by Rob Wilkins


TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH MATT BEEBE: CLICK HERE


2007 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship R2 class title winner Matt Beebe was missing on the entry list released by the organisers of the BRC recently. Crash.net Radio caught up with him to find out what's happening...


Crash.net:
Matt, what have you been doing since the Wales Rally GB?

Matt Beebe:
My priorities have changed slightly since then. The week after, on December 11, my baby daughter, Emily, was born. I have been busy looking after her since.

Crash.net:
Of course in addition to that you have still been focusing on trying to compete in the BRC again. The entry list for the BRC was released recently. Unfortunately you weren't on it, how likely is it that you will be able to get an entry in before the opening round, the Pirelli International Rally, next month?

Matt Beebe:
Well, never-say-never - I am always the optimist. Last year it was left up until the last minute and we actually took the MG to the Pirelli as a back-up in case we didn't get the deal finalised. As it was it was sorted about an hour before scrutineering [and we used a Citroen C2 on the Pirelli before reverting to the MG for the rest of the championship].

There is still plenty of time left to get something together. But we have been working hard all winter trying to get some sponsors and get some deals sorted. However we haven't been able to get anything together. There is still hope. If we can sell the MG and get some money in, we can possibly hire a car if we can get the right deal. We are never going to say it is not going to happen. I have to admit though it is not looking likely at the minute.

Crash.net:
Last year you used the MG for most of the season, what car or cars would you ideally like to use in 2008?

MB:
Ideally we would like to move up to four-wheel drive. But there is a massive jump in budget from running the MG to running a Group N Mitsubishi Evo or a Group N Subaru Impreza. We really need some big support from sponsors to do that sort of thing, which we haven't been able to find.

We will probably look at two-wheel drive then - either the Citroen C2-R2 Cup or the Suzuki Swift Sport Cup. If we could get a one-off drive in either of those and put in a good performance hopefully that we allow us to get some support. Then we can get into a four-wheel drive and put in some more good performances. That is what we would aim to do.

Crash.net:
What are your thoughts on the inaugural Suzuki Swift Sport Cup?

MB:
It is a fantastic place to start rallying and it is going to be very close with all the cars being evenly matched. It should be a really close championship.

Crash.net:
How tough has it been trying to get the backing together to compete in the BRC again this year?

MB: