I could not have asked for a better start to the 2009 British Rally Championship. After 6 very tough Welsh Forestry Stages, which made up the Bulldog Rally, we beat Mark Higgins by 9 seconds, winning the rally!!

Greg and I headed to Wales Thursday morning. A sump guard and a set of forestry tyres were put on my road car Wednesday night, which we used for doing the recce on Friday. This was only my second forestry event ever, making my own pacenotes. Friday evening, I was happy that we had done a decent recce and I just wanted the rally to begin, as I was a little anxious, this being the first round of a new Championship for me.

It had rained heavily Friday night, so the first stage of the rally was very slippy. I settled into a good pace on the first stage and we were second fastest to Mark. On stage 2, we were fastest and we went into first service joint leaders with Mark. We were second fastest to Mark on stages 3 & 4 but I was delighted with this as I felt I was driving at a speed that I was comfortable with and I was not taking any big risks.

We went into stage 5, a re-run of stage 3, trailing Mark by 9.5 seconds but I felt leaving service that I would be able to improve on my first run over the stage and hopefully take a bit of time back off Mark. We managed to beat him by 6.5 seconds on the stage and narrow the gap to him to just 3 seconds. However, I had knocked the back left wheel out of line near the end of the stage and the car was now driving out of line. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to beat Mark with this problem, as he would be difficult to beat even if I hadn’t bent the wheel.

I spoke with Mark before the last stage but I didn’t tell him about the problem with the wheel, as I wanted him to think we were still pushing hard. This would mean that he would push as hard as possible and the only hope I had of winning the rally was if he had a problem. I still pushed as hard as I could with the problem in stage 6 but I moved back the front right wheel in the stage when I hit a hole, which was in the middle of the road. This made the car even more difficult to drive and I was sure I was going to drop a lot of time in the stage. However, I managed to take 12 seconds off Mark in the stage after he hit the same hole and had bent his wheel. Those 12 seconds meant that I had won the rally by 9 seconds.

Overall, I am absolutely delighted with the win. My first forestry win in the U.K., and my first International win and to beat Mark Higgins who has been competing on the BRC for so long, is unbelievable! I know that the Championship is only beginning but to have beaten Mark Higgins, who I watched from a young age, is just so unreal that I feel that I’m only dreaming. Pirelli Star Driver….roll over and sleep on.

The next round of the Championship is only 3 weeks away and in the meantime I must come to terms with the fact that I have won the first round of the British Rally Championship and am leading that championship. I must pinch myself again, this must be a dream!!