Smith gets R2 prize drive for Carlisle
BTRDA two-wheel-drive frontrunner Mat Smith is the latest driver to be given a prize outing in a Ford Fiesta R2.
Pete Smith and his Swift Caravan concern have given multiple drivers struggling for a budget the chance to show what they can do in a newer car. Smith is the latest and will start the Carlisle Stages this weekend in the car.
“I got a message on Facebook asking if I wanted to drive the R2, of course I said yes!” said Smith, who sporadically competes in a 1400S-spec Proton Satria.
“I’m a bit old for this compared to some of the other drivers he’s had in! I’m competitive and I want to win, but I have to be realistic and concentrate on bringing the car home safely.”
Smith, whose Proton has a cracked block and will be out of action until later in the year, is hopeful he can match the pace of the class frontrunners like George Lepley, who leads the R2 Rallye Cup. “I’ll be disappointed if I’m not on the pace by the end, but I’m not expecting to keep up from the start,” added the 2014 1400S BTRDA champion.
“There are an awful lot of people with money out there doing their own rallying, but it’s great what Pete is doing to give back to the sport and it’s a fantastic opportunity.”
Smith’s Proton has a sequential gearbox and his previous car, a Ford Ka, was left-hand drive, so elements of the Fiesta will not be completely new.