Overall, his vehicle weighs less than 700kg. “We use K&N Engineering’s RE-0860 air filter,” said Power. “It works very well and provides good induction for the car. We also use K&N filter cleaner and oil.”

Power has been racing for three years. “I’m 18-year’s old and have been in the Supermodified category for two years and before that I raced in Junior Rallycross,” he said. “I also used K&N on my Junior Rallycross car.”

Power has plans to defend his Irish championship title and wants to improve on the Supermodified category where he placed second in 2007.

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