The Pirelli National Rally, which is a support event to the Pirelli International rally, takes in 7 of the main event stages and has attracted a healthy 40 car field including no fewer than 17 Ford Fiesta Sporting Trophy entrants. Uniquely, the rally will have no overall winner, each category having it’s own awards but the fastest crews will no doubt be found in the “Open “ class where Castle Douglas crew Jock Armstrong / Kirsty Riddick (Subaru Impreza ) could well be the pacesetters, ahead of a couple of “Yorkshire Mafia” crews, Jeff McNeill (Subaru Impreza ) and the ageless Steve Bannister in a Mark 2 Escort (What Else ! ). A couple of dark horses could be Irish crews, Paul & Peter Ward 9 Subaru Impreza ) and Bob Riddles (Escort Mk2 )

The competition will unquestionably be fierce amongst the Fiestas with the entry list featuring the first three drivers from the opening round, Stevie Brown, James Everard and Liam Regan, they are joined by several drivers currently in good form, Kris Hall from Appleby won his class on the recent Border Counties Rally while Eifyn Evans has posted two successive wins in the Irish version of the series but will remember last years event when he rolled spectacularly in Kielder.

The BRC Challenge sees Richard Sykes Fiesta pitted against Neil Weaver (Puma ), Callum Bendall ( Ford KA ), David Harrison ( Peugeot 106 ) , Tony Simpson (Citroen C2 ) and James Watts (VW Polo).

The Pirelli National Rally features a noon start from Carlisle Airport and will run ahead of the main International field.  Competitors will tackle 4 stages in the Kershope area before heading for 3 longer, faster ones in Kielder Forest.