Preview, round four: Mutiny Historic ChallengeRound four of the 2005 HRCR Classic Stage Rally Challenge will form part of the Mutiny Historic Challenge on Saturday 4 June. As usual, the Classic category cars will run alongside the Armajaro MSA British Historic Rally Championship on some of the stages used on Wales Rally GB in Mid-Wales.Leading the points table after three events are Isle of Man crew Martin Freestone and Chris Heyes in their Escort Mk2. They’ve had a fine run to date, culminating in maximum class D5 points on the Welsh International Rally at the beginning of May.
Freestone will have travelled back to his business in Africa since the last event, so should arrive in Llandrindod Wells refreshed and ready for a day on the classic stages of Radnor, Crychan and Halfway.However, Freestone knows that his major rival will be back stronger than ever after a major engine failure on the opening stage of the Epynt event. Gareth Lloyd and Ryland James will be eager to put that retirement behind them in the West Wales Rally Spares Escort Mk2 and a strong finish on the Mutiny is just what their title bid needs.
Back after missing Epynt with some engine gremlins will be Stuart Clarke/Peter Thomas in their Escort Mk2 BDG. Clarke is looking forward to getting back on song after the engine problems slowed his speed on the Astra. He tackled some of the Mutiny stages on the Red Kite Rally in January, so he should be right on the pace.
Other class D5 Escorts include Dick Slaughter/Geoff Dearing and Ian Rix/tba, while the irrepressible Ralph Abel/Samuel Armida will once again commute from Spain to compete in their Prepfab-tended Escort. Offering variety to the Escort hordes in D5 will be the ex-works Talbot Sunbeam Lotus of brother and sister crew Julian and Vicky Burch.
Remarkably, the 2-litre Escort of class D3 pacesetters Mark and Brett Clifford currently lies second overall in the points table after three excellent results. The Pinto-powered car will be up against far more powerful cars on the Mutiny, but their pace has been exceptional this season. Their class opposition includes the Escort Mk2 of Paul Morris/Simon Rogers.
