Duns driver Garry Pearson setting sights on podium place at Aberdeenshire rally
Duns driver Garry Pearson is setting his sights on a podium place once his British Rally Championship campaign resumes at this coming weekend’s Grampian Forest Rally after a summer break.
Pearson and co-driver Daniel Barritt are fourth overall on the championship leaderboard after three rounds, the last of them being the Jim Clark Rally on home turf in the Borders back in May.
They’re on 30 points, six behind third-placed Keith Cronin and 27 shy of top spot, held by County Armagh’s William Creighton.
Pearson, 2023’s runner-up, has been steadily accruing points – starting off with just three in Lancashire in March, upping that to 11 in Wales in April, then picking up 16 in Duns in May – as he gets to grips with his new M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 in varying conditions.
Aberdeenshire’s Grampian Rally, based in Banchory, marks the start of the second half of the six-round season and Pearson is hoping it’ll see him carry on where he left off with his third place at the Jim Clark Rally.
“I’ve really enjoyed the break in competition,” said the 32-year-old.
“It’s been important to rest, recharge and reset for the rest of the season, when all the prizes will ultimately be won.
“It was fantastic to get a podium at the Jim Clark Rally, which lifted us to fourth in the championship behind a junior world rally champion, a European champion and multiple British champion, so we’re in very good company.
“We are hoping to use that result as a springboard for our campaign, and the Grampian should be a good event for us.
“I have a bit of experience in Scotland and would certainly like to try and challenge for another podium.”
Pearson has entered the Grampian Forest Rally four times before but this year’s event will be different, with two stages this Friday evening prior to seven on Saturday.
“The Grampian is an event I like that rewards commitment, but there are equally some narrow and more technical stages,” he said.
“We’ve obviously rallied a lot in Scotland over the years and the natures of the stages up here are very different to those in England or Wales, so I’m very glad the championship has a round in our forests. Hopefully we can use that to our advantage.
“I feel like I'm getting quicker by the stage in the car, which means there’s definitely more still to come.
“We haven’t driven on gravel since April so we will have a small test ahead of the event just to get up to speed, but I’m really looking forward to it.”