by Geoff Mayes
From the gravel roads of the 'Killer Kielder' forests that hosted round one of the 2006 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship the competitors now move on to the closed public roads of Berwickshire that make up the all-tarmac
Jim Clark International Rally, which begins in the Scottish town of Kelso this coming Friday.
Furthermore if the close competition that made up the opening round of the new look championship is anything to go by this weekend's rally should be just as fraught with action.
After leading the Pirelli International from the beginning Mark Higgins looked to have the win in his grasp. That was up until a double puncture cruelly denied the double British champion the victory. Instead the win went to Mitsubishi 'works' driver Ryan Champion, who himself had overcome all types of problems.
Champion, who won the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge on the 2005 edition of the Jim Clark International Rally, on his way to the title which saw him promoted to the full factory team as part of his prize, will be hoping to continue his fine run this weekend.
"I am really looking forward to this weekend," he noted. "It should be really interesting to see who the front runners are after the first few stages. We also need to keep an eye on the S1600 cars if the weather stays dry."
Meanwhile Higgins, who won here in 2000 and in 2005 has been preparing for the Jim Clark by competing in Ireland in a Mitsubishi WRC car. Although World Rally Cars are banned from the 2006 British championship the experience has allowed Higgins to remain 'match fit'.
Another double British champion looking forward to this weekend is Jonny Milner. Despite losing two cars to fires - and on the same stage, although in different years! - in six attempts Milner is confident that his luck will hold this weekend.
