McClure ready for battle in Somerset

photo: Tel T Photography

Flookburgh rally star Aaron McClure will head to the seaside town of Minehead this weekend as he contests round three of the BTRDA Rally Series, the Somerset Stages (16^th April). After a mixed start to the season so far, the Cumbrian is aiming to get his title hopes back on track as he contests the event in his familiar All Floors Express - Yokohama backed Mitsubishi E9. 

Partnered by co-driver Alex Kiruhani, the duo recovered from a season opening roll on the Cambrian Rally in February, to secure a confidence boosting second in the BTRDA Rally Series Production Cup and top ten overall position on his home event, The Malcolm Wilson Rally in March.  His result leaves him third in the closely fought NR4 category and just outside the podium in the Production Cup.

But after finishing the 2015 season without a win, his hopes this year have firmly rested on a victory and sees the Somerset Stages as the best chance so far this season.  “Our Malcolm Wilson Rally result was certainly encouraging and I spent most of the event finding my feet in the car, after all we only managed three stages on the Cambrian” says McClure.

“We have made a few set up tweaks to the car in between events which should help on the shorter stages and there are plenty of them in Somerset.  We had a good rally here last year and the Yokohama tyres work really well on the dry, crumbly forest tracks. I know the stage quite well too so I think it’s going to be my best chance of victory so far this year and I certainly need either that or a runner up spot to keep our title hopes alive”.

The Somerset Stages is unique in that it contains a now traditional 3.7 mile blast up the all-asphalt Porlock Toll Road midway through the event. With 37 stage miles to contend with across 13 stages, each special test will be critical to McClure’s winning hopes. “There are twice as many stages as usual on this event and not one stage is over six miles long. It’s going to be important to be on the pace from the word ‘go’ so a good start will be key to the result at the end of the day. I have to say I`m really looking forward to it.”

McClure is supported by Fuchs Lubricants, IPD Motorsport Services, Camp Road Garage, Carcraft Body Repairs, Darce Tech Racing, Questmead, Arnside Motor Sport and MCR Motorsport Media in 2015.  For more information on Aaron and his rallying career, visit www.aaronmcclure.co.uk 

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