Maxxis Rally drivers Pat Naylor and Ian Lawrence cruised to victory at this weekend’s Trackrod Rally, narrowly beating closest competitors Sacha Kakad and Russ Thompson.
The win marks a triumphant milestone for the duo, marking them as the 2017 BTRDA Production Cup Champions, in addition to securing a second-place finish in the Maxxis MSA English Rally Championship overall.
The result and points positioning between Pat and Sacha also, quite fittingly after their tussles, means they also share 4th position in the Gold Star Drivers Championship.
Only in their first year of sponsorship with Maxxis, Pat was quick to praise the tyre’s performance saying: “The Maxxis R19 gave us excellent performance all year, ultimately proven by the end of season results. The grip levels are high and the resistance to wear and damage are very good.”
The pair started the Trackrod Rally in third overall in the N4 championship, behind competitors Russ Thompson and Sacha Kakad. If Russ or Sacha won the event they would have taken the overall victory so Pat and Ian needed to fight hard and push on all stages to increase their position in the championship. After six tough stages, it was Pat’s Evo 9 that secured the win, with only a 6-second lead on his closest competitor.
Commenting on the win, Maxxis managing director, Derek McMartin, said: “For Pat and Ian to claim victory in their first season racing on R19s is a great result for Maxxis. The R19 tyre has achieved multiple podiums globally, in the US and Europe, so to see it pay off in the UK is a great achievement for us. The win demonstrates that the years of research and development is paying off, it really is a one of a kind rally tyre and one that’s been turning a lot of heads all season. Congratulations Pat and Ian on another high adrenalin performance and a fantastic end to the season.”
