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North Wales: Event preview

FULL ENTRY FOR BULLDOG INTERNATIONAL RALLY OF NORTH WALES Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire Car Club are delighted at the response to the first Bulldog International Rally of North Wales, which takes place next weekend, and has attracted a ...

FULL ENTRY FOR BULLDOG INTERNATIONAL RALLY OF NORTH WALES

Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire Car Club are delighted at the response to the first Bulldog International Rally of North Wales, which takes place next weekend, and has attracted a capacity entry.

With almost 200 applications for the 180 places received, the organising team has been overwhelmed by the excitement that has greeted the new event. There are seven previous British Champions (Russell Brookes, Gwyndaf Evans, David Higgins, Mark Higgins, Dessie Nutt, Steve Perez and David Stokes) but only two past winners of the Bulldog (Brookes and Julian Reynolds) in the line up.

Mark Higgins, from Abermule, has been given the top seed in the international event. Mark, a previous double British Champion, leads the International field in his TEG Sport Subaru. Chasing the Subaru will be over thirty of the UK's top junior (under 25) drivers all out to prove they can topple the previous champ. The international entry is swelled with contestants coming from as far away as Australia, Sweden, New Zealand and Finland. In addition the rally hosts three popular one-make series: The VK Energy Fiesta Sport Trophy UK; The Swift Sport Cup and The Citroen C2R2 Cup.

The Historic Rally is crammed with the cream of established rally drivers who will be competing in no less than 27 different models of car from the bygone era. 2004 British Historic Champion, Dessie Nutt, leads the field away in his Porsche 911.

Backing up each of the two major Championship events are two Clubman Rallies. The new 2009 BRC Challenge for two-wheel drive cars and the prestigious Welsh National Championship for local amateur crews. Young Julian Wilkes from Taunton in his Vauxhall Nova will make history by being the first driver ever to start a BRC Challenge Rally. In the Welsh National Series it is local driver Hugh Hunter from Ruthin in his Ford Focus WRC that will lead the cars away.

Kevin Witton, Bulldog Event Manager said "It is vindication of all the hard work and commitment of the organising team and our partner motor clubs of North Wales to see such a fantastic entry attracted to the superb local forest roads. We are sure that the event will attract many spectators and supporters to the area over the weekend and this can only bring benefits to the local economy."

The event kicks off with scrutineering at Llangollen on Friday afternoon and a charity rally forum on Friday evening. The historic cars are first away from Llangollen at 07.45 on Saturday morning and the International rally starts from Bala at 08.30.

Top 5 International Entries

Mark Higgins/Brian Thomas Abermule Subaru
Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors Bantry Mitsubishi
Stuart Jones/Andy Bull Welshpool Mitsubishi
David Bogie/Kevin Rae Dumfries Mitsubishi
Adam Gould/Sebastian Marshall Bristol Subaru

Top Historic Entries

Pre 1968 cars:

Dessie Nutt/Geraldine McBride Castlerock Porsche
Stuart Rolt/Richard Pomfret Banbury Porsche

Pre 1975 cars:

David Higgins/Ieuan Thomas Trefeglwys Escort
David Stokes/Guy Weaver Dursley Escort

Pre 1981 cars:

Gwyndaf Evans/Clive Jenkins Dinas Mawddwy Escort
Julian Reynolds/Ian Oakey Narberth Escort

-credit: bulldog-rally.co.uk

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