Higgins to contest Super One in 2010

Rally star David Higgins is aiming to contest a full year in the Super One kart championship in 2010 as he continues to develop the talents of his karting protege Luke Hughes.

Higgins has always been a firm believer in the benefits of karting to any motorsport career, and is already contesting multiple kart events this year alongside a full time attack on the Chinese Rally Championship.

"I mainly do it for fun and as a good way to keep your skills sharp between rallies, but I still like to win and be on the best kart possible," said David. "Luke and myself have done a deal to drive the new Arrow X1 kart this year, with the help of Walker Racing. The kart is not commonly used in the UK yet, but we have direct contact with the factory for support."

David has worked with Luke for a few years now, seeing him through multiple Cadet championships before he made the step up to MiniMax last year.

"Luke is using the new kart to good effect in the Formula Kart Stars championship this year, where he is lying fourth in the MiniMax class," said David. "I used it for the first time at Whilton Mill recently. With very little time on it we were on the same pace as the frontrunners. We're very impressed with both the kart's performance and the factory input."

David and Luke are planning to do the O Plate event at Shenington in September, and to do the full Super One championship next year if it fits around the Chinese Rally Championship calendar which David has already committed to.

The boys are sponsored by the Forest Experience Rally School, Global Tiles, Facum, Cobra and Neo Oils.

Photo: www.pixelero.co.uk

Higgins provides thrilling finale to the Huairou Rally in China

David Higgins and Ieuan Thomas overcame food poisoning to provide a thrilling finale to the Huairou Rally in China on Thursday and Friday.

This is the crew's first Chinese win of the year, after they narrowly missed out on the top podium position on the Jiangning Rally last month.

"It's not been easy this weekend," said David. "But that was nothing to do with the stages. Myself and Ieuan have both been ill all through the event with food poisoning. We did a great test of our Mitsubishi Evo9 at a kart track, and a good recce, then of course we got sick for the main event, and it was 40 degree heat which didn't help.

“But once we got in the rally car, the rally head takes over and you put your foot down. We were fastest on the first three stages and led until the rear diff seized in the fourth stage. The team changed it to a spare gravel spec diff in service, and we were fastest again on the next test – despite it being an asphalt rally. That left us 2.5 seconds ahead going into the last stage of day one, but an overshoot on a fast downhill section cost us the lead.”

Overnight the crew lay second by 2.3 seconds. The WY Rally Team were kept busy as they had to rebuild the asphalt spec diff so it could be fitted for day two. Meanwhile, David and Ieuan were ill throughout the night, but kept up the pace on day two.

Showing the determination the crew have become known for in China, they were confident they could win going into the final stage – even though they were 6.7 seconds behind leader Jarkko Miettinen going into it.

“We had been 9.1 seconds faster through the stage being used as the final stage when it had run earlier in the day, so we knew a win was possible,” said David. “This time round we beat him through by 10.3 seconds, so we took the win by 3.6 seconds.

"I would like to dedicate my win in China to my family. The day I travelled to China my son Matthew was taken to hospital with pneumonia. Thankfully he has recovered, but were it not for my wife Kara's support I would not have been able to compete last week at all."

David and Ieuan's win puts the WY Rally Team at the top of the points table for the teams championship in China joint on points with the KST team. The next round of the championship is the Fogang Rally in August.

Later in the weekend the celebrations continued for the Higgins family on Rally Isle of Man where David's brother Mark won, and his cousin Andy finished tenth.

David and Ieuan win again in China!

The news just in from China is that David and Ieuan have won the Huairou Rally and helped the WY Rally Team take the lead in the teams championship in China.

Despite both suffering from food poisoning and not having much sleep the night before the final day of the rally, they won by three seconds.

The crew went into the final stage seven seconds behind Jarkko Miettinen, and pushed hard in the stage to take the win. Round one winner Jussi Valimaki finished third.

Huairou Rally update: End of day one

At the end of the first day of the Huairou Rally David and Ieuan lie second overall by 2.3 seconds.

The crew were leading the event until the rear diff seized on their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9.

The overnight leader is Jarkko Miettinen, while Jiangning Rally winner Jussi Valimaki lies third.

As if rallying in the 40 degree heat in China is not enough of a challenge, David and Ieuan have both struggled through the day suffering from food poisoning.

More news tomorrow.

Huairou Rally update: testing

David and Ieuan have reported a successful test session in China. The test took place at a kart track due to the lack of asphalt roads the team are able to close in the area of the rally.

After the test David went for an 8km run in 44 degree heat.

The ceremonial start of the event takes place tomorrow.

Read David's latest column on crash.net

In his latest column David comments on his year to date and the second round of the Chinese rally championship, which takes place this weekend.

Click here to read it on Crash.net

Huairou Rally preview

Just one month on from the opening round of the Chinese Rally Championship,
David Higgins and Ieuan Thomas are back in China for round two, the Huairou
Rally in Beijing.

Last time out the boys finished second, narrowly missing out on the win
when they suffered damper problems on the Jiangning Rally.

“This event is a full asphalt rally which looks quite similar to the 2007
event which we won,” explained David. “The stages are very twisty, but
smooth too. I remember that in 2007 there wasn't much grip so it was easy
to overheat the tyres if you weren't careful – and this year's event
looks set to be even harder because the temperature could be up in the
40s.”

As usual, David and Ieuan have travelled out to China before the event to
test their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9 with the WY Rally Team, but this time
their test will take place on a kart track because of a lack of closable
asphalt roads available in the area.

Unfortunately a change in the initial calendar released for the Chinese
championship now means the Huairou Rally takes place on the same weekend as
David's home round of the British Rally Championship, Rally Isle of Man.

“Even though we are not doing the BRC any more, it would have been great
to have been able to contest Rally Isle of Man which we always enjoy,”
said David. “We did make initial sponsorship enquiries to try to put a
deal together, but then the Huairou got put back a week to the same
weekend.

“I hope we can get back to our winning ways in China now after the damper
problems we had last time out. And even though we will be about 5,000 miles
away from Rally Isle of Man, we will be keeping an eye on the results to
see how my brother Mark and my cousin Andy Leece are getting on.”

The Huairou Rally takes place from July 10th to 12th.