First WRC event in the “KICK ENERGY” Ford Fiesta S2000 and Craig records his best result at World level. 19th Overall, 10th in the N4 class and the 5th Ford Fiesta S2000 home. Craig started on Thursday evening’s super special, jumping from his seeding of 67th to 34th and as the most technical rally in the world rally championship resumed on Friday morning Craig started his rise up the leader board. This culminated with the current Irish Young Rally driver of the year claiming his highest finish of his career on the world stage.
Craig, who turned twenty last February has had WRC Finland in the back of his mind from the time he decided to purchase the Fiesta S2000. Twelve months ago he got his first taste of what the locals call “Jyväskylä Suurajot” (the “Jyväskylä Great Race”). On his way to securing the 2009 FSTi title Craig claimed a class win in Finland, on his first outing after a rally long fight with Jussi Kumpumäki. After moving to the S2000, Craig set his sights early in the season that this would be the perfect venue to debut the Kick Energy Fiesta by taking on the world’s best and find out where he stood when the last gravel stage was completed.
The biggest accident of his career to date knocked his confidence six weeks ago but it also served to refocus him both mentally and physically. There wasn’t to be a class win in 2010 but what has been achieved is, Craig is starting to mature as a driver, he can set a goal and achieve it, he will not let out side influences draw his attention away from the bigger picture. His stage times give an ideal example of this; on every test that was repeated the Kick Energy car improved it’s time from the previous run.
Craig got the perfect boast last week just before the event when word came through that he had been nominated by Motorsport Ireland to represent his Country in the forthcoming Northern European section of the Pirelli Star Driver Shootout in Sweden. The shootout will take place in conjunction with the Snapphane Rally in Hassleholm, Sweden, on August 14th. Craig will compete against drivers from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany and the UK.
– Credit: www.rallyprint.com