Scottish Borders: CRTUK preview

Citroen's six of the best in the Borders

Citroen Racing Trophy UK (CRTUK) points leaders Robert Barrable and Damien Connolly lead six C2R2 Max rally cars away as the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship's Citroen one make series moves to asphalt on the Jim Clark International Rally this weekend.

Rally North Wales and CRTIE Circuit of Ireland winners Mark Donnelly and Paddy Robinson's victory run was ended on the Pirelli Rally by two punctures, leaving a scrap between Barrable/Connolly and Richard Sykes/Simon Taylor. Unfortunately Sykes crashed out, leaving Barrable to take his first victory in the series.

Barrable will be on a high in the run up to the Jim Clark after also winning in Killarney, but Donnelly's year continues to go downhill after he and Robinson crashed on the third round of the CRTIE, leaving them in a race against time to repair the car for the Jim Clark.

With the Borders event new to both the leading pair, the experience of the chasing pack will make this an interesting event, although all the remaining drivers had problems here last year.

2009 Suzuki champions Luke Pinder and Peter Scott hit a house in their Swift, eventually finishing second, a position they also took on the previous Citroen round in Cumbria. They will be hoping for better luck this year on the tricky tarmac lanes and their pace on asphalt, coupled with experience of the stages should stand them in good stead.

Joe McGonigle crashed out on the very first stage in his Honda last year and his season didn't get off to a great start in Wales, missing most of the recce. After admitting to some mistakes on the Pirelli, he and Paddy Robinson won't be able to get away with errors on the unforgiving tarmac; a lesson hopefully learnt in 2009.

Australian Molly Taylor continues to learn in this, her second full season of rallying in Britain. She lacks experience on the tar though and after crashing on both the Jim Clark and Isle of Man rallies last year, she took the plunge and contested the Killarney Rally as a shakedown in early May, relatively pleased to finish in treacherous conditions.

Richard Sykes and Simon Taylor know all about disappointment, crashing uncharacteristically while leading on the Pirelli Rally last month. While most of Sykes' retirements in the recent past have been through mechanical problems, he did crash here last year, rolling his Swift over a hedge.

So with a mix of quick drivers, tricky roads and the prospect of changeable weather conditions this weekend, the result of the third round of the Citroen Racing Trophy is by no means set. What is guaranteed though is a fantastic battle from the word go in Duns on Friday night.

-source: brc