The second round of the 2007 Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship will take crews into the vast Kielder forest complex in Northumberland for the Pirelli Historic Rally (20/21 April 2007).

A superb 74-car field will gather in Carlisle on Friday as the BHRC heads to Kielder for the first in the modern era of the championship. The crews will tackle four stages on Friday evening and a further four stages on Saturday, starting and finishing with a ceremonial flourish in Carlisle city centre. Category 1Running first on the road will be the category 1 cars (pre '68) and it is defending champions Patrick Watts and Elgan Davies who are sure to set the pace in their Sunbeam Tiger. Watts has never rallied in Kielder before, but the former touring car racer has proved to be a fast learner and the Tiger should fly. But the car that Watts used last year will also be out as Jonathan Gale has his first run in a Sunbeam Tiger, co-driving by his father Graham.

Chasing the Tigers will be a gaggle of Porsches, including Dessie Nutt/Geraldine McBride and John Keatley/James McKeefry. Nutt and McBride are BHRC regulars, of course, but Keatley and McKeefry are not, so their pace will be watched with interest.Not far behind the Tigers and 911s will be the leading Lotus Cortinas in class B4, with Neil Calvert/Arlene Cookson taking on veteran Bob Bean and Malcolm Smithson as well as Philip Atkinson/Simon Coates. In B2, James Stait/Gill Cotton will be tough to beat in their MG Midget, while the Saab 96s will battle in B1.Category 2Category 2 ('68 to '74) is all about Escort Mk1s and Porsche 911s and it was Richard Tuthill/John Bennie who set the pace on the opening BHRC round, the Robin Hood Stages in March. More very quick Porsches are in the hands of Steven Smith/John Nichols, Sean Lockyear/Chris Wood, Nick Whale/Sally Wood and Cumbrian Paul Drinkall, who is partnered by Chris Sykes. Lining up against the Porsches, and capable of giving the 911s a really hard time, is the Datsun 240Z of Dominic Frattaroli/Cliffy Simmons. Frattaroli reckons it is about 18 years since he rallied in Kielder!The Escort challenge in class C5 is topped by David Stokes/Guy Weaver, who will be chased by Ian Rix/Daniel Stone and Graham Samuel/Tony Phillips. However, the most exciting car in the BHRC also runs in C5 in the form of the Lancia Stratos of Steve Perez/Claire Mole. The Stratos is getting quicker and quicker and if the engine dramas that struck on the Robin Hood are resolved, Steve will fly. After all, he's already won in Kielder this year in his Ford Focus WRC.The class battles in category 2 are always excellent and in C3 it is Russell Morgan/Martin Kenyon who should set the pace after a cracking run on the Robin Hood. Class C2, for the 1600cc cars, will surely be another in the series of sporting battles between John Worthing/Bill Robertson, local aces Ken Forster/John Stanger-Leathes and Vince Bristow/Dean Mitchell.Category 3New as a full part of the BHRC this season is category 3 for the 197-81 cars and the Ford Escort Mk2 is the car to have. Winner of the main event back in 1991, Jimmy McRae is now loving his time in historics and, partnered by Andy Richardson, will be tough to beat after taking maximum points on the Robin Hood in his Stobart-backed Escort.However, plenty of very quick Escort Mk2s will be lining up to try and beat the veteran Scottish ace. Jason Lepley/Howard Pridmore, Phil and Mick Squires, Grant Shand/David Young, Charlie Taylor/Steve Bielby, James Potter/Bob Stokoe, Dick Slaughter/Geoff Dearing and defending champions Gareth Lloyd/Ryland James are all very quick in the hugely competitive class D5. The potential pacesetters also include rising Irish star Martin McCormack, partnered by Liam Moynihan for his first foray into Kielder.

Championship sponsor Martin Freestone also runs his Escort in D5 and will be competing with Michelle Calvert co-driving for the first time. Ranged against the Escorts will be a brace of Vauxhall Chevettes and the superb Opel Ascona of Steve Magson/Geoff Atkinson.Finally, D3 is a fast-growing class and is an ideal way to get into the BHRC, perhaps with a Pinto-powered Escort. Father and son Mark and Brett Clifford should set the pace, but Chris White/Chris Dewsnap and Chris Shooter/Bev LeGood are some of the other contenders.The Pirelli Historic Rally is organised by the Cumberland Sporting Car Club and for more details about the event, please visit the website at: pirelliinternationalrally.co.uk