RALLY ace Neil Simpson has been called up to help Volkswagen win the Mobil 1 British Championship.

Neil, from Colne, and co-driver Steven Martin will crew a Golf GTi in this week's Manx International Rally.

The race is the crucial deciding round of the competition, and Neil's daunting task is to force the pace and make the going too tough for rivals of the championship leader , Volkswagen's Alister McRae.

Said Neil: "I'm looking forward to the rally immensely. The Manx is my favourite event and though I'm bound to find the new car a little strange at first I'm hoping to do my bit for the team."

The 25-year-old motor dealer claimed sixth place in last year's championship, but his hopes for the 1997 season collapsed with a failed sponsorship deal and he's been forced to watch from the sidelines.

Volkswagen team boss Steve Bagnall said: "Neil's talent was being wasted."

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