With the start of this year's Wales Rally GB now just days away crews are making their final preparations before taking to the world stage as Cardiff hosts the British round of the World Rally Championship.
Among the names taking part this year is Hankook Motorsports which has three teams entered in the rally as the global tyre company launches a dedicated motorsport service for rallying and racing in the UK.
Hankook, which has its UK headquarters in Daventry, has joined forces with Warwick-based Silverline Motorsport to offer the new service and the message is being carried by three high-profile teams on the event.
2004 Production Cup Champion Dorian Rees leads the effort on the rally and he will be making his Wales Rally GB debut with co-driver Wyn Thomas.
The pair will be competing in the Hankook Motorsports Mitsubishi Evo VIII and looking to win the class for production cars in the gruelling three day event which will see the pair tackle some of the toughest rally stages in the world.
Dorian is keen to pit his speed against the toughest competition of his career so far, especially as the rally runs so close to his farm in Wales.
"Two of the stages are within 10 miles of home so it will be great to rally at such a high level in an area I know and with some local support,'' said Dorian from Llanybydder.
"We will be in a new car for the event so have been testing as much as possible and although we know the task ahead is tough we are really looking forward to the event.''
Meanwhile Andy Gwynne and 20 year old Holly Robinson are aiming for a class win in their Hankook Motorsports Renault Clio.
Andy has twice competed in the rally before but, to illustrate how tough the event has become, he has never managed to reach the finish.
This time Andy is hoping it will be third time lucky and, with Holly alongside as co-driver, he has high hopes of a successful campaign.
"Wales Rally GB is an immense test of car and crew but I am confident that we will be looking at a good result,'' said Andy. "We are competing in a two litre Renault Clio which is a great car and have tremendous backing from Hankook Motorsports.''
Rally novice Philip Mcvay completes the team with the Midlands-based driver still in his first year of competition and tackling the Wales Rally GB after a season in the Hankook 205 Challenge.
He and co-driver Nick Cadwallader have switched to a Subaru Impreza for the event and have been getting in some last minute Hankook tyre testing by competing in the Woodpecker Rally.
Running right at the back of the field, the event is a step into the unknown for Philip and Nick."We are both extremely excited by the prospect of taking part in the event but at the same time it is daunting,'' said Philip.
"Events so far have only been a day long so to face something three times that length is quite scary and a real challenge but the event will be an ideal proving ground for our plans to compete in the British Rally Championship next year,'' he added.
Mike Patterson, motorsport manger with Hankook Motorsports said he was delighted to be able to give one of the Hankook 205 Challenge regulars the opportunity to compete at the highest level.
"We are now involved in motorsports from grass roots levels through to the World Rally Championship and by supporting these crews we can demonstrate our commitment to a huge motorsport audience,'' he said.
"By working with Silverline Motorsport on the new venture we can supply motorsport competitors around the country and our involvement with Wales Rally GB will be a great way to demonstrate our potential and our pedigree.''
The Wales Rally GB gets underway in Cardiff with a ceremonial start in the Millennium Stadium before three days of action in the forests of South Wales.
