TeamWoodSpeed Racing - News-Articles

Special Stage TV line-up on full throttle for Paul Woodford

Wed, 09 May 2012 14:07:04 +0100

Three rounds in, the eyes of the motor sport world are on the REIS Get Connected BTRDA Rally Championship as the competition at the top heads to Wales for the Plains Rally, marking the fourth television show in the Special Stage BTRDA series this year.

Presenter Paul Woodford, who fronted the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship coverage in 2011 may have taken time out from competing, but as he explain it's a move that has seen his involvement with the sport increase significantly;

"I made the decision to concentrate on the presenting mainly for logistical reasons really - it's difficult to find the time to maintain, run and drive a rally team as well as put in the level of commitment required to make the television shows a success.

As part of the Special Stage TV series in the last couple of years though, I've been strapped into some pretty special rally cars, including the Championship winning Focus WRC alongside Damian Cole on the Jim Clark in 2011 and the current Ford World Rally Championship Fiesta with Matthew Wilson. I've also been along to World Rally Car tests, and have had a few interesting offers to co-drive which has been great!"

The popularity of the Special Stage television series is testament to the talented team of cameramen and producers, together with the presenters Brid Deery and Lowri Davies who work alongside Paul Woodford to bring the sport to a global audience.

Producer Wayne Goldring, himself an increasingly influencial figure in UK rallying is equally as excited about how the season is going;

"We're really happy to be able to show the REIS-Get Connected! BTRDA Rally Series on TV. It's been the best supported gravel rally championship in the UK, it has a massive following in the forests around the country and really resonates what the best of clubman rallying is all about."

Speaking at the beginning of the year as the announcement was made, Wayne said getting Paul to cover this series was an instrumental part of the package;

"Paul Woodford will really help to bring the entertainment to the coverage in much the same way he has with the REIS MSA Asphalt Championship. He's helped to make it easily the best rallying coverage on British TV and he'll do the same with the BTRDA Rally Series."

Round 3 of the REIS Get Connected! BTRDA Rally Championship, the Somerset Stages Rally will be shown on Motors TV this Friday 11th May at 9.30pm.

For full details of the events and championships being covered by Paul and the Special Stage Team, visit www.specialstage.co.uk.

Source for quotes: www.rallysportmedia.com

Woodford Brothers tame Blyton

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:26:50 +0100

Roll back to 2009, a freshly rebuilt, gleaming Ford Ka rally car was wheeled off the trailer, the flanks adorned with Teamwoodspeed, and for the first time Mike Woodford's name joined his brother Paul's on the rear windows. We are of course talking about the Woodford brothers' debut rally at the 2009 Jack Neal Memorial Rally. A debut which, thanks to engine failure less than a mile into the first stage would end miserably.

Fast forward two years and many successful rally finishes later; in May 2011 armed with the Teamwoodspeed Citroen Saxo, Paul and Mike took on the airfield roads at Blyton for another assault on the event, which is organised by Clitheroe and District Motor Club.

Taking in a marathon 12 stages on one of the most dry, dusty days we'd seen so far this year, the challenge wouldn't be limited to the car's ability to reach the finish. And as he explains, Paul also had something else on his mind:

"We'd been made an offer on the Saxo, and the prospective buyer was co-driving at the rally so was watching closely to see how the car performed. I had to find a balance between going quickly to get a decent result and showing what the car can do, and not pushing the limits too much - especially given we've not been in the car competitively for almost a year. I don't think the car would have looked such an attractive proposition in the shape of a ball!"

In addition to this, Paul's television presenting had finally caught up with him on the stage, with him having to interview the junior drivers at the rally as part of the Special Stage series on Sky Channel, Motors TV.

The car ran fautlessly, Paul using the new developments on the car to good effect to bring the car home with a 4th place class finish, 16th in the overall classification. And despite enjoying the newly installed vertical handbrake lever a little too much at times, the team loaded an unmarked car back onto the trailer for what would be the last time. The car has now gone to pastures new, and will see continue to see action in Belgian tarmac events under the control of rally driver Chris Rixon.

