The Trackrod Rally Yorkshire marks the penultimate round of the Kwik-Fit Pirelli British Rally Championship. This season has left spectators and competitors reeling with excitement and with just two points between the top three positions, who can blame them. Rally Yorkshire was the 2003 Pirelli British Rally Championship Rally of the Year and the organisers will be pulling out all the stops to keep the title for a second year running.
Currently, David Higgins is hanging on to first place with 89 points, but that could all change this weekend. Austin McHale and Matthew Wilson are breathing down his neck on 88 and 87 points, respectively. Meanwhile, M Sport is dominating the British Teams Championship on 116. Dealer Team Suzuki and 22 Motorsport are left battling it out for second place.
Guy Wilks looks set to take the crown of Junior Rally Championship Driver, with a near perfect season with 100 points. He has scored maximum points five times in a row and its thrilling for spectators to see this rising star in top form. Jonathan Wigmore may well have to settle for second on 62 points.
Phil Pugh is also having a superb season and heads the British Super 1600 on 100 points. Robbie Durant and David Senior are second and third, just failing to catch Pugh who is really setting the pace. The Ladies title is still there for the taking, although Katie Heath seems settled in the top spot on 102 points. Jennie-Lee Hermanson will be trying to take the lead and Lorna Smith will be keen to move up from her current third place.
Fans will be keen to fly the flag for the Nations Cup, which sees Wales securing itself a convincing lead on 216 points. Scotland is second on 190 points. But the real battle is between Ireland and England, currently in joint third on 173 points.
Mark Taylor, Championship Manager, comments, With more cups than ever before up for grabs, competition is fierce at this years Championship and Rally Yorkshire will see the teams fighting for those last few points. With past winners including Colin McRae, this event continues to build on its reputation as one of the best the British Rally Championship has to offer. Spectators will be flocking to the market town of Malton to take part in the award ceremony and post-rally celebrations this weekend after cheering the teams on to victory.
The British Rally Championship takes the teams on an adrenaline-fuelled tour of the UK, from Scotland to the Isle of Man and down to the south of England. As the seven thrilling months of rally action come to an end, the teams will be going all out to secure some essential points going into the final event in November.
