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KIELDER
CALLING
There has
been an encouraging early rush of entries for Aprils Pirelli International
Rally headed by reigning British champion Jonny Milner, eager
to start the defence of his title and to make a better start than
last year when Kielder “bit back”. Opposition will
come in the form of Julian Reynolds and Charlie Dukes, both in
Subarus, as is reigning Scottish champion Barry Johnson who will
be keen to impress on what is effectively his home event, he will
be buoyed by his recent good run on the Border Counties Rally,
run over similar Kielder Stages, while another Subaru entry comes
from John Lloyd.
Other drivers
who will be rallying close to home include Paul Bird, the Monster
Mob chief entered in the ex Petch Hyundai Accent WRC, and Neil
Buckley in a Mitsubishi Evo 5, Neil’s dad, Dominic won this
event way back in 1978 so maybe he feels it is time the family
reasserted itself!
Last years
Pirelli International Rally was dominated by Mark Higgins in an
M-Sport Focus, and the Carno man is back, giving the RED Renault
Clio 1600 its British Championship debut and no doubt setting
a benchmark for the other Super 1600 runners who include the Clio
for young Simon Hughes, another driver who featured well on the
Border Counties, and an interesting entry from Marco Baldachi,
the Italian gravel specialist entered in a JWRC spec Fiat Punto
1600.
Following
an unprecedented, not to say unusual, spell of warm, mild weather,
the Kielder stages are described as “Dry and dusty and incredibly
fast” so competitors will have some interesting tyre choices
to make on the Pirelli British Championship opener when it blasts
off from Gatesheads Baltic Square.
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