Tom Boardman is the latest BTCC star to be hit by rally fever. The 20 year-old will swap his Production class Peugeot 307 for the 206 Xsi model when he joins York-based ProSpeed Motorsport for the Peugeot 206 Winter Cup.

Boardman will be joined by ProSpeed rally scholarship winner Ieuan Rowlands for the three round championship, which starts next weekend with the Galloway Hills Rally in South West Scotland (December 7th).

Boardman follows the likes of Yvan Muller, James Thompson and Rob Collard – all of whom have swapped the track for rally stages during 2003. Whilst he has plenty of front wheel drive experience, the Lancashire based driver will be competing on his first ever rally in the Scottish forests. and will be guided by experienced Kumho National Rally Championship winning co-driver Alun Cook from Caerphilly for his gravel debut.

The Peugeot 206 Winter Cup consists of three gravel rallies for 2003/4. Starting in Scotland, the team will then venture to the often frozen gravel roads of the Epynt Military ranges near Brecon for the Red Kite Rally. Based in Llandovery, the popular season opener (first weekend after New Year) uses stages found on the Wales Rally GB, Britain's only round of the World Rally Championship. As you might expect, the world class stages can pose a testing challenge for the Peugeot crews.

In a change from last season, the final round of the series will take place in the picturesque Forest of Dean. Based at Chepstow Racecourse, the Wyedean Rally will be the final sting in the tail for the 206 drivers on Valentines Day 2004. 45 miles of stages in the Gloucestershire forest complex in February will present a tricky but enjoyable finale for the team, who hope to be celebrating after good performances in the mini-championship.

Both Boardman and Rowlands will get to test their cars on gravel before next weekend. All the action gets underway from Castle Douglas at 9am on the Sunday morning.