World RX TV Commentator Andrew Coley to race RX150 at Lydden Hill
World Rallycross Championship television commentator Andrew Coley will race an RX150 at the seventh round of the MSA British Rallycross Championship in association with the Shannon Group, at the traditional Lydden Hill August Bank Holiday event [August 31].
Englishman Coley tested the Jelf-Insurance backed RX150 at the series’ test facility recently, where he got to grips with the 1000cc single-seater machine. “I’m really looking forward to making my British Rallycross debut at Lydden Hill. I enjoyed the test and I was pleasantly surprised that I felt comfortable in the buggy,” explained Coley. “The RX150 is a mega bit of kit. I’m going to be in the same spec buggy as everybody else, but equally the front-runners will have been in a buggy all season. So there's my first excuse! I’m just a commentator going to have fun. ”
The event will mark Coley’s second ever rallycross appearance, he competed in a single-make Lada race in Latvia recently. However, he is an experienced rally driver and instructor for car manufacturers. In 2008, he won his class in the National Gravel Rally Championship. “I was most nervous about race craft before the Lada race, but I’m not so worried about that now. The RX150 has a hell of a lot more power than the Lada, but both are rear wheel drive. I need to find a balance between sideways and lap time, and adapt very quickly to much higher speeds. If I could apply some of the stuff that I watch Petter Solberg and Timmy Hansen do at each World RX weekend then I’d be laughing. I’m very grateful to Ollie [O’Donovan] for this opportunity, it’s going to be a blast,” he added.
RX150 championship coordinator Ollie O’Donovan thinks that Coley is capable of a strong performance at Lydden Hill. “I thought Andrew was very good at the test. He was one of only a few drivers who have come and not had any big moments or big spins. He was very much in control all the time,” said O’Donovan. “I really think with a bit of a push he can get on the podium. For a first time in a buggy he really impressed me and I look forward to having him with us at Lydden.”
Chrissy Palmer currently leads the RX150 Championship ahead of double champion Marc Scott. Stephen Jones is third overall.
RX150 Championship Standings after 6 of 8 rounds:
1 – Chrissy Palmer 203
2 – Marc Scott 194
3 – Stephen Jones 164
4 – Mitchell Flaherty 101
5 – Richard Moore 73
6 – Larry Sargent 71
7 – Dave Bellerby 65
8 – Brett Harris 54
9 – Kevin Feeney 52
10 – George Tracey Jnr 50
