With 124 miles of timed-to-the-second Special Stages, the Philip White Tyres Ulster Rally offers a tough event with a rather different challenge to the tarmac tests of both the Isle of Man and Berwickshire and will seek out any physical weakness on the part of drivers and also any mechanical frailty in the cars.
Leading the Production Cup for Group N - showroom spec - cars is Rory Galligan by 4 points from Lorna Smith with Barry Clark only a further two points adrift. Galligan's team-mate, David Higgins is languishing in a lowly eighth place in category, but he too is fighting injury. He broke his wrist a couple of months ago but with three rounds remaining all is not quite lost - yet!
There's another treat in store for spectators in Ulster as Ford's new Fiesta makes its second appearance in the BRC this year. The Super 1600 class machine made its first appearance on M-Sport's local event, the Pirelli Rally in Cumbria earlier in the year with Gwyndaf Evans at the wheel. This time, Justin Dale has been entrusted with the latest stage of testing and development ahead of the car's 2006 competition debut.
Finally, there is the 'small' matter of the Nations Cup within the Kwik-Fit Pirelli series. Ireland currently leads this very incestuous competition from Scotland, England and Wales.
