2006 BTRDA 1400 Champions Neil Weaver and Nick Thornton will return to defend their honour when they contest next Saturday’s (June 16) Dukeries Rally.
Newtown-based driver Weaver and co-driver Thornton, from Shipley, won the Dukeries 1400 Rally last year in their Vauxhall Corsa and will be back in action in their Accredis UK and Hankook Tyres-backed 1400cc Proton Satria in class B9 of the Sherwood Forest event in a bid to retain their glory.
It will be the pair’s second outing of the season in the Harry Hockly Motorsport-run car. They are not contesting a series this year, instead choosing to do selected BTRDA Tesco 99 Octane 1400 Championship rounds and score points in the 1400 Rally Club standings.
But despite no series positions being at stake, the crew will not be approaching the Dukeries lightly with their victory to uphold and they will face stiff competition across the 45 miles of gravel stages from Julian Wilkes and Richard Millener in their Corsa and Justin Lawson and Paul Hargreaves in their Vauxhall Nova.
“We won the 1400 rally last year and it would be great to go out there and repeat that to make it two in a row,” Weaver said. “Even though we are not fighting for a title this year, we still want to be out there doing our best and targeting the top positions. It won’t be an easy task with some strong rivalry out there but that is all part of the challenge.
“I’m looking forward to the event and I’d like to thank all our sponsors: Accredis UK, Hankook Tyres and Harry Hockly Motorsport for making it possible for us to be out there again. It’s not the best of rallies for lower powered cars with the long straights but there’s some fantastic stages and I’m hoping we have a good run and a good result.”
Following on from the Dukeries, Weaver and Thornton will compete on the Quinton Stages Rally on July 7.
| 
