Andrew Bushe is a self-confessed rally nut, from Lisburn, N. Ireland. He has followed rallies from three years old, serviced on rallies from 14, co driven from 16 and driven from 18 years old. In February 2006, Andrew set up his own business, Andrew Bushe Promotions. His other interests include circuit training, cycling and reading.
Andrew started his rallying from the driving seat, at the wheel of a Group N Nova Gsi, winning his class on his first event, and winning his class twice in his first year of rallying in the Northern Ireland series. The ex Mark Fisher Peugeot 106 Cup car was purchased in 2002, and it was with this car, thanks to much help in preparation from Gerry McGarrity, that Andrew has achieved success.
The 106 has remained in its Peugeot Cup 1999 specification, with the only addition different rear shock absorbers. To this date the engine is actually still sealed from the Cup, its mild tune giving away almost 100 brake horse power to the Super 1600 cars, but still a good tractable engine.
In 2003 he scored a fantastic class win, on his first Circuit of Ireland, driving back through the field after a five minute off, and claiming the honours by five seconds on the last stage over Keith Power’s similar car. In 2004 he was lying 10th overall, but a top ten placing on the Circuit, Ireland’s most famed rally evaporated with a fuel pump relay failure costing three minutes.12th overall and 1st in class was still a superb result. In 2005 he finished second in class to Brian O Mahony’s Super 1600 Puma, grabbing 17th overall and was fastest on all the wet Easter Monday stages. Rallying has always been a financial struggle, and a lack of finance prevented Andrew from contesting more rallies.
But 2006 was to be his first ever full attempt at the championship. After a great drive winning the Super 1600 class on the first round in Galway, in the process taking time off the latest generation of Super 1600 machines, such as the M-Sport Fiesta S1600, the Circuit of Ireland was the highlight of the year, fastest 1600 on the very first 13 mile stage, against the Puma and Fiesta S1600, we finished 16th overall, 1st in class for the third time on the event, and 1st two wheel drive car home. Another great drive in Donegal saw him the leading two wheel drive car in the International, and leading the works Suzuki Ignis S1600 of James Wozencroft by a minute and a half, until he clipped the same rock that claimed Matthew Wilson and Phillip Morrow, with just four stages to go.
Good finishes on the Manx, Ulster and Cork "20" International’s saw him defy the odds and wrap up the Super 1600 title in the little Peugeot Cup Car, with every penny of Andrew’s wages being poured into running the car. Now he is running a Citroen Saxo Super 1600, but success has eluded him for the past two years, due to a string of unfortunate mechanical failures. At last the team seem to be getting on top of these failures and there are high hopes for the end of 2008 and the 2009 season.
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