The golden age of rallying will be revived next weekend when the Dunlop/ Gambia

British Historic Rally Championship heads North to Hadrian’s Wall country, over 60 classic cars descending on Carlisle to compete in the Pirelli Historic Rally, the second round of the series.

 

The opening round in Wales was won by Nick Elliott (Ford Escort) but he was pushed hard by the similar cars of Julian Reynolds and Seamus O’Connell and they are back again to provide stiff opposition. Also in the Category 3 field is Darren Moon, a previous winner in Cumbria. Will Onions, Simon Tysoe and Manxman Connor Corkill, it’s going to be a great battle.

 

Former British Rally Champion, David Higgins overcame an off road excursion to take Category 2 honours on the opening round, he has won the Pirelli International Rally before and knows the Kielder stages well so must be amongst the favourites. Peter Smith (Porsche) returns to the championship on one of his favourite events, Jeremy Easson brings along his Capri RS3100, a car not often seen in the forests, Tim Mason will be out in a Porsche and Russell Lomax and Drew Wylie in Escorts.

 

The Category 1 field will feature the glorious note of Jonathon Gale’s Sunbeam Tiger, the high pitched scream of Nick Pinkett’s Saab 96, the diminutive Singer Chamois of Gary Edington, Dessie Nutt’s Porsche and Paul Mankin’s Lotus Cortina and the Imp Sport of Geoff Taylor so there will be no shortage of variety for the spectators to enjoy.

 

The Pirelli Historic Rally leaves Carlisle Racecourse at 4:30pm (Friday 17^th. April) and features two stages in Kershope Forest before an overnight halt, followed by a morning of stages in the Kielder Forest complex, returning for a ceremonial prizegiving at noon.