Regarding the title race, nothing is being done on the driver side in the Championship and the SSV. There are also two titles left to be distributed on the co-driver side. May the best win!
THE DASHBOARD
50th Plains & Valleys rally
11th round of the 2024 French Cross-Country Rally Championship.
Committed: 125 including 51 registered in the French Championship, 31 in the 2WD Challenge, 22 in the SSV Challenge and 21 in the 4×4 Trophy.
Course : 323 km long including 203 km of ES (16), divided into 3 stages. Departure from the La Couture Boussey closed park, Friday November 22. Arrival at the Saint-André de l’Eure closed park on Sunday November 24 at 3:33 p.m.
Counts for the French Cross-Country Rally Championship drivers and co-drivers (11/11), the 4×4 Rally Trophy drivers and co-drivers (11/11), the 2-wheel drive Rally Challenge drivers and co-drivers (11/11), the Challenge SSV Rally drivers and co-drivers (11/11) and the Normandy Regional League Championship.
THE BIG LINES
The main favorites for victory and places of honor
French Championship : Barthe (Fouquet Nissan), Poincelet (Fouquet BMW), Fouquet (Fouquet Nissan), Bricheux (Fouquet Nissan), Gengembre (Gembo Mazda), Artola (Rivet Porsche), Ermano (Caze Nissan), Grivet (Rivet Nissan), Thion (Fouquet Nissan), Knoll (BPS Nissan), Kershaw R. (Lofthouse Nissan), Bartolin (Bartolin Nissan), Castan (Rivet BMW), Lefrançois (Rivet Honda), Flouret Barbe (Rivet BMW), Birchall (Lofthouse Mazda), Cox (Rivet Radical RPE), Chanu (Rivet Jaguar), Hélin (Rivet Suzuki), Omnes (Caze Kawasaki), Foucart (Rivet BMW), Borée (Rivet Honda).
Challenge 2RM : Incagaray (Cledze Suzuki), Coet B. (Caze Tomahawk, Suzuki), Goni (Rivet Suzuki), Jonnaux (Cledze Suzuki), Azzali (CRD Suzuki), Cottereaux (Rivet Honda), Déléans (Rivet Honda), Coet G. (Phil’s Car VW), Macaya M. (Phil’s Car Renault), Vimard (Phil’s Car Renault), Vautier Maxime (Vautier VW), Touzot (Phil’s Car Renault), La Personne (Phil’s Car Honda), Besnard (Phil’s Car Renault), Eustache (Phil’s Car Renault).
Challenge SSV : Noirot (Can Am), Giraud (Can Am), Sarrat (Can Am), Valente (Can Am), Pinçon (Can Am), Bigeard (Can Am), Beaugeard (Polaris), Hervieu (Polaris).
4×4 Rally Trophy : Bartolin (Nissan Pathfinder), Dulondel (Jeep Grand Cherokee), Daigneau (Jeep Grand Cherokee), Ravanne (Nissan Patrol BMW), Aubrun (Nissan Patrol), Thompson (Land Rover Discovery), Desicy (Jeep Cherokee), Veret (Mitsubishi Pajero), Demanneville (Lada Niva), Deramaix (Suzuki Grand Vitara), Bossy (Suzuki Jimny).
THE MAJOR CHALLENGES
For the French Championship
– The Plaines & Vallées rally is a monument of the French Championship which will celebrate its 50th anniversary this weekend! On the program, an exceptional course made up of 16 timed events and more than 200 km to be covered as quickly as possible, a festive atmosphere in the centers of Saint-André de l’Eure and that of Couture Boussey, without forgetting a bonfire. fireworks Friday evening just before the buggies pass. In short, a friendly celebration that reflects the spirit of the discipline!
– On the Championship side, Stéphan Barthe (Fouquet Nissan), will leave with the favors of the predictions. In fact, the Basque has a 5-point lead over his direct competitor Thomas Lefrançois (Rivet Honda). He will have to find the right pace to avoid making mistakes while remaining in contact with Norman if he wants to win the crown. It will be a marathon rally with night specials, a difficult exercise for all the competitors.
– Unlike his co-driver, Jérémy Guerin who has already won the title, Thomas Lefrançois will not have much choice, he will have to score as many points as possible, but he will not be master of his destiny, because even if he wins, it will will not be enough if Stéphan Barthe finishes second or if he completes the podium by winning his class. Mathematically, Vincent Poincelet (Fouquet BMW) can also win the title, but, on a regular basis, it looks very complicated.
