WITH the new rallying season gathering momentum, entries are rolling in fast for the upcoming Red Kite Stages.

The Llandovery based event takes place on 21st February, and represents the opening round of the Mintex British Historic series.

The rally offers 45 miles of prime forestry roads in the Crychan Caeo forestry complexes.

Local entries so far include Ross Motor Club vice chairman Will Rogers, who teams up with the highly rated Matt Edwards. The Conwy based driver will switch from his Escort RS1800 to a Opel Kadett GTE for the event. Fellow Ross residents Steve Bennett and Iain Tullie return in their rebuilt RS1800, while the experienced Paul Morris sits alongside Simon Tysoe in his Escort RS1600 ahead of a busy season for Morris. Meanwhile, Tysoe’s former co-driver Cliff Simmons continues alongside Ben Friend in their Escort RS1800. Julian Reynolds is set to wheel out his RS1800 for a rare outing and will be hard to beat. All will be expected to be competitive in a very high quality entry with some of the best drivers in the UK doing battle on the first round.

Last year’s Red Kite winner and reigning historic champion Jason Pritchard starts the defence of his crown, but will face tough opposition from Nick Elliott, Rudi Lancaster, Simon Webster, Tim Freeman, the flying veteran Terry Brown and Irishman Stanley Orr who are all Escort RS mounted. Championship front runner Matt Robinson is to break the trend, switching to his new Fiat 131.

Early local entries in the National B rally include James Dunkley and Dan Sayce in their Vauxhall Corsa, while 2015 C2 Challenge runners-up Mark Christopher and Kevin Watkins bring their Citroen C2.

For more details go to redkitestages.co.uk