Furuseth takes breakthrough win in Scotland

The BRC has benefitted from many surprises on its return in 2016, but surely one of the biggest of all has been the giant-killing pace of Sindre Furuseth in the DMACK BRC Junior category.

Driving a Renault Twingo deemed outdated and off the pace, he was second to Gus Greensmith in Mid Wales, had a puncture while setting quickest times in Carlisle but finally notched a mark in the win column after a gruelling RSAC Scottish Rally.

The Norwegian had Robert Duggan – one half of the Vauxhall Junior British Rally Team’s effort – as his closest challenger. But, the likeable Killarney man – with Ger Conway on the notes – had issues early on. He was 13s off the pace on the first stage despite having tied quickest time on the second, and problems were confirmed as he pulled over just before the in control to service. His gearbox was leaking oil onto the clutch causing it to slip. Could the team change the ’box in the short 30-minute service? The team worked tirelessly and the Irish crew were back out and ready to challenge although Duggan reckoned Furuseth was too quick through the slippy stuff.

With only two stages left after Knockenshang was cancelled, it proved too much for Duggan to make up and he had to settle for second, but it was a mature performance.

He is yet to play his double points joker – while Furuseth already has – and Duggan leads the championship by 16 points.

Third was Duggan’s Vauxhall team-mate Mattias Adielsson; the Swede has picked up his pace on gravel and some setup changes meant he was only 10s down the road from Duggan at the finish.

It was a good weekend for Swedes in the Juniors as they celebrated the holiday known as Midsummer, which is centred around summer solstice. Adielsson was third while Jim Hjerpe became Furuseth’s third co-driver in as many rounds and took the event win.

For the second round in a row, Meirion Evans and Jonathan Jackson managed fourth. The duo used the event to get back up to speed after multiple events with the car down on power.

Fifth in the Juniors was the brilliant Guy Tyler. It was his first finish in the BRC and a brilliant run in the less powerful 1.6-litre R2 Fiesta.

One crew not having a good weekend was Adam Bustard and Aaron Johnston. They began the weekend fourth in the points, but a loose turbo pipe led to a day of drama in the Ford Fiesta R2T. They finished ninth of 10 runners.