BREAN Leisure Park in Somerset will once more echo to the sound of high octane engines as the K&R Mitsubishi Stages Rally gets underway next weekend.

BREAN Leisure Park in Somerset will once more echo to the sound of high octane engines as the K&R Mitsubishi Stages Rally gets underway next weekend.

The rally is split into sections, leg one is on Saturday with six special stages and leg two is on Sunday with a further six special stages.

An added extra to this years rally is a Trophy Rally section, which is made up from those competitors who were unfortunate not to have completed the Saturday stages, through mechanical failures. Providing they can get their car fit overnight, they can come back into the rally on Sunday.

This is the 15th year for this popular rally and has attracted, probably the highest standard of entry in it’s history, with no less than five World Rally cars among the top entries.

Top seeds in this years rally are Peter Lloyd/Carl Sorensen (Subaru Impreza S12 WRC), David Kynaston/Chris Beare (Audi A3 Quattro), husband and wife team Steve and Yvonne Furzeland (Subaru Impreza S8 WRC), Karl Broad/Roger Grant (Subaru Impreza S9 WRC), Simon Mauger/James Morgan (Ford Escort), James Harvey/Ben Harvey (Subaru Impreza), Berian Richards/Russell Davies (Subarau Impreza WRC), Alan Cookson/Julian Wilkinson (Subaru Impreza N15), Dave Parnell/Pete Bold (Subaru Impreza), Eric Weaver/Andrew Sankey (Darrien T9).

Also featuring in the line-up is a Ford RS200, Mitsubishi Evo’s and an Aston Martin Rally GT.

Winner for the past two years, Peter Lloyd will be out to be the first driver to make it ‘three in a row’. Peter stopped Kynaston’s run in 2009 and running directly behind this year will be out to thwart Lloyd’s attempt.

Both drivers have new co-drivers sitting beside them this year, so Karl Broad in his recently acquired ex-World Rally Champion, Petter Solberg’s Impreza WRC could be out to sneak a win.

Karl has won this event no less than five times in the past, but driving a Metro 6R4. Also in the mix is the Audi A3 of David Kynaston, who is always extremely quick at Brean and Simon Mauger in the Escort, who has finished first overall in his last two rallies.

So watch out for some quick times on the opening stages on Saturday when all of the top seeds will be trying to pull out all the stops to gain a time advantage.

A couple of cars that should prove interesting to watch is the Ford RS200 of Nigel Mummery and the Aston Martin of Alan Thistleswaite. The Aston Martin Rally GT has been developed from the racing Aston’s and will be interesting to watch around the tight and technical stages at Brean.

Local crews taking part in the rally are, Stuart Bliss/Richard Marsh, Andrew Hicks/Richard Bliss, Tony Baigent/Tom Bretherton and brothers Lee Bretherton/Simon Bretherton, all driving Honda Civics. Also in the entry are co-drivers from both ends of the motor sport age spectrum, one being 15 years old and another 76 years of age.

Spectators are welcome over both days and gates open at the park from 8am. Admission is by �20 car parking charge, which includes a souvenir programme and a free draw for a three or four-day break at the holiday park during the summer months. The park is opening both its indoor and outdoor catering facilities, as well as a seated covered grandstand.

For further information about the rally see the motor club website, www.crsw.rallies.co.uk