Any one of four drivers in the
Silverstone Tyres 1400 Rally Championship can still take the prize drive on Wales Rally GB at next weekend's Tempest Stars Rally.
Championship leader Matt Cotton will fend off the advances of the more powerful MSA class cars in his MG ZR. The Cornishman has already put the
FIA category out of reach of the opposition, with four wins and two second places leaving him and co-driver Anthony Godden with an unassailable lead.
The pair has travelled the furthest to each of the events and scored consistently with only one result off the podium in 2007, but Cotton is cautious about his chances, with Luke Pinder, Richard Sykes and Dale Robertson also still in contention for the crown.
“The championship allows crews to drop their two lowest scores at the end of the season,” Cotton explained, “so even if we win in Aldershot we'll have to drop 31 points from our total as we've finished every round.”
Cotton's position means that he can still beat Dale Robertson and SD Roy on pace but must rely on Sykes and Pinder having problems.
“There is a mathematical chance of Matt, Luke, Richard or Dale still wining the series,” championship manager Mark Taylor said, “but it is likely that it will go to the wire between Luke and Richard as they can only improve their points tally.”
Sykes has led every round of the Silverstone Tyres Stars 1400 Rally Championship and is currently on a roll, with a straight hat-trick of victories. But Pinder has youth on his side and barring mechanical problems, his Ford Ka should be a match for Sykes' Peugeot 106.
The battle for the Junior category is still to be decided too, although Pinder has a healthy six point lead over Robertson. Pinder just needs a finish to secure the title so he will have to make a balance between fast for the overall victory and safe for the Junior crown.
The ultimate prize for the victor after 45 competitive miles and ten tricky stages is a run on Wales Rally GB at the end of November. The winner will get behind the wheel of a Group N 1400cc MG ZR similar to those used by the FIA category drivers.
The prize also includes free entries on each of the rounds of the 2008 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship.
“The fact that four drivers can still win means we have had to enter all of them on Rally GB,” Taylor added. “It is a bit of history for them all as they will appear in the pre-event documentation. Despite only one taking the prize it's definitely one to print off to show at their local motor clubs!”
