Wales Beckons For Ancro Crews

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER AND LATE ENTRIES STILL AVAILABLE AT NO EXTRA CHARGE!

Round three of the 2010 MSA Gravel Rally Championship makes its first of three successive visits to Wales and the Welsh borders when competitors converge on the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells for the Severn Valley National Rally next Saturday (5th June).

Championship leaders Jonny Milner (Huggate) and co driver Ian Windress (Northallerton) will be looking for another victory in their Toyota Corolla WRC to add to the win last time out on the Pirelli Tour of Cumbria.

There, the former double British Champion saw off the Hyundai Accent WRC of Stephen Petch (Hamsterley) and John Richardson (Northallerton) and Yorkshiremen Charlie Payne (Ripon) and Craig Thorley (York) in their Ford Focus WRC and that's the way they stand in the title chase.

But Milner won't have it all his own way because as well as Petch and Payne, the Subaru WRC of former ANCRO Champions Roger Duckworth (Silverstone) and co driver Mark Broomfield (Towcester), who finished third on Rallye Sunseeker before crashing out in Kielder Forest last month, will be a major threat in the Welsh forests.

The Subaru of Alex Allingham (Stalybridge) and Mark Glennerster (Wanborough) as well as Tom Naughton (Bury) and Horace Saville (Bury) in the Mitsubishi didn't see the Carlisle finish and neither did Jamie Anderson (Ellistown) and Mark Mason (Gateshead) in their Mitsubishi so all are hoping to make sure they have a good run this time out.

The surprise package of the last round was Kevin Rowledge (Wimborne) and Paul Whittaker (Poole) who nearly made the podium in Cumbria in their Mitsubishi, whereas the colourful Wug Utting (Gatwick) and Bob Stokoe (Tatfield) return to the series in their Subaru, as does Hyundai Accent WRC crew Peter Egerton (Burley) and Jamie Edwards (Wrexham) whilst Welshmen Tom Cave and Ieuan Thomas will take to the stages in their Proton Satria.

The Mitsubishi of Paul James (Wellington) and Derek Davies (Swansea) will also be hunting down points, as will Trevor Martin (Medstead) and Ray Cleghorn (Gerrards Cross) in the Subaru whereas local driver Tony Macwhirter (Cardiff) and Steve Green (Leeds) are sure to be in the thick of the action.

Following her retirement on Rallye Sunseeker, Sara Williams (Brecon) and Dai Roberts (Carmarthen) will be looking to impress on their local event in their Subaru and Nigel Seabold (Headley) and Tim Barton (Epsom) will be hoping to put the disappointment of retiring their Subaru on round one behind them too.

The two-wheel drive brigade is headed by Viking Ford Escort Challenge runners Robert Cholmondeley (Barnt Green) and Dave Evans (Leeds) as well as Chris Wigmore (Bicester) and Steve Lyons (Brackley) whereas Welsh pairing Tom Watson and Arwell Jenkins tackle the stages in their FST-specification Ford Fiesta.

The Severn Valley National Rally gets underway at 10.00 on Saturday 5th June with around 60 miles of competitive action over seven stages before the finish back at the Royal Welsh Showground at around 17.20.

In a bid to help any competitors who may still be considering entering the event, the late entry surcharge of £100 is being waived until this forthcoming Saturday (29th May) and also, it's the final chance any crews have to register for ANCRO and be eligible to score points in the 2010 MSA Gravel Rally Championship and associated classes. Please contact Jan Allen on 01432 272977 (before 9pm) or email: italianjan@hotmail.com.

For full details, including spectator information, go to www.severnvalleystages.co.uk and for championship positions and other information, visit www.msagravelrallychampionship.co.uk.

2010 MSA Gravel Rally Championship after Round 2, Pirelli Tour of Cumbria

1 Jonny Milner 43pts
2 Stephen Petch 39pts
3 Charlie Payne 26pts
4 Marcus Dodd 25pts
5 Steve Perez 22pts
6 Roger Duckworth 21pts