Championship leader confident, local boy gets big break

Pembrey hosts the fourth round of the Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship on Sunday (July 1), and championship leader “Mad Mark” is looking forward to the second visit to the south Wales track.

“I’m feeling increasingly confident in the car this year. When I first got the car last year I used to look at the entry list and think ‘I can beat him and him, but not those ones,’. Now I think I can beat anyone and I’m going for the win,” said the Barnard Castle-based racer.

Positions in the Kumho Tyres MSA British championship have not changed since the end of round two that took place at Pembrey in May as no points were awarded for round three which was abandoned when officials decided that heavy rain made it unsafe to continue racing.

“The decision not to award points for round three hasn’t done me any harm,” said “Mad Mark”. “Now I’m looking forward to a dry day and good conditions at Pembrey.”
It’s close at the top of the championship, Andrew Jordan (Lichfield), the winner at Pembrey in May, just one point behind “Mad Mark” and sharing second place with round one winner Dave Bellerby (Northallerton). The British championship’s most successful driver ever, Dermot Carnegie (Dublin) holds fourth place a further two points adrift in his new Ford Fiesta ST.

Rees gets his big break
The Pembrey event will also mark the first appearance in the Supercar category for local driver Grant Rees (Llanybydder). The 19-year-old will drive an MG Metro 6R4 owned by Irishman George Tracey in his first Rallycross start since the end of 2004.

“My aim is to do well without breaking the car!” said Rees who has a tested the 6R4 previously and is hopeful of completing a test with it before the Pembrey event on Sunday. “I love the track at Pembrey, it’s fast but there are also some very technical areas that challenge you as a driver. It’s the perfect place for me to race a Supercar for the first time and I’m grateful to George for giving the chance.”

Tracey will be driving in the Swedish round of the European Rallycross Championship on the same day and has decided to field his British car in the event for Rees in a bid to take points away from championship rivals.

“Grant’s a good lad and he’s been working very hard on the 6R4 for me as well as preparing the Mini for George [Tracey Jnr., Tracey’s son who races in the Junior Rallycross category] and this is a reward for him. I have fifth place in the British championship, so if Grant can also take a few points away from the others it may help me a bit on that score too.,” Tracey said.

Although it is more than two years since Rees last raced in Rallycross he has been active in that time driving in rallies. His record in Rallycross is strong, he was the Junior champion in 2003 and placed fourth in the Stock Hatch category the following year, his first in adult competition. In 2001, at 13-years-old, Rees became the youngest driver ever to win the Junior National Autograss Championship.

The SuperModified category (for two-wheel drive cars) of the championship is led by Bellerby but local interest at Pembrey will centre on 17-year-old Ben Power (Welshpool) who won in round three with his Ford SportKa and Mike Howlin (Haverdfordwest) who gave his new rear-wheel drive Ford Fiesta ST Cosworth its debut run at Lydden.

The Yokohama Stock Hatch class has a new points leader in Tony Lynch (Wigan) who now leads Ash Simpson (York) and champion Julian Godfrey (Heathfield).

Ben Rennison (Richmond) leads the Bill Gwynne Rallyschool Junior Rallycross Championship which, together with the BTRDA Clubmans Championship forms the supporting bill to the Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship. Championship newcomer Samantha Thom (Cookstown) holds second place after winning rounds one and three.

The BTRDA Clubmans championship uses a different schedule and has already completed four events. The overall championship leader is Junior racer Ben Rennison (Richmond) who has four class wins to his credit and is six points ahead of leading Stock hatch Dave Baines (Tarporley) who has won twice.

Event details
Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship
round four, Sunday July 1
Pembrey, on the A484 west of Llanelli, between Burry Port and Kidwelly
Practice starts at 0900, racing from 1000
Admission: Adults £12, children up to 16 free
Info: 01554 891042, RallycrossUK.com