By Paul Evans
Tom Cave is aiming for his second British Rally Championship event win in a row when he contests round three of the series, the Pirelli International Rally, tomorrow in his Hyundai 120 R5.
The Aberdyfi driver scored maximum BRC points last time out on the West Cork Rally. Having retired on the opening round, that result puts the 26-year old fourth in the overall drivers’ points table.
Reunited with co-driver Dale Bowen (who was unable to contest the event in Ireland), Cave tested the Philip Case Rally Sport prepared car in Kielder forest in Northumberland earlier this week, and is in confident mood heading into Saturday’s tough gravel event.
“We had a very good test and ran through our pre-event programme,” said Cave. “The Hyundai felt great and the Michelin tyres worked well. However, I’ve never seen the roads in Kielder so dry and abrasive. If things stay like this it will make for a very interesting event.”
Cave is seeded at number two and will start the rally behind defending British Rally champion and current championship leader Matt Edwards, from Llandudno, in a Ford Fiesta R5. They will be followed at number three by former British Champion David Bogie (Scotland) in a Skoda Fabia R5 and Finnish driver Jari Huttenen at four, who is making a one-off appearance in the BRC in a Hyundai i20 R5.
“The third event of the season sees another top quality entry,” adds Cave. “Whilst it adds to the pressure, it makes for great competition and because of that, if you do well it’s even more satisfying.
“It also means there’s no room for error and it’s flat out from the start. We’re as ready as we can be, so our aim is to carry on from where we left off in West Cork – and we can do no more than that.”
The Pirelli International Rally starts in Carlisle on Saturday morning and features 63.35 competitive miles split into seven stages, held over the distinctive gravel roads that are a hallmark of Kielder forest. The rally concludes in the evening with a finish ceremony in Brampton, a few miles east of the host town.
Cave’s 2019 British Rally Championship campaign is supported by Trailhead Fine Foods and its Get Jerky snack brand, Cambrian Training, Michelin Motorsport, H.N. Nuttall Foodservice, Go Fetch Ltd, Intervino, Atech Racing, Walero and Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing.