Andy Grant buys ex-Gollop/Jordan Division 1 Focus

[ebby]

Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship, 16.03.10


Grant is set to make a splash with the ex-Jordan Focus


Armed with a new car and with confidence boosted by a successful 2009 season, long serving Rallycross driver Andy Grant will make his strongest bid for glory in the Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship this year. Grant (49) from Barnstaple in Devon has replaced his trusty Escort Cosworth with the ex-Will Gollop/Andrew Jordan Ford Focus, a car with proven event winning form, and will begin his British championship campaign in the opening round of the eight-event series at Lydden Hill on Easter weekend.

After a number of years in rallying, during which he won the South Western Loose Surface championship in 1988, Grant moved to Rallycross in 1992 and has been a front running competitor since moving up to the Supercar class with his Escort Cosworth in 1996. With the Escort beginning to show its age, Grant cast around for alternatives and even considered retiring from racing over the winter. "I decided that I can't watch TV, can't play Golf and can't sit still long enough to go fishing. I noticed that my female friends often buy a new handbag, so I had this crazy idea to buy a newer Rallycross car! The Focus has a good history and although the power of it and my Escort is about the same, the suspension and transmission in the Focus is far superior. The Escort wasn't going to go any quicker so I'm hoping that a newer, better car will let me go faster," said Grant, "I won the Open championship last year so I can't do any better there, the next thing is to have a crack at the British championship."

First raced in the 2002 Rallycross Grand Prix, the Focus has had relatively little use and has not been driven since Jordan completed the 2007 British season in the car prior to making the move to the British Touring Car Championship. Both Gollop and Jordan won British championship events in the car and Grant aims to join them as a winner, "The Escort wasn't competitive enough to win British championship events but I've proved plenty of times that I can match the best drivers when things are equal, with the Focus I should have an equal chance every time," said Grant.

With the sale of his car to Grant, Gollop has finally called time on a Rallycross career that started in 1973. The former British and European champion, Gollop remains Britain's most successful Rallycross driver and will be at Lydden at Easter to help Grant through his first event with the Focus.



A successful racer with a long track record, Grant is moving up to the British championship.

Grant used his self built Escort Cosworth from 1996 to 2009


The Focus has not been used since Andrew Jordan, now a Touring car star, drove it.


Will Gollop built the Focus and also won British championship events in it.

Grant has replaced his Escort with the newer and more
sophisticated Focus.

Andy Grant





Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship
Spectator and general information website:
www.RallycrossUK.com

Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship 2010
Monday April 4/5 Lydden Hill (Details Below)
Sunday April 25 Knockhill
Saturday June 12 Blyton
Sunday July 11 Maasmechelen (B)
Sunday August 8 Mallory Park
Monday August 30 Lydden Hill
Sunday September 12 Mallory Park
Sunday October 10 Pembrey

[King Arthur]

I cannot think of a better person to get that car. Andy is one of the nicest people I have ever met in Rallycross and I really wish him and his team all the very best.

Tony Watts

[Thundersports]

Hear hear Tony.
Good luck Andy.

[Minicross424]

Will be nice to see it back out again, however sorry to see Gollop call time.
Big fan of his.

[tbtstt]

As much as I love the Escort Cosworth, it didn't really look competitive when up against the newer machinery - I hope it remains in use though!

I cannot wait to see all the new/swapped cars on track - just a couple of weeks to go now!

[shhh]

Lets hope he can peddle her like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMLND2SEIFU

[Hickey]

Is this car still homologated/legal for the ERC? Be good to see Grant out at Lydden for the ERC too, especially in a competitive car.

[sihorton]

I think this is fantastic news for the sport.

Nice to see such a great car back on track, and as said above in the hands of a true gent of the sport.

I'm getting the feeling that the 2010 season is going to be a good one

Si

[rx-guru]

Originally Posted by Hickey

Is this car still homologated/legal for the ERC? Be good to see Grant out at Lydden for the ERC too, especially in a competitive car.

Even the oldest Ford Focus available is legal for the ERC till December 31 2015.

[schanche]

Originally Posted by Hickey

Is this car still homologated/legal for the ERC? Be good to see Grant out at Lydden for the ERC too, especially in a competitive car.

I recall Andy Taking part in an ERC round at Pembury back in the mid ninties I think? I remember Arthur saying that he had spoken to Andy after one of his heats he had a big smile on his face after the race and he said that the power of Eklunds Jernbergs and Hansens car off the line was unbeleavable!
A privatteer competing with the ERC regulars must be awesome and the fact that he now has a proven car should bring some decent results.Welcome addition to the British contingient at Lydden in May. 2010 looking to be a good year for British Rallycross..Did hear a whisper that he fancied one of the Doran Fiesta's but the Focus is a fair replacment...

[rs 200]

i thought will had sold the focus after the jordan run ,good to see it back .
is will still doing g tech, no web site or new things on net
shame it never took off him runing cars for people his work is very good /the right way not cheapest but works

[Pugdriver205]

Lets hope he continues his tradition of a run out at Chivenor sprint too - That would give us club boys something to watch (He always does anyway) - Should be a shoe in for fastest quarter........... again !