Spanish former WRC star Xavier Pons is preparing to tackle his third event of the cross-country rallying season, when he and new Argentinean navigator Ronnie Graue tackle this weekend’s Columna Medica Baja Poland, round seven of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, in a DMAS South Racing-backed Ford Ranger.
After finishing the gruelling Dakar Rally with DMAS South Racing, Pons teamed up with the team again at July’s Baja Spain Aragón and was partnered by Uruguayan co-driver Sergio Lafuente on his way to a fine fourth overall behind Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, Carlos Sainz and Mikko Hirvonen.
The Polish outing will be the first time that Pons and Graue have competed together. His navigator hails from Mendoza in northwestern Argentina and has considerable experience of rallying in major cross-country events, having finished fifth and 12th on the Dakar Rally in 2012 and 2013. Graue was also the navigator for Lucio Alvarez when South Racing teamed up with Neil Woolridge Motorsport to run a Ford Ranger for the first time at the Dakar in 2014.
The Czech pairing of Tomas Ourednicek and Pavel Vaculik crew the second DMAS South Racing Ford Ranger in Poland. The pair enjoyed a successful first event with their new team in Spain and reached the finish of that event in Teruel in 11th position.
“It will be the first time that the team races Baja Poland and we are looking forward to the strong competition,” said South Racing’s managing director Scott Abraham.” We are using the Baja as a test and development event to put kilometres on the new parts and, most importantly, to give Xevi and Ronni seat time in the DMAS South Racing Ranger.
“It is great to have Tomas and Pavel back with us for their second outing in the Buggyra Racing Ford Ranger. They’re familiar with the event and the region and have competed here on numerous occasions, both in the FIA World Cup and the CEZ Championship. The experience there will be a great benefit,”
Columna Medica Rally Poland is being organised by Foundation Baja Poland and is centred around the Szczecin, Dobra and Zachodniopomorskie areas of northern Poland. The host city of Szczecin is the seventh largest in the country, is a major port near the Baltic Sea and the capital of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Scrutineering checks and administration will tae place at Northeast Marina in Szczecin on Thursday (August 25), before crews will be permitted to carry out a shakedown test at the military shooting range on Friday morning. After the ceremonial start in Szczecin at 17.00hrs on Friday evening, teams will then tackle the opening 6.9km super special stage in the militarised area from 18.00hrs.
Saturday’s action comprises two selective sections of 175km apiece in the area around Drawsko Pomorskie from 08.20hrs and 13.40hrs.
Sunday’s action consists of two repeat runs through a pair of shorter special stages of 39.50km and 18.20km in length. These Dobra and Lubieszyhn specials will then be repeated at 12.30hrs and 13.20hrs, before the ceremonial finish in the Szczecin Rally Park from 14.30pm. In a total route of 787.68km, teams will tackle a total of 472.30 competitive kilometres.
