Jon Armstrong goes into this weekend’s Bushwacker Rally knowing the destination of the Carryduff Forklift Road to Wales championship is out of his own hands. The prize for the series winner is a free entry and a fully funded drive in a David Greer Motorsport-prepared Citroën DS3 R3 on November’s Wales Rally GB. The prize is worth more than £30,000 but Jon knows he will need a stroke of good fortune if he is to overcome current leader Rob Duggan.

Duggan only needs second place to take the title, but a win for Jon on the Omagh Motor Club organised rally and third place or worse for his Killarney rival would hand him the highly sought after prize.

“I just have to try to win and whatever else happens isn’t down to me,” said Jon. “It’s obviously a massive prize and it would be great experience at a WRC event like Wales Rally GB. To get it completely paid for is huge and there is nothing else out there really like it. I know what I need to do, and maybe for Rob it is maybe more nerve wracking. I just have to try my best and whatever else happens will look after itself.” Jon goes into the event as the in-form driver having won the previous two rounds of the series, but the Tyrone forests will be a new experience for him. “I have never done the Bushwacker before so it is the first time for me. I have been spectating a couple of times but apart from that all the stages will be brand new to me,” he said. “On the Lakeland Stages I really enjoyed getting back onto gravel again and getting to learn more about the car. It’s really fun to drive, so I’m going to the Bushwacker Rally full of confidence.” Jon is just one of a number of local drivers contesting the event, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, with Shane McGirr and Jonny Leonard among those hoping to be feature among the class winners.

The event will be held over six special stages and 42 competitive miles and gets underway on Saturday morning from the Silver Birch Hotel at 9.30am. The route will take the competitors through the traditional Lough Bradan, Carrickaholten and Killeter forests with central servicing at Aikens Caravan yard on the Drumquin Road outside Castlederg.