Macclesfield Express

Rally duo making big impression

- MOTOR SPORT

THE last couple of months has seen three good finishes for Simon Tuckman and Shaun Hughes, both from Macclesfie­ld, of the Autolink Motorsport Rally team.

The team are currently competing in The British Trial & Rally Drivers Associatio­n National Forest Championsh­ip which takes place at eight different locations across England and Wales.

The BTRDA Rally Series incorporat­es the prestigiou­s Gold Star and Silver Star Rally Championsh­ips, a very competitiv­e 1,400 Championsh­ip and the Rally First Championsh­ip for standard.

Simon and Shaun are registered for the Silver Star Championsh­ip in B11 (non-turbo two wheel drive cars up to 2 litre).

In the first round of the season in February on the Cambrian Rally in North Wales, featuring classic stages used on the Rally GB WRC stages and a tarmac stage on the Great Orme, the team came 28th overall out of a field of 133 and third registered driver and co-driver in the BTRDA B11 Class and sixth in the Silver Star Championsh­ip.

Mid-March saw them competing in the second round, the 41st Annual Malcolm Wilson Rally in the Lakes. Rallying in the classic Mk2 Ford escort on a cold and windy day in the forests of Grizedale, Greystoke, Hobcarton and Combs. Despite going off and hitting a tree the team managed to continue thanks to the determinat­ion of the spectators who pulled them back on the track, enabling them to get those all important championsh­ip points.

This weekend the team were down in Minehead with the third round taking place in the Forests of Somerset around Exmoor and the classic tarmac stage of the Porlock Hill toll road. The team started 49th and finished 28th overall out of a field of 145 cars. This third good result has now pushed them up into second place in the B11 Championsh­ip and 6th overall in Silver Star.

The BTRDA Rally Series runs on classic one-day forest stage rallies and has extensive TV coverage on Motors TV. It is consistent­ly the most popular in the UK and has a huge following with thousands of people turning up to watch throughout the year.

The team are currently looking for a sponsor to help them compete in the next three rounds of the Championsh­ip. Events are watched by thousands of people both live in the forests and on Motors TV.

For further informatio­n contact Simon at Autolink on 01477 537040 or 07968 111845

 ??  ?? ●● Simon Tuckman (left) and Shaun Hughes
●● Simon Tuckman (left) and Shaun Hughes

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