Thursday 15th January 2004

Bowler in the Dakar

Good show from the Derbyshire monster 4x4 builders

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At the close of stage 12 of the 2004 Dakar Rally, five of the eight Land Rover based Bowler Wildcat vehicles remain in the running.

Leading the charge in what is rapidly becoming one of the toughest competitions in the Rally's history is Belgian driver Jackie Loomans, who protected his 14^th place throughout stage 12 (out of 144 starters and 71 remaining), putting the Wildcat delegation several places ahead of many of the factory works teams from Japan and Germany.

Commenting on his progress up the field, Loomans said: "We don't look to the others, we don't look at the standings – we just do our own thing. We have only suffered a puncture so far, and if our luck continues in this way for the remaining five stages this can be an excellent Dakar for us. "

Stage 12 also saw the Belgian awarded the 'Total Fair Play' trophy, for donating his spare tyre to a fellow competitor who was only two places behind the Wildcat at the time.

The Bowler Wildcat is a purpose built race vehicle designed to compete in top level off-road racing events using standard-build Land Rover components from the Defender and Discovery models. It is designed and built by a small Derbyshire company, Bowler Off-Road, which is supported by Land Rover.

Link : www.bowler-offroad.com

Wallpaper: 1280, 1024, 800

[FourWheelDrift]

Superb effort. Top Wildcat is in front of Colin McRae.

[Fish]

I used to run his 11th cage before he started to make the wildcats and got big. Only lives 2miles form my folks.

[CraigAlsop]

Fish said:

I used to run his 11th cage

[seaton]

CraigAlsop said:

Fish said: I used to run his 11th cage

I think he had the 11th space frame Drew made. kind of like this one.



>> Edited by seaton on Thursday 15th January 17:07

[Fish]

Yep,

Thats the one just White. Ours was just before he started making the space frame chassis and was on a rangie chassis. Very early on in drews life.

[WLAcopilote]

I've been involved with Bowler Tomcats since 1996. Very good cars. It is said that the mark of a good off-road race car is that drivers other than the frame designer can be successful in that design; if that is the case the Bowler is a truly excellent off-road competition car. I navigate in a 4.6 litre V8 100" wheelbase Tomcat in French Tout terrain rallies; we won our clas and group (T3B2) in the French championship in 2003! I use a 3.9 litre V8 engined Tomcat as my only car....

[Newromancer]

YES!

[jamer]

Alistair (one of their staff) used to work we me when we were both at a TVR Main agent and he was without doubt one of the best TVR Techincians I can remember and I was gutted when he left, but he went to Drew Bowlers and it was the best move he made. Top chap and no doubt that imput has helped everyone.

Alistair took me out in his own one and it went faster on the grass verge than on the tarmac and as the tyres were so chunky when you moved the steering wheel on the road the tyres hardly turned as the nobbles just stayed driving forward..scarey but great fun.

>> Edited by jamer on Tuesday 2nd March 11:52

[golfman]

I would consider getting one of these and start racing in a year or so, anyone know where I can go locally to see one, or go to a ‘bowler’ meeting? How do you get started?

I am in the Herts/Beds area.
Cheers.

[Graham.J]

www.awdc.co.uk

[WLAcopilote]

Have a look at my team's website.....
www.wlaracing.com
MJR