Dimitar Iliev wins Sliven rally

SS13: Gyoshev wins stage, Iliev wins rally

Petar Gyoshev has won the final stage of the Mabanol Sliven Rally but it was not enough to prevent Dimitar Iliev from claiming victory on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier in Bulgaria.

Gyoshev, driving a Peugeot 207 Super 2000, was 5.1s quicker than his ŠKODA Fabia S2000-driving rival to finish 11.2s behind in the overall classification. Krum Donchev secured the final step on the podium in his Peugeot with Todor Slavov finishing fourth and the top IRC 2WD Cup runner in his Renault Clio R3. Yağiz Avci (M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000) and Martin Kangur (Honda Civic Type R) round out the top six overall.

Iliev’s success makes him a six-time winner in Sliven. He’s also the seventh driver to win a round of the all-action IRC in 2012.

Hunt crashes out of Mabanol Sliven Rally

Harry Hunt has crashed out of the Mabanol Sliven Rally, round 11 of the all-action Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

The British driver, out of contention for IRC 2WD Cup honours following his lengthy delay on Saturday morning, went off the road approximately a quarter of the way through the 20.20-kilometre Kantona test, the 11th of the 13-stage rally. Both Hunt and co-driver Robbie Durant have been taken to hospital in Sliven for precautionary checks.

Their accident also delayed erstwhile IRC Production Cup leader Georgi Vasilev. He had stopped to change a puncture earlier in the stage following a spin and was forced to stop again at the site of the crash to enable a rescue vehicle to attend the scene. It is not clear whether Vasilev is continuing. Hunt has spoken by telephone to his team manager.

SS12: Iliev closes in on IRC glory in Sliven

Dimitar Iliev is one stage away from winning the Mabanol Sliven Rally for a sixth time after he extended his overall advantage on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier to 16.3s by winning the Kipilovo test.

Iliev, in a Vivacom Rally Team ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000, was 1.7s quicker than closest rival Petar Gyoshev (ASC Prestige Peugeot 207 S2000) with fellow Bulgarians Krum Donchev (Peugeot) third fastest and Todor Slavov fourth quickest in a Renault Clio R3.

Honda Civic Type R runner Martin Kangur has moved into sixth overall after Menya Krózser failed to register a time in his Renault.

The final stage, Itchera, goes live at 12:34hrs local time.

SS11: Iliev back on track, Donchev takes third

Globul Rally Team’s Krum Donchev is the new third-placed driver on the Mabanol Sliven Rally, round 11 of the all-action Intercontinental Rally Challenge, after he demoted Todor Slavov on the Kantona stage.

Peugeot 207 Super 2000 driver Donchev had been expected to overtake Slavov’s lower-specification Renault Clio R3 through the 20.20-kilometre test. And he did so with comparative ease to the extent he is now 24.7s clear of his rival with two stages of the asphalt event remaining. Despite losing third place, Slavov continues to dominate the IRC 2WD Cup division.

Out front, Dimitar Iliev (pictured) has been able to fend off Petar Gyoshev’s advances by going 4.5s faster than the Peugeot pilot in his ŠKODA Fabia S2000. Gyoshev won this morning’s opening run but Iliev, who has now gone quickest on five stages, has built an overall lead of 14.6s heading to the 11.97-kilometre Kipilovo stage, which goes live at 11:36hrs local time.

In other notable developments, the lead of the IRC Production Cup could be about to change. Georgi Vasilev, who had held top spot, has yet to register a time on the Kantona stage, which is set to hand Renault Mégane RS driver Robert Consani the position and elevate Anton Titov into the top 10.

SS10: Gyoshev fastest as Donchev closes on podium

Todor Slavov’s tenure of third place on the Mabanol Sliven Rally is under threat after Krum Donchev cut his advantage to 7.5s on Sunday’s opening stage, the 15.28-kilometre Ablanovo test.

Donchev, in a Peugeot 207 Super 2000, was almost 18 seconds faster than his Renault Clio R3 rival to move firmly in contention for third place with three asphalt stages remaining.

In the battle for victory on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge counter, Peugeot ace Petar Gyoshev has trimmed Dimitar Iliev’s advantage out front to 10.1s after he went 1.6s faster than the Vivacom Rally Team ŠKODA Fabia S2000 pilot. It was Gyoshev’s third stage victory on the event located 300 kilometres east of the Bulgarian capital Sofia.

Iliev suggested at the completion of day one that he would adopt a cautious approach running first on the road due to the build up of gravel on the stage surface. However, Gyoshev insisted he would be mounting an all-out push for victory in his 207 S2000.

Hot and dry conditions continue to form the backdrop to the IRC’s first visit to Bulgaria. Stage 11, Kantona, gets underway at 10:58hrs when Gyoshev will continue his pursuit of first place in this exciting battle for IRC glory.