THE STARS AND CARS TO THRILL ON WALES RALLY GB NATIONAL
Eclectic mix of club men entries
There’s no doubt that the top-line WRC cars provide adequate entertainment. Arguably the current cars are as spectacular as any in the sport’s history.
But aside from the be-winged top-spec cars of the likes of Sebastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville, the rest of the cars are a bit, well, similar. They are based on hatchbacks and variation is miniscule.
But don’t worry, that’s what the National rally is for.
Running 80 miles of stages, usually just doing one run through the stage instead of two like the full event, it attracts UK clubmen from all over the country to share the same stages as the superstars.
And there’s no shortage of variation as pretty much any rally car can enter. This year there’s anything from a 2001 Ford Focus WRC, to a Volvo Amazon, Volkswagen Beetle, Land Rover Freelander and back through to a current R5 Skoda Fabia.
Watching them will require committing to staying longer in the forests, but it’s only once a year and there’s no doubt of the entertainment produced by the eclectic mix.
The only major change to the National event for 2018 is that it takes in the stages on Friday and Saturday, opposed to last year when it was Saturday and Sunday. This has been done to increase mileage and to give the competitors Sunday off to allow time to be back in time return to work on Monday. But it means more mileage on some very tough stages.
Favourite this year is Tom Preston, last year’s winner in a Skoda Fabia R5. But, after a lengthy period on the sidelines, he’ll be challenged hard.
Andrew Gallacher has recently been crowned Scottish champion and he’ll be hoping that experience will counteract the age of his 2001 Focus, once driven by British champion Mark Higgins on this event. Fellow SRC driver John Wink will be in the mix with his Hyundai R5 having undergone tuition with BRC champion-elect Matt Edwards, and Roger Duckworth returns, his first attempt at the event coming in 1996. His Subaru Impreza S6 WRC is a hark back to the days of Mcrae, and his car was driven by Juha Kankkunen in 2000.
Of the historic entries Steve Ward’s Ford Escort will be tough to beat, while in terms of spectacle, it will be difficult to beat John Saunders’ MG Metro 6R4 bringing memories of 1986 to rally fans. Bob Bean’s Ford Lotus Cortina, Glenn Janssens’ Porsche 911 and Ken Davies’ Volvo Amazon will be among the weird, wonderful, entertaining and beautiful. Jeremy Easson and Mike Reynolds’ Datsun 240 will also turn heads.
One area that definitely will be worth watching is the battle of the Ford Fiesta R2s. Unfortunately BTRDA R2 Rallye Cup champion George Lepley has had to pull his entry after a family bereavement.
Instead, 2017 BTRDA ST Trophy champion Sam Bilham and BTRDA 1400 ace Tommi Meadows will be joined by Mathew Tordoff, an ST Trophy battler who has won the series’ Castrol-backed R2 for use on the event. It will most definitely be a tough event for drivers used to doing half the mileage. ■