The Roger Albert Clark Rally route was quite a challenge, with the starting at Leeds, moving north through Yorkshire and onto Wilson’s home stages in Cumbria. From here the crews headed north to Scotland, before the final day in Kielder, followed by the finish in Leeds. The entire route was to be covered in four days and consisted of 946 miles, of which 204 were competitive.
Driving a Ford Escort Mkll, Wilson said, “I’m absolutely overjoyed. Roger Clark was my hero and to come back and win the rally that carries his name is a real joy. It’s so easy to forget the physical effort required and in the old RAC rallies. I found it really demanding.”
He further added that he was aware of how tough the event would be, especially after competing on the Colin McRae Stages, earlier in the season, once again in a Ford Escort. In that event he was ruled out of the race due to a puncture, though he made up for it at the Clark Rally.
Winning the event by more than six minutes, Wilson remarked, “The boys in the team here have done a stunning job. The car was only started on the morning of the rally and it’s run like clockwork with no major problems at all. And I can’t believe I haven’t put a mark on it either, that’s not like me!”
But focus will now shift to capturing a third consecutive World Rally Championship manufacturer’s title for the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, in the forthcoming WRC finals, the Wales Rally GB.