Rally ace Dave Wright brings Davanti Tyres to Goodwood Festival of Speed

Bentham rally driver Dave Wright will make his ninth appearance at Goodwood Festival of Speed, hoping to carry the Davanti Tyres banner to glory.

Dave, in partnership with Fix Auto and Davanti Tyres, will drive Carlos Sainz and Luis Moya’s 2001 WRC Ford Focus at the festival – courtesy of Giles Phillips Motorsport. He will be aiming to beat his previous fastest time around the rally stage at the festival, which runs from July 8-11.

“It’s always fun at Goodwood,” he said. “You get to test yourself against the best rally drivers in the world, and sometimes the results are not what you expect!

“On one previous outing, I managed to outperform a well-known WRC car as a privateer, which didn’t go down too well. But it’s all about putting on a great show for the crowds and using the opportunity to show what you can do in an incredible machine.

“It’s fantastic that Davanti Tyres has got behind me this year. It’s the first time the brand has been showcased at Goodwood in any way, so I’m proud they’ve put their faith in me.”

Dave owns Grove Hill Garage in Bentham – an authorised Davanti dealer – and has spent a lot of time preparing the Focus for Goodwood.

“It’s been a manic few weeks making sure the bodywork is right, and the car is running well,” he said. “It’s an iconic vehicle, and it’s important for everything to be perfect when you arrive at the festival to show it off at its best.

“Once you’re there, then you just have to keep it shiny side up all the way around!”

This year Dave – the owner of authorised Davanti dealer Grove Hill Garage in Bentham, returned to competitive rallying after a 15-year hiatus has already shown that he’s not lost a step.

Last month in the Argyll Rally, he led in his rally-class Ford Fiesta RS until a time penalty saw him finish fourth. He now has his sights set on building up to a real assault on the Northern England Tarmacadam Championships next year.

“It’s been an unusual way to return,” he said. “Covid added a level of uncertainty, so I always planned to use this season to get back into regular racing and set things up for a big push next season.”

Stay up-to-date with all the action at the Goodwood Festival of Speed at www.goodwood.com/motorsport/festival-of-speed.

Find out more about Grove Hill Garage at www.grovehillgarage.com.