Scottish Borders: Andrew Hockridge preview

Hockridge looking forward to Jim Clark International

This weekends Jim Clark International Rally plays host to the second round of the 2008 Citroen C2R2 cup. And whilst they might have upset the form book with their win on the season opener, the Pirelli International Rally, Welshmen Andrew Hockridge and Tony Derrick fully intend to take advantage of their strong start to the season.

Pwllheli based Andrew, and co-driver Tony, are contesting the 2008 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship for the first time. Whilst the little Gino's Pizza Cheese supported Citroen C2R2 might not have seemed an obvious contender for class honours on the season opener, a mature and calculated drive by Andrew saw the GRH Foods and Camsport backed pairing keep their noses clean as they tackled fourteen tough and treacherous stages in the infamous Kielder forest complex. The Geoff Jones Motorsport run car returned to the ceremonial finish in Carlisle first amongst the Citroens and third two wheel drive car home to take an early lead in the hotly contested class.

Despite his early season victory Andrew is refusing to get drawn into any battles. We may have taken victory on the Pirelli but I am still learning the little car and this will be only my second ever tarmac rally in the Citroen, and my first time contesting the Jim Clark Rally. I anticipate the pace to be rapid but will just run my own rally and see where we end up.

Andrew and Tony do have prior tarmac rallying experience, thanks to their days of competing in road rallies back home in their native Wales but still full expect a steep learning curve when they arrive in Kelso this weekend.

The pair recently contested the RBS Manx National Rally as a high speed test, where they perfected the tarmac setup of the little pocket rocket. Some very competitive times throughout the rally saw Andrew return to the finish in Douglas with another class podium, having taken the fight to the much quicker Super 1600's, giving him a confidence boost ahead of the Jim Clark Rally.

The Jim Clark International Rally, the second round of the 2008 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, sees the premier division of British Rallying head to the small Scottish town of Kelso for two days of high speed tarmac rallying over closed public roads.

-credit: andrew-hockridge.co.uk