DOWN THE PUB
British Historic Rally Championship co-driver Age: 39 Lives: Bridgnorth
He followed his dad “I grew up when my dad Peter was sprinting and hillclimbing in a Morgan +8 and I did a bit of motocross when I was a lad. I did my first road rally at 16 as a co-driver and when I was 17 I borrowed my sister’s Austin Metro to do the Starlight Road Rally and came 10th overall. I told her I was going bowling for the night. I got away with it until the proofs of the photographs came through just addressed to J Rogers, which is the same initial as my sister, and then I had some explaining to do.”
He did well in a 205 “After that I built a Peugeot 205 for the 205 Challenge and came second overall in 2005. I went to Sweden as the prize and then ran out of money. I did a bit of rallying with various people and then I co-drove for Alan Walker when he started in historics in 2012. We won the Welsh Historic Championship. Then Alan was having a break and another co-driver, Pete Cotton, suggested my name to Simon Webster.”
There’s a plan for 2019 “I already knew Simon and it has gone really well. We’ve now done three seasons and the pace is really good. It is working well and we want to continue it next year, with a full assault on the BHRC and the Roger Albert Clark Rally. We finished fifth on the 2017 rally and I did it with Alan in 2015 when his engine blew up on the first day.”
He’s also driving “I’ve also started doing speed events in a Westfield and I’m planning to do the Midland and Westfield Championships next season, although BHRC dates will take priority. It should be a pretty full season. I love driving but stage rallying is just too expensive for me. Even club level rallying has got silly. My 205 probably cost me £10,000 all-in, but it wouldn’t be competitive now. I do all the work on the Westfield myself.”
He enjoys the BHRC “There’s been a really good atmosphere in the BHRC this year and everyone was willing to help each other and it’s been a great craic. Away from motorsport I’m a project manager in the construction industry and spend a lot of time walking my Labrador.”