– In the T1A3 class, apart from the two crews who will compete for the title, we will follow the times of Laurent Fouquet (French autocross champion this year) who will come to freelance on this rally at the wheel of a Fouquet Nissan, with as the main objective of having fun. He will face the Normandy drivers Vivien Grivet (Rivet Nissan), Alexandre Thion (Fouquet Nissan), Julien Ermano (Caze Nissan), Laurent Bartolin (Bartolin Nissan) and Jérôme Bricheux (Fouquet Nissan) as well as the formidable Christophe Gengembre (Gembo Mazda). ), Denis Artola (Rivet Porsche), Alexandre Knoll (BPS Nissan), Richard Kershaw (Lofthouse Nissan) and José Castan who will bring out his legendary BMW Rivet located in the front central position.
– In the intermediate class, in addition to Thomas Lefrançois, you will have to closely monitor Thibault Flouret Barbe (Rivet BMW) who could well surprise everyone with his top speed and consistency! Very in good shape during the last event, Justin Birchall (Lofthouse Mazda) finally seems to have found the instructions for his rotary engine and, above all, reliability on his new machine. Also watch the performances of the fast Astin Cox (Rivet Radical RPE) and the first steps of local driver Fabien Chanu with his new toy, a Rivet Jaguar.
– Finally, in the small class, Jérôme Hélin will once again be the favorite of the category with his Rivet Suzuki, but watch out for Cyril Omnes who never gives up with his Caze Kawasaki, for Vincent Foucart who will continue the discovery of his new Rivet BMW and why not Alexandre Borée who is always very comfortable at home with his Rivet Honda.
For the 2WD Challenge
– For this last festive meeting of the year, Xabi Incagaray and Rémi Cassou will be keen to try to celebrate their title with a 4th victory this year. At the wheel of their Cledze, they will find on their way motivated and sharp drivers like Grégory Goni (Rivet Suzuki), Bruno Coet (Tomahawk Suzuki), Michael Jonnaux (Cledze Suzuki) and especially Grégory Cottereaux (Rivet Honda) who will be a serious customer for the win.
– Behind, we can count on Thomas Azzali (CRD Suzuki), Florent Déléans (Rivet Honda), Gérald Coet (Phil’s Car VW), Julien Vimard (Phil’s Car Renault), Maxime Vautier (Vautier VW), Lillian Touzot (Phil’s Car Renault ), Quentin Laperson (Phil’s Car Honda), Damien Besnard (Phil’s Car Renault), Quentin Eustache (Phil’s Car Renault) and Mathias Macaya (Phil’s Car Renault) to keep the pressure on the favorites by playing on consistency.
For the SSV Challenge
– The title in this category is hotly contested between the two Can Am drivers, Valentin Giraud and Guillaume Noirot. To be titled, Guillaume must score 7 points more than his opponent. With five victories this year, the Cognac driver will try to win a 6th time, but if Valentin finishes second, that will not be enough.
– The difference will perhaps be made thanks to choice outsiders who could come into this match. Indeed, we will be able to count on the regulars Éric Sarrat (Can Am), Antonio Valente (Can Am), Mickael Pinçon (Can Am), Kevin Bigeard (Can Am) without forgetting the fiery Polaris pilots Thomas Hervieu and Hugo Beaugeard who are able to come and play at the forefront.
For the 4×4 Trophy
– Benoît Inchassendague being absent, Bruno Bartolin will be able to approach his event calmly with his Nissan Pathfinder. Indeed, whatever happens, the latter sees himself titled in the 2024 4×4 Trophy before even having started the first special. Congratulations to him! This weekend, he will face Fabien Daigneau (Jeep Grand Cherokee), Constant Ravanne (Nissan Patrol BMW), Teddy Aubrun (Nissan Patrol) and Guy Thompson (Land Rover Discovery).
– In T2B, we will witness the return of Hervé Dulondel (Jeep Grand Cherokee) who will cross swords with Julien Desicy (Jeep Cherokee), Vincent Veret (Mitsubishi Pajero) and why not the surprising Benoît Demanneville who puts on a show with his Lada Niva . Finally, how can we not talk about Denis Bossy who will travel to offer the title to his young co-driver Lysa Capdeville.
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