The Jack Neal however wasn't a success for the whole team. Graham Gibbs was back out in the blue 205, with Tom Hutchings alongside. And, with a zero percent finishing record so far, the pair were simply aiming to add their names to the finish results classification. The Peugeot though didn't make it past Stage 8, when the engine blew up in circumstances uncomfortably similar to the fate which befell the team two years previous.

As Tom explains however, the disappointment brought with it some promising signs:

"We were up as high as 7th overall on the leaderboard on Stage 6, but the tell tale sounds of an engine returning its insides to nature meant I had to make the call for Graham to pull the car up by the side of the road just 2 stages later. I think this is a clear sign that we can no longer keep chasing the little problems with the car. It needs a serious rethink to give Graham the reliability to match his speed."

As we go to press, the Peugeot is still in bits, with the engine undergoing a full rebuild and reconfiguration in an attempt to blow away the demons that have so far blighted (pun would have been better spelt 'blyted' - ed) Gibbs' return to the sport since his comeback began in 2010.

The Woodford brothers' plans look uncertain going into the second half of the 2011 season, but Paul's commitments fronting the Special Stage Rally Review TV programme mean time for competing is set to be limited for the time being. Paul added:

"I'd like to thank the whole team for their help and support on the Jack Neal - we finally nailed it and I'm pleased to take away probably the best finish we could have hoped for in the class, given the competition on the day. Andy Townend was a huge help, and his expert preparation experience meant the rally was probably one of the smoothest we've done in terms of servicing and maintenance.

I'd especially like to thank Mike for his efforts and success in the co-driver seat. In two years, we've come a long way as a rally team, and as a pairing we have really worked well together. Despite my current situation, I do intend for us to be back in the team fielding a second car alongside Graham at some point. Watch this space!"

Thank you to David Dudley, Paul Hadley and once again to rallyaround.co.uk for the fantastic action shots.

Paul Woodford buckles up for WRC action on the Jim Clark

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:55:28 +0100

As part of Production Company MCVideo's coverage of the 2011 Jim Clark National Rally for the Special Stage TV series, presenter Paul Woodford realised a lifelong ambition as he got strapped into reigning REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Champion Damian Cole's Ford Focus World Rally Car for the shakedown stage.

Available to teams as a pre-rally test, the shakedown stage is a true reflection of the type of closed road rally stages that make up the legendary Jim Clark Rally. As he travelled at speeds of up to 140mph in a rally super car worth more than most houses, Paul introduced the rally to hundreds of thousands of rally fans tuning into the programme. As Paul explains, it was a thrilling spectacle, from both sides of the camera:

"As I say in the feature, I've never been down a country road that fast, and I have to say I got a first hand look at what made Damian Cole the 2010 National Tarmac Rally Champion. The car is incredible, with pace and dynamics unlike anything I've ever experienced before, and even on a shakedown stage without pace notes Cole piloted the car superbly, with lightening fast reactions and stomach-twitching commitment over the blind crests. We said before the feature that we wanted Damian to demonstrate the pace and excitement that comes with sitting in one of these amazing rally cars, and I'd to think we succeeded in relaying that to a television audience, most of whom will never get the opportunity to ride - as I did shotgun - with a national champion in a World Rally Car."

The third round of the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship, the Jim Clark Rally eventually saw Damian Cole take victory after an intense battle throughout both days of competition. Here at Teamwoodspeed, we'd like to say Paul gave the championship leader some presenter luck, but we have to say we think it takes a lot more than luck to take home the silverware at this level of the sport.

The programme, including Paul's feature in the World Rally Car can be viewed by clicking HERE.

