RALLY NEWS NO.1                                                    York/Saturday morning ..early..

"Down to the wire" is a phrase often used but never was it more apt than to sum up the Pirelli British Rally Championship driver's title race in store between Justin Dale in the works Peugeot and Jonny Milner in his Corolla WRC.  In addition, this Trackrod Rally has several new faces in the International section including German Sven Haaf, who is driving the new works Opel Corsa. Jari-Matti Latvala makes the trip from Finland and Nigel Heath takes a break from the World Championship to compete on his first British rally for 8 years.

Driffield man Jonny Milner really has to win the event overall to take the title, but if Justin Dale wins the Super 1600 category, even if Jonny wins overall, then Justin gets the crown.  Jonny commented at York Racecourse Scrutineering last night "We know what we have to do, win the rally.  There are so many things can go right, and also go wrong. We have prepared the car to 150%."   Justin Dale said "I'm really looking forward to it. In a way I've nothing to lose.  We have won the Manufacturers with Peugeot, and we have won the 1600 crown. We tested the car on Tuesday, and as usual the team has done a brilliant job".  Just who can deprive Justin of the Super 1600 win and hence the title?  Gwyndaf Evans could, for one.  Or possibly Kris Meeke or Guy Wilks in their Ford Pumas. Gwyndaf in the MG ZR is probably the biggest threat.  The Welshman observed "There is only one thing we are interested in, and that's winning, not the politics of the championship.  It will be quite difficult for us here, the stages are not technical and it will be very much down to car performance".  On that score, it has been a real scramble for the MG team to re-prepare the car after last weekend's San Remo.

Young Kris Meeke said of his chances "We were testing earlier in the week and have decided to go for a different gear ratio set up.  Justin and Gwyndaf will be very hard to beat, but we'll have a go".  Sven Haaf is a surprise entry in the Opel Corsa, but the German is not registered for British Championship points, so therefore cannot deprive Dale in that respect.  Similarly, the Finnish driver Latvala is not registered for the series, nor is Nigel Heath, so it will be down to a registered driver such as Steve Petch in his Accent WRC to finish ahead of Milner to affect the overall points.

Group N on the rally has been thrown fairly wide open with the news that David Higgins is non-starting in the Barretts Subaru.  This leaves the door open for several drivers including young Leon Pesticcio in the Promax prepared Lancer to take the category, but he faces opposition from several quarters.  Not least amongst those is local driver, and newly crowned British Touring Car Champion, James Thompson, who switches to a Lancer for this rally.  James' father David won this Trackrod rally back in 1990, and will be at the Woodyard spectating, so James is determined to at least get that far!

In the 1400 Puma series Ryan Champion only needs a single point on this, his local rally, to take the title. While in the Ford Kas, Shaun Woffinden is in a similar position.  Clive Wheeler has a substantial lead in the VW Polo Challenge from Sophie Robinson with Swedish driver Roger Andersson 3rd. All take part in the National section, behind the International, with Brian Bell in his Ford Focus WRC the No.1 seed. Major non starters in the international include David Higgins, as already mentioned and David Henderson in the Puma. More news from Pickering service. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON   www.rallynews.net