The doom-mongers had predicted terminally small numbers and lack of excitement for the PBRC this year, but the International starting line-up - which was up on last year - conclusively proved them wrong. A very impressive 13 competitive and diverse Super 1600s were entered - without manufacturer support, apart from the ever-reliable Peugeot - consisting of the French marque’s Garry Jennings at the wheel of the sole VLR-prepared works 206; last year’s winner Mark Higgins making an exciting return to front-wheel drive in a new RED-prepared Renault Clio; Gwyndaf Evans in the MG ZR - an unofficial MG Sport & Racing entry, courtesy of Peter Young’s Creative Media Communications company – Simon Hughes in his familiar but as yet unsponsored Clio; S-Mac’s Kris Meeke in his Team Palmer Opel Corsa; Steve Hill in the very exciting Alfa 147; two Hi-Tec Fiat Puntos making their PBRC debut in the hands of Italian gravel champion Mirco Baldacci and ex-PBRC N4 driver Leon Pesticcio; four Ford Pumas – the Ford Racing entry for Guy Wilks, plus Barry Clark, Norway’s Martin Stenshorne, and the Rallysport Ireland entry for Ryan Champion - and, last but not least, Mats Andersson making a welcome return to the PBRC in his Proton Satria.
Next up were the WRC/Group A cars, with the main attention being on current British Rally Champion Jonny Milner, defending his title in the familiar Team Dynamics Toyota Corolla. As always, Milner was upbeat about his chances, but well aware of the threats posed by Jari-Matti Latvala in his M-Sport Ford Focus WRC, the 18-year old Finn currently enjoying a huge reputation, but no doubt anxious to support this with some huge results. There was a late entry for Tapio Laukkanen, stepping up from Group N in which he ran last year to a Phil Morgan WRC version, as well as Julian Reynolds, Barry Johnson and Austin McHale – all in Imprezas; James Thompson, fresh from his Mondello Park BTCC wins, in his Ralliart-supported Lancer E6.5; plus local man Steve Petch in his usual Hyundai Accent WRC, John Lloyd (Impreza), ex-biker Paul Bird (Accent WRC), the promising Gareth Jones (Impreza), Dougi Hall (Lancer E6), and Richard Hopkins (Impreza). One unfortunate non-starter was Charlie Jukes, whose deal to drive a WRC Impreza fell through at the last minute.
The Production Cup runners were Neil Buckley in his Lancer E5; Nik Elsmore (Impreza); Mark l’Anson (Lancer E6); Jeremy Nolan (Lancer E5); Mike Russell (Impreza) and Tim Mason (Escort Cosworth), followed by the familiar face of Tony Jardine, co-driven by
The Times F1 pundit Kevin Easson in Tony’s familiar Group N MG ZR; Rob Gill and Steve Loveridge (MG ZRs); PBRC stalwart Ellya Gold (206 GT); British Ladies Rally Champion Kate Heath going for another title in her Seat Ibiza; Markus Foss (Nissan Almera),James Gloster (106 GTi); Shelly Taunt (Micra); and again, last but not least, the irrepressible Neil Burgess in his Mini-Cooper, complete with newfangled ‘advertising by lights’ on his wheels.
