British Historic Rally Championship poised for Plains Rally battles
Posted: May 19, 2022 12:44 PM
The Fuchs Lubricants British Historic Rally Championship will make its second foray into Wales on Saturday as the Plains Rally [21 May] plays host to the third round of series.
Based in Bala in the Snowdonia National Park, the event offers up a mouth-watering list of world-class stages which have hosted World Rally Championship protagonists over the years including Aberhirnant, Alwen and Clocaenog with ten stages and 42 miles of competitive driving set to test the BHRC crews.
And the top-rung of the British Historic Rally Championship had a vastly fresh look to it at Rally North Wales in March, as three-time British Rally Champion Matt Edwards and co-driver Hamish Campbell took the RSD Developments FIAT 131 Abarth to its first-ever BHRC victory at the second round of the series. That win was the first for a non-Ford Escort in many years and as such, has seen a surge in interest in the Italian machines prepared by the Yorkshire based firm.
The Plains Rally will see a first for the BHRC, as Edwards is joined by current championship leader Nick Elliott, who swaps his usual Escort for a 131 and the rare machinery occupying the first two seeds. Co-driven by Peredur Davies, Elliott enjoyed a non-championship outing in the car with teammate Edwards in April and that has undoubtedly given him the confidence boost to use the Fiat in anger this weekend.
Second place in the standings, Roger Chilman will skip the Plains due to work commitments so it’s round one winner Matthew Robinson/Sam Collis who have the enviable task of hunting down the Fiats in their Ford Escort MKII. A non-finish at Rally North Wales has hampered their progress up the rankings but Robinson will be eager to stand on the top step for a second time this year.
Henri Grehan/Dan Petrie are third in the championship after two fourth-place finishes in 2022. An impressive season so far, Grehan is desperately seeking his maiden BHRC podium. Reigning BHRC champions Ben Friend/Cliff Simmons suffered a Rally North Wales to forget so will be aiming to get their season back on track this time around.
Will Onions/Dave Williams have yet to put any scores on the board in 2022 and will be looking at the challenging stages to do just that. Robert Gough/Jack Bowen re-join after retirement on the final stage of Rally North Wales, whilst Sacha Kakad/Claire Williams and Hugh Hunter/Rob Fagg aim to get their first scores on the board in 2022.
2019 BHRC champions Simon Webster/Jez Rogers round out the top ten but it’s likely you will see the names Adam Milner/Roy Jarvis somewhere in that marker at the rally finish. Sensational pace from the Category Two [cars between 1968-1975] ace at Rally North Wales saw Milner take his 1600cc Ford Escort Mk1 to an impressive fifth overall.
Milner also scooped BHRC2 honours [up to 1600cc and `B` classes] and could well repeat that feat this weekend.
Bob Bean and Mike Curry soldier on in Category One [cars up to 1968], bringing their recognisable Lotus Cortina to Bala whilst the fight for the Fuchs Lubricants Rally2 Mixed Surface Championship top spot is evenly split thanks to a class-based points scoring system. Expect Mike Wolff/Mark Twiname’s BMW and Rudi Lancaster/Guy Weaver’s Ford Escort MKII to feature.
Seeded Entry List
Posted: May 15, 2022 3:27 AM
Entries Received / On Line Entry / Regulations / Details
Posted: May 8, 2022 8:21 AM
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