Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship
Preview, round eight: Trackrod Historic Cup
The final round of the 2007 Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship will decide the destiny of the overall title as Dessie Nutt/Geraldine McBride and David Stokes/Guy Weaver head to Yorkshire on Saturday 6 October for the Trackrod Historic Cup.
The annual foray into the classic Yorkshire forests is always a popular event on the BHRC schedule and the challenging event packs over 50 forest miles into just five stages, with the first cars due back at the Pickering finish at lunchtime. Nearly 70 historic crews are on the entry list for an event that should prove a fitting finale to the 2007 BHRC.Stokes/Weaver (Ford Escort Mk1) cannot be beaten to the category 2 title, while Nutt/McBride (Porsche 911) are assured the category 1 title. Equally, Jimmy McRae/Andy Richardson (Ford Escort Mk2) are clear at the head of category 3 following a mighty victory last time out on the Tour of Flanders.Category 1In category 1 Nutt/McBride will face a major challenge from the Sunbeam Tiger of Patrick Watts/Elgan Davies. It has been a mixed season for the former BTCC racer, but he wants to end the season with another win. Watts' result could have a big impact on Nutt's BHRC title bid, as the Porsche driver really needs to win the category to beat Stokes to the overall crown. Also out in class B5 is the rapid Porsche 911 of Stuart Rolt/Richard Pomfret. Neil Calvert's Lotus Cortina has secured the B4 title, while veteran Bob Bean and co-driver Malcolm Smithson will return to the series in their Lotus Cortina.
In B2, Terry Cree/Richard Shores lead in the battle of the Mini Coopers, but once dropped scores come into play there is nothing to chose between the Yorkshire crew and Clive King/Bob Ward. Back out in B1 will be the wonderful Saab 96 two-stroke of John Parker/Robert Harrison.Category 2Among the category 2 crews, there is much to play for. While Stokes/Weaver are clear in C5, the runner-up spot is evenly matched between Craig Salter and Neil Parsons. While Robin Hernaman partners Salter for the first time, Parsons is co-driven by his brother Chris as usual in the Escort Mk1 contest. Other quick Escorts will be in the hands of Ian Rix/Daniel Stone and Chris Skill/Philip Stone, while from Belgium comes the rapid Escort of Stefaan Stouf/Kurt Declerck.The battle for C4 championship title among the Porsche 911 pack is wide open, with Paul Drinkall currently heading Peter Lythell, and Lythell has a strong hand once dropped scores come into play.
However, another four Porsches will set a fearsome pace in category 2 as Steven Smith/John Nichols, Sean Lockyear/Chris Wood, Andrew Haddon/Mark Crisp and Tim Mason/tba make a mighty line-up at the head of the category.Peter Egerton's Escort Mk1 could take C3 spoils with a late burst, but so could Russell Morgan/Martin Kenyon, while the Saab 96 V4 of Richard Simpson/Craig Wallace is also in contention
As ever, C2 offers one of the closest battles of all, with three crews in the running for the class title. All three contenders have only a 1-point score to drop, so this one is going down to the wire as John Worthing/Bill Robertson take on Vince Bristow/Dean Mitchell and Ken Forster/John Stanger-Leathes in another great contest among the Mk1 Escorts.Category 3The category 3 entry is superb, with a gaggle of quick cars even though McRae/Richardson cannot be caught. But with the very quick Escorts of Pete Slights/Joyce Champion, Martin McCormack/Liam Moynihan, Phil Squires/Mick Squires, Dick Slaughter/Geoff Dearing, Charlie Taylor/Steve Bielby and Martin Freestone/Michelle Calvert taking on the glorious Lancia Stratos of Steve Perez/Claire Mole, it should be a brilliant spectacle.Finally, in D3, the Escort Mk2 of Richard Lane /Frank Richer is ahead on points, but will be chased by the Opel Kadett of Bryan Gill/tba and the Escorts of Wayne Bonser/Richard Aston and Mark Dickinson/Gavin Heseltine. So, the stage is set for a fitting finale for the 2007 BHRC. At the head of the title race it is Stokes versus Nutt, but there are plenty of other battles to be resolved in the Yorkshire forests.The Trackrod Historic Cup starts at 7.30am on Saturday 6 October from Pickering Showground. For more details about the event, please visit the website at: rallyyorkshire.co.uk
