For 22 year old James Wilson Jnr and his co-driver Gavin Doherty this Friday and Saturday’s fourteen special stages of the Ulster International Rally will present a stern challenge for the crew in the Philip White Tyres backed Peugeot 208 R2.

“It will a tough event for sure” said the Keady driver. “Even the recce was tough, two passes over all the stages in just one day. The weather too could play a part,and if it’s wet that will be a relatively new thing for me with this car. For sure our seeding at 59 also could effect us a little, with mud being pulled out bythe earlier cars, and some of our R2 class rival getting a cleaner run, it could also leave the final Friday stage dark for us, but we are making excuses and we aim to have a good go”.

Not only is the Ulster International, based this year in Derry/Londonderry ( with Philip White Tyres-Campsie Depot close by) going to provide challenging tests including the famous Rousky and Barnes Gap stages in the Sperrin mountains, but the red hot competition of the British Rally Champsionship added to the Irish Tarmac Championship. ” It really is a frenetic R2 class entry, and we have making great progress with our pace this season, in Donegal getting closed to the likes of William Creighton and Marty Gallagher in their similar cars. The Ulster was a good rally for us last year too with the Peugeot 106 and it’s Gavin’s home event so are are very excited.

There has been excitement in the Keady garage too with a unfortunate incident with a wall in Donegal meaning that the best way to repair the Peugeot was around a new body-shell the car completed early this week after many late nights.

The Ulster Rally starts at the Guild Hall Square at 1pm Friday, finishing at Erbrington at 17.45 on Saturday evening, and we wish the team the best of luck.