Another competitor to suffer at the cruel hand of fate was Matt Beebe, the reigning R3 champion. The young driver had just moved into the overall 2 wheel drive lead when he cracked his gearbox casing late in the event and was forced to retire. That gifted Frazer Jones in his Fiesta not only the R2 honours but also the distinction of being the first 2 wheel drive finisher as well.
The battle between the Suzuki Swifts and the Citroen C2R2’s eventually went to James Wozencroft after a splendid fight back. Gear linkage problems left the Suzuki without first or second for the opening stage but then Wozie, the 2006 S1600 champion, staged a strong climb back up the field to finish second in class. He also took the Pirelli Star Driver award as well.
With the season finale, Wales Rally GB offering double points though, all the championships remain wide open especially after dropped scores come into play. With each competitor taking their best five out of seven scores it is very tight at the top.
With Rally GB also being the final round of the 2007 PWRC Mark Higgins moves from a Subaru Impreza into a Mitsubishi Evo 9 and will also benefit from better seeding for day 1, meaning it will be a fierce fight to the end.
One thing is for sure though, and that is that the 2007 finale is destined to be one of the hardest fought battles for the past few years. Wales Rally GB takes place from November 30 to December 2.
