The normally tranquil forests of the North Tyne Valley will reverberate to the sound of high revving engines and sleepy little hamlets such as Kielder and Falstone will be thronged with people as the North East hosts the opening round of the Kwik Fit Pirelli British Rally Championship which will bring the countries top drivers to the area to fight it out over two days of flat out competition. Although based in Gateshead, the main action of the Pirelli International Rally takes place some 40 miles away over the twisty undulating gravel tracks in the giant Kielder Forest complex where the blind brows and deceptive bends are waiting to catch out the unwary.

The Pirelli International Rally has attracted a top class entry, headed by double British champions, Jony Milner/Nicky Beech, going for a record breaking third successive title, they have never won in Kielder but were in the top three places on every round last year and have a Subaru WRC with which to mount their challenge. Milner faces several stern challenges, not least from David Higgins/ Chris Wood, the SCCA USA Champion out in a Hyundai Accent WRC and multiple Irish champion Austin McHale who will be using his Toyota Corolla this weekend. Alistair Ginley returns to the PBRC with a Subaru Impreza WRC, Barry Johnson is another Subaru runner well worth watching while Malcolm Wilson’s son, Mathew, makes his International debut on the rally that first shot his Dad to prominence, he will be driving a Ford Focus WRC.

Behind the front runners, there is a mouth watering battle in prospect in the Super 1600 category where Darlington’s Guy Wilkes debuts the Dealer Team Suzuki Ignis, Wilkes led the event for a while last year before succumbing to one of Kielder’s many hazards, this year he faces a mighty challenge from the Fiat Punto Abarths of Alessandro Broccoli and Leo Pesticcio, a trio of Renault Clio’s for Simon Hughes, Gareth Jones and Olly Marshall, the Citroen Saxo of Aki Teiskonen , Steve Hills Alfa Romeo and Barry Clark and Zimbabwean Conrad Rautenbach in Ford Puma’s.

The Pirelli International Rally sees the inaugural round of the Fiat Stilo Cup series and the distinctive yellow, Italian built machines are a welcome addition to the championship ranks, battling it out on this opening round will be Shaun Woffinden, Joan Rocca, Paul Tod, Willie Bonniwell, Tom Metcalfe and Chris Davies.

The Pirelli International Rally blasts off from Gateshead’s Baltic Square on Friday April 23 rd with the first car leaving the start ramp at 7:30pm. There will be a full commentary and driver interviews as the cars set off and ample opportunity for spectators and rally enthusiasts to see the cars, take photographs and collect autographs.

Most of the “Special Stages” in the Kielder Forest will have parking facilities, courtesy of Forest Enterprise, and these will be clearly signposted. Programmes will be on sale giving a full entry list and details of where to see the action. On day two of the rally, there is also the opportunity to visit the Service Area at Hexham Auction Mart and see the cars being worked on. The rally finish, complete with the traditional “Champagne Spraying” is back at Gateshead’s Baltic Square with the first car scheduled to arrive at 7:00pm and spectators are very welcome to turn up and see the winners take their well earned trophies.