8th November 2007: Keeping it local at the Tempest Rally This year will see Nicola Parker and Ignition Motorsport . Com running four cars at Hampshire's International Level, Tempest Rally. The Tempest Rally is based at Aldershot, Hampshire, and is a round in many major Championships including the British Rally Masters Championship, The BAFMA Land Rover Challenge, The MSA English Rally Championship and others to name but a few. Included in the drivers to be run by IGMS on the Tempest are, Ignition Motorsport's own driver, Colin Minton, a National Championship Winner, finishing 13th overall on last years Tempest Rally, Nicola Parker, The Gravel Girl and WAMC 2007 National Ladies Champion and 2nd in class title holder. The other drivers are Donald Smith of Castrol and Matthew Green of 'Green and Co.' who also both have championship titles to their name. The event offers the added benefit of giving a once in a life time opportunity to many 'townies' and 'Jap car lovers and owners' to watch the thrilling and adrenaline buzzing motorsport of rallying. The thrill will be heightened even more with one of the sports best spectator stages being held at Rushmoor Arena as well as an additional 'Rally Show' which will run three times during the day. The rally will also bring home the true 'team spirit' of the sport with three centralised services where spectators can watch and feel the atmosphere build when mechanics work together to pull out all the stops to ensure their cars not only finish, but finish well! Situated just 25 miles south of London, easily accessible from the M25 and M3, the 2007 South of England Tempest is the only major rally run so close to the capital and is Nicola's and the teams home event. All of the cars that IGMS will be running are IGMS prepared National and International Specification Subaru Impreza's and are guaranteed to attract a lot of attention. 9th July 2007: Bad luck comes in threes Here's looking to sweeter times at the Coracle Stages.... This year so far has been quite eventful for Nicola, she has gone from winning her class in the championship, to being last.   On the Red Dragon she lost all brakes on SS5 and then a lead came off of the coil on SS6.  Severn Valley, and Nicola was quite animal like, and put the con rod, from cylinder two through the block, and on the Mid Wales stages she broke a rear engine mount which meant she had to do 11.5 miles at 15mph!! "The guys that run my car are great, wherever possible they do their utmost to get me out, regardless of what or how much I have broken between services.  The hole in the block - I know, I was an animal, the guys gave me an eight of ten for effort!  Finishing a rally is 50% of getting placings in championships, you only get points when you finish, it's a little harsh, but that's how the sport works, the same is true of any motorsport." The next round of her championship will be the Coracle Stages at Sweet Lamb, Llanidloes, on 29th July, with Mike Bennett as her co-driver. She will be accompanied by Colin Minton in his N8 impreza, whose co-driver will be Lorna Smith. All details on the rally can be found at www.carmarthenmotorclub.co.uk 4th April 2007: Update! This year, NickyP has decided to focus herself on the WAMC championship.  "I'm the type of person who needs a fixed focal point to aim for, and the only way for me to use this to my benefit is to do a complete championship.  The WAMC championship includes rounds that I really enjoyed doing as a co-driver, and rounds that are also heavily respected in their field. I find it hard to keep in 'the zone' on single venue events, with lots of services, so I need a very structured day's rallying, and all of the rounds in the WAMC Champ will give me that."   For the first round of the championship, The Red Kite Rally, based in Llandovery in January, Nicola was partnered by Aberystwyth based Katie Martin.  Katie has experience from a variety of rallies, including both multi and single venue events.  She has co-driven for many, including her husband James.  Katie hopes to do as much of the championship as she can with Nicola, but also has other commitments including a seat in the 205 challenge and a rally in Belgium with her husband.  "Nicola and I got on really well, and really enjoyed ourselves, which is key to good rallying.  I am looking forward to my next event with her, and have also registered for the championship." The second round of the championship was The Telford Winter Stages, February 17th held at Sweet Lamb, Llandidloes.  Whilst doing the 'Gravel Girls 2007 Calendar' Nicola befriended British Female Rally Champion, Lorna Smith.  Nicola asked Lorna if she would advise her on driving and other aspects of the sport, and as a result, Lorna co-drove for her on the event! After the event Nicola commented, "I was so chuffed when Lorna said she'd help me out and then offered to co-drive for me, she is all I aspire to be. We had a fantastic day, I learn a lot and together we achieved 2nd in class.  