with TV’s Neil Cole

The 17 year-old rally sensation from Aberdovey, Tom Cave, will compete on next month’s Richard Burns Memorial Rally at RAF Marham in Norfolk. The youngster will be co-driven by the face of the FIA World Rally Championship on UK digital TV channel Dave, Neil Cole, as the pair aims to raise awareness for the event, which supports the Richard Burns Foundation charity.

Competing on the event was Cole’s idea, suggested to Tom when he was interviewed by Neil on Rally Poland, Tom’s most recent WRC outing. Neil contested the event last year and wanted to repeat the experience this year, sitting alongside the UK’s first minor international rally driver. Tom readily agreed and an entry was put in, with the pair assigned car No. 100 in Tom’s regular Group N Ford Fiesta ST.

The event is in its second year and was set-up by sergeant Chris Daykin of II(AC) Squadron, based at Marham. Daykin formed a relationship with the former world rally champion when he took a flight in a Tornado from Marham in 2000 and Burns subsequently helped Daykin with his rallying career. Last year, the event raised over £36,000 for charity with 100 competitors taking part over two days.

Tom’s rallying career has been likened by some to that of the young Burns, starting at grass roots level on his way to becoming champion. And Tom has the same ambition as his hero, of becoming the UK’s next world rally champion.

“I was surprised and delighted when Neil suggested doing the Richard Burns Memorial Rally together,” said Tom. “We’d got to know each other a little over the course of Rally Portugal and Rally Poland this year, as well as on Wales Rally GB last year and when he suggested it, I couldn’t say ‘no’.

“The Richard Burns Foundation is an incredibly worthy cause and to be able to support it by doing something that I love is an amazing opportunity. The whole event seems to be put together by people who want to help others, so if we can support that by taking part and perhaps doing our bit to raise awareness of it and generate even more fundraising, then it's the least we can do.”