The UK’s first minor international rally driver, Tom Cave, is set to star alongside some of the greatest rally drivers ever at this weekend’s Chatsworth Rally Show. The 17 year-old from Aberdyfi in Wales, who last year became the youngest driver ever to compete in the UK round of the FIA World Rally Championship, Wales Rally GB, will be demonstrating his Group N Ford Fiesta ST which forms the basis for his 2009 rally campaign.
The Chatsworth event has become something of an institution for the rallying community. The house formed part of the route of the original RAC Rally in the UK and is steeped in legend. This year will feature a host of WRC legends past and present, including BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team driver Mikko Hirvonen in the Ford Focus WRC, Intercontinental Rally Challenge leader Kris Meeke in his Peugeot 207 S2000, reigning British Rally Champion Guy Wilks, former BRC champions Steve Perez and Mark Higgins as well as legends Jimmy McRae and Stig Blumqvist.
Tom was invited to take part by the organisers after his stunning performance on last year’s Wales Rally GB, his debut in the FIA World Rally Championship. On that occasion, he drove a mature and considered event to finish 30th overall and win the N3 class by almost 15 minutes, against far more experienced drivers.
As a result, he will be driving his GpN Fiesta over the stages run in the grounds of the house on Saturday and Sunday. Since the event is designed to allow the rally community access to the stars of the sport as well as allowing them to demonstrate their consummate skill, putting on a show for the spectators will be more important than their normal priorities, as Tom explains:
“I’m really looking forward to the Chatsworth Rally Show. It should be an amazing weekend of fun, without the pressure that you have on a rally, of making sure you get to the end and get the result. Without that pressure, we can go out to have some fun and show off a little for the spectators to put on a good show.
“It’s quite an honour to be invited to take part in an event like this, especially alongside drivers like Mikko, Kris and Guy. It’s the first time I’ve been invited to take part in a proper, high-profile rally show outside actual competition, so it will be a new experience and one I’m definitely looking forward to. I hope to meet new people and introduce the new team, with Davies Motorsport running the car for us now.”
The event takes place this weekend, 6 & 7 June at Chatsworth House near Chesterfield, just off junction 29 or 30 of the M1.
