Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship
Preview, round six: SGC Printing Harry Flatters Historic Stages
Round six of the 2007 Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship presents another tremendous challenge as crews set out to tackle nearly 100 miles of stages on the asphalt roads of the Epynt ranges in Mid-Wales this weekend (4/5 August).
Heading to Wales, David Stokes and Guy Weaver top the BHRC points' table and are bidding for a sixth strong finish on the trot to underpin their championship bid. But with five of the quickest Ford Escorts in historic rallying at the head of the field, the pace is set to be very hot.Category 1Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride are having a great season in their Porsche 911 and head to Epynt as the leading rivals to Stokes/Weaver for the overall title. The Irish crew are always superb on asphalt, but they are likely to face a big challenge from the Sunbeam Tiger of Patrick Watts/Elgan Davies. Having retired on the Isle of Man with a blown engine while leading, Watts has faced a rush against time to swap the engine in the Tiger, and so a very late entry is likely for Epynt provided that all goes to plan.
Chasing the Porsche and Tiger will be the leading Lotus Cortinas in class B4. Neil Calvert/Arlene Cookson and Bob Bean/Malcolm Smithson both missed the Isle of Man event, so will be eager to get back into action over Epynt, while Paul Mankin/Desmond Bell have used their consistent form to edge ahead in the class standings.
Among the BHRC contenders in class B2 it is the Mini Coopers of Clive King/Bob Ward and Terry Cree/Richard Shores that will go head to head. Running next to each other on the road should make for an absorbing contest between the two very rapid crews.Category 2Stokes/Weaver are looking the strongest combination in category two, and know that one more top result will put them in a very good position for the overall title with two rallies to run after the Harry Flatters. Stokes has driven a very controlled season to date and is likely to resist the temptation to battle with the category three Escorts for overall glory. Leading the chase of Stokes in C5 will be more Escorts for Graham Samuel/Tony Phillips, Rikki Proffitt/John Roberts and Neil Parsons/Chris Parsons
In C4, three Porsche 911s could prove to be very evenly matched. Peter Lythell had a great run on the Isle of Man, so he could be the man to beat with Keith Fellowes co-driving. However, Paul Drinkall/Roy Brown will be chasing hard in their 911, while Stuart Rolt/Richard Pomfret will take over the 911 that Richard Tuthill took to victory on the Isle of Man. Rolt's pace will be watched with great interest and he could be one of the dark horses of the rally.
Bob Gibbons/Neil Cook are firm favourites for class C3 in their Escort RS2000, while the Escort Mexicos of John Worthing/Bill Robertson and Ken Forster/John Stanger-Leathes will surely mount another titanic battle for C2 spoils.Category 3The line-up at the head of the rally puts four incredibly quick Ford Escort Mk2s into competition and it promises to be a fabulous battle. Mark Solloway/Den Golding lead the field away and no one can doubt the pace and commitment of the number one seed. But 30s behind them will be Jimmy McRae/Andy Richardson in their Mk2, while third on the road will be Gareth Lloyd/Ryland James, fresh from a category three win on the Isle of Man. Completing the quintet will be Martin McCormack/Liam Moynihan, having borrowed an engine from John Keatley after their own failed on the Isle of Man
It promises to be an amazing contest. Solloway and Lloyd both know the ranges very well, McRae has vast experience to draw on and young McCormack has never seen Epynt before. His impressive natural ability will get him quickly up to speed, but matching the pace of Solloway and Lloyd on a first visit to Epynt will be a tall order!
Three more class D5 Escort Mk2s pack out the top 10, with Terry Brown/Arwel Jenkins, Martin Freestone/Joanne Oakey and Phil Squires/Mick Squires all pushing hard. The Squires brothers are making a rare foray to Epynt, so their progress will be watched with interest
In D3, Simon Hawthorne/Kevin Wills head the entry with opposition to come from Wayne Bonser/Richard Aston. The SGC Printing Harry Flatters Historic Stages is organised by Brecon Motor Club. For more details about the event, please visit the website at: breconmotorclub.co.uk
