Dermot Carnegie

[Peter S]

For those who havent seen it online, Dermot Carnegie has announced that he will retire from Rallycross at the end of the year.

He will be a big miss to the sport.

Also John McCluksey has announced some exciting plans for the future.....more online at www.rallycross.nl (news)

A lot of new cars are now being announced for 2004 which should see a flood of ERC spec machinery.

The question is now.....who will buy the Dermot Carnegie Ford Focus at the end of the year?

[BertMk2]

That's a shame, Dermot has been superb for rallycross and the battles he's had so far this year with Will Gollop have been really entertaining. Do you know why he's retiring?

Hopefully somebody will buy the car and keep it running, good news that more cars are in the pipeline for 2004 though.

[Peter S]

I have found out today (information is being provided by rallycross ireland) that he might still race if he doesnt sell the car in the odd championship round next year. But he is now 60 years old so age is obviously catching up with him. Also with the new regs and everything for next year then i guess he thinks now is the time to probably end his involvement in rallycross.

If the car does sell then hopefully someone from these shores will buy ensuring that it remains in the British series. That car is to good to go abroad! Hopefully a british driver will take his chance in it.

The good thing about 2004 is that there is going to be a lot of variation in the top class regarding different manufacturers.

[BertMk2]

So what are the different manufacturers?

I guess it's something along the lines of:

Ford (escort, focus)
Peugeot (306 or 206)
Subaru (Impreza)
Toyota (Corolla)

I'm guessing that the 6R4's won't show up and that Terry Briggs won't bring the TT out again. Realistically what else can we expect to see?

[Peter S]

There will probably be one group b Metro 6R4 left and that will be the one that belongs to George Tracey, but Ireland have there own regs and George doesnt do the British championship.

YEs there will be those four, but i think that we may see an additonally two or three different makes in the championship next year. I am pretty sure one driver is planning something very different and another is planning along the same lines.

Add in Johnny Milner and Mark Williams, at some stage on top of that, and there is also a chance of a known rally driver racing in a top car but that is all i have been told about that. Hopefully when sponsors are confirmed etc then we can tell more.

Lawrence Gibson has been "rumoured" to be changing cars and possibly he is a contender to buy Carnegies....although that is pure speculation at the moment. One thing is for sure and that is it is unlikely that his Metro will be seen next year.

I would be surprised to see Terry Briggs out again. Now i have said that he will probably race at Blyton! hehe..

Perhaps one of the biggest question marks remains over John Haffey and his plans. nothing has been heard of him now since winning the Grand Prix last year.

I would expect Manning and Holfeld to continue on in there current cars, running to the FIA weight limits (addtional 100+ kg) along with an additonal 100+kg for not having the restrictor.

[Barrie]

John Haffey going from past experience has probably asked Dermot if his car was available which I would imagine helped in Dermot's decision to retire. Haffey has never built a car himself so my guess he is already earmarked as the new owner of the Focus.

[Peter S]

Yes maybe. I have been told that the Carnegie car is now sold to an undisclosed driver.....so i guess that could be anyone. The biggest rumours were Lawrence Gibson was going to buy it but anything is possible. Haffey stated that he wanted to make his come back in the British Rallycross Grand Prix, but i doubt carnegies car would be avilable for this event, meaning that he may have to hire a european one or something. People have also said that Haffey isnt going to bother returning at all, so i dont know what the situation is. Perhaps he will, perhaps he wont so i guess we will just have to wait a while longer!!