RALLY Scholarship winner Daniel Boardman gets his first taste of Peugeot power when he contests this weekend's Grizedale Stages.

The 26-year-old Ribchester driver is a late entry for the Lake District-based forest rally on Saturday.

And Boardman will be behind the wheel of the Innovation Motorsports' Peugeot 206 Supercup car which he hopes to be driving next season.

The scholarship prize was intended to be an entire season competing in the Peugeot 206 1400 Challenge, which is a level below the 1600 Supercup. However, Daniel's talent and potential impressed the scholarship judges so such an extent that Innovation Motorsports are now trying to find the additional sponsorship necessary to fund the higher profile championship.

"I have been seeded at a modest 68 but am hoping to finish in the top 20 as my new Peugeot 206 should be quite competitive for a two-wheel drive car," said Boardman.

"However I am competing against mainly four-wheel-drive turbocharged cars which are much more powerful than mine!"

The car is currently being prepared following its last outing in the Tempest Rally stages last month driven by ITV's Formula One analyst Tony Jardine.

Innovation Motorsports have paired Daniel up with experienced co-driver Chris Campbell, from Nelson, for this event as the scholarship co-driver Yolandie Walsh, who lives in Rishton, is still undergoing intensive-training for next season.

For the last two weekends, Boardman has been testing at Innovation Motorsports' RallySchool UK venue at Tong, near Bradford.

And he is hoping to be able to attract the support needed over the next few weeks to enable him to continue in this car next season rather than having to step sideways into the 1400 Challenge.

"As my ambition is to be competing in the British Rally Championship as soon as possible, success in the 1600 Supercup will be a significant step forward," he said.

To request spectator information for Grizedale this weekend with a chance to meet Daniel at the event, or to enquire about partnership with the

Innovation Motorsports Rally Team in 2006, which offers marketing and publicity opportunities including corporate rally days at their private forest rally test stage, contact Daniel on 07970 533383 or via email: dan@boardmanmotorsport.com