by Geoff Mayes
When Welshman Gwyndaf Evans won the 2006 Philip White Tyres Ulster Rally it was the springboard which assisted him in clinching the Evo Challenge.
A year on he returns to Ireland as a works Mitsubishi driver, his reward for winning the Evo Challenge last year, but with two different winners from the last two tarmac rounds and a rookie leading the title chase the 2007 Tesco 99 octane MSA British Rally Championship has shown that anything is possible!
Can Gwyndaf win again?
Not only is the tarmac based Ulster Rally the fourth round of the BRC but it is also a round of the 2007 Mitsubishi Evo Challenge, which is currently being dominated by Irishman Phillip Morrow. With Morrow also registered for BRC points, and having clinched a podium position on the
Jim Clark Rally in June, he could easily be a ‘dark horse’ for overall honours.
The Mitsubishis appear to have the edge on tarmac this year, with Guy Wilks leading by some margin on the Jim Clark before sliding off in the wet. He made up for this mistake by winning the Isle of Man International Rally in July, chased home by his team-mate Gwyndaf Evans.
Guy missed the 2006 Ulster Rally but his World Rally championship experience should mean he is not too handicapped.
Chasing hard, and eager to avenge his rare mistake, when he slid off the road on his home event, the Isle of Man International, will be the reigning champion, Mark Higgins. Mark will be driving with one eye on the title as he is only four points off the championship lead and cannot afford another mistake.
The title leader is, rather surprisingly, a rookie. Wyn Humphries, in the second Stobart Subaru Impreza, is contesting the BRC for the first time, but followed up some strong results on the opening two rounds with a determined fight for the final podium position on the Isle of Man, clinching third position by half a second in a final stage shoot out with fellow Subaru pilot Rob Swann.
