ST ALBANS' Kevin Eason endured a particularly tough national rally debut in the Bulldog Rally in Wales last weekend, but came through with third place in his class to achieve his international licence status.

The treacherous conditions made for a difficult debut but Eason, alongside ITV's Tony Jardine in their Honda Integra Type R, finished a respectable 46th overall in a world-class field which included 12 World Rally Cars.

After a shaky start on the stages, Eason grew in confidence and clarity proving that intensive pace note and timing instruction received from professional co-driver Claire Mole the previous week had proved more than a little worthwhile.

Whilst Eason grappled mentally and physically with road timing, rules and pace note reading on stages, Jardine was physically forced to grapple with changing a wheel as the car kept slipping off it's jacks, although this was understandable in thick mud.

Eason was to get in the thick of everything: "Luckily Tony had suggested I wear his overalls rather than my brand new fire proofs as he thought we may be in for a bit of mud plugging how right he was.

"I think more things were thrown at me over the weekend than I can remember but that's just the sort of training I need.

"The main goal of securing international licence status was achieved not without a great deal of relief on my part, now I can concentrate on the two big events ahead knowing I've qualified."

The duo take to the road again in the Jim Clark Memorial Rally in Scotland on Friday, November 2, as they continue their preparations for the Network Q Rally of Great Britain on Thursday, November 22.

October 27, 2001 14:36