Saltash rally driver Alan Cookson, co-driver Julian Wilkinson and their venerable Subaru WRC, nicknamed 'Daisy', will make the long trip north for the second time in a month tomorrow as they look to continue their great start in the 2009 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship.

Following on from a superb seventh place finish on Rallye Sunseeker, which was backed up with sixth spot on the Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally, the Robert Wiseman Dairies, Kick Energy, GillettsSpar.com, Kumho Tyres, Riverside Property Services and Olverelectrical.com-supported Subaru Impreza WRC team hold third place overall in the standings going into round three and the Carlisle-based Pirelli Tour of Cumbria.

'We can't wait to get up to Kielder again after having such a great time on the Border Counties Rally,' said Cookson.

'The car has been superb and we continue to learn more each time we go out in her, so are really hoping to record another top ten finish to secure a good points-haul, as we need to capitalise on the first two events of the year. 

'It is certainly going to be a very tough event – and one that I'm sure will have a high rate of attrition due to there only being one service during the day; this, coupled with us not having the ability to service remotely either, will mean we have to be extra careful and keep it neat and tidy all day and avoid the dreaded punctures that are so common on the Kielder stages. 

'We have got some corporate guests from Wiseman Dairies coming along on this event to see just how our WRC Friesian cow looks in the flesh... so there is some added pressure on us to secure a fifth finish in a row for "Daisy", and to continue with the 100 per cent finishing record we now have since switching to using the services of the TEG Sport Rally Team.'

The Pirelli Tour of Cumbria gets under way at 10.15 am from Carlisle Racecourse, whereafter crews tackle the Kielder classics of Pundershaw, Trinket, Roughside and Chirdonhead before returning to service followed by the second loop later in the day and the finish back at Carlisle Racecourse around 6.40 pm.

For further details, including spectator information, go to http://www.pirelli">www.pirelli

internationalrally.co.uk and for championship positions and other information, visit http://www.gravelrally.co.uk">www.gravelrally.co.uk