I'm looking forward to watching the in car footage and looking to see who swears and laughs the most!" The next scheduled championship round was to be the Astra stages, April 7th, based in Llangollen.  Unfortunately, due to a lack of entries, something which many events seem to be cursed with this year, the event had to be cancelled.  The WAMC championship have decided not to replace the round, but Nicola was determined to still do something in April. "I needed to do an event in April, otherwise it would have been nine weeks without a competitive drive until the Red Dragon Rally in May."  Keeping costs down, so that works can be done to her car, Nicola has chosen to do the 'Get it Sideways Rally' at Down Ampney on 7th April.  Katie, due to prior engagements is unable to do the round, and so Nicola will be joined by Rob Smith. Rob Smith brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience, and has sat with many known to national rounds and Nicola.  Rob and Nicola have already done a 12-car this year, it was the first for Nicola and the first for about 10yrs for Rob! "it was a good way to get some time in a car together.  Rob said that he would do the Astra with me and when it was cancelled we set about finding another." Typically SV's do not appeal to Nicola but she is keen to experience and learn from the differences that a sealed surface will test of her and her car, in comparison to gravel. As well as competitively driving, this year sees Nicola helping out and starting to instruct at Langley Park Rally School on the Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire border.  As many will tell her, there is not a price to be put on time in a car, be it driving, teaching, or co-driving. "You learn so much from sitting in a car with others, car geometry and set up, handling, and other's mistakes and actions are also good to learn from.  It really is invaluable time in a car." Nicola currently lies in first place in the WAMC Class 2 Driver's championship and 5th in the overall championship. 1st October 2006: Gravel Girls!! Nicky P's project to raise money for the Wales Air Ambulance, the Gravel Girls calendar, now has it's own website. Please visit the site at www.gravelgirls.co.uk and order your copy!! 29th July 2006: Sweet Return to Rallying The Coracle Stages at Sweet Lamb, 29th July, saw Newbury resident, Nicola Parker, paired up with Mike Bennett of Burnham, return to the sport as a driver after a period of rest. November last year, Nicola had a serious accident on the Cambrian, "the accident has taken me a while to get over both mentally and physically, but now its time to put the gremlins behind me and get behind the wheel again. Although Nicola's ambitions lay as a driver she has spent the last 18 months furthering her knowledge of the sport by codriving, running teams and helping to build her own car. Nicola says "despite the set backs, its as important as ever to remain focused on your goal an understanding of all aspects of the sport is crucial if I am to do well and be taken seriously". Nicola has dedicated her spare time to getting noticed within motorsport doing everything from marshalling for the British Touring Car Championship, Co-driving for Colin Minton, running Team Thames Valley, entering five national rally scholarships, Formula Woman , creating her own website and even building her own car! The day went better than could be hoped for " to finish first you must first finish", is a saying that has always been said to me and getting more is one thing I really need now more than ever. Nicola says "Mike has been a great help this weekend, he brought with him high level experience (including BRC) his understanding of accidents, driving and co-driving and how nervous I was to get back in a car has been very valuable. I'm going to have to take my time to get back into the sport.  For a while my determination to get out there and rally was knocked, but now I'm more determined than ever".  The unfortunate accident last year, meant that Nicola could not finish the rounds for Women In The Hot Seat, a female only rally competition, run by BRC Womens Champion Kate Heath.  "Kate sent me some lovely letters and support whilst I was in hospital, and has invited me back to do the scholarship this year".  Although not top of the leader board this year, Nicola is, more importantly, through to round two, where the leaderboard will start afresh.  Kate says "its great to see Nicola back after such a nasty accident, when she did round one she was noticeably held back, but in all fairness it was to be expected, but her potential is still there and we wish her all the best". Aside from getting back out there, Nicola is undertaking a fundraising project for the Wales Air Ambulance who airlifted her from the accident last year.