Darren Gass, the 2007 Super 1600 champion and Pirelli Star Drive prize winner has vowed to make the most of his 'Star' drive in a works run Mitsubishi Evo 9, whilst other privateers hoping to get a shot at the 2008 prize drive include current Mitsubishi Evo Challenge leader Daniel Barry and a host of other Evo Challenge contenders such as Errol Clarke, David Meredith and Simon Harraway, as well as 18 year old London student Melis Charalambous in a Subaru.
Whilst Meredith has two years of experience in the championship, and was the 'Stars of the Future' champion in 2006, Charalambous and Harraway have less than a dozen gravel rally starts to their combined names.
The 'baby' classes are extremely well presented this year. Suzuki have formally introduced the Suzuki Swift Cup, a one make championship for the nimble little 1600cc production spec cars. With a prize of a works drive in a Super 1600 on the Wales Rally GB as the incentive a number of international crews have signed up. Gordon Nichol is the sole representative from Scotland and will battle against Ross Forde from Ireland, Henry Carchpole, Mark Gamble, Ricard Boot and Nick Rowlands from England as well as Niki Bjerg who hails from Denmark.
The Citroen C2-R2 cup continues for a second year and after the success of Martin Laverty in 2007 a number of his namesakes have registered. Both Martin Roberts and Martin McCormack should be rapid, whilst a last minute deal for Matt Cotton sees the Englishman move up into the category this year. Young Jason Pritchard very nearly won the championship at his first attempt in 2007 and has vowed to return for 2008; however his appearance has been postponed until the
Jim Clark International after a road accident left him with a broken foot.
An exciting addition to the class - at least for the Pirelli - is former European Rally champion Simon Jean-Joseph, who will be contesting his first ever Pirelli International at the wheel of a 'works' blessed C2-R2 MAX.
