The second round of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship’s support series, the BRC Challenge, gets under way on the Pirelli Challenge Rally next weekend with the opening round winners leading the charge into Kielder Forest.

The fight for the title kicked off with Julian Wilkes and Will Rutherford taking maximum points, but if the first round is anything to go by, this crew will not have it all their own way on the Pirelli, although the championship leaders are one of the few crews in this year’s BRCC with previous experience of the Pirelli Rally stages.

Fastest stage times from Callum Black in Wales showed this young driver has the talent to go all the way this year. Having overcome severe handling problems with the MG ZR in the morning, Callum and his co-driver Paul Wakely showed what they were made of with a stunning afternoon drive, taking them to second place.

Third placed M-Sport duo and leading Fiesta SportChallenge campaigners Jonathan Cunningham and Richard Millener will be on home gravel in the Kielder stages, and could post a real threat at the front of the field.

Two more RC3 competitors out to prove they have what it takes are Simon Moore in his Renault Clio and Chris Peart in his Vauxhall Astra. Moore and co-driver Emma Morrison are a new pairing for 2010, but with an outright class win on the Border Counties event earlier this year they must be in with a shot of upsetting Somerset man Wilkes.

The rumours that Chris Peart was retiring the Astra and debuting a new car on the event have proved unfounded, as the trusty Astra will appear again in Cumbria. But Peart and navigator Jamie Forrest, who were consistent in Wales could well spoil the party too.

Another one to watch in Cumbria will be Russ Thompson in the second of the Clios. The man from Clitheroe will be on a mission after retiring his car on the penultimate Pantperthog stage, after his pace left him within touching distance of a podium finish.

After impressing on his BRC Challenge debut, 17 year old student Osian Price will be looking to add to his experience. The Fiesta ST driver could well be pushing for a class podium on the Pirelli Challenge Rally with new co-driver Neil Shanks.

Catch up with the action between the 24th and 25th April in what is Cumbria’s biggest sporting attraction. The cars start from rally HQ based at the Carlisle Racecourse taking in stages north of the town and in Kielder, for what promises to be one of the most exciting BRC Challenge battles to date. So strap yourself in and enjoy one of British motorsport’s best championships.

Round 2 - Pirelli Challenge Rally
 
Unofficial entry list
  

PIRELLI CHALLENGE RALLY

The Pirelli Challenge Rally runs ahead of the International event, starting from the Carlisle Racecourse headquarters and service area at 09.50 on Saturday. The crews then face two loops of three stages split by a service halt at 13.34, before returning to Carlisle for the podium just before 6pm.

SKY SPORTS TV COVERAGE

Coverage of the Bulldog Challenge Rally as well as a preview of the Pirelli International Rally will be shown on Sky Sports 4 on Tuesday 20th April at 18.30. For full Sky Sports TV listings click HERE.

Website: www.rallybrcchallenge.co.uk