The opening round of the 2007 Hankook MSA Gravel Rally Championship gets underway this weekend (Feb 23/24) when competitors descend on the south coast to contest the 22nd running of Rallye Sunseeker.
With sponsorship from global performance tyre manufacturer Hankook this season, all the major protagonists are back for a crack at the ANCRO-organised National series including last year’s winners Craig Middleton and Robin Hernaman as well as a multitude of former champions.
Hankook Motorsports manager Mike Patterson said the series was already shaping up to be the country’s leading gravel championship. “We are looking forward to a great start to the season in Bournemouth and are delighted that so many leading drivers have registered for the Hankook GRC.’’
Middleton has secured a late entry to contest the south coast event driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 in the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge that is making a welcome addition back into the Hankook GRC ranks for this season and he’ll be joined by many of the top drivers in the UK.
Former champion and four times Rallye Sunseeker winner Marcus Dodd along with co driver Andrew Bargery will be one of the favourites for outright victory in his Hyundai Accent WRC but with the likes of ex champ Roger Duckworth and Mark Broomfield (Subaru WRC) and with 2004 winner Steve Perez, who is reunited with former co driver Claire Mole in their Ford Focus WRC joining them in the ranks, the action is sure to be fast and furious.
Making a welcome return to the series is 2005 champion Paul Bird who has a new car in the shape of an S9 Subaru WRC and a new co driver with Andy Richardson for this season as he aims to win back his title and he’s again expected to set the pace on Friday evening’s blast through the town’s Winter Gardens, as indeed he has done for the past three years.
With many competitors yet to still register for the various championships, it’s anyone’s guess who could throw a spanner in the works in the early championship stakes but with Mitsubishi Challenge drivers of the calibre of ex British Champion Jonny Milner, experienced Welshman Julian Reynolds along with the rapid Ulster duo of Phillip Morrow and Garry Jennings up against each other, expect some fireworks from the Group N boys!
Comprising qualifying rounds also of the ANCRO organised Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Cup, the Subaru Group N Trophy and the HPM Motorsport 2WD Challenge, as well as the various class awards, the action gets underway with two stages on Friday evening commencing at 18.30 whilst the vast majority of action takes place in the Dorset forests on Saturday from 08.00.
Further information is available from the official website on www.rallyesunseeker.co.uk
Meanwhile Junior competitors in both the Hankook MSA Gravel Rally Challenge and the Hankook Forest Challenge have another incentive for 2007 in the shape of Higgins Forest Rally School / PIAA Junior Awards which have just been finalised.
The winning Junior crew in both championships will benefit from one to one driver and co-driver training from former British Champion David Higgins and his co-driver. This can be taken in the winner's own rally car or in one of the school's fully prepared rally cars. In addition both winning drivers will receive £500 worth of product support from PIAA lighting courtesy of PIAA MD, Chris Hutchings.
Also, Prima Motorsport will be offering a pair of Titon Harnesses to the highest placed crew in the National A Championship crew (driver/co-driver who register together as a crew) whose combined age exceeds over 95 years at the time of registration.
Registration details are available by contacting Championship Registrar Val Thompson as follows:
Tel:01530 231446, Email: ancro@valthompson.co.uk
