EAST YORKSHIRE rally driver Jonny Milner is hoping the extensive modifications made to his Merlin International supported ‘Xtreme’ 700 BHP Toyota Celica GT4 will pay off at Woodbridge this weekend.

Huggate-based Milner travels to Suffolk for the second round of the Toyota Sprint Series Championship in the knowledge the Merlin Preparations Team has virtually redesigned every part of the car in a bid to gain valuable seconds and beat adversary Adrian Smith.

Milner said: “We’ve looked at just about everything except the panels and the dash to try to address the gearbox and lag issues. We have fitted a rallycross style transmission system that we hope will solve the understeer problems.”

Milner, 42 was pipped to the post in round one after the Celica developed gearbox problems that required extensive remedial work in the pits during the first of the six round Series at Rockingham.

Meanwhile, York driver Warren Philliskirk and co-driver Matt Whattam put in a strong display in the fourth championship round of the BTRDA Rally Championship.

Starting in Welshpool and comprising seven stages in mid-Wales, the pair exited the competition still heading the Historic Cup section, while regaining the lead in the Silver Star Championship for all two wheel drive cars.

Having exercised a degree of caution on the first few stages, made slippery by overnight rain, the crew of the Ford Escort Mk2 were confident they could up their pace.

In the 11-mile Hafren stage, Philliskirk and Whattam pushed hard from the start only to be dealt a stroke of bad luck with a puncture not far from the end.

Despite driving the last mile on the wheel rim, the time was remarkably competitive and a few vital seconds were clawed back.

However, their closest rivals responded in the next stage to increase the gap again. With one short but tricky stage remaining the Yorkshire duo were forced to play safe.

Despite finishing 42nd overall and fifth in the Historic class, at the halfway point of the season, they lead two sections.