IRDC Driver Performance Award 2011
Despite the cancelation of the seventh round of the BRC championship, the Isle of Man International Rally, two factors have helped made the final results of this season's IRDC Driver Performance award unique. For the first time since its inception, this year's winner has won the award previously and, the close fought season has finished with two drivers sharing joint third place on the podium.
Northern Ireland's Jonny Greer was the delighted winner of the 2009 IRDC scheme, to which he's now added the 2011 title, contested this year by all drivers registered in the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship. Driving an independently run Skoda Fabia S2000, twenty three year old Greer, who finished his British Rally Championship campaign third overall, was co driven again by Dai Roberts.
In a strong Second place is Peter Taylor from Carlisle, the twenty-year-old driving an independently run Ford Fiesta and third place is shared between eighteen year old Welshman Osian Pryce from Machynlleth and 21 year old Alex Laffey from Market Harborough, both driving universally popular Ford Fiestas.
Significantly, these four drivers have been placed in the IRDC top ten at each of the six qualifying BRC rallies, proving that consistency is the key to winning the scheme, designed to highlight best improvement in driver performance on gravel and asphalt. Results are factored on careful analysis of stage time improvement and assessed on a rally by rally basis by the IRDC's Tim Hobbs, successful international co-driver and an acknowledged authority on international rally driver seeding.
For 2011, the innovative and truly international IRDC scheme has included ALL drivers registered in the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, meaning there's been no requirement for drivers to register separately. The winner receives a cash prize of £500, the IRDC trophy and two tickets to the BRC awards dinner in Manchester's Hallmark Hotel on 19th November when the presentation will be made by IRDC chairman Shaun Martin. Plans are already underway for developing the scheme further for the 2012 championship.
Final Top Ten Positions
1. Jonny Greer
2. Peter Taylor
3=. Osian Pryce
3=.Alex Laffey
5. Elfyn Evans
6. Mikko Pajunen
7. Slim Pajunen
8. David Bogie
9=.Callum Black
9=.Daniel O?Brien
23rd October, 2011