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STOP PRESS: Wilks secures BRC title |
Mitsubishi's Guy Wilks came through to win the 2007 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship on Sunday, following the season ending, Wales Rally GB.
Wilks took the honours on both parts of the event, coming out top on day one, which counted as round six of the series, with his chief championship rival Mark Higgins third, after three punctures.
On day 2, Wilks again set the pace, although with the clocks re-set, he had to battle again with Mark, concluding Saturday's action just 7.6 seconds in front. On Sunday he maintained P1 and eventually took the round seven win by 37.4 seconds, after Higgins lost time with transmission problems.
“I'm absolutely delighted,” said Wilks, who also took the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship victory as well. “That was a long final stage. I was concentrating 100 per cent but it is an absolutely fantastic feeling to win the British Rally Championship.
“I'm over the moon. It's been a hard year and I left it to the end to win, but now the feeling is just fantastic.”
Mark meanwhile was bitterly disappointed to miss out and he had a tough time just getting his Mitsubishi to the finish in Cardiff.
“We've lost 4th, 5th and 2nd gears and we're not back to Cardiff yet,” said the 36-year-old. “I'm very disappointed about losing the British Rally Championship title. Guy did well and made very few mistakes. But next year I'll be back to give him a fight.”
Mark's brother, David meanwhile completed the round 7 BRC podium, albeit more than 4 minutes further back.
After that Wyn Humphries was fourth, 30 seconds up on Rob Swann, in his privately entered Impreza, while Rob Gill rounded out the top six, followed by David Meredith and A6 class winner, Darren Gass.
