Saltash, Cornwall rally driver Alan Cookson, London co-driver Julian Wilkinson and their venerable Subaru WRC nicknamed 'Daisy', will make the long trip north for the second time in a month next weekend as they look to continue their great start in the 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship.

Following on from a superb seventh place finish on Rallye Sunseeker which was backed up with sixth place on the Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally, the Robert Wiseman Dairies, Kick Energy, GillettsSpar.com, Kumho Tyres, Riverside Property Services and Olverelectrical.com supported Subaru Impreza WRC team hold third place overall in the standings going into round three and the Carlisle-based Pirelli Tour of Cumbria.

"We can't wait to get up to Kielder again next weekend after having such a great time on the Border Counties Rally. The car has been superb and we continue to learn more each time we go out in her, so are really hoping to record another top ten finish to secure a good points haul as we need to capitalise on the first two events of the year.

"It is certainly going to be a very tough event and one that I'm sure will have a high rate of attrition due to there only being one service during the day, and this coupled with us not having the ability to service remotely either, will mean we have to be extra careful and keep it neat and tidy all day to avoid the dreaded punctures that are so common on the Kielder stages.

"We have got some corporate guests from Wiseman Dairies coming along on this event to see just how our WRC Friesian cow looks in the flesh, so there is some added pressure on us to secure a fifth finish in a row for 'Daisy', and to continue with the 100% finishing record we now have since switching to using the services of the TEG Sport Rally Team".

The Pirelli Tour of Cumbria gets underway at 10.15 from Carlisle Racecourse whereafter crews tackle the Kielder classics of Pundershaw, Trinket, Roughside and Chirdonhead before returning to service followed by the second loop later in the day and the finish back at Carlisle Racecourse around 18.40.

For full details, including spectator information, go to www.pirelliinternationalrally.co.uk and for championship positions and other information, visit www.gravelrally.co.uk

2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship Standings after Round Two

1 Daniel Barry (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) 41
2 Simon Hughes (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) 38
3 Alan Cookson (Subaru Impreza WRC) 33
4 Nik Elsmore (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) 32
5 Owen Murphy (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) 31
6 Alan Carmichael (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9)29
7 Marcus Dodd (Hyundai Accent WRC) 26
8 Sean Devine (Subaru Impreza WRC) 25
9 Steve Perez (Ford Focus WRC) 23
10 Paul Bird (Ford Focus WRC) 21