Maiden FIA World Rally Championship For Clark

Apr 24, 2008

Scotsman Barry Clark will contest his first ever FIA World Rally Championship event in a Ford Focus RS WRC this weekend on the Jordan Rally. This will be a fantastic opportunity for the 25-year-old who is set to contest three additional WRC events in the car this year as a part of his prize for winning last year’s Fiesta Sporting Trophy International series.

Clark will drive the number 10 Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team car of Luis Pérez Companc who has returned to Argentina at the last minute due to business commitments. Originally set to do the event as a Rally Technician on Federico Villagra’s Focus RS, Clark now finds himself partnering the Argentine as the second nominated point scorer for the Munchi’s Ford WRT.

In quite a unique situation Clark was only made aware of his replacement role 17 hours before departing to Jordan. This called for extreme logistical action and by 06:30 Wednesday morning – 30 minutes before his set departure from M-Sport – his competition licence, helmet, gloves and boots had arrived from his home town of Aberdeen in Scotland.

Unfortunately a later flight into Amman saw his arrival into the country this morning at 03:00 meaning no reconnaissance and will see him drive the event ‘blind’ with Munchi’s stand-in co-driver Jose Diaz. Despite not much rest before this morning’s Shakedown run it was a clean test for Clark ahead of his first event in top class machinery. 

Due to the ongoing situation within the farming industry in his native Argentina, Luis Pérez Companc returned to the country on Wednesday morning after one full day’s reconnaissance. With the Pérez Companc family involved in the food industry the decision was made to return to Argentina.

Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team Driver Barry Clark said:
“This is an amazing opportunity for me especially ahead of Rally Turkey in a few months which I’m competing on as a part of my prize for winning the Fiesta SportingTrophy International last year. It is unfortunate Luis was unable to contest this event but for me it will be invaluable experience on a no pressure event. Not having done recce or even seen the roads here until this morning I will be driving around sensibly making sure I keep the car on the road and gain maximum mileage in the car head of Turkey. It’s a fantastic way to prepare for the other events.”