Higgins takes Super 2000 to the BRC podium

TQ driver David Higgins and his co-driver Ieuan Thomas took their Toyota S2000R to second place in the British Rally Championship points on their asphalt debut on last weekend's Jim Clark International Rally.

It was not an easy event for the team, but a promising asphalt debut during which they learned a lot about the car and how it handles both on asphalt and in wet conditions.

"We're at a great stage now for starting the next round, Rally Isle of Man," said David. "The car worked well on the twisty corners, but it was tricky on the fast sections you get on the Jim Clark because the Super 2000 does a maximum of around 118mph where a Group N car will do 135. On the Manx and Ulster that won't be such a disadvantage because of the nature of the stages.

"We've had lots of small problems over the weekend which probably didn't need to slow us down as much as they did. Things like lights coming on on the dashboard which ended up not being anything to worry about. But we lost time on Friday night with fuel problems and that put us far enough back not to be able to catch anyone so we didn't take stupid risks in the wet weather that followed. What we have done is prove what the car is capable of and that it will be impressive on the Isle of Man."

The points haul from the Jim Clark International Rally has moved David up the British Rally Championship points table to fourth overall, and has moved the TQ RED team up to third in the team�s championship. David's team mate Hugh Evans finished 24th in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9 on an impressive Jim Clark International Rally debut.

Back to business

TQ driver David Higgins and his co-driver Ieuan Thomas have a non-stop week ahead of them getting ready for the Jim Clark International Rally on May 25-27.

The team will spend Monday and Tuesday at the MIRA testing facility and Wednesday in Balla in Wales, to ensure they find the perfect asphalt set up, and give David plenty of time behind the wheel before the Scottish event. From there it will be straight to Kelso to recce the stages before a pre-event shakedown at Floors Castle that night.

"Three days testing so close to the event will be fantastic," says David. "After the problems we had on the Pirelli International Rally we went home with just two points. We'll be aiming for maximum points this time round."

David, and his sponsor and fellow TQ RED driver Hugh Evans, have also undertaken driving tuition from F1 driver trainer Rob Wilson to up their game on asphalt. "We learned a lot with Rob, but transferring what we were taught in a saloon car on a race track into driving a rally car on the stages will be the big test on the Jim Clark," says David.

He may not have taken many points, but David set stunning times in the TQ RED Toyota S2000R on the Pirelli having never sat in the car before. He was just 0.4 seconds off a fastest stage time on the gravel event, and the car is expected to perform even more impressively on asphalt.

"On paper it looks like the car will be highly competitive on asphalt," says David. "It is lighter and has less torque than a Group N car which can put it at a disadvantage on gravel. I just can't wait to get back into the car again for the test runs. It's stunning."

David and Ieuan are seeded at number 8 on the Jim Clark International Rally entry list. Their TQ RED team mates Hugh, and his co-driver Iestyn Williams, are seeded at number 31 in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9.

On your bike David!

TQ driver David Higgins is taking on a new challenge this July when he will cycle 120 miles to raise money for charity.

David will swap his TQ RED Toyota S2000R rally car for a bicycle to take part in the British Cyclosportive event which uses the same 120 mile route as the first part of the Tour de France.

"I've been cycling a lot to keep my fitness levels up for rallying," said David. "So why not combine the training with raising money. I'll be raising money for the Air Ambulance and for our local school Ysgol Dyffryn Trannon Trefeglwys to buy some high tech smart boards for the classrooms."

"There will be 5000 riders taking part in the event which will start in Greenwich and finish in Canterbury. I can't cycle as fast as I drive and I won't have a co-driver telling me where to go, but the cycling I've been doing to keep fit should mean I can keep up with the crowd."

The British Cyclosportive takes place on July 1st. To sponsor David people can visit the TQ RED area of the service park on the Jim Clark International Rally in May or post a donation to the Forest Experience Rally School, Cambrian House, Carno, Powys, SY17 5LU.