Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship
Preview, round one
The opening round of the 2007 Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship will break all previous records for historic stage rallying in Britain. For the first time, 100 cars will line up for a round of the BHRC when the Alternative Sign Centre Robin Hood Historic Forest Stages runs over the weekend of 10/11 March. The superb entry, which is packed with quality, will tackle three stages in the dark of Saturday evening and a further seven stages on Sunday. Category 1As usual, the oldest cars in the category one (pre '68) will run first on the road and an encouraging entry of 22 cars will be led away by the thundering Sunbeam Tiger of Patrick Watts/Elgan Davies, out to defend their 2006 BHRC title. However, this is a fresh Tiger and if it proves reliable on its first rally, it is hard to see anyone matching the pace of the former touring car racer.Chasing Watts/Davies will be the Porsche 911 of 2004 champions Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride, while three more Porsches pack out the top 10 starters.
The Porsches will be hard pressed to fend off the leading Lotus Cortinas, however, and it will be the cars of Philip Atkinson/Simon Coates and Neil Calvert/Arlene Cookson going all out in the battle for class B4 honours. Meanwhile, the Cortina GTs will contest B3 and the cars of Keith Reed/Kieron Patterson and Tim Beall/Pete Dalton will be leading, although a darkhorse could be the Ford Anglia of Peter Stimson/Mark Butler, up from the south west for a rare foray into the Nottinghamshire forests.Half a dozen Mini Coopers will take on the MG Midget of Adam and Ian Tomlinson in B2, with Clive King/Bob Ward and Mike Barratt/Joanne Watson set to humble many of the bigger cars.
Finally, a pair of two-stroke Saab 96s runs in class B1 with John Parker/Robert Harrison leading friends and rivals Nick Pinkett/Alex Lucking.Category 2It is difficult to know where to start in category two, which is packed with very quick crews. First on the road, as winners of the 2006 event, will be Mark Solloway/Den Golding in their Escort Mk1 and Solloway will be 100% committed as ever. But a gaggle of Porsches and more Escorts will be chasing hard.
The major opposition in C5 will come from the Escorts of David Stokes/Guy Weaver, Jeremy Easson/Alan Cook and Ernie Graham/Alec Cooper, but the Lancia Stratos of Steve Perez/Claire Mole also runs in C5 and is getting quicker and quicker. These stages are home ground for Perez and will suit the Stratos, so this could be the car's best result so far.
The Porsche 911 pack is stronger than ever in category two, headed by Steven Smith/John Nichols, the 2006 category champions. However, Smith has massive opposition, led by BHRC returnee Richard Tuthill/John Bennie and Nick Whale/Sally Wood in their 911RS. Add in the 911 of Sean Lockyear/Chris Wood and the very effective Datsun 240Z of Dominic Frattaroli/Cliff Simmons and spectators are set for a real treat.
Bob Gibbons/Stuart Cardell head class C3 in their Escort RS2000, but the ex-Jim Clark Mk1 of Dave Watkins/Neil Duncan will be charging along in style. Also in C3 will be the glorious Alpine Renault A110 of Nigel Hollier/Peter Smith.Meanwhile, class C2 for the 1600cc cars promises another instalment in a series of mighty contests. The Escort Mk1s of Ken Forster/John Stanger-Leathes, John Worthing/Bill Robertson and Vincent Bristow/Dean Mitchell are the big three contenders. Running alone in C1, but well worth seeing, is the immaculate Lancia Fulvia of Steve and Tony Graham, competing on a rally for only the second time.Category 3For the first time in 2007, the category three cars will be a full part of the BHRC and the response is a record entry of 34 cars, full of rapid crews.Leading the field will be 2006 Robin Hood category three winners Peter Slights/Joyce Champion in their Escort Mk2, hotly pursued by the similar cars of 2006 champions Gareth Lloyd/Ryland James and Jimmy McRae/Andy Richardson. Anyone of them could be victorious by the end of Sunday afternoon, and the level of competition will be awesome.However, the quality doesn't stop there. Next up will be brothers Phil and Mike Squires as they make the move into the BHRC with their Escort Mk2. Then come the Escorts of James Potter/Bob Stokoe, Jason Lepley/Howard Pridmore and Charlie Taylor/Steve Bielby. Taking on the Escorts in D5 is the stunning Opel Ascona of Steve Magson/Geoff Atkinson and a brace of Vauxhall Chevettes.The rest of the category three field runs in class D3, and it is the RS2000 of Arwel Evans/Ian Oakey that will surely set the pace. Leading the chase of the young Welshman will be more Escorts for Chris White/Chris Dewsnap, Richard Lane/Frank Richer, Rob Archer/Pete Field and Chris Shooter/Bev Le Good.So, the stage is set for a fabulous start to the 2007 Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship. Historic rallying in Britain is going from strength to strength and the Robin Hood should deliver some mighty competition.The Robin Hood is organised by Lindholme Motor Sports Club Ltd and for more details about the event, please visit the website at: robinhoodforeststages.co.uk
