Gwyndaf Evans, the Welsh Rally Wizard, returns to the championship he won in 1996, and will be teamed up with rising young star Stuart Jones in a pair of Hankook Mitsubishi Evo 9’s. Also contesting the championship in similar Mitsubishis will be double British champion Johnny Milner and Stephen Petch, whilst Subaru is also well supported, with 1998 British champ Martin Rowe, JWRC regular Conrad Rautenbach, John Lloyd, Phil McVay and rising youngster Nick Kenny all using a variety of Imprezas.
Taking the fight to the S1600 Fiestas will be young James Wozencroft who has been rewarded for his fine drives in 2005 with an ex-works Suzuki Ignis S1600. Whilst JWRC regulars Kris Meeke and Guy Wilks are both hopeful of the occasional outing in what is looking to be the toughest national championship in Europe.
The 2006 championship consists of six rounds, three on tarmac and three on gravel, with the final round being the 2006 Wales Rally GB, the prestige behind being crowned champion is too great an incentive to ignore.
Round 1 will be the world renowned Pirelli International Rally, based in Carlisle, and which incorporates some of the most famous rally stages in the United Kingdom. The most daunting of which are run through the infamous Kielder Forest, home to many epic rally battles over the years.
As well as playing host to the opening round of the British Rally Championship the Pirelli International is also the second round of the Pirelli Stars of the Future, whilst the Landrover Challenge, the BRC Masters and the Clubman's Rallies will all be run simultaneously.
