THE FIGHT TO WIN THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN
Paul Lawrence says it is impossible to pick a Roger Albert Clark Rally winner
In the 14-year history of the Roger Albert Clark Rally, there has never been an entry like this both in terms of quality and quantity. Picking a winner is not easy and any one of the top 10 or 15 crews are in with a real shout if a little bit of good fortune goes their way. With five days, 31 special stages and 330 competitive miles, no-one is going to have a completely clear run and even until the end Crychan on Monday afternoon, a small problem could turn the rally on its head.
Topping the entry are double winners Marty McCormack and co-driver Barney Mitchell, who know all about how to win this rally. The Northern Irish crew will surely set the benchmark.
However, McCormack knows that the opposition this year is tougher than ever and it starts right behind him in the shape of Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke in their Escort Mk2. This is a fresh new car from the Scott Williams team and Pritchard will make it sing. He’s been in the lead of the event before when mechanical issues have thwarted his challenge and winning the Roger Albert is clearly unfinished business.
Running right behind Pritchard is another very strong contender, the Escort Mk2 of Osian Pryce and Noel O’Sullivan. They are one of three crews stepping back from modern machinery and all are in with a shout of victory. Pryce has the most experience in this type of car but no-one should discount Rhys Yates/James Morgan and Seb Perez/Gary McElhinney.
Fabulous depth of quality comes from crews like Matthew Robinson/Sam Collis, Roger Chilman/Patrick Walsh and Paul Barrett/Gordon Noble, and
those three crews have experience and pace to spare. Ben Friend and Cliff Simmons have done more gravel miles in Escort Mk2s this year than most, while the huge experience of Steve Bannister and co-driver Callum Atkinson can never be discounted.
Just outside the top 10 the quality continues with 2019 BHRC champions Simon Webster and Jez Rogers, along with Adrian Hetherington/Ronan O’Neill and Alan Walker/John Connor. A real dark horse will be the Porsche 911 of Ryan Champion and Craig Thorley. Ryan’s pace on the recent Malton Stages suggests that he will be a match for some of the very quickest Escorts. A key element of the event is the Open Rally, which caters for all two-wheel-drive rally cars right through to the modern day. Top of the pack is the
2.5-litre Ford Escort Mk2 of Irish crew, David Condell and Paul Kelly; however the 2.3-litre Escort of David Hutchinson and Jeff Garnett will be strong as will the rapid Talbot Sunbeam of Andy Davison and Tom Murphy. From the 1600 ranks, the standout crew is Neil Weaver and Jack Morton in their exceedingly quick Opel Corsa S1600.
Among the historic classes, one of the best entries ever for this event will deliver close contests right through the order as the smaller-engined and older cars battle just as hard for their own share of the glory.
In Category 1 for the pre ’68 cars the pace should be in the hands of Ricky Proffitt and Graham Wild in their Porsche 911S, but Bob Bean and
Captain Thompson (Ford Lotus Cortina) will be contenders.
Class C2 for the 1600cc cars in Category 2 has a superb entry and should be the scene of a tremendous battle. Absolute pacesetters should be Adam Milner and Roy Jarvis in their Ford Escort Mexico for Milner has shown unbelievable pace on previous outings. Another rising rally star is Isle of Manbased Rory McCann who has his dad Paul alongside in their Hillman Avenger and he too has fine potential.
In class C3 the field is led away by the rare-but-rapid BMW 2002 of Terry Cree and Richard Shores, while Class C5 is for the BDA-engined Ford Escort
Mk1s and is headed by Stanley Orr and Graham Henderson. Among the Category 3 cars an excellent 1600cc Class D2 entry is topped by the Escort Mk2s of John Mennell/Tom Spencer and Alan Jardine/ Chris McSherry.
Pritchard has some unfinished business