Duns driver Garry Pearson sets sights on second British Rally Championship podium placing on trot ahead of home-town round

The 33-year-old is currently joint-sixth on the championship’s leaderboard and his chances of picking up points in his native Borders have been boosted by two of the drivers above him, front-runner William Creighton and third-placed Keith Cronin, sitting out the Borders round, the third of six.

Northern Ireland’s Creighton, 27, is absent due to family commitments and County Cork’s Cronin, 38, has been ruled out by a crash at County Kerry’s Rally of the Lakes at the weekend.

All three other drivers ahead of Pearson in the championship’s standings will be competing, however – second-placed Estonian Romet Jurgenson, Northamptonshire’s fourth-placed Callum Black and fifth-placed Welshman Meirion Evans, as will James Williams, also of Wales, the driver he shares sixth place with.

If Pearson, driving a Ford Fiesta Rally2 for Cumbria’s M-Sport, with Newstead’s Hannah McKillop alongside him, is able to claim another championship podium place on home turf, it will be his third in four years, having racked up prior top-three finishes in 2022 and 2024.

This year’s British championship is 2021 Scottish champion Pearson’s fourth and he’s hoping to keep up his run of top-five finishes to date, having ended up fifth in 2024 and 2022 and second in 2023.

“I’ve been in a process of development in the British championship, which I believe any driver has to go through unless they’re able to be in a rally car week in week out,” said the Borderer.

“The step from a national championship to the British championship is not to be underestimated, but I’ve been learning my craft and I feel we’re starting to break some boundaries.

“There’s still plenty more work to do, but I think our pace and the results show that we’ve moved from being a top-five or six crew to regularly being contenders for the top four and in the conversation for podiums.

“The Jim Clark Rally hopefully won’t be any different.

“A lot of people ask me if I feel any more pressure because it’s my home rally but it’s worth the same 25 points as any other event we’ll go to this year so the approach can’t be any different.

“Of course we would love to win it, and who’s to say we can’t one day, but we have to also be realistic.

“We know how strong our competitors are, so we’re aware how big an ask it’ll be to reach the podium, let alone the top step.

“The goal is to build on what we achieved in terms of pace at East Riding and result at Carlisle and secure my third Jim Clark Rally podium placing in four years.

“The Jim Clark Rally is always an awesome weekend, both for the Borders and the passionate motorsport community in the UK.

“The rally generates millions of pounds every single year for the local economy, something I’m very aware of as a business owner in Duns outside of my rallying.

“The organisers always do a great job in working with residents to ensure an enjoyable weekend for all, and behind the wheel it’s just such a privilege to be able to drive these roads in anger and feel the support from the spectators.”

At 101 miles in total, this month’s rally, the 49th since the event’s launch in 1970, is the longest for over a decade, up by 13 miles on 2024’s, and Pearson is looking forward to the bigger challenge that will present, saying: “This year’s rally is longer than in previous years, which makes it a real treat for drivers and fans alike.

“As a member of a local car club, I am aware of the effort the organisers put in every year to make the rally happen and I’m honestly left speechless by their commitment.

“It’s fantastic that the rally is part of the British Rally Championship and therefore broadcast on ITV4. I hope I can do well and make the local community proud.”

Pearson is one of three Duns drivers given top-20 seedings for their home-town rally, the others being current Scottish champion Euan Thorburn and Dale Robertson, set for his first competitive run-out since last year’s Jim Clark Rally.

See also …

https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/sport/other-sport/duns-drivers-garry-pearson-euan-thorburn-and-dale-robertson-to-go-up-against-each-other-again-at-their-home-towns-jim-clark-rally-5130606