Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
ALTHOUGH HE has retired, former world rally champion, Didier Auriol, who arrived in the island on Monday night for this weekend's JMMC/Petcom Stages Rally, said he is not here for fun, but to win.
"My only difficulty is that I will be driving a car that I have never driven before," said the pint-sized Auriol.
The Frenchman and his co-driver, Denis Giraudet, will be driving a four-wheel drive Subaru Impreza WRX car, which he intends to test today.
"The car is a right-hand drive and I am not used to driving on the right side," said Auriol, who won the 1994 World Rally Championship.
He will be among 32 participants who will be lining up for the 6:00 a.m. start at the Petcom Service Station in Naggo Head, Portmore, St. Catherine tomorrow.
The event will restart on Sunday at the Petcom Service Station in Portmore and finish in New Kingston, near the Ministry of Tourism.
Defending champions, Jamaica's Richie Rerrie and Neil Baugh, were among a number of competitors who went to look at the stages on Wednesday and yesterday, taking pace notes.
"It is a honour to compete in the same rally with the former world champion Auriol. We are going to see how close we can get to him. The usual plan in these events is to try and get out there fast and safe," said Rerrie.
The United Kingdom's Kevin Proctor was attending the recent concluded Barbados Rally when he accepted an invi-tation to compete in the JMMC/Petcom Rally.
"My goal is to finish the event, then return next year and do much better," said Proctor.
The Englisman, whose childhood dream was to become a racing driver, described this weekend's rally as an open affair.
Trinidad and Tobago's Trevor 'Micey' Manning, who finished third in the event last year, is hoping to get another podium finish.
"This year's event seems to be more competitive, there are about three WRC cars in the rally and I think I will give them the edge. There is also a lot more hype this year which is good for sponsorship," said Manning, who came third this year in the Barbados Rally.
The consistent David Summerbell and his co-driver Stephen Gunter will be driving a Motor Sales Mitsubishi Evolution 6.5 vehicle.
While taking pace notes on Wednesday, the pair stressed that the Bog Walk stages looked the same way when they last competed on the course in August.
"We have always done well on the Bog Walk stages, but we think we might need a miracle to happen for us to win," said Summerbell.
