Hydrex Motorsport - Rally - Driver Profiles

I first got into rallying when I was about 10 years old, after my dad, a rallying fanatic, took me to the Wyedean rally and the RAC rally. My dad had followed rallying all through its “golden era”, and was a huge fan of the local hero, “King of the Dean” Graham Elsmore.

It was natural the Craig would follow in his dads footsteps and also idolise the local rallying hotshot, although this was now the turn of Grahams son, a young Nik Elsmore!

I started competing in rallying in 2004 with my brother Paul, after he bought a Peugeot 306 Ex-Challenge car and was without a co-driver!

After sitting with my brother for the best part of a year, I was asked by local driver Gary Standen to co-drive for him on our local rally, the Wyedean Rally, in a Subaru Impreza.

After a year of sitting in Subaru’s and Mitsubishi’s with various drivers at clubman level, my big break came when I was asked to sit with Damian Cole in his Hyundai Accent WRC. In 2006/2007/ and the early part of 2008, I achieved numerous podium finishes on both tarmac and gravel.

I was selected as a member of the 2008 MSA British Rally Academy Scheme, a school-of-excellence for talented drivers and Co-drivers under the age of 25.

I teamed up with new-comer Simon Harraway at the beginning of 2008 for a crack at the Evo-Challenge and British Rally Championship, and although showing excellent pace, finishes were hard to come by and a big roll on the Jim Clark bought an early end to both our Evo-Challenge and BRC campaigns.

Throughout 2008, Craig also competed in the Chinese Rally Championship alongside fellow British Rally Academy member Nick Rowland in a Mitsubishi Evo 9. This partnership will continue in 2009.

My short rallying career came around full-circle at the end of May 2008, when I was asked to sit with my once-idol Nik Elsmore on the Severn Valley Rally.

The remainder of the 2008 season saw the local crew go from strength-to-strength, culminating in 2nd in the Evo-Challenge on the Ulster International Rally and 1st Evo-Challenge on the final round, the Bulldog Rally.

Craig has high-hopes that he and Nik will continue to work hard together and their strong friendship and trust in each other can help them to achieve their ultimate aim in 2009, to win the Mitsubishi Evolution Challenge.

Nik Elsmore is the younger son of Graham Elsmore a former works driver known as the “King of the Dean” due to a string of successes on the Wyedean.

Since his rally debut in 1995 Nik has won a string of accolades. By the end off 1997 he had been voted one of the finalists for the “Ford / Motoring News Rally Champion of the Future” as well as been nominated to drive a Seat (World Formula 2 Champions). He is now ranked in the top 20 in the UK.

In 1999 he won the prestigious BTRDA Gold Star National Championship, only dropping two points throughout the season. Winning five out of the six rounds and placed second in the other. It was the most convincing Championship wins in years. Also during 1999 he won his class in the British Rally Championship (BRC) and was the leading independent driver, until engine failure on the last round.

For 2000 Nik transitioned from a Formula 2 (front wheel drive) to 4x4. The season started well with a 7th Overall on the Vauxhall Rally (BRC) also receiving at the same time an added bonus of an additional award for “The Most Promising Young Driver”. The season ended with another fine outing on the Manx International Rally with a 5th O/A.

Using an Evo 5. A first overall win was achieved against much tougher world-class opposition on the Wyedean at the start to the 2001 season. Also it saw the start of an opportunity to compete in various European and World Championship events at the wheel of a Guy Colsoul Rallysport car. The season saw Nik competing first in Sweden then Belgium, Germany, Finland, Corsica and finally the Network Q Rally of Gt. Britain. The season was very much a learning curve.

2002 started off with a 7th Overall on the Wyedean, & continued with UK rallies only. Another 7th was achieved on the Pirelli Rally and 14th on the Rally of Wales. This fantastic start to the season didn’t end there, Nik notched up another 3rd on the Woodpecker Stages, plus a 10th on the Bulldog Stages. Finally, a 31st Overall at the end of the year on the Network Q Rally of Gt. Britain, final round of the World Rally Championship.

The 2003 season highlighted Nik’s ability to mix it with the leading British drivers, competing in various British rally events and setting many fastest stage times throughout the year. Nik has now been labelled as one of the fastest Group N drivers in the country, proving his status by finishing in the top 20 of the Wales Rally GB, the final round of the World Championship.

The team’s main aim for 2004 was to raise the necessary budget to enter the full Mitsubishi Championship, enabling Nik to once again compete at the highest level and prove his ability. Breaking his arm in the first event of the season slowed progress for the first few rounds, but with Nik’s determination he pushed through many pain barriers and finished the Championship in 3rd position. This was a fantastic result and the team were full of confidence for the 2005 season.

Nik was the leading driver throughout the first half of the new 2005 season, being consistently quick was the key to winning the championship. However, a rare engine/electrical fault hampered the championship position, finishing the season in a creditable 4th position.

2006 was used to create the new Hydrex Rally Team. The Elsmore family and Hydrex were confident this step forward would help gain a smoother & more professional outfit. Gaining valuable publicity for the sponsors, competing on several selected events throughout the year. The team worked well and Nik achieved solid performances during the season.

With the Hydrex Rally Team going into their second year, it was decided to once again fight for the elusive Mitsubishi Evo Challenge title in a new Ex-works Evo IX rally car.

2007 would see the best entry yet, with many high profile drivers fighting for the prize of a works drive with Mitsubishi. The season started with a rare brake failure on Round One, and with Nik still pushing hard, a huge crash on Round Three would see his title hopes dashed. Relying more on other drivers misfortune, Nik put in a string of consistent results and finished a very commendable 3rd Overall in the championship.

The fight continued in 2008 with the ever competitive ANCRO & Evo Challenge Championships, Introducing a new co-driver to the Hydrex Team proved to be the turning point this season. The battle continued to the very last event and a joint 1st Overall in the Mitsubishi Challenge was the reward at the close of season. This is the best result to date for the team & as an added bonus Nik was rewarded with a 4th Overall in the National ANCRO Championship. As the highest placed Group N driver, the team proved competitive against the WRC machinery.

Nik will continue to use a full International Spec Group N Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX for the 2009 season. Prepared by the well-known and experienced Rex Paddock Motorsport outfit, based in the Forest of Dean. With the most competitive & rewarding championship still being the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge & ANCRO Championship, Nik is out for a full attack and hoping to improve on his 2008 results.