Champion reunited with winning Lancer E9

Ryan Champion has been reunited with the car he used to win the Pirelli Carlisle and Trackrod rallies in 2006 after buying the machine from KG in Ireland.

Champion won the Pirelli as part of the British Rally Championship on his way to second in the standings, before winning his local Trackrod. Both events were international.

Champion also already owns an ex-piero Liatti and Didier Auriol Group A WRC Subaru Impreza, but wanted a car he could rally more regularly as the Impreza increases in value.

“I don’t want to do many rallies in the Subaru anymore, so with the Evo I can do rallies in it and use it, but it still has a bit of history too,” Champion said.

“The car is special given that we won two international rallies in it. If it was any Evo 9 then I wouldn’t have been as interested in buying it. But it’s definitely part of my rallying career and it’s still in the original livery and looks the part.”

Champion plans to compete on the Whitby and District-run Riponian Rally on February 19.

“If the Riponian goes alright and the car is reliable we’re probably going to take it to the Malcolm Wilson Rally too,” he added.

Craig Thorley – who first co-drove for Champion in 1992 and navigated on the 2006 Pirelli and Trackrod wins – will rejoin Champion for the Riponian.