Mike Simpson heads to his home round of the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship, the Hills Ford Three Shires Stages Rally, this Sunday (5 September) leading the Historic class after a fantastic winning drive on the opening round on Epynt in his 1975 Ford Escort Mk1.
Mike lives just a mile from the Three Counties Showground, where the Cheltenham Motor Club-organised event is based.
When the closed road rally was first run in 2019, Mike – who has owned his 2-litre Pinto-engined Mk1, fitted with a Warrior twin cam cylinder head, for three years – finished an incredible 12th overall.
The same year Mike became Welsh Historic and HRCR Historic Masters champion in the immaculate orange car – and won the Post-Historic class on the Killarney Historic Stages Rally.
He’ll be reunited with regular co-driver Dale Gibbons this weekend, who was forced to miss the opening Old Forge Garage Mewla Rally as he was attending a wedding.
“We had a good clean run over Epynt, with no problems whatsoever,” says Mike.
“For me the highlight of the year is going to be the Three Shires – not just because it’s my local event, but because of the stages and where they’re located. It was so well organised last time and it’s incredible to have closed road stages in this area. And the stages are longer this time, so it will be even better.
“I really enjoyed Epynt, but the Mk1 is much better suited to the lanes and I’m really looking forward to this weekend.”
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