Posted at: 13:31, Tue 02 Mar 2010

Craig Breen set for gravel test before BRC assault

Craig Breen set for gravel test before BRC assault

Craig opened the year with a fantastic second overall in the West of Ireland at the Galway International Rally, the team will now focus on their second championship campaign for 2010 as Craig mounts his challenge for glory in the British Rally Championship.

Following a four week break Craig will now begin a month of intense action during March and early April. In preparation for the opening round of the British Rally Championship (The Bulldog International Rally North Wales) and the second round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship (The Circuit of Ireland), Craig will use two events as test sessions to fine tune the “Kick Energy” Ford Fiesta Super 2000.

Up first is his home forestry event in Carrick on Suir, Co. Tipperary the Wm. Loughman Forestry Rally, then a week later Craig and the team will make the trip to Claremorris for the Mayo Stages Rally.

Craig on getting back behind the wheel for his next outing,
“After four weeks away from competition I need to get some competitive miles on the car and to bring myself back up to peak performance before the beginning of the BRC. I have been testing an S2000 over the intervening weeks as part of my job at M-Sport but it wasn’t my car and there’s nothing like the heat of battle to get the blood pumping. The stages for the Wm. Loughman are some of the best gravel tests in Ireland and the main aim of the team is to have a good gravel package for the Bulldog. I also want to fine tune my tarmac setup for the Circuit of Ireland and that’s why we’re taking in the Mayo Stages. The Circuit will be as tough as usual and the stages will be faster than Galway so it’s important to get a competitive event in before we head there”.

March and early April Schedule:
Wm. Loughman Forestry Rally 7th March
Mayo Stages 14th March
Bulldog International Rally North Wales 27th March
Circuit of Ireland 2nd – 4th April

The Wm. Loughman Forestry Rally will mark the first anniversary of Craig’s navigator Gareth Roberts joining the team. Twelve months ago Gareth took over note calling duties and over the first weekend of their partnership the crew competed in the Rallye Sunseeker (Bournemouth, Dorset) on Saturday February 28th then travelled back to Carrick on Suir for the Wm. Loughman Forestry Rally the following day. The relationship tasted success from the start as they took a comfortable Class 2 win and finished 3rd in the 2wd category on the Sunseeker, victory in the Junior Class followed on Sunday in Carrick on Suir as the pair finished the event top 2wd car, with an 8th place overall. The partnership gelled immediately to form an unbeatable team throughout the season. They carried on their success from 2009 when they brought home the Fiesta S2000 in second place in Galway in January and now over the coming weeks they will start their assault on the British Rally Championship.

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