The competitor response to the opening round of the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C Rally Championship has been superb, with 40 cars already entered for the Rally Marketing Mid Wales Stages (Sunday 3 March), and at least another 20 entries due over the next two weeks.The entry list to date makes impressive reading, and is topped by five-time British Rally Champion Jimmy McRae and historic pacesetter Nick Elliott in Ford Escort Mk2s. They face a gaggle of similar cars for leading historic contenders including Will Onions, Tomas Davies, Tim Pearcey, Paul Griffiths, Alan Walker, Rob Dennis, James Potter, Warren Philliskirk, Andrew Haddon, Will Rowlands and Phil Squires. Meanwhile, former British Rally Championship contender Jason Pritchard will make his historic debut in an Escort Mk2 from Viking Motorsport and Rob Smith is forsaking his regular Vauxhall Chevette to join the Ford Escort ranks. Due to be announced on Wednesday (13 February) is the identity of another star driver in a Vauxhall Chevette, who could give the Escort pack something to think about.Adding further spice to the Category 3 field is the Sunbeam Lotus of Guy Anderson, while Guy Woodcock, Paul Fry and John Baker (Ford Escort Mk2s) take on the Opel Kadett of Peter Smith in class D3. In D2, the Talbot Sunbeam of Lynden Jones is a welcome addition to the championship.In Category 2, the Escort Mk1s of Chris Browne and Craig Salter will go up against the stunning Lancia Stratos of Steve Perez, while class C3 is shaping up for a great contest among Ford Escort Mk1 drivers like Dick Slaughter, Nick Jarvis and David Kirby and the BMW 2002 of Terry Cree. In class C2, Matt Fowle will take on the similar Escort Mk1s of Robin Shuttleworth and Stuart Cariss.Among the early entries in other championship categories are Peter Gunson (Lotus Cortina), Simon Wallis (BMW 325) and Mark Spencer (Ford Escort Mk2). With nearly two weeks to go until entries close, the new championship is well on target to hit the 60-mark for the Mid Wales Stages and could go higher as more and more crews commit to the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C Rally Championship.