Round two of the 2005 MSA National Gravel Rally Championship takes place this forthcoming Saturday (March 19th) as competitors head for the quaint Scottish borders town of Jedburgh for the Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally

This is the first time that the event has been incorporated into the ANCRO series and the organising clubs – Hawick and Border Car Club and Whickham and District Motor Club – have gained a reputation for running a good rally over the infamous and unique forest tracks of ‘Killer’ Kielder forest which also forms part of the County Saab Scottish Rally Championship, hence its inclusion.

Following on from an exciting and dramatic opening round on Rallye Sunseeker last month, the leading protagonists will again be battling it out for supremacy and with a distinct lack of attrition on the Bournemouth based event, most still have it all to play for on the Northernmost round of the seven rally series.

Most that is apart from two prominent Hyundai Accent WRC drivers in the shape of reigning British Rally Champion David Higgins and star-in-the-making, Craig Middleton. Higgins, who won in Bournemouth, is conspicuous by his absence on the entry list but the SGP Motorsport team are working hard to try to get the Trefeglwys-based Manxman to the start line although if he makes it, it will be without regular co driver Dan Barritt who is recuperating after a back operation. Middleton and co driver Robin Hernaman were the only top runners not to see the finish ramp in round one when a broken exhaust scuppered their bid late on but the young driver from Llandrindod Wells will be determined to make up for that this time out in the Matador Tyres car.

Under the proviso that Higgins competes, the top ten drivers in the championship will square off against each other the seventy two miles contained within eight stages, all of which are virtually identical in length. Second placed driver Marcus Dodd (Flitewise Hyundai Accent WRC) will be hoping for a good result having made the long trip up from Poole whilst Cumbrian Paul Bird, who finished third in Bournemouth, has shorter to travel from his Penrith home with his Stobart Motorsport Ford Focus WRC.

Last year’s winner of the event was Shildon’s Barry Johnson who is a former Scottish Champion and has already got a victory under his belt north of the border this year. The County Durham driver suffered transmission problems in his Barrier Surveillance Subaru WRC on round one leaving him in seventh but his knowledge of the northern stages will prove invaluable. Two other drivers also missing out on a big points haul last time out included defending ANCRO Champion Steve Perez from Clay Cross in his VK Ford Focus WRC who ended up eighth, one place ahead of former champion Roger Duckworth in his Autosportif Subaru WRC. Fourth placed Andy Burton from Lyonshall endured brake problems in Bournemouth in his Dunlop-shod Peugeot Cosworth and fifth placed Mark Perrott (Leominster) suffered gearbox problems in his PBS Ford Escort WRC also whilst Ulsterman Brendan Crealey gradually got to grips with his VRS prepared Ford Focus WRC to claim sixth.

Tenth overall and leading the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge as well as the Production Cup, Group N and Junior Driver class is Welshpool’s Stuart Jones who enjoyed an epic battle with Ulster driver Phillip Morrow on round one. Jones took a narrow victory on the stages but Morrow was excluded at post-event scrutineering due to a technical infringement which allowed Chesterfield driver Richard Hill to claim second place points with Coleford’s Nick Elsmore third. Such is the camaraderie of the series that Jones donated his prize money to the unsuspecting Morrow as a supreme gesture of good will.

Banzai Motorsport driver Jonnie Wigmore from Bicester saw off the opposition in the opening round of the Peugeot 206 Super Cup when he came home ahead of Rochester’s Paul Jones and Stourbridge driver Richard Sykes and they will resume battle again this weekend.

In the all important co-driver ranks, and with Barritt not registering for the championship, Hove based Manxman Andrew Bargery heads the overall table from Northallerton’s Ian Windress with Welshman John Roberts third whilst Ross Butler (Burgess Hill) dominates the Production Cup, Mitsubishi, Group N and Junior Cup. Robbie Durant from Bicester emulates Wigmore in the front wheel driver categories, also.

Swindon’s Shelley Taunt heads the National Lady Drivers Cup with Anne Watson from Pollington leading the co-driver’s section whilst the much prized National Manufacturers Award is being led in Group ‘A’ by Hyundai ahead of M Sport Ford, Prodrive Subaru and Mitsubishi whilst the all Japanese battle in Group ‘N’ sees Mitsubishi ahead of Subaru.

The first of the 120 crews leaves Abbey Place in Jedburgh at 08.30 with cars scheduled to return for a ceremonial finish around 17.00hrs and prize giving from 19.30 onwards.

More details on the event can be found at www.bordercountiesrally.co.uk and information on the MSA National Gravel Rally Championship is listed at www.gravelrally.co.uk. Results can be found at www.ancro.com.