First test of 2011 a promising start

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:05:26 +0100

On Sunday 27^th March, following a busy winter developing the Teamwoodspeed Citroen Saxo VTS, Paul took to the track for the first time in 2011 behind the wheel of the car. Which, as he explains felt like a completely different machine;

“I can’t believe how different the car felt compared with last year, the extra power and changes to the brakes really have turned the car into a complete animal. I struggled at first to get to grips with it on the tight, twisty Harewood track, but once I got into the swing of things the car just kept surprising me – in a good way of course!”

Due to his television commitments - presenting the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship and British Cross Country Championship for Motors TV on Sky – Paul has a limited programme of rallies this year, but a test was crucial so the Harewood Hillclimb Practice Day fitted the bill perfectly.

Harewood Hillclimb is one of Paul’s favourite motorsport venues, being the place of his competition debut in a historic rally prepared Cortina.

Paul’s first rally, when he will be joined by co-driver and brother Mike will be the Hallamshire Stages Rally, at Barkston Heath in Lincolnshire, and as Paul explains the whole team are looking forward to the event;

“Obviously last time at Barkston Heath for us was challenging, as we lost the brakes. But, I’m looking forward to getting back out there – the stages are fast and flowing, and should suit the car even better with the extra revs [courtesy of the Cup Car ECU].”

Due to being in Germany for the WRC round at the time of the team’s last visit to Barkston Heath, Tom Hutchings missed the rally so is looking forward to experiencing the fast-paced airfield-based venue. His knowledge of managing tyre strategy will be crucial too; the Hankook RS2 tyres tested to their limits on the fast, smooth tarmac.

For a selection of in-car videos from Sunday’s test, including some sideways action visit our Youtube channel HERE. The team’s photography sponsors Rallyaround were also in attendance and you can check out their usual high quality images from the event HERE.

Gibbs and Young make the finish at Manby

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:46:49 +0000

On a cold and very wet Manby Motorplex, the Teamwoodspeed Peugoet 205 was wheeled back out onto the tarmac following a season-ending roll at the venue in October last year. Exactly a year since the team unsuccessfully debuted the 205 and the Woodford brothers' Saxo at the Bill Cammack Memorial Rally, they were back - minus the Saxo - to have another go.

Speaking before the rally, Paul told us the whole team were looking forward to the rally, which took place near Louth in Lincolnshire:

"I'm obviously disappointed the Saxo wasn't ready in time, but the 205 has had a complete refresh, and looks like it's ready to get some results. A season of non-finishes for Graham last year means he is more fired up than ever to get the car to the end of the rally. It looks better than it ever has and we're all really excited to see how it fairs on the stages!"

Posting fourteenth fastest time overall on the first stage was a promising early sign for the team. However a cautious start for Graham, being co-driven by Rob Young was clearly not cautious enough on SS2 when the car aquaplaned on the standing water, becoming stranded with its front wheels off the ground on a grass bank.

The damage from the incident was light, however on recovering the car back to service a burst water pipe was discovered. Emergency repairs resulted in the Peugeot being retired from the main event due to missing SS3. So with the next stage cancelled due to a serious accident, it was down to the whole team to make sure the car was back in the running for the afternoon Practice Rally stages.

The treacherous weather conditions continued for the afternoon stages, and keeping the car on the tarmac was about all Graham could do in his battle for a finish. As he explained:

"We've experimented with tyre pressures and even gravel tyres to try and get some more grip on the wet stages, but I think we're just going to have to back off if we want a finish."

And finish they did, despite a further excursion into the scenery and an incident involving a fellow competitor. At the end of a difficult rally, Graham and Rob crossed the finish of the final stage with something to build from for the rest of the season. Graham said:

"I'm really pleased with how the day went, everyone worked really hard and we showed the car is quick when everything comes together. I'm actually pretty pleased that I'm going home with some damage that isn't my fault this time too!"

The Lookout Stages on 3rd April is Gibbs' target for having the car repaired and back out to do battle. Check back for updates as we bring you all the news from Teamwoodspeed.

Photographs courtesy of Rallyaround and Ashley Kelly whose selection can be seen here.