MSA British Rally Championship
Jim Clark Rally, 22-23 May 2009
Event Preview
Hall relishes return to tarmac at Jim Clark Rally
Stobart Motorsport driver Kris Hall has high hopes as he prepares for next week’s Jim Clark Rally, the third round of the MSA British Rally Championship. The Appleby ace has had a disappointing start to the MSA British Rally Championship by his own high standards and, after a six week break since his last competitive outing at the Pirelli International Rally, he is hoping to make a fresh start in the championship on tarmac, his favoured surface.
Hall, a member of the MSA British Rally Elite training scheme, has been working hard on all fronts since crashing out of the Pirelli International Rally last month. With his car now repaired he is hoping to put in some testing this weekend ahead of the Scottish event. He has also been working on both his physical and mental fitness ahead of what is set to be a gruelling event for the drivers.
The 19-year-old will have support from the Elite scheme’s sports psychologist and a physical trainer during the event. With drivers expecting to get around five hours’ sleep between Friday night’s late finish and an early start on Saturday, concentration will be at a premium. As part of his training Hall has also been working on his nutrition and hydration to try and maximise his focus during the long days.
He will also benefit from the knowledge and experience of British rally ace Guy Wilks. The 2008 MSA British Rally Champion will be offering advice ahead of shakedown before getting in the Ford Fiesta ST with Hall to offer some tips. After shakedown he will be on hand to talk about getting the best out of the pace notes, a crucially important aspect for all drivers as the Jim Clark Rally offers some of the most challenging and changeable conditions of the year.
After missing the Pirelli International due to commitments abroad Robbie Durant returns as Hall’s co-driver for this event, the first of three consecutive British Rally Championship events taking place on tarmac.
The rally will get underway on Friday evening with the ceremonial start taking place at Edinburgh’s Fountain Park before heading to the Lammermuir Hills near Duns with two stages run in the dark. Friday’s stages are tricky and technical testing the drivers’ concentration to the limit. On Day Two the crews will tackle around 100 miles of smooth, fast stages on the country roads around the Borders which include a number of spectacular jumps. Central Service for the event will be based at Kelso Racecourse.
Stobart Motorsport driver Kris Hall said:
“I haven’t had the best of starts to the British Rally Championship so I’m hoping that this weekend will be a fresh start for me. I really want to prove to everyone what I am capable of. I did the Jim Clark Rally last year in the same car and I really enjoyed the experience. A lot of the stages are very different so it’s a challenging event but I’m looking forward to getting out there and hopefully getting a good result.”
Photo: fiestasportingtrophy.co.uk
Source: stobartmotorsport.com
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