SG Petch Motorsport Yorkshire Rally preview

Team SG Petch all set for Trackrod

The SG Petch Scalextric Rally Team is back to a 2 car entry for this weekends penultimate round of the 2006 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, the International Rally of Yorkshire, when County Durham based Stephen Petch Junior rejoins team mate Rob Gill as the championship returns to gravel.

Stephen was forced to miss the recent Philip White Tyres Ulster Rally as his car, badly damaged in a big crash on the Rally Isle of Man in August, was not ready in time.

Stephen has been back out in action since the panel damaging crash, when he and co-driver Michael Wilkinson used a borrowed Mitsubishi on the recent Park Systems Rally based in Newton Stewart in South Scotland. With the Park Systems Rally being the penultimate round of the 2006 Mitsubishi Evo Cup Stephen was anxious to bag a good haul of points but a puncture in the very first stage cost him a lot of time. After staging a spirited fight back the pair brought their Mitsubishi Evo home second in the cup standings. Although Anthony Willmington cannot be caught in the overall standings this result has cemented Stephens second position in the Mitsubishi Evo Cup.

The Sun newspaper, Virgin money and AVit Tools supported team now changes focus as they prepare for the International Rally of Yorkshire, an event they will be keen to go well on after a disappointing run in 2005. Stephens run ended very early on when a blown turbo caused a minor engine fire on the very first stage.

I love the Yorkshire Forests and was really frustrated when our turbo blew on the very first stage last year! And after the disappointment of the last few events, when lady luck really has deserted us, Michael and I will be going all out for a good result on this one.

Rob Gill faired slightly better, and despite a roll on the opening day, the Sun correspondent was having a good run until the gearbox cried enough on the second morning.

The 2006 International Rally of Yorkshire is more compact than in recent years, with all the stages running on the Saturday. But with 108 competitive miles through such classic stages as Dalby, Gale Rigg and Cropton this event promises to be tough on the competitors and cars alike.

-credit: www.sgpmotorsport.co.uk