by Geoff Mayes
This weekend sees the 2007 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship head across the seas for the first time this year as the premier division of British Rallying returns to the tough and treacherous roads of the Isle of Man for round three.
As has become the norm in recent year’s local rallying hero Mark Higgins heads the field in his Subaru Impreza. Mark has won this event for the past two years and will be looking to add another victory to his growing tally. But this year Mark has a real battle on his hands and the big question is can Guy Wilks beat Mark Higgins on his home event?
This is not to say that the 2007 championship is a two-horse race though. Far from it, but with two mechanical failures on the first two events works Mitsubishi pilot Gwyndaf Evans is in dire need of a strong result here to get his championship kick started.
Evans and team-mate Wilks have proved to have the pace to beat Higgins, with Wilks taking victory on the season opener and then throwing it away whilst leading on the
Jim Clark Rally last time out. Evans has been close to Wilks’ pace on each event before gearbox woes have sidelined the likeable Welshman on both occasions.
Ready to pounce should any of these three pace setters run into problems are a number of rising stars.
19-year-old Nick Kenny, in only his second year in the British Rally Championship, has come on in leaps and bounds and should go well this weekend.
Rob Swann was on course for a top four finish on the Jim Clark Rally when a puncture cruelly cost him time and the Bishop Stortford resident will be keen to make amends this weekend.
Higgins’ team-mate Wyn Humphries currently lies second in the championship and is another looking to upset the form book this weekend, whilst upgrades to his Mitsubishi should help 2006 ‘Stars’ champion David Meredith be closer to the pace.
