by Rob Wilkins
TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH DAVID HIGGINS: CLICK HERE
Crash.net columnist David Higgins will take in his home event on the Isle of Man soon - the third round in the 2008 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship. David has had a great start to the year in his TQ.com backed Subaru Impreza N14 and thus far has taken two podiums, which gives him the early advantage in the race for the BRC crown.
Crash.net Radio caught up with the 2004 British Rally champion recently and got his thoughts ahead of the Manx...
Crash.net:
David; how confident are you feeling ahead of your home round in the British Rally Championship?
David Higgins:
I don't think you can ever go into a BRC event feeling that confident when you have got competition like Guy Wilks, my brother, Mark, Phillip Morrow and Stuart Jones - such a good load of drivers. Also with an event like the Isle of Man it is very difficult just to finish too. You have got to go there and push extremely hard and you have also got to go there with the knowledge that if you push too hard you can damage the car. It is a long event - and to score you must finish. It is a difficult event, but I am looking forward to it. We have done a lot to the car and I can't wait to get out there now.
Crash.net:
Do you think it will be possible to win there?
DH:
I think it is. I don't think we will win the rally by going out there and leading from the start though. We have a plan in place and I have a fair idea of what is going to happen with a few of the other drivers and they will have a big battle. But I think we can be there, and a lot closer on pace than we were on the last few rallies. If any of them have any problems we will be there to strike back.
Crash.net:
How much of a help will your local knowledge be?
DH:
The local knowledge of the roads won't be there for me. It is a rally that I have done least out of any of the BRC events. The last time I think I finished the event was in 2002 and I have only actually done it three times since 2000. I missed it a few times when I was in America and I also missed it the year I won the BRC because we couldn't afford to go there. I went to China to try and pay for the Ulster Rally afterwards. It is not actually an event I know that well. When I was living there I wasn't competing in rallying.
