DAMIAN Cole warmed up for this weekend's Woodpecker Stages Rally with a top class win in the Mewla Rally at Epynt, albeit by the narrow margin of four seconds. The Abergavenny–based driver of the Get Connected Hyundai Accent World Rally Car will be hoping that the winning habit continues in Ludlow on Saturday as Cole attempts to secure the Welsh National Rally Championship title for the second consecutive year.
The Woodpecker Stages Rally based at Ludlow Racecourse, covers eight stages across Marches and Radnor. The action starts at 8.30am with a field of more than 120 competitors.
Cole will be looking for a victory, but knows that despite a strong run of recent performances, drama is never far from his door.
"A win would be great, but most importantly we need to come out on top of our rivals in the Welsh Championship to secure the title," explains a determined Cole, who will be co-driven by Paul Morris.
The rally ace added, "Rallying is always unpredictable and nothing is ever guaranteed. We might have more butterflies than usual as we rev up at the start but we shall attack this weekend's event as if it were just another race."
Cole, who goes into the Woodpecker Rally with a 38 point lead, will need to increase this to an unattainable points score to take the 2008 Welsh National title.
A win over Hugh Hunter could also move Cole into the lead in the BTRDA Series where he is currently lying in second place with three events to go.