15-year-old Will Graham is set to join the British Historic Rally Championship next year having made his co-driving debut at Down Ampney recently alongside his father, Ernie.
The Grahams drove their BDA-powered Escort Mk1 and now hope to join the BHRC ranks in 2012 once Will has turned 16 and qualified for the appropriate licenses. “We’d have liked to have done the BHRC in Kielder if Will was old enough to have the right licence,” said Ernie.
Meanwhile, brothers John and Stephen Moxon are also planning to join the BHRC having made a successful gravel debut in the recent Pirelli Historic Rally in a Volvo Amazon. “We always planned to do the championship, but family problems intervened,” explained John. “It is seven years since we were last on gravel in a Skoda and have only previously done the Isle of Man three times with the Volvo.”
Alex Walker made a dramatic start to his weekend even before heading to Carlisle for the Pirelli Historic Rally. “We were ready to load up on Friday morning and the clutch went, so we had to have the gearbox out and fix it,” said Walker, who was set for a top four finish on the event until he spent 11 minutes in a ditch within sight of the end of the final stage.
Peter Smith’s Opel Kadett could be back in action before the end of the year following his massive off down the side of a ravine on the Bulldog Rally. “It’s coming along nicely,” confirmed Smith, who has switched to running an Escort Mk1 and scored a Category Two podium on the Pirelli Historic Rally.
Simon Wallis continued his BHRC title challenge on the Pirelli Historic Rally in his Lotus Cortina, but only after completing work on the car on Thursday night before Friday’s scrutineering session in Carlisle. Wallis rewarded his team’s hard work with a third place finish in Category One.
Belgian crew Stefaan Stouf and Joris Erard will be eligible for points in this year’s BHRC after all after a query over their competition licences was resolved. “It’s very good news,” said Erard. “We are very happy with the decision. We also want to thank all the drivers, co-drivers and spectators that supported us.”
Fellow Belgians Christophe Jacob and Isabelle Regnier are also considering joining the BHRC for the penultimate round of the season, the McRae Stages in Perth, later in the year. “I would like to do more, but we hire the cars out and I am doing a rally in France as well.”
Championship Standings (after 3 rounds)
1 Rikki Proffitt, 90pts
2 David Stokes, 88
= Nick Elliott, 88
4 Geoff Taylor, 78
5 Stefaan Stouf, 77
6 Will Onions, 72
= Dick Slaughter, 72
8 Andrew Siddall, 68
9 Chris Browne, 66
= Derek Boyd, 66
Watch British Historic Rally Championship highlights from the Pirelli Historic Rally on Saturday 28 May at 8:30pm (BST) on Motors TV.
Andy Wilkinson
Photo (c) Ernie Graham
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