FAMILY FORTUNES IN THE FORESTS

There will be a fair bit of sibling rivalry going on during the Pirelli International Rally with various members of the same family out to prove just who is the quickest driver in the house and it should make for some stirring entertainment for the rallies spectators as they watch the contests unfold.

First of all we have the Higgins brothers, former British champion Mark and current holder of the title David. Both guys retired from the opening round of this year’s series so will be eager to make up lost ground and get some points on the board. Mark will be in an Eddie Stobart backed Ford Focus WRC, he led on the first round in Wales before being sidelined with gearbox trouble while David will be driving the works Mitsubishi Evo 8MR which went so well in Wales before a punctured tyre shattered the oil cooler.

No fewer than three members of the McHale clan will be journeying over the Irish Sea for the rally headed by five times Irish champion Austin McHale, current leader of the Kwik Fit / Pirelli British Championship after his victory in Wales. Despite his many victories in a long and successful career, Austin has never won a Kielder forest based event that is one record he will be keen to erase. His two sons are also comparative newcomers to the pleasures of Kielder, where some of the Friday evening stages will run in darkness and while Aaron will be looking for Group N points in his Mitsubishi Evo 8 SMR, Gareth will be hoping to set the forest alight in the families well known TOYOTA Corolla WRC.