Reigning BRC champion Mark Higgins snatched victory on the
Jim Clark, in the second round of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship after equalling rival Rory Galligan on overall stage times invoking the championship's tie-break rule for the first time since the BRC has been timed to a tenth of a second.
Stobart VK Subaru driver Higgins set the same 2hrs 09mins 27.3secs over the course of the 21 stages as Mitsubishi Motors UK driver Galligan who had led the rally for 17 stages. The tie-break rule came into force and that takes the fastest stage time of the two tied drivers over the first stage, handing victory to Higgins.
"I was on the limit for the last three stages," said Higgins. "I could not have pushed any harder and it feels so good to win. I've finished second so many times that I really feel for Rory, he drove so well for the entire rally."
Galligan, who led the rally from the fourth stage until the 20th was gutted to be beaten within sight of victory.
"There was nothing I could do," he conceded. "I didn't know Mark was pushing as hard as he was but even if I had known I was doing everything that I could. He took two seconds out of me on the final Langton stage and I'd twice beaten him there, he was on it."
The win means Higgins takes the driver championship points lead by three points from Pirelli International Rally winner Ryan Champion. Mitsubishi Motors UK driver Champion took an impressive third, just under 50 seconds adrift of Galligan and Higgins.
"I'm happy enough, especially as I had gear selection problems at the end," said the reigning Mitsubishi Evo Challenge champion. "Apart from that the car ran faultlessly on this event."
S1600 runner Guy Wilks would have hoped that the rally ended after the first stage. The S1600 driver set the fastest stage time on the BRC contenders on the opening outing and maintained a strong position just adrift of the podium for the entire event.
