by Rob Wilkins


Lorna Smith has predicted that the battle for the R2 class honours in the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship will go right the way to the wire.

Lorna, who has already taken the N2 title in the Irish Tarmac Championship, currently leads the BRC R2 standings from Matt Beebe by 2 points, while her Suzuki team-mate, James Wozencroft and Jason Pritchard are joint third, both a further 6 points back.

Speaking exclusively to Crash.net Radio at the recent Castle Combe Rallyday in the UK, the 2004 and 2005 BRC Ladies title winner added that her year to date has been 'really good'.

“The car and the team have been absolutely cracking right from the start,” she noted. “We have had a few moments but so far we have been getting to the end of all the stages and all of the rallies and we have now won our class in the Irish Championship.

“We have got one event to go there but we can't be caught. It will be quite good then going into the Cork Rally this weekend with no pressure.

“Then we have got two more rounds of the British championship left and we are leading that at the moment. But it is all getting close and with double points at Rally GB I think it is going to be a fight to the end on that one.”

Asked about the Rally Yorkshire, the next round in the BRC, which takes places on October 6, Lorna added that she is looking forward to getting back onto gravel again.

“Tarmac has been fantastic but we have been on asphalt all summer. The Pirelli was the last time I have been out on gravel,” she continued.

“I have done the Trackrod a few times before and I should know the stages quite well. They are brave stages – we have just got to keep our foot in!”

As for beyond this season, Lorna admitted that things could be a lot quieter in 2008: “This is really a one-off deal for us with Suzuki to advertise the cars for next year's championship. I think it might end up being a bit of a quiet one for us next year but to be fair it has been an absolutely fantastic year. We couldn't have asked for more and if we are not doing much next year, maybe just the odd few rallies, then we have had a pretty good lead up to it,” she concluded.


TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH LORNA SMITH: CLICK HERE