Higgins targets a unique treble

Motorsport

Friday, April 20, 2007

By Sammy Hamill

Mark Higgins, leader of the Irish Tarmac championship and a winner already this season in the World production series, begins the third leg of his rally odyssey this weekend.

The Manxman, who won the Derry-based UAC Easter Rally two weeks ago, begins the defence of his British title on the Pirelli International in the huge Kielder forest complex in the north east of England.

For Higgins, who is co-driven by Donegal's Rory Kennedy, it means a third different type of car in as many rallies.

He won the PWRC section of Rally Mexico in a Group N Mitsubishi, switched to a WRC Subaru to win over the Ulster roads at Easter and will be in a production Subaru this weekend for the opening round of the British series.

His aim is to become the first driver to win all three titles in the same year - a target he describes as "do-able" despite the difference in the cars he has to drive and the wide variety of terrain he faces.

Higgins has gone on record as saying the Irish championship could present the biggest challenge but he will have stronger than usual opposition in the British series this year with Junior World championship star Guy Wilks being drafted in to head the Mitsubishi team alongside former champion Gwyndaf Evans.

He will also be up against his younger brother, David, who won the British title in 2004 and returns to the series to drive one of the new Super 2000 Toyota Corolla.

The top 10 for the Carlisle-based Pirelli International, which begins tonight, contains two Ulster drivers, Phillip Morrow and Connor McCloskey, both driving Mitsubishis.

Morrow has made a flying start to the season, winning the first two rounds of the UK Mitsubishi Evo Challenge which carries with it the prize of a works drive next season.

McCloskey is in eighth place in the Evo series and tackles the Kielder stages on the back of a top 10 finish on the Easter International.

Other Ulster drivers taking part include 18-year-old Darren Gass in his Ford Fiesta S1600 and Martin Laverty in his little Citroen C2R2.

Jonathan and Barry Greer, Alistair Fisher, Paul Quinn, Liam Regan and Kyle Orr are among the drivers contesting the second round of the Ford Fiesta ST championship.