British SuperNational rallycross title contender Dan Rooke heads to the sixth round of the MSA British Rallycross Championship at Pembrey in South Wales this weekend [July 19] with a margin of 14 points at the head of the championship standings, in his first season in the sport.

Rooke's debut campaign has been about both speed and consistency, he scored his first victory at only his second ever British Championship event at Lydden Hill in April. The Citroen AX driver is hungry for more visits to the top step of the podium, but is well aware of the need to continue scoring points in his quest for the SuperNational championship crown. “I obviously approach each event aiming to win, but I'm also fully aware that I need to score as many points as possible, so I cant afford to make a silly mistake that may cost me in future rounds. At this stage, we need to keep gaining strong points finishes. However, if the opportunity for a win comes up, I will grab it with both hands. I'm hoping to improve on our last visit to Pembrey. The lap times were there last time, but I struggled to get through traffic.”

Following the championship’s last visit to Pembrey in May, the Dan Rooke Racing team worked hard to develop the engine and transmission of their Citroen AX, improvements that paid dividends at Mondello Park last month where Rooke was able to score good points in an event that also included experienced local Irish competitors. “It was nice to have the opportunity to race against the Irish drivers at their home track. There were some very fast drivers and impressive cars. But, I am looking forward to being against my main championship rivals on track again for the remainder of the season. We’ve adjusted the gear selection on the car since Mondello Park and we’re hoping that our improved acceleration with the recent changes will help us this weekend. It made a big difference at Mondello so we hope it will help at Pembrey too.”

Not only will the team benefit from developments to the car, Rooke has also been training hard to be as ready as possible for Pembrey, and the following two rounds of the year at Lydden Hill and Croft. “I have been looking back at my in-car footage from the last time we were at Pembrey to see where I can afford to push the car more. I've also been trying to improve my fitness so that I don't run out of energy before the final. I’m really looking forward to the event and excited to be in the championship battle.”

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