The 2017 Fuchs Lubricants R.A.C. Historic Asphalt Rally Championship continues with round two on Sunday (23 April), Rallye Salamandre in Belgium.

In an event with a superb capacity entry, around a dozen championship contenders will tackle this hugely popular event on closed public roads around the town of Beaumont in the south of Belgium. In the typical style of Belgian rallies, the crews will tackle each stage several times and two of the four stages feature a lapped format.

The Fuchs Lubricants R.A.C. Historic Asphalt Rally Championship is organised by the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club and is a dedicated asphalt championship for all categories of historic stage rally cars.

Heading the historic field away will be the stunning BMW M3 of Roger Moran and Keaton Williams and they should be chased by the very rapid Ford Escort Mk2 of title contenders Neil Williams/John Morgan. However, Williams was originally on the reserve list, so his participation is not confirmed. More quick Escort Mk2s are entered for brothers Simon and Alister Crook, who will hope to bounce back after an engine disaster on the opening round, and Barry Stevenson-Wheeler/John Pickavance.

Local crew, and prime movers in getting the championship to the event, will be husband and wife Christophe Jacob and Isabelle Regnier in their rapid Escort Mk2. Welcome additions to the championship field in Category 3 are more Escort Mk2s for Chris White/Chris Dewsnap and the hugely experienced Lyndon Barton/Simon Hunter.

Heading the Capital Construction Category 2 is the Escort Mk1 of Graham Muter/Colin Watson but the arrival of David Kirby and Alan Walker in Kirby’s newly-built Escort will be watched with great interest.

The Vintage Car Radiator Company Category 1 entry is capped by the Porsche 911 of championship pacesetters Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride, who have plenty of experience of rallying in Belgium but will be new to the Salamandre roads. Joining them in the Pre ‘68 category will be the Mini Cooper of Trevor Hancock and Joanne Watson, another welcome addition to the championship.

More details on Rallye Salamandre are available at www.salamandre-rally.be