Young's success

Mike Young may still be considered a junior driver aged 22, but 2015 was the New Zealander’s fourth full year in the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC). After winning FIA titles in two-wheel-drive (2WD) cars, his Japan-based Cusco EZY Racing team decided it was time to promote him to a Group N turbocharged 4WD Subaru. Young revelled in the upgrade. He was on the pace at his home event in New Zealand battling for second with Gill up until the last stage and last corner when a slight off-course excursion was enough to drop Young back to third by 1.9 seconds. Nevertheless, a podium place was a great start to his championship. “Third’s an extreme bonus for us first time in a 4WD and still trying to learn the car I would have been happy for fourth, so third and get to spray some champagne is pretty awesome for us,” Young said at the finish. Skipping New Caledonia, Young’s next event was in Australia and again he outpaced his closest opposition to settle into third behind the two MRF Skodas. When Gill’s engine let go near the end of the rally, Young was there to slot into second. During the mid-year break, Young was invited to join the Elite Motor-Sports Academy in New Zealand along with his co-driver Malcolm Read. After seven intensive days of rigorous physical, mental and educational training, Young came out tops ahead of the other eight contestants. Young was perfectly set up for the Malaysian Rally where in-car temperatures are often more than 50 degrees Celsius, and where oil-palm plantation stages are narrow and rough. The team got off to a great start in stage one and things were looking good early on – second fastest at the first split, although maybe too fast. After a long straight, Young understeered off at a right-hander destroying the front-left suspension against a bank. The Subaru limped on for a few kilometres, but when Young and Read stopped to attempt repairs they found the jack didn’t work. It was game over for leg one. However, the team did an amazing job to get the car fixed and running for day two when Young picked up some valuable points. Next up was Cusco’s home event in Japan where it was time for redemption. After stage two, Young sat in second and was subsequently penalised four minutes for leaving refuelling late when the car wouldn’t start due to a faulty fuse, possibly a legacy of the Malaysia crash. Young made up for the time loss with a determined drive in atrocious weather and fought back to second, winning a stage along the way and clinching more points. China was a real test with its multiple surfaces and rain added a new challenge, although it turned out to be the least of Young’s problems. The Kiwi duo were third fastest on the Friday’s super-special, but they discovered the Subaru had no power steering on the San Men Yuan mountain stage, one of the tightest and highest in the championship with 40 uphill hairpins. Young wrestled his Subaru through the afternoon stages, including a repeat of San Men Yuan, only to roll on the final test of the day after exhaustion and heavy steering caught the Kiwi out. With the help of spectators, the pair soon had their Subaru back on its wheels and, although there were some ominous noises from the car, it made it back to the service park inside the 30-minute late-penalty allowance. With just a three-man service crew, it took 45 minutes to repair the damage and change the power-steering pump. With more than half the rally still to run the next day and still with no power steering, Young and Read battled through to the finish – one of only three teams to do so. The reward was winning the FIA Production Cup title and second overall in the drivers’ championship. At final service, Young said: “I’ve been up four mountains this weekend with no power steering and we were even on our roof at one point, but we never gave up so really happy to make the finish”. Plans are now under way for Young to compete in the 2016 APRC Championship with the first event kicking off in New Zealand in April. To stay up to date with the team over the off-season, visit www.facebook.com/MikeYoungMotorsport