Tom Cave and co-driver James Morgan have been announced as the number one seeds for this Saturday’s (14th July) Nicky Grist Stages Rally, when they will compete in an R5 specification Spencer Sport Mitsubishi Mirage.
The event will see the Welsh pair back in action for the first time since last October’s Wales Rally GB, when they finished an impressive third in the WRC2 category driving a Fiesta R5. With 2018 year of consolidation for Tom, he is relishing a return to the hot seat:
“As plans didn’t quite come together in time for the start of the season, I’m only intending to enter a few rallies in 2018. I’m therefore grateful to Spencer Sport for giving me an opportunity to get back out there and keep my hand in. Of course, I’ve worked with Spencer Sport before when we finished second in the British Rally Championship in 2016. It was a great team effort. Having led the event at one point, we also finished second on the Nicky Grist Stages in that year behind Elfyn Evans.”
Tom is mindful that with a 120-strong field, a number of previous event winners and crews in WRC cars taking part, it’s not going to be easy to score a top result and says he will have a better idea of what’s in store after he has tested the Mitsubishi on Thursday (12th July):
“I’ve driven the Mirage before but only in testing, so it’s great to now have the chance to compete in it too. I know there’s been a number of upgrades since I drove it last, so I’m looking forward to finding out what it’s like now, especially on a rally like the Nicky Grist Stages.”
The event represents round six of the BTRDA Rally Series and gets underway at 09.00 on Saturday from the centre of Builth Wells. The route incorporates the gravel roads and forests around the Epynt military ranges on the Brecon Beacons and features a loop of four timed special stages in the morning followed by a repeat run in the afternoon.
Tom’s Nicky Grist Stages outing is supported by: Spencer Sport, Spencer ECA, Nicky Grist Motorsport, DMack Tyres, Walero and Atech.