The historic Scottish border town of Duns plays host to the start and finish of round three of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship’s support series, the BRC Challenge.
Just after eight o’clock on Friday night sees the historic market town play host to the exciting Mantis Instant Shine spectator stage opener, a short 1.2 mile run through the town centre in front of large crowds and the TV cameras. This first stage is a great way to get up close and personal for the spectators and an opportunity for drivers to show off their sponsors and skills in front of an appreciative audience.
The crews then put another twenty one miles on the clock over two special stages including the technical but rewarding Abby St Bathans stage before a return the overnight halt at the Kelso Racecourse-based service park.
Saturday could see the real battle commence as the drivers, having had a chance to settle themselves in on the Friday night stages, mount an all out assault on the tarmac roads of Scotland.
It’s an early morning start for the Challenge competitors as the cars are due into the first time control just after nine o’clock. Polwarth, Edrom and Ayton stages provide the morning’s entertainment with another twenty plus miles of fast closed road action for the spectators to enjoy.
Eccles and Swinton stages provide the grandstand finish to the event for those crews that manage to overcome the challenges of one of the country’s finest rallies. The winner will be crowned in Duns town centre on Saturday afternoon just after three o’clock.
So with just four days to go until the start of the first tarmac event of the year for the ever increasingly popular BRC Challenge series, the championship is wide open.
With just four points separating the top five drivers in the title race, the Jim Clark Challenge Rally could prove pivotal in deciding who goes into the twelve week summer break on top.
The fast and infamously tricky roads of Scottish border country have upset the applecart on more than one occasion in the past and will again for those crews not on their game.
Round three sees the return of two of last year’s top drivers in the shape of Chris Peart and Richard Archer. Peart and his S1600 Vauxhall Corsa have proven pace on the sealed surface and could really throw a spanner in the works to anybody’s title tilt. The Burton Pidsea ace went into the last round of last year’s competition with a chance a taking the overall Challenge title. But it even though it wasn’t to be, the Yorkshireman has fearsome pace in a proven car.
The second of the 2011 debutants is last year’s Jim Clark Challenge winner and overall tarmac supremo Richard Archer. An undoubted sealed surface specialist with an unbelievable looking home built S1600 Corsa of his own; he will surely start as favourite.
Pirelli Rally winner and well liked North Easterner Simon Moore won’t have too far to travel for this event in his Renault Clio, which according to Simon is more suited to tarmac too.
Chasing these wily old foxes will be a gaggle of young, hungry, fearless and competitive drivers looking to cement their fate in the history books on Saturday evening.
Led by championship leader Jack Rowe in his Ford Fiesta, the young inexperienced driver has yet to sample tarmac rallying in his fledgling career. The former motocross rider competes in only his fifth rally this weekend but has proven already that the seventeen year old is a very quick learner indeed, while the consistency of Phil Scholes and Damien Smith in their Fiestas this year will also put the other drivers under intense pressure.
Both have secured podium positions in 2011 and have been on the pace all year, and not forgetting the all important Fiesta SportChallenge with adds a little spice between the competing Ford entrants.
Round one victor Matt Edwards will likewise be under pressure to put his championship hopes back on track after a mechanical problem put an end to his Pirelli Rally. Competing in last year’s championship winning car, the MG ZR has proven pace on the black stuff adding to a frighteningly long list of competitive and diverse machinery.
Super 1000 / BRC Challenge Star of the Future
New to the BRC Challenge in 2011, the Formula 1000 championship’s big brother, Super 1000, has a massive 24 events in its calendar, but the Nissan Micra-dominated series counts all the BRCC events towards the overall title.
So with Garry Pearson taking maximum points last time out, another top place could propel him to second in the overall S1000 standings and with it move further ahead of fellow Micra driver James Smith and Matt Jackson in the BRCC’s Star of the Future.
So with the first closed road event of the season due to get under way on this Friday evening, the 70 miles of Borders asphalt will hold yet more twist and turns for those hunting down the 2011 Challenge title.
We all look forward to seeing you there.
Follow the entire goings on as they happen at the official championship website, www.brcchallenge.co.uk or alternatively keep in touch via our Twitter feed @BRC_Challenge. You can also keep a weather eye on the area of the rally via the big green weather button on the BRCC homepage.