Competitors from the BRC Challenge will be joined on the Jim Clark Rally (24th May) by former works rally driver Neil Wearden, adding spice to the already competitive event.
The Vauxhall pilot was runner-up in the 2000 British Rally Championship and will be partnered by Daily Telegraph journalist turned rally co-driver Franca Davenport, whose experience on the pacenotes will help guide their unusual choice of rally car along with the more conventional machinery.
Their Honda Civic Hybrid is almost unique in the UK, the only other hybrid rally car being another Honda run by the same team. They will join The BRC Challenge as a publicity event for the "green" technology, the car using both petrol and electric power to give power and economy.
The BRC Challenge, formerly known as the "Stars," is designed as a feeder and support series for the main MSA British Rally Championship and as such, it has worked very well. 2006 Champion David Meredith contested the whole 2007 BRC and joins no less than five more who have made the step up in 2008.
While 2007 Champion Luke Pinder, Dale Robertson, Matt Cotton, S D Roy and last year's Jim Clark winner Mark Gamble are all playing in the big league, the competition was no less fierce on the opening round of the 2008 BRCC.
Returning "veterans" Richard Sykes/Simon Taylor picked up where they should have been in 2007, taking an early lead on Pirelli's Challenge rally, one that they never relinquished in their new Fiesta ST. The regulations for 2007 allow cars up to 2000cc to compete, Sykes being the only driver contesting the new class. Despite this his turn of speed was nonetheless impressive, posting some times that were close to the class leader in the main British Rally Championship event.
His nearest rival Neil Weaver retired after a difficult rally, stopping on the first stage with electrical problems and a slipping clutch, eventually going off on stage four. David Harrison/Glyn Thomas took second in their Peugeot 106, overcoming a puncture on SS2, commenting: "It is very cut up and there are some holes as big as my car."
James Watts was third, piloting the lowest-powered car of the finishers. They had fun in the Volkswagen Polo but spent a little time off in one of Kielder's ditches which threw his confidence. Callum Bendall will want to forget his first event in the series, but reverts to his Ford Ka for the asphalt of his "local" event.
The gaps between finishers may have been larger than last year, but the series now allows maximum overall points to be applied on class performance. This system was successful in the BRC several years ago and means that the lead is a three-way tie.
With a change to asphalt suspension and driving style, the smart money would still be on Sykes for outright victory but the class-based points will make it a tactical rally, perhaps reining in his hard-charging approach.
The rally has a ceremonial start in Kelso on Friday at 4:30pm, with the 95 miles of route starting from the Charterhall airfield at 9:00am on Saturday. Twelve tricky stages separate the crews from the finish and champagne spraying back in Kelso at just after 7:00pm.
